Tim Tebow has announced he's releasing a new book for homeschooling parents and their children: Know Who You Are, Live Like It Matters: A Homeschooler's Interactive Guide to Discovering Your True Identity.
In his book, the NFL star-turned-outfielder for the New York Mets affiliate team the Columbia Fireflies will "guide you through thirty-six weeks of lessons, each based on a key Scripture, to discover who you are-by learning more about whose you are," a description of the book states. "You will also have the opportunity to write down your thoughts, feelings, and ideas on topics such as: building godly character, maintaining great relationships, standing out from the crowd and doing things that matter in the big picture."
The 29-year-old sports icon, who was born in the Philippines to Christian missionaries, was the first home-schooler to be nominated for the Heisman Trophy. In the introduction to his book, Tebow said he hopes to inspire others through his story.
"I know being homeschooled may not be the easiest thing in the world, so I wanted to write a book just for you. I'd like to encourage you in your studies by offering some lessons I've learned in my personal journey, lessons I want you to be a part of," Tebow writes. "I want this book to be about you: digging deep to find out who you are and what that means in real life."
In his book, Tebow also encourages parents who homeschool their children. According to the website of the Bob Tebow Evangelistic Association, the Tebows began homeschooling their five children beginning in 1982.
"As a homeschooled student, I know the effort, time, and work involved in choosing to educate your family. My parents were true pioneers in the homeschool movement," he writes. "They took responsibility for educating their children before the general public even knew it was an option. I'm so grateful they were willing and committed to answering the call. And from the bottom of my heart, thank you for doing the same for your children!"
In a 2009 interview with BP News, Tebow's mother, Pam, said she believes homeschooling provided her children security, as they were not constantly evaluated against other children academically.
"You're not in school where people are going to put you down either because you don't read as fast as somebody else or you made a 'C' on your paper, but they made an 'A.' That didn't happen in our home - so that breeds security ... people aren't negative about anything you do," she said. "You are given the opportunities to grow at the rate God has intended for you to grow at in certain areas."
However, Pam said she sought to teach her children "humility, deflecting the praise, not bragging on themselves". She expressed gratitude that today, her son is able to "stand alone" because he's not "peer dependent".
"I think that's another quality for a leader, that you have to stand alone, in your belief system, you have to be ready to take a stand and not be as concerned if the person next to you believes a little differently," she continued. "That doesn't mean you're not kind and tolerant to them, but it means you firmly believe in what you're doing and the cause that you're fighting for."
She added, "I just have seen the fruit of God's Word in the lives of my children and I am very, very grateful for that," she said. "I can't take credit for any of this - it's God's doing. But as mothers, I think we have to be faithful."
Know Who You Are, Live Like It Matters is due in stores on May 16 and is the third book released by Tebow. Recently, he won a Christian book of the year award from the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association for his book Shaken. For more information about Tebow's latest book, click here.
