* I’m a little late for this one. I think I’ll be moving towards one a week as I continue to look for opportunities, unless something major happens that I want to address. Also, I want to make these a little more meaningful with content so it feels full. I am currently working on a new project that I’m excited about, so stay tuned for that as well. Now to this week’s story.
It has been just over 4 months since I was laid off. It happened quickly. And I’m not gonna lie, I thought I’d be working by now. Don’t get me wrong, I have loved every second of being with my family. These moments will live in my memory forever. But as time goes on, I realize that each day that passes, it becomes the new longest stretch I’ve had without a job. As a father, husband, and man and provider, sometimes, as I go through my day, the thought creeps in: Did I fail? Did I wait too long? Now I’m expanding my search for the next opportunity, not just in sports. I’m now looking at my skill set and seeing what can transfer into the corporate world, mostly digital marketing and communications roles. I’m excited to see if someone is willing to give me a shot at using my ability to tell stories, create conversations, and build communities. But at the same time, it almost feels like defeat. I struggle with the thought of “Maybe they were right in letting me go”.
Which brings me to the subject of today’s newsletter. Bulls guard Jaden Ivey. If you are not familiar with who he is, Jaden Ivey was a college basketball superstar at Purdue University. He received widespread national acclaim, eventually becoming the fifth pick in the 2022 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons. Ivey’s key skill was his explosive first step and athleticism, being able to get by defenders and finishing at the rim. But just halfway through his third season in the NBA, injuries started to take a toll. As he was having his best year last season, he collided with an opposing player, breaking his leg and ending his season. As this current season approached, he required arthroscopic knee surgery to relieve discomfort in his right knee, causing him to miss the first month of this season. The Pistons, unsure of how he may fit long-term, post-injury, traded him to the Chicago Bulls at the 2026 deadline. It’s safe to say Ivey has not been the same player he was before the injuries. So much so, leading up to his most recent injury, Ivey was benched by Bulls head coach Billy Donovan a month ago, and when asked about it, he said something that caught everyone’s attention.
“I'm not the J.I. I used to be. But the old J.I. is dead. I'm alive in Christ.”
Jaden Ivey is only 24. He still has a lot left in the tank in his NBA career, but his acknowledgement of his reality and flipping it on its head to put it in perspective for the sporting world is something we should take note of. This idea of the “old J.I. being dead” is not self-pity or public flagellation. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. Ivey is pulling from scripture. Specifically, the writer Paul, who is expressing a core Christian belief about what the finished work of Jesus means to all who put their faith in Him.
“But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved…” (Ephesians 2:4-5)
Jaden perfectly summed up his perspective in a few short sentences. He understands that he may not be the old athletic player he once was, but the old Jaden was dead anyway. What Jesus’ death and resurrection doesn’t do is make bad people good, or even good people great, but dead people into live ones. Jaden continued in his comments:
“Jesus is not going to say on Judgment Day, how many points did you score today? Jesus is not going to say, February 19th, why didn't you play, Jaden? He's going to say, what did you do for my kingdom? Do you believe in my name? Are you free from sin? And there's only freedom in Jesus Christ.”
Jaden’s words were encouraging to me during this time in my life. When the game plan changes, will I still trust? Do I have the right perspective as I wade through the waters of unemployment and not feeling like the provider I was? If I were the old me, I would be filled with worry, anxiety, embarrassment, and anger. Thinking I’m all by myself in this. But the old me is dead. The free gift of salvation through Jesus, made available to all, has made me alive. Someone is gonna get a great contributor soon, and I believe someone is gonna get the best version of Jaden Ivey as well.
