Here is a visual of the letter that I sent to each child:
Here is the text of the letter I sent (I had to squish the lines together to fit the entire text in the letter format):
Dear Name,
I would like to share the story of a soccer player with you! Tim Howard is the goalie of the USA National team and also plays for the club team of Everton in the United Kingdom. Tim Howard is a Christian and I thought you would enjoy hearing his story:
Tim Howard shared, “My faith is obviously very important to me, make no secrets of that...I’m certainly just a vehicle for Christ, and He moves me and the Spirit moves me in miraculous ways – that’s from dealing with Tourette’s syndrome to the pressures playing on a level like this and in England in the Premiere League. I just try to rely on faith...I’m not perfect. I’m far from it and that is the reason I do need Jesus. I try to live it. … I stumble, as many people do, but always in the belief that I’m loved and that I’m meaningful.” Tim Howard said he wants people to see Christ when they see him. “That’s important,” he said, “because I think people are going to see your stumbles, people are going to see your triumphs, and I want people to know that everyday I tried to live for Christ.”
For the first ten years of his life, Howard suffered with an undiagnosed case of Tourette’s syndrome, a neurological disorder characterized by physical and verbal tics. “I did not experience peace,” he But even though my life often seemed chaotic, I knew I could always count on at least one person to provide calm and stability: my grandmother. Through her, God revealed His love for me as well. It wasn’t long before I was following in her footsteps. I wanted the same kind of faith and peace she had, and that is exactly what God gave me.” Tim Howard said living with Tourette’s is not easy. “But God has blessed me with the gift of athleticism as well. He has done some powerful things in my life through the combination of these two gifts. … He also has shown me ways to use my position as a professional athlete to encourage others with Tourette’s syndrome.”
At the age of 24, he was signed by Manchester United in the English Premiere League. He now plays for Everton in the same league. “Today, I am blessed to be living a dream,” he said. “And yet, if it all went away tomorrow, I know I would still have peace. That probably sounds crazy to most people, but that’s the kind of peace Christ gives. It is rooted in His love, and it surpasses all understanding.”
Do you know of another famous athlete who is a Christian? How do they use their athleticism to share about Christ?
I included a photo of Tim Howard so you can see what he looks like!
I love you! May God bless you. Love, Hannah
I googled Tim Howard to find a photo of him.
Feel free to copy and paste this letter to your kids also!
