He was a second round draft choice with the San Diego Chargers. He faced adversity and suffered being benched. During a New Year's Eve game in 2003, Brees fumbled and grabbed for the ball. He dislocated his shoulder and an MRI showed that basically everything that held his shoulder together was shredded. He knew that might mean the end of his NFL career.
A lesson he learned during that dark period of his injury and rehab was, “if God leads you to it, he will lead you through it. Everything happens for a reason, and everything is part of his master plan. If you let adversity do its work in you, it will make you stronger.” (90)
While recovering he signed with the New Orleans Saints. The history of that franchise had not been pretty. While the city had hosted seven Super Bowls in twenty-one years, the team had never been close to being in one.
The 2007 and 2008 seasons were tough but Brees kept working harder. Then came the magic of the 2009 season and the Super Bowl win.
The authors have done a great job weaving football into and through Brees' personal life. We read about crucial plays along with Brees' strained relationship with his mother. We read about the excitement on the football field along with his commitment to his marriage. Brees is a Christian and well understands the challenge of being a Christian athlete on and off the field.
Brees' goal in writing this book was not to get the reader excited about the Saints. He knows his readers will face challenges. He wants us to remember, “adversity is not your enemy. It can unleash a power in your life that will make you stronger and help you achieve amazing things...” (300)
You don't have to be a football fan to appreciate this book. It is a well written account of one man facing adversity and coming back stronger. What an inspiration!
This book was provided for review by Tyndale House Publishers.
Publisher information:
http://www.tyndale.com/Coming-Back-Stronger/9781414339436
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