The Rev. Kelsey Davis Releases Book: The Athlete Devotional

Last week, The Rev. Kelsey Davis' first book, The Athlete Devotional, was published by Nurturing Faith Books an imprint of Good Faith Media - an organization committed to faith formation that is honest, generous, and rooted in the real texture of human lives. 

Davis, a former professional athlete and current priest in the Diocese of WNC, co-authored the devotional with The Rev. Claire Brown, an author and a fellow Episcopal priest whose gifts for formation, writing, and friendship have made this book what it is. To Davis, The Athlete Devotional is the resource she always wished existed. Though retired from professional sports, Davis has a deep passion for the emotional, physical, and spiritual care of the whole athlete and, out of that passion, she co-founded the athlete ministry Christian Athlete Circles alongside her friend and CAC Co-Director, the Rev. Georgia McKee. This ministry is rooted in the conviction that sports can be a site of grace, wholeness, and discipleship, not just achievement. The Athlete Devotional has grown out of this ministry and vision.

In The Athlete Devotional, Davis and Brown offer a powerful 40-day devotional experience designed specifically for athletes navigating pressure, identity, performance, and purpose. Each day pairs scripture, reflection, and accessible spiritual practices to help readers discover how God meets them in training, competition, recovery, and rest.

Grounded in a theology of a loving, life-giving, and liberating God, one who loves all people unconditionally, this book invites athletes to:

• Root their identity in being God's beloved, not their performance

• Integrate spiritual practices into demanding schedules

• Grow in emotional, spiritual, and relational health

• Experience sport as a place of grace, belonging, and discipleship

Perfect for collegiate athletes, teams, coaches, chaplains, and anyone seeking a more embodied faith, this devotional is for those new to faith and those who have walked with God for years. Whether on the field or beyond it, this 40-day journey invites all to live, compete, and rest with deeper purpose.

Davis, goalkeeper at University of Portland, (2009)

Davis shares, "As a collegiate and professional athlete, I always had to choose between my athletic, faith, and queer identity as there was not an athlete ministry that would bless the fullness of who God had made me to be. To offer a loving and affirming theology in this text was healing, and I hope is a healing balm to others. Ultimately, we hope that this devotional supports a culture of wholeness in sports that honors body, mind, and soul through all seasons." 

This book came to life with the support of Bishop José McLoughlin, Canon Augusta Anderson, and many others across the diocese. Additionally, the publishing was made possible due to the generous financial support of The Episcopal Church Foundation of Western North Carolina and The Center for Contemplative Justice. The investment in this ministry is an investment in athletes everywhere.

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The Athlete Devotional: 40 Days of Spiritual Practice by The Rev. Claire Brown and The Rev. Kelsey Davis is available now at Bookshop,Barnes & Noble, and Amazon.