After Convocation Oct. 15, the Liberty Champion had an exclusive interview with Bear Grylls. Here is a transcript of the interview:
What has been one of the hardest lessons that you have had to learn and how do you feel learning this lesson has brought you closer in your relationship with God?
“It’s not the summits that tend to teach us about the lessons — it’s the valleys. When the sun isn’t there and it’s cold and it’s boggy, it’s still steep, you know, that’s where our lives are built — you know the struggles, the doubts, the failures. So, I’ve learned in my life to embrace those times. Treat those as like a marquee — that I’m doing something right. A chance to shine, a chance to set yourself apart because you’re in the valley, and you’re smiling, and you’re working hard.”
After your parachuting accident, what inspired you to keep going and to keep fighting?
“I think after my accident, I felt like life’s given me a second chance. That’s what I felt. You know, I should be paralyzed. I came so close to severing my spinal cord, and yet by the grace of God. … It’s hard work, step by step, taken many months, but I wasn’t paralyzed. What a gift, and that freed me up to like to just think you know, ‘It’s okay, what’s the worst that’s going to happen? You’re going to fail? Who cares?’ This is all a gift. Win or lose, this is a gift, and I’ve always tried to keep that spirit ever since and like be all in. Don’t worry about the results. Love the process. Try to be kind to people alongside you. Develop good friendships, you know, but go for things.”
You’ve been a part of several different TV projects now, did you ever expect to have done what you have now?
“I was very ropy in the beginning and not very confident, not very good at it (being on TV), but you know what, it’s like you build things bit by bit and you find what you love — what … comes to you naturally and what you love to do. You know I don’t feel, to be honest, that I’m particularly great at my job. I just am really grateful that I have a job. I love doing it. I love the guys we film with, and I don’t take anything for granted like that.”
What is one of your favorite Bible passages or verses?
“Matthew 28:20. … Be sure of this, that I am with you always even unto the ends of the earth. … It’s like we’re not on our own.”
“Christ within us, beside us, to shield us, to win us. What a gift. We don’t have to do anything.”
What advice would you give to students who want to go on a similar path as you?
“Adventure’s a state of mind. It’s not just like where you go and what you do. It’s like how you live every day. Your relationships, your ambitions, your hopes and aspirations — develop that adventure state of mind. Take that into all of them.”
What projects do you have for the future?
“Family first. That’s the key marker in my life — family, faith, number one. And then when it comes to work, we’ve just done … a series with ‘The Chosen’ where I took all of the cast of ‘The Chosen’ on ‘Running Wild (with Bear Grylls).’ (It’s a) type of adventure called ‘The Chosen (in) the Wild.’ That comes out early next year, and that was really fun.
“My goal in life, my dream in life was to go running wild for Jesus. When I got to do it, I got to do it.”
Davis is the editor in chief for the Liberty Champion.