Kim Washburn
Zonderkidz, 2011, 128 pages, $6.99
For so many of our students, posters of athletes line their bedroom walls, fueling their hopes and dreams of someday being just like them. Out of the many options our kids have for role models, it can be a win-win when we have the opportunity to point them toward someone in sports who is successful at their game and is also a Christ follower.
Defender of the Faith by Kim Washburn is a well-written biography for students that tells the story of NHL star Mike Fisher’s career in hockey thus far and how his faith has influenced his life. As one of the top players in the league, this book does a great job of bringing him down to earth and documenting a humility and grace that is at times missing in top athletes.
One thing that makes Fisher’s story such a good one for our students to hear is that although he has had a successful individual career, he has dealt with a number of injuries through the years and has gotten close but never won the Stanley Cup (hockey’s championship). The book provides a great picture of facing adversity when life doesn’t go your way and the reality that just because you have God in your life doesn’t mean things are always easy. The only potential downside of the book to be aware of is that Fisher and the author portray fighting in hockey as a positive and necessary part of the game.
Defender of the Faith is a great book to get into the hands of the sport fans in your youth ministry. Specifically, this is a fantastic resource to recommend to your students who play or are fans of hockey.
