NOTE: Photos on this page and photos and videos in the How To Fall video are from Jonathan Horton’s website and Instagram. Video and Audio are edited for length and to reduce dropouts from the original online recording. Music: Power Of Sport by Maxkomusic under a free use license.
In everyone’s life there are times when you’re upside down and falling. When your life is up in the air nothing is certain – nothing is guaranteed. All the hard work, the investment and hope may still not land you the promotion, the finances, health, happiness or purpose – for you and those you love.
Ever wondered what’s spinning around in the mind of an Olympic gymnast? Medalist and former member of Team USA, Jonathan Horton has a simple but powerful message to share with you. Here, you can view, hear or read his conversation with Faith & Fitness Magazine. Feel the pain and know the glory when you let God show you – How To Fall.
Questions for personal reflection and group discussion are at the bottom along with a place for you to post a comment.
Busy driving, cooking, doing cardio or working out? Maybe your eating breakfast or relaxing before bedtime.
THE AUDIO CONVERSATION of How To Fall with Jonathan Horton is just for you!
HOW TO FALL PROPERLY
(preparation and practice for the sport of gymnastics)
One of the first things we teach in gymnastics is how to fall properly. You teach that to little kids from day 1 because in a sport as precision based as [gymnastics] you’re going to fall a lot in the process of learning and even in competition.
If you crash wrong you can definitely hurt yourself. That is why the mats and technology and everything we use is becoming better. Safety is a priority.
As the sport advances it is becoming more like the X-Games. It’s a very extreme sport. People are doing crazy things that we hadn’t seen 10 to 20 years ago.
HOW TO FALL IN LOVE WITH YOUR DESTINY
(the nature of your calling, paying attention to it and cultivating it)
I was the first in my family [to be in gymnastics]. I was kind of a wild child. I had a ton of energy. I probably would have been diagnosed as having ADHD or something as a kid. I was bouncing off the walls.
When I was 4 years old the reason I got into gymnastics was because of an incident that happened in the middle of a Target department store. My mom took me shopping. She was looking at some clothes.
She turned around and I was gone. She started to panic and she’s looking all over the store. 10 minutes goes by and she still can’t find me and now the whole store is searching.
The manager spotted me and came up to my mom and said, “Mam I found your son. You can calm down.” He pointed to the ceiling and said, “He’s way up there!” There was a 25 foot [high] support beam in the middle of the store that I had wrapped my arms and legs around and climbed all the way up to the top.
She said it was one of the craziest days of her life seeing me at the top and then sliding down like it was no big deal. She told my dad about it when he got home from work that night and my dad’s exact words were, “Wow, our son’s a freak! Maybe we should try gymnastics.” They booked me into a gymnastics facility the very next day and the rest is history. They had no idea what they were getting into. They knew nothing about the sport. And – What do you know, 18 years later I’m competing in the Olympic games.
When I got into gymnastics at 4, I did fall in love with it. It was a perfect fit. But it took me a really long time to find my niche in the sport. I can think of so many competitions I left with nothing; no ribbons, no trophies, just tears in my eyes wondering, “Why am I in this sport?” I wasn’t the most gifted and talented but I loved it too much to quit. The Word [of God] says that faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains. I believe that talent the size of a mustard seed, when the work is put into it, can move mountains.
HOW TO FALL GRACIOUSLY
(the strength, perseverance and payoff of a generously giving spirit)
We weren’t wealthy people. It [gymnastics] got expensive and became a sacrifice very early on for them [my parents]. My mom specifically had to sacrifice a lot to keep me in the sport. Every dolor she made as a teacher went to gymnastics. They saw that I loved it and they didn’t want to keep me out of it. My mom worked so that we [my sister and I] could have this recreation. I’m so thankful for that.
I’d come home crying from a bad workout and they’d jokingly ask, “Soooo, do you want to find another sport?” I was like, “Nope! This is the one I want to do.”
They’ll tell you now it was worth every sacrifice and every penny. I had sponsors at the Olympics that paid my whole family’s way to go to the Olympics and watch me compete. To them that was the greatest reward ever. My dad is not a big cryer. But, I saw my dad with tears in his eyes because of how proud he was. That’s an amazing thing for me as his son.
I’m very fortunate to be from a family who is ‘all in’ for Jesus. Beyond church on Sunday we engulfed our lives in the Gospel and how to live for Christ. I talk about following Jesus – about Christ being our Lord and Savior. Everybody wants heaven someday but not everybody wants a Lord. That hit me. I knew Jesus died for me but I need Him to Lord over my life. [That] took a lot of accountability.
My life has changed dramatically. I grew up as a believer but I found my faith by chasing God and Jesus. The last thing Christ told us to do was to go and make disciples of all nations. I feel so emboldened these days in my life to share the Gospel with people.
GET THE BOOKS + MORE
Jonathan’s books, Falling Forward and If I Had Known along with other merchandise are available from his online store. Get 1 copy for you and another as a gift.
While at his site you can also use the contact link to learn more about him speaking at your church, gym or event.
HOW TO FALL INTENTIONALLY
(the vision to hit it big by falling faithfully for God)
I’ve been speaking for over 10 years. You never know who is battling in their faith, they hear your story and because of you they come to Christ. That’s something I want to do in terms of ministry.
I was never afraid to share with people what I truly felt in my heart – knowing the truth of who Jesus is. I’ve never shied away from that. If I were to loose everything I have because of my faith, that’s alright. We’re told that we’ll be persecuted for our faith. You don’t have to look far to see the persecution that is going on in the world. People that speak up [for Christ] these days get ‘canceled’. It’s tough but [Christians] have to recognize that is part of it. That suffering is for the glory of God.
The thing that has happened almost every single time is I’ve had people I don’t know say, “Thank you so much for standing up for the faith.” People I didn’t expect say, “We’re with you.” That opens up more doors and new conversations. It’s amazing the way God works. There have been times in my life where I stood strong in my love for Jesus. It didn’t go the way I wanted but something even better came from it.
It’s not guaranteed, right?! It doesn’t mean there’s not going to be more challenges. We just have to grow in our faith and accept that God’s plan is perfect and bigger than our plan.
No matter what it is in life: work, family, faith… sports, I don’t want to have a single regret for the work I put in[to all of it]. We have our days we give it everything. Then there are other days we fall short. Sometimes I fall short. But when I use the gifts that the Lord gave me to the best of my ability — I don’t think it’s risky at all [to go big]. You’re going to hit and hit it big. Someone will find God. It can be scary but we have to be willing to fall.
QUESTIONS FOR PERSONAL REFLECTION AND GROUP DISCUSSION
1. In a world culture that is increasingly averse to personal challenges and danger what can gymnast teach us? Recall and be able to share with others a time when you “crashed wrong” and “definitely hurt yourself”. What did you learn? How did you get better? As your life advances how do you feel it is becoming more extreme AND in what ways do you feel God will prepare you for the thing you’ve never done before?
2. For Jonathan, climbing to the top of a 25 foot support beam in Target was the compelling moment that set him on a future course he and his family couldn’t have imagined. What’s yours? What’s NEXT? Describe your own personal experience with mustard seed sized talent and faith. How have you practiced taking the limits off?
3. How do you personally measure generosity? What are the nuances between Olympic sponsorship and parental sacrifice? How do you feel God would have you fall graciously into the situations and opportunities you have in life? Describe the grandness of tenderness – the profound experience of a moment when you found yourself in the midst of God’s gracious spirit.
4. How certain are you that avoiding being canceled is worth not being faithful? If you we’re spinning on the high bar like Jonathan would you be more afraid of letting go to do the flip or grabbing hold of the bar after the rotation? Why is sticking the landing so hard (literally and more importantly figuratively)? Your coach, God, has told you that you’re going to fall. If you intend to go big anyway (or not) talk about what’s spinning around in your mind.
