A Stepping Stone: Will Stone Running To Glorify

By Axel Dabe

Every year, millions of seniors leave their campuses for the last time — some driven by clear ambitions and carefully mapped-out plans, others simply waiting to see what life has in store.

For Will Stone, the college experience has been transformative. He turned his life around, been put in handcuffs, found faith and thrived as a student athlete.

“The greatest goal in my life is to glorify God. I truly believe he’s given me this gift of running to do that,” Stone said.

He’s a decorated runner at Flagler, winning “Runner of the Year,” “Freshman of the Year” and found his name on the all-conference team every year.

As Stone wraps up his four years on campus, he reflected on his transformative chapter as a college runner and is looking ahead to what comes next.

“I’m a firm believer in the quote, ‘How you do anything is how you do everything,’” Stone said. “God has called me to discipline myself in faith: reading when I don’t feel like it, praying when it feels awkward and taming my tongue when everyone else gossips or talks bad.”

It wasn’t written in stone that Stone ended up at Flagler. He drew interest from multiple schools, and his decision came down to three: Lipscomb, University of North Florida and Flagler.

However, Flagler really caught Stone’s interest.

Stone remembers the conversation he had with Coach Brian Beil, the Flagler Cross Country and Track coach, in the Flagler Dining Hall.

“I really see you leading this team in the future,” Beil said.

“Beil really wants me here, and I feel like I can really progress the team forward,” Stone said about why he ultimately chose to come to Flagler.

After four years at college, his mindset and persona have changed for the better.

“In some ways yes, like I’ve grown a lot as a person, and a lot in my faith and as a runner,” Stone said.

In this mindset, that will never change.

“I’ve grown and figured out how to realize that plan,” Stone said. “But my mindset about the team and college never really changed that much.”

Stone, like many seniors at Flagler College, sees the final year as one of the hardest — particularly as an athlete. Even so, he sees the benefits in a situation that many would find overwhelming.

“The pressure of being a student athlete is challenging, but also a blessing” Stone said. “I believe God gave me a gift in form of running, and that’s my way of pleasing Him.”

He said that his parents claim that their time in the workforce is harder than college, but that he doesn’t believe them.

“I’m working three-four times a week, going to class, some days I didn’t even have 30 minutes to rest.” Stone said.

Stone emphasizes that coping the stress of figuring what’s next in life while still prioritizing what’s right in front of them is crucial for a senior.

“You wouldn’t believe how many times during family get togethers I’ve been asked what my plans are after college,” Stone said. “Managing that and focusing on it and putting effort into the next part of your life, while given it, you’re all into the season that God put you in, is hard. I think most seniors would relate to that. Especially student athletes.”

The goal of a sub-4-mile, is the athletic performance that Stone hangs the highest.

“I think that no matter where you go, in America and frankly all over the world, if you hear someone’s ran a sub-4 mile, you’ll be like – this dude’s nuts,” he said.

“I got to think about it and frankly, I want to do it because I want to glorify God. I truly believe he’s given me this gift of running to do that,” Stone said. “When you achieve something like that, something that’s so profound, anywhere in the world, it’s easy for people to accredit it to themselves.”

“I know that there’s a last chance meet at AP-state, and they’re running a mile,” Stone said. “Hopefully I can stack a couple of good weeks and get a shot at AP-state. And if that doesn’t work out, I’ll take a couple of weeks to assess, while working and move from there.”

Running for Stone has been a crucial learning arena.

“Running has taught me so much about faith, perseverance and pushing through, that I never would have learned if God didn’t give me this gift,” he said.

However, his passion for faith wasn’t always like this.

I was put in handcuffs and arrested

Growing up, Stone and his family were something labeled as “Chreasters” – a word for people only going to church on Christmas and Easter.

“There was always some sort of foundation there,” Stone said. “When people would ask me if I believed in God, I would say yes, but I certainly wasn’t following him.”

Stone recalls when it all changed. All it took was a trip to the beach with a girl he liked in high school.

“We were watching the sunset, and it was starting to get dark out,” Stone said. “She then asked me if I know God. That was her question. And I said yes, it’s what I’ve always been taught to say.”

However, Stone’s answer didn’t satisfy the girl. “Yeah, but do you know him, like personally?” she asked. Stone didn’t know. “Well, you should think about that,” she said.

After they left the beach, the question stuck with Stone.

“I went home that night, thinking about it, didn’t know what she even meant,” he said.

In the search for an answer, Stone started watching videos and reading The Bible.

“I was inconsistent in my reading and reading everything from once to twice a week to not reading for 3 weeks,” he said

“This continued during high school, where I was frustrated about myself and what I was doing, and not leaning on to God with it,” Stone said.

Stone believes this frustration lead him to irresponsible decisions. “For example, this one time when I was put in handcuffs and arrested for fishing at an apartment complex with a fence and no trespassing signs around it – that I of course climbed.”

It was during college that his direction would change. Stone describes this as a place where he could make his faith his own. “My parents aren’t watching over me, now this is my choice,” he said.

One Sunday he went to the Colonial Church with his friend Luke, which opened a door to a new world.

“I started going consistently,” he said. “I was so encouraged there to keep reading and keep driving towards God and the journey.”

The Lord has big plans for him

According to Bill DeLuca, a well respected figure in the church, Stone has become one of the leading figures in the Colonial Church.

PRAISING STONE: Bill DeLuca in church. Photo: Axel Dabe

“He plays a big part in the church by showing his love for the Lord, bringing his teammates from track to church and serving in church as a member,” he said.

DeLuca describes a so-far unique spiritual journey for Stone. “His love for the Lord, passion for track and music, the gifts that God gave him is such a beautiful thing to see.”

Stone is now serving as a mentor, sharing his experiences to help guide those who face similar challenges. “We’ve got to serve at the church, as we’ve grown, which I’m so grateful for and it’s so rewarding,” he said. “There are so many things that I struggled through that I wish somebody had been there for me, to tell me: you don’t have to do that – don’t do that!”

A MENTOR IN CHURCH: Now Stone is the one guiding other through their personal struggles. Photo: Axel Dabe

Just run

With a landscape job secured and college almost completed, Stone is excited for what the future may bring running-wise.

“I want to take this next year and just run, because I love running and find enjoyment in it myself,” he said. His entire life has consisted of running for certain time requirements and events to satisfy coaches.

Now he’s looking to fulfil his internal and not external motivations. “It’s been great, but I’m excited to run because I want to run, not because people expect me to,” he said. “Then I’m going to start running again and train for this marathon in October with my buddy.”

In the end, it’s all about keeping the sub-4-mile dream alive. “Is sub 4 a reasonable goal to work towards and achieve, while working and providing for my wife?”

I’m genuinely so surprised in how much there is to plan

“You don’t know what you don’t know.” Said Stone, reflecting on the process of his planned wedding.

SHE SAID YES: Stone and his fiancée Abby are getting married after the summer. Photo: Private

“Theres so many things where I’m like – this will be fine, well just grab some tables and chairs,” Stone chuckles. “But Abby, my fiancée, says we have to get linens for the chairs, table pieces, silverware, napkins … I’m genuinely so surprised in how much there is to plan.”        

Now facing the business end of his final year as a Flagler student, Stone finds himself thinking of the past. What he, for example, would tell his freshman-self. “I would tell him to be courageous in faith, and to put my arm around the people close to me more often,” he said.

That mindset, he said, is rooted in discipline. “God has taught me to discipline myself in this so I can discipline myself in anything. He alone has made me strong-willed.”