Silver medal Olympic diver David Boudia openly admits his life was a lie.
He tells the Indy Star he smoked pot, stole to support his drinking habit and even contemplated suicide, all while professing to be a Christian.
“Whatever I could do to feed myself and to make myself feel that good pleasure, that’s what I would do,” he said.
That man is a far cry from the new creation Christ made him. Boudia, with diving partner Steele Johnson, won the silver medal in Rio last night.
He told reporters, “We both know our identity is in Christ.”
Boudia chronicles his walk from desperation to redemption in his autobiography, Greater Than Gold, out now.
“It’s totally freeing when I stay in tune with Scripture,” Boudia said. “I don’t have to worry if I miss a dive. I go into competition and it’s like, ‘Praise God no matter what.’ If I do well, that’s awesome. I praise Him. If I don’t do well, praise Him even more. Competition looks way different now.”
He continued, “In 2008, diving was my god. It was a forced competition. I needed to do well there if I wanted to do well later in life. But for this Olympics, I’m enjoying every moment, day by day because tomorrow’s not guaranteed.”
Watch the video to see him glorify God after their victory.
