Black History Month – Learn and Share

Every year, I write about all the information that is available for children to help them learn more about African American history and culture and this year, I continue to provide more updated resources.  It is important to include a variety of learning material for children, such as books, articles, videos, and fun activities.  Endeavor to instill in them a desire to keep on learning about Black history, not only during the month of February which is Black History Month, but also throughout the year.

Some good resources for children are:

https://heritagemom.com/

https://blog.tcea.org/resources-black-history-month-2023/

https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/black-history-month

https://www.verywellfamily.com/best-black-history-month-books-for-kids-5097643

https://www.pbs.org/parents/black-history-month

U. S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, MD Said What Many Parents Already Know – There are Dangers for Children 13 Years-Old and Younger on Social Media

For years, many parents have complained about the dangers of social media on children. The U. S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, MD confirmed this in a recent interview on CNN in which he said the following:

“I, personally, based on the data I’ve seen, believe that 13 is too early. … It’s a time where it’s really important for us to be thoughtful about what’s going into how they think about their own self-worth and their relationships and the skewed and often distorted environment of social media often does a disservice to many of those children ….”

Studies have confirmed the increasing use of social media by children over the past 8 years. One such study was completed in 2022 by Pew Research and found that 72% of teens now have access to a smartphone, computer or gaming console and approximately half of teens reported that they use the internet “almost constantly”. In fact, the increased use almost doubled since 2014/2015. Additionally, 35% of teens reported that they use “almost constantly” social media platforms such as YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook.

Dr. Murthy went on to say in his interview:

If parents can band together and say you know, as a group, we’re not going to allow our kids to use social media until 16 or 17 or 18 or whatever age they choose, that’s a much more effective strategy in making sure your kids don’t get exposed to harm early ….

The question now is – what will be done about this? The future of our children is at stake.

To learn more, please visit:

https://www.webmd.com/children/news/20230130/surgeon-general-says-13-year-olds-shouldnt-be-on-social-media

https://www.deseret.com/utah/2023/1/30/23577927/surgeon-general-13-too-young-for-social-media

https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2022/08/10/teens-social-media-and-technology-2022/

Learn More About the Foundation for a Better Life and All It Offers to Promote Important Values

       I came across The Foundation for a Better Life one day and signed up for its weekday emails filled with quotes and inspirational messages.  For over a year now, I have grown to love its creativity and the peace and hope it inspires and wanted to pass on its information to you. 

       The Foundation is a nonprofit organization that was established in 2000.  On its website at www.passiton.com, it states as its goal:

The goal of The Foundation for a Better Life is to offer inspirational messages to people everywhere as a contribution toward promoting universal values, good role models, and a better life. …  We choose values we hope most individuals would find encouraging and relevant. Then we provide an uplifting message based on each value, in an effort to encourage people to bring out the best in themselves.

       It offers public service announcements on many forms of media and billboards and pays for it via donations.  Perhaps you have seen its commercials or billboards.

       I encourage you to visit its website and learn more about what it offers.  You can even sign up for its emails with inspirational quotes at no cost. 

Let 11 year-old Jonathan Werner Inspire Your Children with His Story of Raising Money and Buying Christmas Gifts for 120 Foster Children

            I wanted to share another story about a youngster who has a huge heart to give!  He is Jonathan Werner and his story is so inspiring!  Please share it with your children to inspire them too.

            Jonathan’s father was a foster child for over 14 years and shared many of his childhood challenges with his son.  Jonathan wanted to give back to his community and became a Boy Scout.  He decided to raise money so that foster children would be blessed with Christmas gifts.  As a Boy Scout, Jonathan raised $11,300 by selling popcorn, with the assistance of his mother Serena.  He was, to say the least, an amazing salesperson!

            When asked why he worked so long and hard to raise the money, Jonathan said: “I just want to make kids happy for Christmas and let them know they are loved and appreciated.” 120 foster children were blessed by Jonathan’s generosity. 

To learn more about Jonathan, please visit:

https://www.passiton.com/passiton-blog/164-11-year-old-boy-raises-money-to-buy-christmas

https://www.kare11.com/article/news/local/land-of-10000-stories/12-year-old-boy-scout-buys-11300-in-christmas-presents-for-foster-kids-he-doesnt-know/89-84b658b7-9bf1-4262-889b-ed3338b8575f

Celebrate with Your Children Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – the Family Man - This January 16

            Each year, I write a blog post about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. centering around his accomplishments, with lots of links to websites with information to share with your children.  This year, I am writing about him as a family man. 

             MLK (for short) was married to Coretta Scott King and they had four children - Yolanda Denise King, Martin Luther King III, Dexter Scott King, and Bernice Albertine King.  Not surprisingly, all four dedicated their lives to be activists, following in their father’s footsteps.

             Mrs. King was devoted to raising their children.  She, nevertheless, took an active part in the civil rights movement, often participating in strategy meetings and marching at her husband’s side.  After her husband’s death, she continued with his legacy.   One of her most important accomplishments was establishing the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center For Nonviolent Social Change (The King Center) in honor of her husband.

             Yolanda was the eldest child.  It was reported that, when her father was arrested and jailed in 1963, she wanted to go to an amusement park named Funtown with her friends.  Due to her race, though, she could not.  MLK later wrote about it in a letter that became famous as Letter from Birmingham Jail.  She was 12 years-old when her father was assassinated.  Later, she became a well-known racial justice and human rights advocate.

             MLK’s son, King III, became the leader of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, which had been established by his father.  His daughter Yolanda, named after his sister, is 13 years-old and speaks out about voting rights.    

             Dexter led the Center for Nonviolent Social Change director, a charitable Atlanta-based association established by his family.  Bernice became a lawyer, peace advocate, and a minister.  She is also the CEO of The King Center, which her mother had established.

            Below are some links with more information and videos that you can share with your children about MLK’s family.  This is a special way to teach your children more about this great man.

For more information, please visit:

https://thekingcenter.org/about-tkc/about-mrs-king/

https://parade.com/1330595/jessicasager/martin-luther-king-jr-kids/

https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/history/article/martin-luther-king-jr

https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/encyclopedia/letter-birmingham-jail

https://kidadl.com/facts/facts-about-dr-martin-luther-king-jr-s-children-you-should-know

Celebrate International “Thank You” Day on January 11 with Your Children

        Did you know that there is a day especially set aside internationally to celebrate “Thank you”? I have written before about the importance of gratitude and wanted to encourage you to celebrate “thankfulness” as well.

        The origin of “thank you” is not known.  People have used written forms of communication since the early days of the Egyptians and Chinese dynasties.  The word “thank” appears to have developed in the Middle Ages.  The Europeans exchanged greeting cards since the 1400s and it is believed that in the 1500s and 1600s, saying “thank you” became well-used. 

        In regard to the specific origin of International “Thank You” Day, it is believed that it began around the early 1900s.  In 1902, an editorial in The New York Times first mentioned that day.

        Why is it important to say “thank you”? This quote from globalmagazine.com expresses some reasons:

Every year January 11th is observed as International Thank-You Day. We often forget to say thank you because we take it for granted. It is important to express your thanks to people who have made your life better and happier. A person’s excellent manners will be shown by the words he or she uses.

        The link below has a list of 28 Bible verses that all refer to being thankful.  Consider setting aside 28 days and going over one of these verses with your children each day.  Talk about it with them and even help them to memorize some.  Catch them when they are being “thankful” and emphasize how important that is.  At the end of the 28 days, have a game to find out who remembers the most verses and give out prizes.  If you make learning fun and rewarding, your children will truly enjoy learning and most importantly, incorporate what they have learned into their daily actions which will eventually develop into habits.

To learn more, please visit:

https://nationaltoday.com/international-thank-you-day/

https://www.globalbrandsmagazine.com/international-thank-you-day-the-importance-of-celebrating-it/

https://www.countryliving.com/life/g32348015/bible-verses-about-being-thankful/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=arb_ga_clv_md_pmx_us_urlx_18709966696&gclid=CjwKCAiAzKqdBhAnEiwAePEjksTXOc1gtnb9vv-qkcJ0ChZBxMDdo4JHVy8aSkZrFktjS-Lqx9I4zxoCk6kQAvD_BwE

New Year – New Beginnings! Share Scriptures with Your Family About New Beginnings to Start off the New Year of 2023

             It’s so wonderful to enjoy the start of a brand new year!  Did you know that God’s Word is filled with scriptures about new beginnings.  Click the link below and you will find 40 of these verses.   Consider setting aside special times and sharing them with your family, including your children.  Everyone will get big doses of hope to start off the new year.  And, of course, continue to read and meditate on them throughout the month of January for continued inspiration.

Please visit:

https://www.christianity.com/wiki/bible/bible-verses-about-new-beginnings-inspirational-scriptures.html

Happy New Year 2023!

             From all of us at As the Stars of the Sky Foundation, happy new year 2023!  Thank you so much for your continued support as we strive to promote the importance of literacy in a child’s life.

Merry Christmas!

            Christmas is such a beautiful time of the year!  As we are giving and receiving gifts, let us remember the most precious gift ever given to us – God gave us His Son Jesus!  

            Why did our Heavenly Father do that? John 3:16 answers that very important question: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

            May you have a peaceful and safe Christmas!

Tips on Encouraging Your Children to Eat Healthier in 2023

       One of the ubiquitous questions for parents is “How do I get my children to eat healthier?” After raising two sons and reading many articles on the subject, I have some helpful tips that you can incorporate into the new year and a lot of them starts with you:

• Be sure that you understand the importance of vegetables and fruit in your children’s diet and what is the recommended amount of daily servings.  We always say that our children should eat healthier but do you know why? Vegetables and fruit are loaded with minerals and vitamins that our bodies need.  They also have a lot of fiber to help us eliminate waste.  The links below will help with you find what are the recommended daily servings.

• Set a good example for them.  As they see you eat healthier, they will too. 

• Plan to buy healthy options for snacks and have them easily available.  Creating a list is important so that when you are grocery shopping, you are not distracted. 

         Instead of potato or other types of chips (which are filled with salt and unnecessary fat) have carrot or celery sticks or sliced apples for example.  Often, they will choose chips because they are looking for something that is crunchy. You can also have available a healthy dip such as hummus.  Remember that you do the grocery shopping so you can select what is to be brought into your home for your children to eat.

       Also, when planning your family’s meals, include healthy items based on the recommended daily servings. 

• Experiment with different kinds of vegetables and fruits.  Read up about various kinds.  Try different recipes. Have your children join you when you go to the farmer’s market or grocery store and also in selecting recipes.  When I was growing up, I would say “YUCK” to beets, but when I tasted them in a new recipe, they became one of my favorite vegetables.

       These are just a few tips but they will certainly get you on your way to making dramatic improvements in healthy eating for the entire family in the new year.

For more helpful information, please visit:

https://raisingchildren.net.au/toddlers/nutrition-fitness/healthy-eating-habits/vegetables

https://www.verywellfamily.com/child-nutrition-and-vegetables-2633937

Teach Your Children About the Dangers of Distracted Walking

             Unfortunately, the images in the header for this blog post are all too common.  It used to be that walking safety was an issue just for high school students, but it is now a major safety issue for elementary and middle school students as cell phones are more and more accessible at a younger age.  People (children and adults) who walk while using a cell phone -whether listening to music, talking, or texting - are commonly referred to as “zombies”.  According to statistics from the organization Safe Kids Worldwide, nearly 60 children are hit by cars in the United States each day.  Those statistics do not include other injuries that children can suffer by being distracted, such as bumping into objects and falling.  What can we as parents do to keep our children safe and not distracted as they walk?

            Some things that Safe Kids did one summer to bring about awareness of the problem were: put up lawn signs around a school; and spray-painted safety signs on the sidewalks close to crosswalks.  These are not expensive actions and can be quickly done.  It also created an action tool kit and an Action Against Distraction Plan which are accessible at the link below. The plan includes strategies to raise community awareness as well as tips for parents and children.  There are even printable signs that say “Heads Up, Phones Down”.

            Of course, other actions can be passing legislation. For example, Honolulu, Hawaii adopted a law that makes it illegal to enter a crosswalk while using a cell phone.

To learn more, please visit:

https://www.safekids.org/blog/heads-phones-down-paying-attention-distracted-walking

https://www.safesearchkids.com/the-dangers-of-texting-and-walking/

Let Child Entrepreneur Alejandro Buxton Inspire Your Children to Achieve Their Dreams

            Here is another story about a child who is mover and shaker.  Please share it with your children as it is inspirational. 

            Meet Alejandro Buxton, now 12 years-old. He is referred to as a “kidpreneur” or a kid who is an entrepreneur.  He started a candle business known as Smell of Love Candles and is assisted by his sister and mother Patricia.

            It all started when Alejandro was 9 years-old and noticed that regular candles gave his mother a headache.  She suffered from allergies.  Concerned for her health, he researched and found natural soy material to make candles, added nice scents, and began his home business, turning their kitchen into a lab.  He started selling his candles at local fairs and now has his own kiosk at the mall in Tysons, Virginia.  In fact, he is the youngest person to rent space at Tysons!

            Entrepreneurship is not new to him.  In the past, he has shoveled snow, mowed lawns, and even had a lemonade stand. 

            What is Alejandro planning to do with the money he earns?  First and foremost, he is saving for college.  Then, he donates to charities and encourages others to save money for college too.  He is a wonderful example to all of us!

For more information about Alejandro, please visit:

https://www.wusa9.com/article/money/business/small-business/young-kidpreneur-candle-maker-getting-his-own-tysons-corner-center-store/65-af993803-4124-40b2-b902-e4423911128f

https://www.passiton.com/passiton-blog/156-kidpreneur-starts-business-to-make-money-for?utm_source=20221110_passiton_social_media&utm_medium=passiton_email&utm_campaign=20221110_passiton_social_media

Mother and Author Molly DeFrank Gives Important Recommendations on Weaning Your Children Away from the Distractions of Digital Devices

             My late husband and I raised our two sons just as cell phones and other digital devices were being introduced and used by children.  We had rules for the use of these devices, but it required constant monitoring as the lure for children was intense.  Now, years later, even the youngest of children are being inundated with and overcome by all that is so easily and quickly available at their fingertips.  One person who has taken action and successfully maneuvered her children through the digital detox process is mother and author Molly DeFrank.

            Molly wrote Digital Detox: The Two-Week Tech Reset for Kids to help parents and grandparents who are facing the challenges of children being constantly on these devices.  What happened to communication?  What happened to reading?  What happened to family activities? 

            Molly was recently a guest on my podcast Be Convinced! Sharing Lifechanging Stories of Hope.  She shared how one day she came home and as she entered the house, one of her children immediately asked to use her cell phone.  She and her husband agreed on a detox plan, and it worked.  She wrote her book to encourage everyone to take the steps necessary to “transform screen zombies into friendly, happy, grateful kids.” She provides a lot of practical advice and step-by-step guidance that is sure to bring a change in your children in just 14 days, if of course, you stick to the plan.  You will be inspired by our podcast talk.

            Her website mollydefrank.com also provides additional helpful information and articles.  Please consider following her on social media as well.

The Metaverse and Your Children

            The metaverse is upon us and parents should understand what it involves and the tremendous impact it will continue to have on our children.  I must confess that I knew very little about the metaverse until I began researching for this blog post.  There are many good articles online and I provide the links for a few below.  One article I would like to share here has a discussion between a parent and a therapist which I find fascinating.

            Just what is the metaverse? It is a 3-dimensional virtual universe.  It typically refers to "a collection of interconnected virtual environments where users can communicate via avatars in the first person. It typically refers to a digital environment that multiple users of an internet connection can access simultaneously."  “It's about individuals coming together to share a virtual world, whether it's for a job, school, exercise, or just for fun.”  To put it more simply, “it is a system of linked virtual worlds where users communicate with avatars in the first person.”

            The online article Is the Metaverse a Kid-Friendly World? A Parent Asks a Therapist provides some important information and raises many thought provoking issues.  There is no doubt that the metaverse can be beneficial for our children to help them learn and often provides a safe environment for children to interact with others.  But, unsupervised, there are many challenges. “The danger of the Metaverse for kids emerges when they are left to discover it alone. This is similar to allowing small children to watch TV unsupervised, or to spend time online endlessly, without a purpose. Reports have shown it can lead to loneliness, to say the least.”  There are also many other concerns, including cyber bullying and stalking and children becoming addicted to it.

            As the metaverse continues to develop, it is important for parents to learn more about it and guide their children through it in a thoughtful manner. We cannot stop advancement so we must ensure that our children receive the benefits and are protected as much as possible from the negative effects.

To learn more, please visit:

https://therecursive.com/parent-and-therapist-discuss-the-metaverse-for-kids/

https://www.iamexpat.nl/education/education-news/metaverse-kids-ultimate-guide-parents-and-children

https://www.connectsafely.org/metaverse-and-vr-tips-for-parents/

Honor Those Who Have Served by Teaching Your Children About Veterans Day and Celebrating it With Them

            This Friday November 11 is designated as a national holiday known as Veterans Day.  Most adults and children have it off from work and school.   I encourage you to just not take it off as another holiday but truly spend some time with your children teaching them about all it represents and then celebrating it with them.

            Veterans Day is a federal proclamation of a day set aside to remember and honor all those who have served in the armed forces, past and present, in wartime and in peace.   Some of your family members and friends may be veterans.

            There are a number of websites with child-friendly information and suggested activities and videos.  I have listed some below.  I usually gravitate toward books for children, so that they can read for themselves and learn.  The website teachingwithchildrensbooks.com has a list of recommended books for children of all ages, and I provide the link below.   Other activities you can participate in with your children are parades and events sponsored by various veterans’ groups in your area.  Even saying “thank you” to a person in uniform would be sincerely appreciated!

To learn more, please visit the following links:

https://www.care.com/c/veterans-day-101-how-to-explain-veterans-day-to-your-kids/

https://www.military.com/veterans-day

https://www.weareteachers.com/veterans-day-videos/

https://teachingwithchildrensbooks.com/childrens-books-about-veterans-day/

Meet 10 Year-Old Drummer Sebastian Stephens – The Youngest Person to Receive a Professional Certificate from Prestigious Berklee College of Music

             Can children know from a young age what type of instrument they would like to play?  The answer is a resounding YES!  Meet 10-year-old drummer Sebastian “Seba” Stephens from Tennessee who asked his parents for drums for his birthday when he was just 3 years-old.  To his parents’ credit, they purchased a child’s drum kit for him, and the rest is history.

            Seba soon showed that he had a talent to play drums and his parents hired a teacher for him who immediately saw his talent too.  His parents say that he never stopped playing! With the encouragement of his parents, Seba also learned how to play other instruments including piano, bass and guitar. 

            When he was just 8 years-old, Seba received special permission to study bass at an online summer program offered by the prestigious Berklee College of Music. He often would practice up to 36 hours a week.  Because of this schedule, he asked his parents to be home schooled so he could continue at Berklee during the school year.   They reworked their schedules and did just that.

            In May, 2021, Seba became the youngest person to receive a professional certificate from Berklee.  What a determined and talented youngster!

            The spotlight should also be on his parents who supported him throughout.  They could have easily talked him out of playing the drums, thinking it would be much too noisy and inconvenient for them.  But, they stood by him and encouraged him.  Kudos to them!

 To read the entire article, please visit:

https://newsforkids.net/articles/2022/10/06/10-year-old-drummer-earns-certificate-from-berklee/

How Bedtime Stories Impact Your Children’s Brain Development

            Some of the most pleasurable times my late husband and I experienced while raising our two sons was reading to them at bedtime.  We had many books from which my sons would choose the nighttime read.  Often, we read the same book over and over though. With the reading came the talking and laughing and of course, the good night hugs and kisses.  In addition to all these benefits, bedtime stories can have a great impact on your children’s brain development.

            An online article on parents.com titled The Brainy Benefits of Bedtime Stories, gives us information about this impact:

1. It helps to build an inner dictionary – The key is to develop your children’s language skills by stopping and asking questions about what is being read.  The article gives the following example: “If a mother points to Curious George's baseball cap and asks her child, ‘Do you have a hat like that?’ she's offering him practice in using language correctly.”  Also, books introduce children to new ideas and concepts that they have not yet experienced, such as cultures in other countries and foods they have never eaten.

2. Reading a book over and over helps develop logic skills –  When you read a book to your children for the first time, they have not heard everything.  They often want you to read it to them again and again.  Try stopping and asking “What do you think happens next?”  “Later, these lessons in recognizing patterns, understanding sequences, and predicting outcomes will help children in other areas, from math and science to music and writing.”

3. A cozy bed and soothing reading actually benefit a child’s cognitive development – “When kids are cozy and comfortable, reading aloud to them can even lower their stress levels. When a child experiences any strain—such as being bullied or starting a new school—his brain tries to protect him by producing the hormone cortisol, which activates the body's ‘fight or flight’ response. In small doses, cortisol can actually help kids handle normal stress. In larger amounts, however, it can block learning.”

To read the full article, please visit:

https://www.parents.com/fun/entertainment/books/the-brainy-benefits-of-bedtime-stories/

During This Voting Season, Teach Your Children the Power of Voting

        Tuesday, November 8 is election day all over the United States, from local to district to county to state-wide elections. There is so much being said and written about voting.  What do your children know about this critical right that we are privileged to have in our democracy?

        I strongly believe that we should raise our children to be passionate about voting and electing righteous people to positions in government. We should teach them and also be role models of good citizens so that they become life-long voters. 

There is quite a bit of information available on the internet about teaching your children about voting and I will provide some helpful information and links in this post to assist you.

        Here are some articles:

• Grow a Good Citizen: How to Teach Your Kids About Voting – highlights 7 points, one of which is teaching respectful disagreement;

• 6 Fun Ways to Teach Children About the Importance of Voting – encourages children to read books about voting rights and observe you exercise your right to vote;

• Let's Vote! Talking to Children About Voting – PBS website article that has videos and arts and crafts activities;

• Voting and Voices Classroom Resources – offers recommendations for many activities that will help your children learn about the history and struggles involved with the right to vote.

To learn more, please visit:

https://www.kindercare.com/content-hub/articles/2016/october/good-politics-how-to-teach-your-kids-about-voting

https://www.cmosc.org/6-tips-to-help-children-understand-the-power-of-voting/

https://www.pbs.org/parents/lets-vote

https://www.learningforjustice.org/projects/voting-and-voices/classroom-resources

https://www.weareteachers.com/teach-presidential-election-process/

Celebrate National Indigenous Peoples Day On Oct. 10 With Your Children

       Columbus Day is a national federal holiday that is observed on the second Monday of October and on this year, October 10.  Last October, President Joe Biden issued a proclamation for Indigenous Peoples Day, stating that “our Nation celebrates the invaluable contributions and resilience of Indigenous peoples, recognizes their inherent sovereignty, and commits to honoring the Federal Government’s trust and treaty obligations to Tribal Nations.”  Although it is not a national federal holiday, Indigenous Peoples Day continues to be celebrated on the same day as Columbus Day.

       In my opinion, it is very important for our children to learn more about and to honor indigenous peoples, not just on one day but also throughout the year.  Below are some activities for your children with website links listed at the end of my blog:

• The Hennepin County Library in Minnesota has a website page filled with ideas and suggestions, including books and movies.

• The Smithsonian National Museum has a list of 5 things to do.

• Indian Country Today has a listing by state of activities.

To learn more, please visit:

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/10/08/a-proclamation-indigenous-peoples-day-2021/

https://www.hclib.org/about/news/2022/October/celebrate-indigenous-peoples-day

https://nationaltoday.com/indigenous-peoples-day/

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/blogs/national-museum-american-indian/2022/09/26/five-ideas-for-celebrating-indigenous-peoples-day-2022/

https://indiancountrytoday.com/news/more-joy-this-october-an-indigenous-peoples-day-event-list

Christians in Sports: 12 Christian Football Players in the NFL Your Children Should Know About

            It seems that, all too often, we hear or read about the athletes who are involved with drugs or getting arrested on a criminal charge.  It’s important to know that there are Christian athletes who can be good role models for your children.  Today’s blog post is about 12 Christian football players in the NFL.

            In her article on christianleaders.com titled 12 NFL Players Who LOVE Jesus (and Football), writer Stephanie Martin gives us the names of those players and a short description of each athlete’s faith:

Patrick Mahomes – Quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs - “On a Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) video, he says, ‘Before every game, I walk the field and I do a prayer at the goalpost. I just thank God for those opportunities, and I thank God for letting me be on a stage where I can glorify him.’”

Dak Prescott – Quarterback for the Dallas Cowboys – “While recovering from surgery, he thanked supporters for their prayers and said he’s ‘excited for God’s purpose and plan.’”

Christian McCaffrey - Carolina Panthers running back – He was sidelined for an injury and said “It’s easy to have faith when everything is going well. But a true soldier has faith in times of adversity.”

Ryan Tannehill – Quarterback for the Tennessee Titans - “Guys are watching and listening to how you walk daily.” That’s why he “always [tries] to be conscious of that and reflect God’s light and shine into the paths of everyone around me.”

Case Keenum - Journeyman quarterback having played for 7 different teams - “I’m a Christian who happens to be a football player. Faith doesn’t leave when I hang up my cleats and put on my street clothes.”

DK Metcalf - Seattle Seahawks wide receiver - “I look at football as a platform to help other people or to spread the word of God.”

Trevor Lawrence - Quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars - “Football’s important to me, but it’s not my life. It’s not the biggest thing in my life. I would say my faith is.”

Justin Simmons - Denver Broncos safety - “My walk with the Lord has been an amazing journey,”

Kirk Cousins – Quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings - “Win or lose today, God is still on the throne, and I take comfort in that.”

Derek Carr - Las Vegas Raiders Quarterback - “The greatest decision I ever made is to give him Lordship over my life.”

Carson Wentz – Quarterback for the Indianapolis Colts - “The Bible talks about having a renewed mind (Romans 12:2). And so for me, that’s a daily thing to have my mind renewed by the Word and just fully surrender to the Lord.”

Nate Solder – Veteran offensive tackle who played with the New York Giants - “As scary and bleak as life can sometimes be, we know that the God of the universe has all things under his control, and his plans are and will always be for our good.”

To read the entire article, please visit:

https://churchleaders.com/news/331424-15-players-of-faith-to-watch-this-year-in-the-nfl.html