45. Nick Koza: Was blind, but now I see

Episode 45 show notes

The story of Captain Nick Koza, USMC, has a few striking similarities with that of the apostle Paul when he was converted on the road to Damascus. However, that’s not to imply Captain Koza was going around persecuting and arresting Christians—because he wasn’t—but the fact that he wasn’t a believer, then was blinded and cared for by some guys he hardly knew, and through that process became a follower of Christ… well, the resemblance to parts of Paul’s story is pretty remarkable.

As you listen to the conversation with Captain Koza, pay close attention to not only the similarities with the story of Paul, but also to the themes of fellowship, friendship, and faith through his interactions with Matt Haskins and Kory Defore.

I’d like to hear from you—tell me what you think about Captain Koza’s story, or maybe you have a story of your own you’d like share. Send an email to [email protected].

What we talked about

• Capt. Koza talks about his background, growing up in a Catholic family, and why he signed up with the Marines.
• When he first arrived in Pensacola, he wasn’t a believer. Capt. Koza answers this question: What was Nick Koza like then…spiritually speaking, friends, etc.?
• October 8, 2013: Capt. Koza recounts the events surrounding his blindness, as well as how a couple members of OCF Pensacola stepped up to help him in his time of need.
• Regarding his friend and fellow Marine Matt Haskins: “What he needed to be doing was studying for his first flight the next day. He took a lot of time out of his day to take me to the hospital.”
• Capt. Koza talks about a variety of things: What’s going through his mind at this point? What impact did the actions of Matt and Kory have on your life? How did God speak to you during this time and transform your life?

“It blew me away. What are you guys drinking? What is the Kool-Aid? I need it. It was awesome to see the amount of respect and caring that somebody would have for someone else they’d never known.”

• What did the experience teach you about the value of fellowship?
• How do people usually react or respond when they hear your story?
• If listeners took away only one thing from your story, what would you hope that it would be?

“Don’t be afraid to invite people out to church. Don’t be afraid to talk about your faith. You will definitely get pushback. They will give you a decent amount of crap for it initially but eventually they’ll grow to respect you.”