NFL Hall of Fame quarterback Jim Kelly was recently baptized in a swimming pool during the summer.
Kelly, who played for the Buffalo Bills and led the team to four straight Super Bowls, was surrounded by a small group of people who came to see him get baptized.
“The very best of Summer 2023,” his wife, Jill Kelly, wrote. “Jim’s t-shirt says, ‘God’s Real.’ He is! I have witnessed God at work in this man’s life for over 30 years…and I can tell you that God isn’t just REAL. He is faithful, trustworthy, kind, loving, compassionate, powerful, gracious, GOOD, merciful, forgiving…and so so much MORE.”
“[God] is immeasurably MORE than we can imagine! He is EVERYTHING!” she continued, citing three Bible verses in her post, Galatians 3:26-27, Matthew 28:19-20, and Acts 22:16.
Her post included photos and video of her husband’s baptism.
Jim Kelly also spoke about the event in a separate video, Church Leaders reports.
“I’m not a man of many words, and I don’t speak ‘Christianese,’” he wrote in the Instagram caption. “All I know is that God changed my life. After Hunter went to heaven, I was so lost and angry at God. But God loved me anyway, and he never gave up on me.”
Hunter, Kelly’s infant son, passed away in 2005 after being diagnosed with Krabbe disease in 1997, the same year he was born. Kelly dedicated his Hall of Fame acceptance to his son in 2002.
“I’m far from perfect, but God helped me humble myself and seek him for help,” Kelly added in his post. “Becoming a Christian is the best decision I’ve made in my life. I wish I would’ve come to him sooner. But his timing is perfect. And finally, I was baptized. I have so many people to thank, especially all the people who have prayed for me for so long. THANK YOU.”
Prior to getting baptized, Kelly’s pastor reflected on the Hall of Famer's spiritual journey.
It’s been “15 years of Bible study and prayer and growth,” the pastor told Kelly. “We’re proud of you, how far you’ve come—and where you’re going, it’s even better.”
When the pastor asked Kelly if he loved Jesus, he shouted, “Yes, I do!”
Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Bryan M. Bennett/Stringer
Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for CrosswalkHeadlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.