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Megan Almon, a former University of Georgia gymnast, worked as an award-winning journalist until 2008, when she decided to pursue a career speaking and teaching about Christian apologetics — especially in the area of bioethics. She joined Life Training Institute in 2009, and was awarded an M.A. in Christian apologetics from Biola University in 2011.
College can bring forth so many emotions, changes, and feelings. I’ve felt it… anyone who has been through it has felt it. For gymnast Megan Almon, her first years at the University of Georgia flipped her world upside down. After a series of trials, she decided to let go of her passion for being a gymnast and instead decided to take a job as a gymnastics instructor for children on campus at the University. During her time there, she was recognized as a high-level athlete by the coach at UGA and was offered a walk-on position as a GymDog on the team. Along with this transition came many more transitions in her life. She broke off a long term relationship and accepted Jesus as her Lord and Savior. Honestly, hearing her story today is such a reminder of how intricately and deeply Jesus loves us and cares for every detail of our lives.
After college, she decided to put her journalism degree to use and went to work for a newspaper in her husband’s hometown. While working there, she was asked to cover a banquet for a local pregnancy center. She has no idea that the story she was writing would change the trajectory of her life forever. Megan is now making a case for life. Through love and deep conversation, she explains why pro-life is true and why life matters. During our conversation today, she explains topics such as humanhood versus personhood and the intrinsic value of a human life from conception to birth. Megan even explains how fighting for life can open doors for other injustices to be brought into the light. I admire her for her efforts in this fight for life and justice.
Megan beautifully pairs how this topic relates from being in the fight for justice to applying it to your everyday life. She said “If we get this truth of how valuable we are, how much better will we be… how much better we will walk… how much more value will it instill into our sport.” I hope that our talk inspires you to fight for life. You have the power within your sport and your life to make it a daily walk that displays Jesus in every situation that comes your way. Don’t miss the opportunity today.
3 key takeaways from this episode:
Gymnast turned journalist turned advocate
Heartache followed Megan after saying goodbye to a sport that held her heart so dearly, gymnastics. Her sacrifices did not go unnoticed though. Head coach of the University of Georgia GymDogs reached out to Megan offering her a position on the team. She felt the Lord had opened this door for her and she walked through in faith. This led to a wonderful journey of becoming an award winning journalist. Her journalism career led her to where she is today in the field of bioethics fighting for life through Christian Apologetics.
The intrinsic value of a human life
Megan shares, “Intrinsic value means you are valuable in light of the kind of thing that you are. And that is it. In other words, you just matter because you’re human and that ends up being the answer that makes the most sense.” Through her interest in bioethics and being trained by an honored mentor of hers, Scott Klusendorf, she has thoroughly thought through value giving traits through the lens of an unjust society. She explains that the idea of being pro-choice means that some humans have more value than others because they look different. “Intrinsic value is the only thing that makes sense.”
Different kinds of truth
Subjective truth and objective truth come into play when talking about the pro-life issue. Subjective truth is the idea that all truths are valid. On the opposite end, Megan is making an objective claim, saying that it’s not about preference. There is no debate of whether killing a baby is universally wrong or not. It just is. It has nothing to do with how it looks or the state of the fetus. She states that it feels like an attack because we are tackling things that are right and wrong and when someone goes against the wrong, saying that it is right, that’s when people get offended.
Here are all the things mentioned in this episode:
You Are Special by Max Lucado
The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness by Timothy Keller
The Case for Life by Scott Klusendorf
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