In this episode of the Texas Land Guys podcast, Tom and Tim Dosch sit down with their lifelong friend Jesse Sanders. Jesse is the Executive Director of Deer Creek Camp and a former professional basketball player who spent six years playing overseas after his career at Liberty University.
The conversation begins with Jesse’s upbringing in a large homeschooling family in Houston, where faith, family, and competition shaped everyday life. Basketball became a central part of his story and eventually took him around the world to play professionally in countries like Italy, Australia, Belgium, Germany, and Portugal. Along the way, Jesse and his wife started their family while experiencing new cultures and pursuing the dream of a professional career.
During those years, Jesse began sensing that basketball might be leading to something bigger. That calling eventually led him and several of his brothers to step away from comfortable careers and take over Deer Creek Camp in Medina, Texas. With little experience running a camp, they moved their families to Central Texas to build a ministry focused on mentoring and discipling the next generation through faith, sports, and community.
As they stepped into this new mission, everything changed. Jesse discovered that a trusted friend and financial advisor had been running a decade-long investment scam that wiped out much of their financial security. Only months later, he received another life-altering diagnosis: stage 4 cancer at age 36.
Throughout the conversation, Jesse shares openly about betrayal, faith, forgiveness, and what it looks like to trust God when health, finances, and plans for the future are suddenly shaken. His story offers an honest reminder that faith is often forged in life’s most difficult moments.
Key Takeaways
- A strong family foundation and intentional parenting can shape lifelong values and purpose.
- Sports can be a powerful tool for mentorship, character development, and discipleship.
- Young men today need challenges and meaningful pursuits to develop discipline and resilience.
- Professional success does not always bring the fulfillment people expect.
- Faith often requires stepping into opportunities before having complete clarity.
- Deer Creek Camp was launched through the combined vision and sacrifice of several families working together.
- Running a ministry often requires balancing mission with financial sustainability.
- Financial security can disappear quickly, making faith and community even more important.
- Betrayal and financial loss can create deep emotional challenges that require forgiveness and healing.
- Faith becomes most real when circumstances strip away comfort, control, and security.
In This Episode:
- [00:00] Podcast introduction
- [00:30] Introducing Jesse Sanders and family background
- [01:10] Homeschooling and early basketball journey
- [02:55] Basketball career: college and overseas
- [03:31] Role models and family influence
- [04:28] Professional basketball experiences
- [05:48] Entrepreneurial ventures with brothers
- [06:34] Desire for ministry and basketball’s impact
- [07:54] Leadership in the home: Father’s influence and homeschool basketball program
- [10:15] Homeschooling philosophy and program growth
- [12:18] Mentoring young men and modern challenges
- [13:23] Camp ministry philosophy
- [16:00] Founding Deer Creek Camp: the family decision
- [20:48] Challenges of running a family camp
- [23:06] Purpose, sacrifice, and financial insecurity
- [27:13] Initial financial security and subsequent loss
- [28:40] Financial betrayal and forgiveness
- [32:53] Cancer diagnosis and spiritual struggle
- [35:23] Episode wrap-up
Resources and Links
Podcast
Jesse Sanders
Tom Dosch
- https://www.linkedin.com/in/tom-dosch-37263b3b/
- https://dmre.com/
- https://ascentinv.com/
- https://100xharvest.org/
Tim Dosch
