Twin Triumphs: Exploring Courage with Evan and Owen

Join us for a special graduation party episode of the Courageous Crossroads podcast as we chat with the dynamic duo, Evan and Owen Walker, at their festive celebration in West Des Moines, Iowa. These recent graduates of Valley High School share their unique perspectives on courage. Owen, who is set to attend Vanderbilt University on a scholarship, and Evan, who is embarking on a career in the army, delve into the courage it took to reach this pivotal moment and the bold steps they plan to take in their respective paths. Despite the lively background noise, this fun, brief, and entertaining conversation offers insights into the courage needed for future accomplishments and the spirit that drives them both. Tune in to explore how these twins tackle their next adventures with guts and gusto!

Thank you for listening! We hope you feel inspired and encouraged by our conversation today. If you did, be sure to share this episode with others.

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See you in the next episode! Be blessed!

Full Transcript

Intro:
Welcome to Courageous by Crossroads Apologetics, a look into what motivates us to step out in courage and the everyday bravery of men and women like you. In each episode, we hear a personal story of bravery centered around this. What’s the most courageous thing you’ve ever done? And now your host, founder of Crossroads Apologetics, Jeff Johnson. 

Jeff Johnson:
Hey, everybody. Welcome to another edition of the Courageous Crossroads. This week, we go remote. My two nephews, Evan and Owen Walker, I’m so proud of these two young men just recently graduated Valley High School in West Des Moines. They are off to their next adventure in life. Evan is going into the army, and Owen is headed off to do some studies at Vanderbilt University. So, two distinctly different paths, but two men of great courage. And I took advantage of the opportunity to use my remote microphones and grab a short little interview with these two wonderful young men. And I do apologize for a little bit of the background sound. You can hear some ice getting poured in a cooler, and you can hear other people shuffling around and hugs from family members and all that sort of thing. 

Jeff Johnson:
But I was able to ask a couple of questions of Evan and Owen while they were going about their graduation party, and I think you’ll find it interesting and insightful. It’s a real picture of Americana, I think, and also teaches us quite a bit about courage and especially courage with that next generation. So enjoy this episode. And I do apologize, my microphone was particularly soft. So, anyway, enjoy. Owen, tell everybody that’s listening a little bit about yourself. Just graduated, you’re going to college, etc. Etc. Telling somebody. 

Owen Walker:
Yeah, so I’m going. Going to Vanderbilt University. I just graduated Valley High School. I wrestled all throughout high school, played a couple other sports, but wrestling was kind of the one that stuck with me the most. And then, yeah, I got a couple of scholarships. Won’t be paying that much for college. 

Jeff Johnson:
I won’t be paying that much for college. You got some good scholarships? 

Owen Walker:
Yep. Yeah. Over here. I mean, this is just a podcast, so you can’t see it, but I got this Bellon Memorial Scholarship for the most outstanding Valley High School student showing great achievement and potential in mathematics. And then there’s a couple other all conference awards, athletic awards, academic all conference for wrestling, football, track, but mostly wrestling. And so, yeah, mix in high school. Yep, yep. I was trying to try to keep the balance. Academics was always, obviously, always most important for me, but I also tried to give it my all in sports most of the time, and I think I did a good job of that. Went to. Went to state for last two years I was top 12 in the state. This senior year I got a couple district medals. I got a couple other medals. 

Jeff Johnson:
Stuff to be proud about. Now tell me about the academics. What’s your strongest. 

Jeff Johnson:
What’s the stuff that you’re most interested in? 

Owen Walker:
I really, I really like math. A lot of these. There’s a couple math awards up here. I think math is probably what I’m most. I just have the most natural talent in and it normally is what I kind of stick to the most. But, but in I’m probably going to pursue more of a science degree in college. I’m going to do. Probably going to try to do both as much as I can. But science is kind of what I see most potential career wise for me. And so I’m going to be majoring in molecular biology and then minoring in math for at least what I’m thinking right now. It obviously is very open to change. 

Jeff Johnson:
But that’s fantastic. You said you chose Vanderbilt, so that’s where you’re going and you’re getting a pretty decent ride there. 

Owen Walker:
Yep. 

Jeff Johnson:
So that’s wonderful. What other schools were in my alma mater? University of Iowa. 

Owen Walker:
Yeah. Yeah, I applied to University of Iowa State, Colorado University, Boulder. But they’re all going to be a little bit more expensive. Vanderbilt has pretty good financial aid, but the, it kind of came down due at the last minute. Amherst College, Swarthmore College. 

Evan Walker:
I didn’t do that. 

Owen Walker:
And then Vanderbilt University. 

Evan Walker:
I didn’t do that. Danny did. 

Owen Walker:
And so. Yeah. 

Jeff Johnson:
Okay, I’m gonna go talk to the other here. 

Owen Walker:
All right. 

Jeff Johnson:
He’s putting the water in that. The second one. 

Evan Walker:
Okay. 

Jeff Johnson:
So, Evan Walker, tell us a little bit about yourself, about your high school career, about the stuff that you’re interested in, enthusiasm stuff. 

Evan Walker:
Never liked school. You never like, never will. It was dumb. But I mean it’s made for you to pass. So if you fail it, I think. 

Jeff Johnson:
It is. 

Evan Walker:
You just had. You like failed on purpose. But I just, I didn’t want to go to college because that’s dumb. 

Jeff Johnson:
So I, I’m sensing a distinct difference between a real dichotomy between you and Owen with your love or lack thereof of school. 

Owen Walker:
Is that right? 

Evan Walker:
Oh yeah. I like jumping out of planes and shooting stuff. 

Jeff Johnson:
That’s right. 

Evan Walker:
So that’s what I’ll be doing. 

Jeff Johnson:
But how did you choose the army then? 

Evan Walker:
Well, I was trying to join the Marine Corps and then they kept denying me after about four failed attempts of joining the Marine Corps. The Army. I was talking to my recruiter from the army and he said, we can do this for you. And what really sold me was just the part of being a team and $40,000. So. 

Jeff Johnson:
Absolutely, Kevin. I got so much respect for people that join the service and defend our country. It’s fantastic. And I’m gonna be sleeping easy knowing that you’re out there doing that for us. You know what I mean? 

Evan Walker:
Yeah. 

Jeff Johnson:
Jumping out of planes because college is down. 

Evan Walker:
It is dumb. 

Jeff Johnson:
Okay, so I’m going to talk to your brother about this topic of courage. But before I do him, let’s get your opinion about it. When you think of courage, what do you think of if somebody’s courageous? What does that tell you about doing. 

Evan Walker:
Things outside your comfort zone and just doing it no matter what? 

Jeff Johnson:
Yeah. 

Evan Walker:
And always being there for people. 

Jeff Johnson:
Yeah. Loyalty goes along a little bit with courage, too. 

Evan Walker:
Yeah. 

Jeff Johnson:
I mean, this is everything that the service is about. It’s about courageous individuals doing really great. 

Evan Walker:
That’s one of the. One of the core values of the Marine Corps at least, is honor, courage. And there’s another one back. It’s like honor, commitment, courage or something. Honor, courage and commitment is like the Marine Corps core values. I mean, it’s also in the army. 

Jeff Johnson:
But who’s the most courageous person? You know, when you think about courage, who’s the person that you think about? 

Evan Walker:
Probably dad. He’s always doing stuff. 

Jeff Johnson:
He’s a pretty brave guy, for sure. 

Evan Walker:
Always. And always looking out for us and doing things to make everyone laugh and try and keep everyone happy all the time. 

Jeff Johnson:
Do you think it’s gonna take courage to get through basic training? 

Evan Walker:
Yeah. 

Owen Walker:
How long is basic dream? 

Evan Walker:
3 months? 12 weeks. 

Jeff Johnson:
12 weeks. 

Evan Walker:
Technically, I’ll be going. I do basic training and then I get like a couple days off and I’ll go straight into ait, which is like my combat training, but it’s pretty much the exact same thing. So it’ll be like six months of this non stop training. Yeah. 

Jeff Johnson:
So. 

Evan Walker:
And then I’ll come home for a little bit and I go to Airborne training. Then I go to rasp, Ranger Assessment Selection Program. Oh, and so what do you do there? 

Jeff Johnson:
Is that when you figure out what you’re next step is? 

Evan Walker:
So technically my job in the army is a Airborne infantry. Airborne. Airborne. So 11X. And then I have an option 40 signed on my contract, which allows me to go straight to rasp, which is Ranger Assessment Selection Program. And so I’ll go. I am just try. It’s eight Weeks. And it’s the rangers beating you down, make you feel like dirt, and then they build you up to be part of a special forces team, because that’s what rangers are. They’re special forces. And so once I pass rasp. 

Jeff Johnson:
I’ll. 

Evan Walker:
Be qualified to go to airborne Ranger. And so then once. Once I go to Ranger school, and I’ll actually be part of the Ranger battalion, and then I’ll be doing special forces operations and stuff. 

Jeff Johnson:
That’s gonna take some courage, Evan. 

Owen Walker:
Sure. 

Jeff Johnson:
You know, for listeners, I. My wife Danielle is sisters to your mother. So I’ve known your whole entire life. And I can tell you, Evelyn, from the time that you. I can remember you jumping into a pool without the ability to swim at all and sinking like a stone, and your dad had to have exhibit courage and jump in and grab you before you died. And you have just been brave and adventurous. It does not surprise me one little bit that you would choose the army, and they’re lucky to have you. So are you happy you graduated? 

Evan Walker:
Yeah, I’m just happy to be done, Ready to do the next stuff, make some money, make some actual friends. 

Jeff Johnson:
All right, well, I’m gonna go talk to your brother Owen about courage here. Thanks, Evan. 

Evan Walker:
Yeah. 

Owen Walker:
Okay. 

Jeff Johnson:
Owen? 

Owen Walker:
Yeah. 

Jeff Johnson:
When you think about courage, what do you think comes to mind? 

Owen Walker:
I think a big part of it is the ability to be different. And like, a lot of times, the. Yeah. Normalcy in today’s society is not necessarily. 

Evan Walker:
Do you have a. Garbage. 

Owen Walker:
The most great. Like, it’s. Yeah. It’s kind of the ability to defy normalcy and kind of go against social norms and things like that. 

Jeff Johnson:
You characterize courage exhibited in high school because I’m sure you’ve bumped up against opportunities to be courageous in high school, and I know you’d be. Create this person. So give me some examples from high school. 

Owen Walker:
Yeah. I mean, in high school and especially getting towards the later years of it, then the norm is kind of this. People party a lot more, and they kind of get. People talk about senioritis a lot this year. They kind of. Kind of blow off their school work, and they’re like, yeah, I don’t want. 

Evan Walker:
To do it anymore, all the time. 

Owen Walker:
And so it just. It takes a lot of willpower to kind of overcome that. And I had a lot of going on my senior year, probably more than any other year. And so it was a lot about trying to fend off what people call senioritis and go against Norman instead of blowing off my entire senior year going out getting a text like part of the hour. 

Evan Walker:
And I was like, yeah. 

Owen Walker:
And then. But one second. But instead kind of continuing the same academic rigor in the. The sports dedication that I’ve been shown in the past, as well as even maybe amping it up in some senses because I. Yeah, I did better my senior year in probably both academics and athletics. And so it’s about. Yeah, it was about not only fending off the. The normal. 

Jeff Johnson:
And other people would just phone them. 

Owen Walker:
Yeah, yeah, people would just phone it in. And then he chose not to do. 

Jeff Johnson:
Do that. 

Owen Walker:
And so. 

Evan Walker:
Yeah, exhibits courage. 

Jeff Johnson:
That’s really good. And I like that. So what kind of courage do you think it’s going to take going to Vanderbilt? What do you expect? I assume you anticipate, you know, some pants are too tight, that every accomplishment is preceded by a wall of fear. Like there’s a little concern there. So it takes courage to get on the other side of it. 

Owen Walker:
Right. 

Jeff Johnson:
So what do you think it. What kind of courage you think you can run into at Vanderbilt? 

Owen Walker:
I mean, it’s obviously a very. It’s a prestigious school. It’s going to take a lot of academic rigor when I’m there. And so, yeah, like, it is scary. I’m thinking about I was always doing well at school and I was always kind of. No, hopefully not. That’s what I’m. That’s what I’m trying to get away from. But yeah, like it’s. I’m usually not necessarily top of my class, but I’m always up there and I’m always doing well. But once you get to Vanderbilt and everybody that was admitted is in the same exact situation, then all of a sudden I’m more probably the average there. And so it’s gonna. I gotta think about what I need to do to stand out there compared to what came naturally to me in high school. 

Jeff Johnson:
Maybe instead of being a big dog in a smaller score, you know, might be an average in a bigger school. That’s what you’re saying. 

Evan Walker:
Yeah. 

Jeff Johnson:
I don’t know how that’s going to work out, though. On I got my smart money is all. You selling Vanderbilt, showing them a thing or two. 

Owen Walker:
That’s what I’m going for. Yeah. 

Jeff Johnson:
Okay. You guys are busy and you got to get your party finished. So we’re going to wrap it up with this. Evan, tell me what you think is courageous about Owen. And this is being recorded for all. 

Evan Walker:
Going into a big school where he’s a little guy. 

Owen Walker:
I’m not a little guy. 

Evan Walker:
He’s a little guy. He’s about five, six, I’d say. 

Owen Walker:
I’m five, nine. And I probably weigh more than you. 

Evan Walker:
So I weigh more than you. But. But always just being top of the class at everything just always has to better than everyone, which he usually is. 

Jeff Johnson:
So, I mean, he’s up to the challenge, you think? 

Evan Walker:
I think he’ll do good. 

Jeff Johnson:
Okay. Oh, and what do you think? What’s the most courageous thing about Evan? 

Owen Walker:
I think. Thank you, Evan. Evan’s really courageous in the sense that, yeah, he’s, I mean, obviously going to the army and going to the Marines especially, that’s what he was setting out for. And I. And unfortunately, he was. It was just like stipulations that didn’t allow him get in. But Marines is obviously, he was. He’s. He’s always been striving for kind of the most in the Army. Like, he said he wouldn’t go to the Marines, and now that. Now that he can’t go to the Marines, he wants to go to army, but he doesn’t want to just be in the Army. He doesn’t want me to an entryman. He wants to be a Ranger. Right. And he wants to kind of work his way up. He’s talking about Mars Sox, things like that. And so. Yeah. And so he’s trying. 

Owen Walker:
He’s trying to be not only just average, wherever he is, he’s trying to strive to be the best of where he is. 

Evan Walker:
Marine Corps. I talked about Marine Corps, Special Forces. 

Owen Walker:
And then now you’re going for the Rangers instead. 

Evan Walker:
Yeah. And then when I turn 21, I can do Green Berets or Delta Force. 

Jeff Johnson:
Oh, wow. 

Owen Walker:
Yeah. He’s already thinking about how he can work his way up, even though kind of silly medical issues kind of held him out from. 

Jeff Johnson:
Stood in the way for a little while. But you overcame that and got on the other side of it. So that’s another Courageous thing. All right, well, a couple of Courageous nephews, people that I’m very, very proud of. I’ll let you guys get back to your graduation party. And thanks for talking with us. 

Owen Walker:
Yeah. Thank you, Jeff. 

Evan Walker:
Thanks, jeff. 

Outro:
Thank you for joining us today on Courageous. If you’d like to hear more about the work and ministry being done at Crossroads Apologetics, please visit our home on the web at crossroadsapologetics.org Would you or someone you know like to be featured on Courageous? Send us an email at info@crossroadsapologetics.com or info@crossroadsapologetics.com telling us about the most Courageous thing you’ve ever done.