July 25, 2007
Fellowship of Christian Athletes Campus President, Emma Hustad, Joins Christian Tennis!
ICTA’s Pro Tennis Teammates, Rachel Snelen (WTA player) and Emma Hustad, in Paris at 2007 French Open on ICTA Visioneering & Foundation Laying Mission Trip.
Blessings to you all!
My name is Emma Hustad and I am a college student at the University of North Dakota where I am active in Christian ministry through the Fellowship of Christian Athletes as President; Campus Crusade for Christ / Athletes In Action as a bible-study leader; and the World-Wide Student Network reaching international students; Grace Baptist Church, and I play D1 tennis for the Fighting Sioux Tennis Team.
Emma Hustad and Rachel Snelen with ICTA Founder, Scott Paschal, in Normandy, France celebrating the 63rd Anniversary of WW II D-Day during ICTA Global Mission Trip to 2007 French Open.
But what’s more… I am a summer missionary on court serving hard through the International Christian Tennis Association in Florida. What an amazing few months it’s been! It’s beyond me- to look back and see how God in his faithfulness brought me here.
ICTA Women’s Pro Tennis Team at Christian Event. Emma (3rd left)
Well, why don’t we go back! Summer break was almost here and the dilemma began… How does God want to use Emma this summer? With so many great opportunities I felt challenged discerning through God’s plans for my summer in comparison to my plans and ideas for my summer.
Emma Hustad Training In Scott Paschal’s High-Performance Pro Player & Missionary Program.
If it were up to me, I would have worked around home… maybe taught some tennis… enjoyed vacation with my friends… and placed God in a neat, little comfort zone box on a 2 week Athlete’s in Action missions trip to Kazakhstan. This all was within my comfort zone.
The whole total-summer-long commitment to Florida / ICTA wasn’t something that neatly fit into Emma’s little box… and AIA was!! Dilemma almost solved… right?!
Not Quite! God had other plans.
Rachel Snelen and Emma Hustad Visiting Notre Dame in Beautiful Paris.
In challenging me through His word, He revealed to me a couple of examples that made biblical history. He showed me His will for living life in a way outside of my comfort zone that made less of me and more of Him.
Esther, for example, had a selfless attitude of “If I perish, oh well, I perish!” much like Paul’s sacrificial heart “to live as Christ – dying is gain!”
God really challenged me to lose much of me and my self-security, comfort, control, safety… to gain, thrive, and live abundantly in trusting and depending on His plan.
Emma Hustad and ICTA Christian Tennis Academy Students Playing a Board Game in Scott Paschal’s House.
So I took a leap of faith being comfortable in my uncomfortable-ness because my comfort was in God! Got that?!
I now find myself in Florida with Scott Paschal and the International Christian Tennis Association seeking, seeing, knowing more of Christ each day through the work- Eternal work, through ICTA missions to professional tennis tournaments in Texas, South Carolina, and Washington DC: people finding Jesus!
To ICTA amazing missions foundational work in Paris and Normandy, France during the 2007 French Open; to eye-opening experiences in Israel yet to come in August-
To daily training with WTA players up to three workouts a day! 2 on 1 tennis training, early morning footwork, strength training! To being daily discipled by ICTA founder, Scott Paschal, in his own home! To attending Student Life in Daytona, Florida as a special guest of David Nasser who speaks to over 700,000 people a year, and having the privilege to sit next to David’s wife.
To meeting people who came to know Christ through ICTA! To learning everything about ICTA and seeing God working faithfully through His servants! God is faithful!
Emma Hustad and Rachel Snelen at a castle Bed & Breakfast near Normandy, France.
All of which being His plans through the International Christian Tennis Association to make Himself known.
So, in some of the many dilemmas God has in your life right now… as a sister in Christ I’d like to challenge you to lose yourself, your plans –Be weak and be God’s!
For when you are weak, then He is strong!
Emma Hustad
July 20, 2007
International Christian Tennis Academy: Brittiny’s Mom, Lynn!
Britty and Scotty Paschal on an ICTA Global Mission Trip to the International Tennis Hall of Fame! This pic was taken during Rachel and Melody Snelen’s birthday party at Chili’s. Britty has been with us since 2002 when she was just 12 years old!
The International Christian Tennis Association has awesome coaches and role models for our daughter, Brittiny! They do not settle for second best. They have high standards and morals for our children to abide by. I love all of the coaches as if they are like my family. We even had the privilege to have one of the coaches come and stay with us here in Idaho for a visit from Florida a couple of years ago. She was such a joy to all of us. You truly are building relationships for a lifetime when you send you child to the ICTA. They care about the youth and where they are going in life.
Several years ago, our daughter, Brittiny, was online looking for a tennis academy and found the ICTA web site all by herself. Britt was ranked #1 G12 Intermountain and was interested in further developing her tennis game. I talked with Coach Scott Paschal and was awe struck how God once again puts people in our lives and we have no control over His ultimate plan.
We first met the ICTA coaches on our way to the 2002 USTA Super Nationals in Florida (which, by the way, ICTA is now a sponsor of!). We told them we had a layover in Dallas, where they were located at that time, and they met us at the airport. They told us on how they were moving to Florida and about the new facility and training opportunities. My husband and I talked and prayed about sending our then 11 year old to train with basically total strangers. She had never been anywhere without us before! We decided to let her go.
It was the best thing we could have done for her. Not only did they train her in tennis and her skills improved, but also missionary training, working for others not only for herself, learning to depend on God, and also became more responsible for taking care of herself. Mel and Rachel are like big sisters to Britt. The kind of role models you could only wish to have for your children. Coach Scotty is a super coach that knows how to fix your tennis problems within minutes after watching you play. He has been such a great mentor for us in guiding us in the direction to take our daughter.
One of my most favorite memories with the International Christian Tennis Academy is when I came to visit them in Florida and see my daughter while she was training. The ICTA had a room in the house ready for me to stay in which was so awesome. It is truly like one big family. I had the privilege of cooking a yummy dinner with them. It was so fun sharing those precious moments with everyone who was there. Everyone pitches in to help. No one is exempt from helping! This is another great thing the ICTA offers, actual life training, responsibility, working together, and cooking!
Another neat memory I have was when my daughter was playing a junior tournament in Florida at Coach Scotty’s tennis facility, The Player’s Tennis Club, where Coach Scotty was the General Manager. Britt was playing a beginning player. I mean a complete beginner! It was not an even level of play and instead of a 6-0, 6-0 match, which if you had one of those, they are very discouraging, Coach Scotty stopped the match before the first game was over and started a fun practice with both Britt and the other player, and turned what could have been a terrible experience into a positive for Britt’s opponent.
He did not want to see the other child loose heart and give up tennis, instead he encouraged her and left her feeling positive about herself and the sport. I have NEVER in seen anyone care so much.
The International Christian Tennis Association has given my daughter so many opportunities that we could have never been able to give her. We are so grateful to the ICTA and wish all fellow Christian tennis athletes could go there and train. Brittiny is now almost 15 and we send her to train with the ICTA and attend ICTA Global Mission trips at every opportunity we can.
What a gift from God! Thank you ICTA for all you do. I wish everyone knew how hard you all work to further the Kingdom of God.
Lynn Moore~ Idaho
