Shaken, by Tim Tebow

If anyone has a good reason to be disappointed by his treatment in his dream job, it would be Tim Tebow.  While quarterback at Florida, he won a Heisman Trophy and let his team to a national championship.  Drafted in the first round of the NFL draft by Denver, he showed a lot of promise as a rookie.  Despite some success, he was traded, released, signed, released, and cut.  This is part of the story Tebow tells in Shaken: Discovering Your True Identity in the Midst of Life's Storms.

Most of us fall into discouragement when life gives us disappointments or when our dreams are shattered.  Tebow got to experience what most young football players only dream about, yet when he should have been at the peak of his career, he was pushed out of football.  He could have dwelt on the fact that anti-Christian biases and bigotry kept teams from keeping around, but he didn't.  In Shaken he encourages us to respond not with anger or bitterness, but with hope and trust.  As he likes to say, "God's got this." 

From his earliest days in the spotlight, Tebow has kept his focus on honoring God and serving others.  Throughout Shaken, he tells stories of people he has met and been able to encourage and be inspired by.  Through his foundation and other charity work and public appearances, he has impacted the lives of many sick and disabled individuals, whose stories reminded him and remind us to be thankful in all circumstances and to live to serve.

That's what I took away from Shaken.  Life is full of disappointments, but it's also full of opportunities to serve and bless others.  The way to thrive amid our disappointments is to focus on the needs of others, and to trust God to provide for our needs.  The more we focus on God and others, the less we get stuck dwelling on our own troubles.

I appreciate the example Tebow sets, not only for athletes but for all of us.  College football and the NFL need more players with his character and humility.


Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the complimentary electronic review copy!