SPIRITUAL FOCUS ON BOOK June 12, 2006 Issue

WHEN FAITH KICKS IN

TONY LOBL

God's never offside
by Lorna Grady
174 pages
(The Publishing Partnership
Solutions Ltd., 2005)

FOR THOSE who care deeply about the spiritual side of life and who are also enjoying the football World Cup now under way in Germany, here is a book to bridge your interests. God's never offside focuses on the role Christian beliefs have played in the lives of 11 successful footballers and a top-flight referee. And it's simultaneously a primer on some of the basics of Christianity and a series of testimonies to the power of a sincere Christian faith.

These footballers have "been there, done that" when it comes to applying their faith to facing down the temptations of a professional sports lifestyle (which include succumbing to the temptations associated with fame and wealth), and facing up to the kind of devastating injuries that can derail careers. In the book, they recount how staying close to the Bible, serving in a church, enjoying fellowship with other Christians, and maintaining their own inspiration and insights have kept them on the straight and narrow. They are also frank about how difficult that can be.

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