GAVIN RICCOBONO

ROLE - CONTINGENT CAMPUS STAFF INTERN

HOMETOWN - Holbrook, Ny / St. augustine, FL

My religion radically transformed into a relationship with the Living God in early high school. I had grown up knowing about God, but was not reborn until I realized I was using Him to win the approval of others. I wanted to “fit in” by winning championships on the wrestling mat. I reasoned that maybe God would allow me to succeed in wrestling if I followed Him. So, I started reading the Bible more to find out exactly how to follow Him. By God’s grace, I was met with more than I bargained for. At a time when I felt overlooked and lacked worth, the Word of God gripped me with His truth that I am valuable enough to sacrifice His only Son for. I finally understood His grace that grew up learning about. As a result, the weight of my sin, shame, and worthlessness all washed away. Since then, reaching the lost world with the freedom of the Gospel has become the cry of my heart. Wrestling shifted from being an idol to a being a means of bringing God glory over myself. I went on to wrestle in college at Southeastern University, where I got involved with the ministry of Campus Outreach. For the first time, I found a vibrant Christian community. I grew exponentially, saw the souls of teammates saved, and saw my passion to make disciples burn hotter than ever. I’m now very excited for the opportunity to labor to see more athletes—and even the culture of a generation—transformed by the power of the Gospel as a full-time intern with CO.