““Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
-Proverbs 3:5-6
Leading the USA Men’s Volleyball Team into the 2021 Tokyo Olympic Games, Micah Christenson has become one of the best setters in the sport. After a career at USC that included being a four-year starter, three-time AVCA All American, and a three-year co-captain, Micah Christenson drew attention to his name from so many fans for the way he played the game and his leadership on and off the court. As he has become a star of whatever team he has been a part of since, Micah credits his faith as the reason for where he is today.
Micah’s parents, Charlene and Bob, always made sure faith came first in their home. Charlene says she didn’t grow up in a Christian home, but through outreach ministries she began to draw closer to the Lord. Soon, she met a man who would also play a key role in that journey. Charlene says, 
“Athletics were an important part of my life and when I went to play volleyball in college I met a basketball player who led me to the Lord. I have been blessed to be married to him for 38 years now.” Since being married, they both say that they have trusted God is in control, regardless of the situation. But before Micah or his sister, Joanna, were born, Charlene and Bob faced numerous complications on the road to having kids.
After struggling for a lengthy period of time to get pregnant, there were more roadblocks when having Micah and she needed to have surgery to keep him and herself safe. Through this process, they say faith became more important than ever. “With difficulty in getting pregnant and having complications while pregnant, I was so grateful to God for blessing us with two children. We survived through surgery and Micah was born healthy and strong. God is so good, he gave us another child a year and a half later, our daughter Joanna. My husband and I have always looked to God’s Word as a guidebook not only for directing our lives but in teaching and parenting our own children.” That foundation of faith has played wonders for Micah in his career as a pro athlete.
Micah was a star at Kamehameha High School, as he helped lead them to two basketball state championships alongside a volleyball one. 
As he decided to continue in volleyball for his collegiate career, he would go on to USC and join the Trojans. It was with the Trojans that Micah said his faith became more a part of him than ever before. “I believe my relationship with God strengthened tremendously when I went to college and didn’t have my family or parents to hold my hand through it all, but rather it was my own personal decision to follow Jesus. Once my relationship with God strengthened, I tried to do everything I could to honor Him along with doing things with him alongside me.” As he continued to grow, his career led him to the Men’s National Team since 2013, along with professional volleyball time in Italy since 2015. Through the accolades, Micah just wants to know that he is making a difference.
In the midst of those successes, Micah has kept firm in keeping faith first. He says that on the volleyball court, his faith is what drives him forward. “I feel like I’m playing alongside God every second I’m on that court and it changes so much perspective. I know that I’m playing to make only One proud and that is God. 
I know that He loves me no matter what and that I’m always His beloved son no matter what the outcome on the volleyball court.” He says that his faith is a reminder of where his identity is and to not get carried away in the results of the game. “I know where my identity lies and that is in Christ. No win or loss will ever define me nor will it ever change His love for me.”
Although the USA Men’s team fell short in Tokyo, Micah says he is so grateful for the opportunity to play with his teammates, regardless of the outcome. “Whether the greatest win or the most heartbreaking loss, I try to evaluate myself if I made my Savior proud with my actions, effort and that way I represented Him and my family. Understanding that at the end of the day, win or lose is probably the biggest thing that has helped me through my whole career.” Charlene says regardless of the way Micah plays, who he is as a man will always be most important. “Volleyball is what Micah does, it is not who he is. As much pride as we have when we see him perform, we are much prouder of the man he has become. He now leads his own children and lovely wife with their eyes on the Lord, and that is a true blessing for us.”
*Photos courtesy of Christenson Family
