Episode 490

Jon Ackerman is the managing editor for Sports Spectrum, in charge of the organization’s magazine and website. He joined the team in 2017 after more than 14 years in sports media. He covered six Olympics for NBCOlympics.com, and has also worked as a writer and editor for NBC Sports, Universal Sports, Back9Network and more.

After giving his life to the Lord at age 25 in a small church in Stamford, Connecticut, Ackerman saw God work in his career and life in ways that only He can. And it prepared him and his wife, Shannon, for trials that only God could help them endure.

After having a healthy baby girl, the Ackermans became pregnant again nearly a year and a half later. But at a 13-week ultrasound appointment, they were told, “Your baby is incompatible with life.” Though they couldn’t completely comprehend the implications of that statement at the time, their world was rocked. In March 2016, they met their son and after a few breaths on his mother’s chest, he went to be with the Lord. The couple became pregnant again soon thereafter, but were given the same diagnosis at the 13-week ultrasound. They met their second son in January 2017. More or their boys’ story is told here.

Jon and Shannon were able to bring home a second healthy child in May 2018, through the help of in vitro fertilization (IVF). However, a second child through IVF, a baby girl, was lost due to miscarriage in June 2019.

On this episode of the podcast, we talk to Jon about working in sports ministry, giving his life to the Lord, and the story of how he and his wife clung to God during the trials of losing two children at birth and another to miscarriage.

* Interview recorded prior to coronavirus outbreak.

For more stories of sports and faith, check out our website http://SportsSpectrum.com

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