DBU REPORT 22 its second year. Hosting him seemed more like a moonshot than a sure thing. When Holloway walked on stage to kick off the evening, those in attendance erupted with a thunderous standing ovation, cheering for Holloway’s work behind the scenes to bring the dream to fruition. Holloway recalled how prayerfully he and his team worked all year to host Tebow on campus. God exceeded his expectations, considering that by the time of the dinner, Tebow had already graciously shared his whole afternoon on the DBU campus. Tebow’s day on University Hill began with a brief surprise appearance at The Lion’s Den DFW, where Tommy Martin, CEO of Tebow’s for-profit businesses, was the keynote speaker. Tebow then moved to a private predinner Q&A session with staff from DBU Athletics and Student Affairs. Associate Director of Athletics for Media Relations, Reagan Ratcliff, asked how Tebow’s faith drove him to excellence during his rapid rise to fame. Tebow responded that he strives to be a representative of Christ “in every aspect of life.” It’s the Hebrew idea of avodah, Tebow shared, where believers consider work as a form of worship in the context of serving others. This mindset, he explained, is something that inspires believers to go “all-in” and apply all of their energy, effort, and focus to everyday life. At the Leadership Series dinner later, Tebow and the audience listened as Ford Village residents Graham Kroll and Emma Sumlin spoke about their living and learning experiences. Graham, who plays on the DBU Basketball team, explained how God uses fellow residents of Ford Village to strengthen his walk with God. Likewise, Emma serves as a Resident Community Assistant and mentors younger residents of Ford Village as a result of having been blessed by her own mentor. Before introducing Tebow to the wider audience of Leadership Series attendees assembled in Pilgrim Chapel, Dr. Adam C. Wright invited DBU alumnus and World Series MVP Ben Zobrist to the stage. A Christian businessman himself, Zobrist shared how Tebow had long been his personal inspiration, noting how Tebow’s outspoken faith regarding his career and business efforts had motivated Zobrist as he steered the mission of his own non-profit company, Champion Forward. Serving the MVPS—the Most Vulnerable People The man Tebow is today is largely due to the hard work his parents invested in him as a child. Tebow spoke fondly about his parents’ impact on him at a young age, especially as a T-ball player whose prodigious talent became evident early on. His mom and dad encouraged their son to balance his obvious skills by memorizing Scripture verses about humility to keep him from becoming prideful. Although he didn’t fully appreciate their efforts at the time, Tebow would one day recall those same verses hidden deep in his heart years later when he needed them most. God brought to mind the Word his parents had ingrained in their son as a child, and these truths kept Tebow on track during some of his most stressful times on and off the football field. Being on DBU’s campus earlier in the day and seeing “Patriots” emblazoned everywhere reminded Tebow of his brief stint with the New England Patriots while in training to become a backup on the team. Coach Belichick had specifically asked Tebow to fly under the radar since his career had taken off, especially since he would only be a backup. One week, during his day off, Tebow received a surprising call from his agent. Someone had offered to pay him $1 million to appear in a commercial shoot for only a few hours. Despite his agent’s grumbling, Tebow replied that he had to ask his coach because he had instructed Tebow to lay low in the public eye. Although Belichick seemed to appreciate Tebow’s integrity, he told him he would prefer that Tebow turned down the commercial. Tebow agreed and continued to work hard and lay low. A few weeks later, the Patriots cut him from the team. “I didn’t regret turning that commercial down for one second,” recalled Tebow. “Why? Because my passion for the game far exceeded any desire for money and fame.” President Adam C. Wright, First Lady Candice Wright, and Tim Tebow
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