Through My Eyes

by Tim Tebow, Nathan Whitaker

Former University of Florida star quarterback, 2010 first-round draft pick for the Denver Broncos, and devout Christian Tim Tebow tells the story of his faith, his life, and his career in football in Through My Eyes. Written with Nathan Whitaker, the New York Times bestselling coauthor of Quiet Strength, with Tony Dungy, Through My Eyes gives fans a first look into the heart of an athlete whose talent and devotion have made him one of the most provocative figures in football.

Genres: Sports, Biography, Nonfiction, Christian, Memoir, Football, Autobiography

272 pages, Hardcover

First published May 24, 2011

About the author

Tim Tebow is one of the most accomplished players in college football history. A two-time winner of the NCAA National Football Championship with the University of Florida, Tim is also the first-ever sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy. He then went on to become a two-time winner of the Maxwell Award for the nation’s top football player, while also winning the Davey O’Brien Award for the nation’s best college quarterback and the James E. Sullivan Award for the most outstanding amateur athlete in any sport. He is the founder of the Tim Tebow Foundation which was started to bring faith, hope, and love to those needing a brighter day in the darkest hour of need, and in April 2010, Tim was selected in the first round of the NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. He lives in Colorado.

Reviews

[Brenda Gail · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought highly of Tim Tebow before reading his story. Now that I have finished his book I definitely believe that he is using his status as an NFL player to inspire and help others! What a great role model. Keep up the great work, Tim! I will continue to root for you on the sidelines.

[I ♥ Bookie Nookie (bookienookiereviews.blogspot.com) · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great story of inspiration - of course, I knew to expect that, but it is refreshing to see a star live life as a somewhat grounded person. It really goes to show that faith in *something*, hard work and determination along with a background firmly rooted in a solid family life really *can* define a person's future. Of-course, some may argue that Tim Tebow was just that kind of person all along, but I choose to believe that how a person handles challenges and success directly correlates to the morals and values instilled in a person during their upbringing.

✳✳ Copy provided by the author/publisher for an honest review.

[Lee Harmon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, it’s Sunday, and there’s no football. The Superbowl is over. Desperately clinging to another passion (NFL football) and hoping to excuse it as religious reading, I picked up Tim Tebow’s book. Tim, the latest God-fearing sports sensation.

Don’t let me fool you: This is a football book, not a book about religion. More than anything else, you’ll be reading about Tebow’s football experiences, including his remarkable college career. Tebow’s success in football boils down to one thing: an obsessive drive. He simply cannot slack off. “When we think we can do less than our best, when we think others are not watching, we’re cheating ourselves and the God who created us.” But it’s more than wanting to do right by God. Tebow just can’t accept losing. His mantra: “Somewhere he is out there, training while I am not. One day, when we meet, he will win.”

Here’s the deal: Much as I wince at athletes who praise God after every touchdown, I wound up really liking this Tebow fella! Yes, Tim feels the need to evangelize, given the special opportunity he has been given in life, but his religion is grounded. He may print Bible verses under his eyes when he plays, hoping for a camera close-up, but he doesn’t consider himself God’s answer to the world. A couple typical Tebow quotes:

“I know it sounds dumb to be praying over a football game … I’m not sure God is into who wins or loses .. But since my parents raised me to pray about anything that’s on my heart, I pray—even if some of those things are trivial in the overall scheme of things.”

“People often seem to think that when you’re following the Lord and trying to do His will, your path will always be clear, the decisions smooth and easy, and life will be lived happily ever after and all that. Sometimes that may be true, but I’ve found that more often, it’s not. The muddled decisions still seem muddled, bad things still happen to believers, and great things can happen to nonbelievers.”

Yeah, the season is over, and Tim Tebow, the unlikely master of miraculous comebacks, couldn’t pull a rabbit out of the hat when it really mattered this year. His faith in God notwithstanding, we now head into the off-season wondering if he’ll even remain the Anointed One in Denver. Tebow never lost his trust in God, but has he lost the trust of his coaching staff?

As Tim says, “I don’t know what my future holds, but I do know who holds my future.”

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is great. It is clearly written for Gators fans, by a Gators fan. One of the reasons I think the Gator Nation so embraced Tim is because he was as much a fan of the school as we are. He was passionate and we could relate to that, despite the fact that he has talent that most of us could only dream of.

There are many facets that make this book work. As a fan, the chapters recounting the football seasons were the most fun. A rush of adrenaline ripped through me just as it had during the games. There are also moments where he lightheartedly talks trash which just made me giggle. For example, he recalls his encounter with Kenny Chesney stating that he was so cool, he'd never had know he was a Vol.

What is truly striking about this book, however, is the authenticity of his faith. It is clear that his belief is as much a part of him as his eye color. Many wear religion on their sleeve, but in Tebow's case his faith comes from within. It's inspiring!

I also enjoyed reading about the stories of leadership and team-building. Parallels can be drawn for those to relate to any part of life.

[Cody · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anyone part of "Gator-nation" or those with ties to the University of Florida will likely rate this book 5 stars before reading it - and wish there were 6 stars following completion of the book. My decision to read this book did not stem from being a Florida fan, or a true follower of Tim Tebow. In fact, when he played for UF I couldn't stand to watch the Gators play football. I chose to read this book because I enjoy autobiographies, especially when they are faith-based and include athletes. I guess you could say the 'Tebow-effect,' that so many describe, captured me as well..

I would recommend this book to any Christian athletes out there - age doesn't matter. It's also a great book for parents. It gives great examples of how parenting and lessons taught early can have an impact on one's life. A father-son reading it together is the ideal scenario. For the population that is seeking an example of work-ethic, competitiveness, committment, and the drive to succeed .. this book is for you too. And for those seeking to understand what the aura surrounding Tim Tebow is all about, jump on board as well.

Dislikes: This book has a strong SEC bias, not exactly ideal for a Big 12 fan. At times I wish he would have given more credit to other Christian college athletes such as Sam Bradford and Colt McCoy -- but that's just my bias. Occasionally, especially in the middle chapters, he describes the games he played in with detail. As expected, these are full of his amazing plays, his stats, and gives mention to all the players he punished for trying to tackle him head on. These sections may have the reader feeling a sense of arrogance from Tebow, but hey, it's his book. He's just providing the facts.

Likes: This book is based on Faith. It describes how one man - probably the greatest college football player of all time - has dedicated his life to live by faith in God. It gives strong support for the benefits of having a close family, and the importance of education. He speaks of his love for children, helping those less fortunate, giving back in the community, and the benefit of developing meaningful relationships. He gives the reader an insight into what has made him such an effective leader.

There was a lot I took from reading this book. I think most importantly, his book reminded me of three aspects that are important to implement as I live my life as a Christian: 1. Be a servant. 2. Use your God-given abilities to their fullest extent; anything less is wasting the gift. 3. We all have a platform and each of our platforms are unique. Your platform may be big or small, however it's meaningful. And most importantly, the purpose of your platform is to share God's love. Tim gives great examples of how he's used his platform. Here is one example of how one small thing had a HUGE ripple effect..

Tim starting painting Phil 4:13 on his eye black following a tough loss early in his Junior season (if you don't know the verse, look it up). He went on to win every game after that loss leading up to the BCS National Championship. Because Tim understood the platform that game would have, and the role he would have in the game, he decided to change the verse he wore to John 3:16 (I hope you don't have to look that one up). His coach, obviously being superstitious, said "You can't, what are you thinking!?" Tim did, because he has prayed about it. Obviously some people did have to look the verse up. Google reported that some 94 million people searched that verse during or immediately after the game. Wow. Tim likely was a bigger platform than most of us, but he understands how to embrace it.

It's funny, when I think of Tim Tebow one instance comes to mind immediately. I remember him playing in the BCS championship game against Oklahoma. Florida had the game sealed and Tebow was tackled hard by an OU player while running out the clock. I remember him getting up quickly, getting right in that player's face, and proceeding to give the "gator-chomp" as a way of mocking the losing player's efforts. Tebows describes this event as "not his finest moment" and "the only personal foul of his career." Out of all the good things Tebow did in his career, it's sad this moment is what I most recall - probably because of my emotions I felt towards that act. Just a simple reminder how one action can have a negative or positive influence on people who see you from the outside.

All in all this book was worth the read for me. You have to understand a little football to grasp it. I'll leave you with a few quotes and verses that I enjoyed.

Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips. Proverbs 27:2

"What's the point in being normal? That sounds average to me, and I never felt like I was created to be average."

"Hard work beats talent, when talent doesn't work hard."

God Bless!

[Bookwraiths · Rating 3 out of 5]

Through My Eyes is an old-fashioned, inspirational, sports story. It is about the larger than life University of Florida and NFL football player Tim Tebow. Like all celebrities, there are Tebow lovers and Tebow haters. Not too many people have ever seemed neutral about Tim Tebow, especially when he was playing in the NFL. Whether he intended to or not, Tim Tebow became a polarizing figure in the American sports world and gave many late night comedians and Rex Ryan lots of fodder for their comedy routines. Heck, we even have the trademarked “Tebowing” prayer position to thank him for or blame him for.

I read Mr. Tebow’s autobiography in conjunction with my son, who has chosen to do a school report on Tim Tebow. Naturally, my son choose him because of his outstanding football career in college and with the Denver Broncos, and initially, I was not real happy with this selection. Understand this was nothing personal about Tim Tebow himself but rather that our schools are huge rivals: he is a University of Florida alumni and we are University of Georgia fans. Needless to say, however, I soon came around to my son’s point of view.

Once I began to read this book, I have to admit I was pleasantly surprised by it. Through My Eyes is a story of faith, family and football. Each chapter begins with a Bible verse that sets the stage for another snapshot of Tim Tebow’s life at a particular time, spanning from miracle baby of missionaries to Heisman winning college quarterback to NFL quarterback. We read about his enduring love of his family and friends, his parents loving rearing of him and his siblings, his own flaws of wanting to be the best at all costs, and his tireless pursuit of his dream to be a starting NFL quarterback no matter how unsuited his skill set is for that position. And through it all, Tim Tebow does not hesitate to explain how his Christian faith serves as the cornerstone of all of his past and present activities, both on and off the gridiron.

Before beginning this read, I must admit that I was aware that Tim Tebow is a devout Christian (What college or NFL fan who watched the sport in the last ten years didn’t know that?) and even though I did not cheer him during his Gator days, I always felt that he acted appropriately on and off the field, tried to be a good role model for children, and was fearless enough to wear his Christianity for everyone to see. But even though he never offended me by his faith, I realize many people might not feel the same way and might actually view this autobiography as Christian proselytizing. However, nothing could be further from the truth.

Through My Eyes is not a “preachy” book at all. While Tim Tebow consistently states that Christianity is his personal faith and that it is the only right answer for him, he never makes the misstep of turning what is a work about his life into an evangelical call to repent. Instead, Tebow focuses this book on Christianity’s deep and abiding affect on him and its affect on his personal journey through life. And he does a great job of explaining how his faith has fueled not only his drive for athletic succeed but also led him to give back to those in need by forming a foundation to build children hospitals in the Philippines and help ill children. Things that many athletes pay lip serve to but not enough take seriously.

I suppose the simple fact about this book is: if you are a Tim Tebow fan or a devout Christian, you will likely enjoy it. If, however, you dislike Tim Tebow or the faith he espouses as his own, you will hate this book and should not waste your time reading it. As for me, I enjoyed it very much; it gave my son and I something to do together, and the principles of love of family, dedicated work toward a dream, and respect and love for others are themes that I want my son to emulate - even if it is a former Florida Gator who is exhibiting them. :)

[Aaron · Rating 2 out of 5]

Picking up this book from the library, I noticed that it seemed more slight than its page count would suggest -- it had the big font I had last seen in The Truth About Diamonds. I wondered if it could be a tacit acknowledgment that a 23-year-old might not be the best person to write an autobiography. However, given his defiant preface that "undertaking this project was the right thing to do, regardless of what the world thinks is the 'right time' to write a memoir," I gathered that Tebow really believed he had a lot to say.

And I should confess that I think he might. This is the guy who once told a reporter about meeting his first NFL coach:

I was jacked leaving that room. I didn’t even want to visit another room. It was not enough time. We were excited, we were enthusiastic. There was passion. It was just intense, and it was ball, and it was juice. The juice level in that room was high, and it was awesome.

When he speaks freely, Tebow does so like an Eastern European who learned English from watching underground skateboarding videos while chugging Red Bull. Reading 250 pages of this argot would be interesting, a book closer to A Clockwork Orange than a typical inspirational athlete-wins-the-big-game story. Maybe by page sixty I'd have a really deep understanding of how to use "ball" as an adjective. However, his co-author Nathan Whitaker dampens Tebow's crazed bombast and leaves a book that reads like a earnest and dull eighth grade book report. Or more apt, like an eighth grader writing a report on a college football game as we get great swathes of play-by-play descriptions. Not Ron-Jaworski-level analysis, just "I threw a ten-yard touchdown pass to CI. They couldn't move the ball against our defense, and when we got the ball back, I threw a sixty-six yard touchdown pass to a wide-open Louis Murphy." This goes on for around 100 pages. It is most definitely not ball; it is barely juice.

And when Tebow isn't going over the halftime and final scores of all his college games, it doesn't necessarily get more interesting. He tells stories that if someone was telling you face-to-face, he'd feel compelled to end them with "I guess you'd have to be there." Consider:

Robby even came back from one of our trips to LSU with a girlfriend, which complicated matters... we ended up driving all around Baton Rouge with my dad, Mr. Bell (our chicken-farming neighbor) and Robby's new girlfriend in the front seat, and, along with me, Kevin and Robby in the the back seat. That crowd in the car made for a crazy trip

That's it. End of story. Can you believe it? SIX PEOPLE IN A CAR! I'd say guess you had to be there, but then there would have been seven people in the car, and that is just too crazy to even joke about.

If there was anything interesting about this book, it was how Tebow writes about women. Tebow famously graduated as a virgin from a school renowned for its hot, hot groupies. What's surprising is that Tebow's seems as limited in how he views women as a typical Madonna/whore-complex-carrying Lothario. He speaks constantly about his mom and sister, but other than that women are basically absent from his entire life. There are occasional mentions of unnamed masses of women like those "most beautiful girls" from the Campus Crusade or his sister's "infamous bridesmaids". But aside from family, the only women he bothers mentioning by name are his speech professor and a little girl with a brain tumor who he took to an awards ceremony. That's undeniably sweet. But it speaks to a lot that so few women can come off in his book like something other than a fungible commodity. And maybe out of boredom, I'm misreading Tebow. But I wish he gave me more to go on here, if for no other reason, here was the description of athletes dating at University of Florida I had read before Through My Eyes:

You watch movies, and girls are throwing themselves at you. It’s like that, but not to that extent... A lot of the older players show you around. If my teammate is with a girl and it’s not really serious, they end up switching to me. And now that I’m older, I introduce them to the new players. Some teammates of mine, some other athletes, they don’t really care. That’s not my type. That’s nasty. But some freshman, they’ll hop right on it.

Tebow talks about calling out a teammate for skipping a class, but never mentions anything like this. Did he pretend like this sexfest wasn't going on, or did he talk to the in-every-sense-of-the-word players about it? That conversation would probably have been more interesting to read than "On second down I threw the ball high and then on third down I ran for two yards so we were forced to punt." But then again, what wouldn't be?

[MissLexiloo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Others have complained that this was football-heavy. Well, yeah, okay....it was. It was like reading a wiki page or something with stats from EVERY. SINGLE. GAME. But this book was not just football-heavy. It was DETAIL-heavy, just generally. One particular instance he tells the reader not only that he went to Cracker Barrel, but the intersection where that Cracker Barrel could be found. Did anything life-shattering happen at that breakfast? Nope, just thought we should know, I guess. There were modifiers thrown up all over the place, with no relation to the context of the sentence. The commas, oh the commas. There were so many.

The strange thing is, this was like talking to an enthusiastic 5th-grader (with big words thrown in sporadically)...until he'd mention his faith (though it often came seemingly out of nowhere). Those passages were much more lucid, almost as though they were written by someone else.

If I were to describe how this book reads in one word, I'd have to use 'awkward'. I can't tell which author wrote what, or how just how long the editor was out sick, but in the end the prose just doesn't flow well. And I didn't really read anything I hadn't already read or heard on ESPN or other sports outlets.

[Glen · Rating 3 out of 5]

A decent biography of Tim Tebow, that makes you wonder where all the hate came from.

[Kay · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a difficult book for me to rate. I am not a die hard football fan so of course it had too much football in it! I wanted to read more about Tebow and his personal life. The book dealt with football, religion and then his personal life [which is mostly religion and football!] As far as the book reveals he has never had a date, drank a beer, or had a bad thought. The worst thing he revealed is a game he played on the sidewalks of NYC when he purposely walked in a direction toward couples holding hands and they were forced to drop their hands to let him pass! Don't get me wrong I don't believe autobiographies should be written to confess all.

I do think Tim Tebow is the genuine article. He believes what he preaches and is an inspiration for any young teen and adult [old people too]. He strives for perfection and I can't help but think how disappointed he is going to be when one day he realizes he can't always do the perfect thing or be the perfect person. But for now his lofty goals have made him a sports idol in my book and if/when he falls off his pedestal I hope it will not be far.

The other day on Fox news they were discussing his accomplishments with the winning season he and the Broncos have had so far and how in the world he is doing it. Now I know - it is his faith!

[Evan N. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. It was very interesting and I learned so much about Tim and his career. I recommend this book to anyone who likes sports or just a good book. I wasn't a huge fan of biography but I liked this book a lot.

[Brit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Iam one who does not like to read non-fiction, or biographies or autobiographies. I just do not find them interesting, but I knew I had to read Tebow's book because he is my role model. Tebow is such a great person to look up to, you never hear him doing anything wrong, he is never seen with a bunch of women, never seen drinking, etc. In a time that athletes and celebrities are constantly partying and making fools of themselves, you have a young man who takes care of himself and leads by example. he is someone that many people can say children should look up to. He is such an amazing person, and even though I do not believe he is the best NFL player ever, he will be one who will go down in history because of everything he does in his community, his passion for the game of football and how he never gives up. This book was the first non-fiction book that I enjoyed reading. From the way he talks about playing football to the way he talks about life and how we must all live it to the fullest there was seriously not one thing I did not like about it. My favorite part was what he said on page 205, how we must constantly work hard, that we must never give up because the one's who never give up will be the most successful in life. What he said was so true.
Overall this book was really good, and I enjoyed reading it. The story of his life and how he never gave up, even when people said he was not good enough was so inspirational and when you finish reading the book you really have a new sense of life. Tim Tebow is my role model and I wish him the best of luck with his football career. I'll watch his games whenever he goes to NEw York or plays Miami. Hopefully the NFL comes out o lockout soon, I don't know what I'll watch when baseball season ends and if there is no football. lol

[Lizzie Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Through My Eyes, Tim Tebow goes through his life story. Sounds boring, right? It’s the exact opposite. Even though it may be an autobiography, Tim Tebow describes and explains what has happened throughout his life in and out of football, including the meaning behind the signature “Tebow” pose and the John 3:16 eye blacks. I would, without a doubt, give this book 5 stars.
One reason I would rate this book 5 stars is because of the plot of the story. The book starts out at Tebow’s second Heisman trophy ceremony, which creates a somewhat suspenseful beginning, and then in the second chapter rewinds to the very beginning of his life. It then carries out in time order. Each chapter in the book thoroughly explains a chapter of Tebow’s life with interesting stories that keep it from getting boring.
Because this book was an autobiography, the characters were real people. They were very well described. My favorite characters besides Tebow himself included his college coach, Urban Meyer, and a college opponent who eventually ended up playing in Denver with Tebow, Knowshon Moreno. I love the way Tebow describes how Meyer reacted when Tebow told him he’d be playing for Florida. His description of his emotions at both Heisman trophy ceremonies was very vivid and uplifting . As for Knowshon Moreno, Tebow described how he played, how hard it was to beat him, and how he was a fierce competitor.
Tim Tebow has an interesting style of writing. It’s totally laid back, like he’s having a casual conversation with someone. He also uses a lot of humor and sarcasm as he tells his life story. I like this style of writing a lot. It was put in a perspective that anyone could understand.
All in all, it was a great book. It was very well written. I would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes a good story of a positive role model, whether you’re a Tebow fan or not.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Tim Tebow. I hope I have a son like Tim Tebow. He appears to the be the rarest of humans - someone who practices what he preaches. I'm not religious, but I respect the man to the utmost for his impeccable character and his willingness to help those less fortunate. While other players spend their money on jewelry and cars, while carousing with women of questionable repute, Tebow funds hospitals in the Philippines and meets with terminally ill and disabled children after games. He is a natural born leader and his 6 fourth quarter/overtime comebacks this season made even atheists like myself think that just maybe there was divine intervention involved. Or perhaps it's because his teammates believe in his competitive spirit and respond accordingly when their backs are against the wall.

The book itself is interesting if a bit stilted, as most non-literary memoirs are. Tebow comes off as an ultra-competitive, determined, very Christian Floridian who wants to win, to be the best he can be, and to motivate others to do the same. Much of the criticism of Tebow stems from resentment of the nearly doubtless state that he is simply a better person than 99.999% of humans. I don't know how somebody can say they hate a good guy like Tebow while cheering for rapists who QB the Jets and Steelers. Tebow throws his faith at you too much, but he's never murdered, raped, robbed, or beaten anyone, which is more than can be said for dozens of his co-workers. The world is a better place because Tebow is in it. If you like football, leadership, and emotional competitors of sound moral fiber then you'll like the book.

[Summer Lane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tim Tebow is a pretty famous figure in the media right now, and I decided to read his book because he seemed to be such a good role model for kids everywhere, boys and girls alike.

Some of the technical football terms went over my head - how many football secret play words are there? 'Oh look! It's another 'Thomas Edison Lightbulb Touchdown Pass!"' I don't know how he remembers all those names, but he does. It's actually extremely impressive when it comes to all the tortuous (yes, tortuous!) training he goes through to be a good football player. I was tuckered out just reading about it.
In case you haven't guessed by now, I'm not NFL material.

But football aside, Tim Tebow has such a wonderful story, and I'm glad he shared it through this book. His story was actually very inspiring for me, at a point in my life where you wonder if you have to "reinvent yourself' when you're going through college and break away from what you were raised with. You don't. And it's nice to know that somebody still stands up for what's right, in addition to being unashamed of the gospel of Christ, which is ultimately the most important thing. +

[Sean Cramer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Through My Eyes by Tim Tebow has changed my life. I'd like to start off with saying I have watched him since his senior year in high school. He was always an extraordinary athlete and football player. I'll never forget when he made the decision to go to my favorite school, The University of Florida he was right off the bat a big help to our team and won the Florida Gators two National Championships. The reason I read his book was so that I could learn more about him and his background. He is by far my favorite athlete and has an incredible work ethic and will do anything he wants because he knows that if you work hard things will come easy to you. As I read Tim Tebow's book I understood his inner drive that got him to where he is today, playing in the NFL. He beared all of his road blocks and how he moved through them. His book was a great book and will remain one of my favorite books for a long time. I would recommend it.

[Gary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Folks, I am not a fan of autobiographies, mostly I like to read what others thought of the person. But my son got Tim Tebow’s book for me for Christmas. Who could refuse their son and not read a gifted book? If your son asked for a fish would you give him a snake? I love that my son was so thoughtful and got me this book. Tim Tebow has lived a very dear and special life, one that makes me think of all the fun and joy I had as a kid, playing football and baseball, playing with my brothers and just the pure love of athletics. Tim has wrapped this book with hints of the Gospel, life lessons, and determination you once had but forgot because the world got busy. Thanks @TimTebow for the book #throughmyeyes. Thank you my son for the book. The best part is that there is a kid’s version and I get to re-read with my son. Special times indeed.

[Theycallmesa · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVED. This book was so interesting and inspirational. I have loved Tim Tebow and his ability to stand up for what he believes in and continuing to spread God's word through every twist and turn of his football career. To me, he has changed the face of college football and now has the ability to do that in the NFL and this book explains why he has such a passion for Jesus and why he is so verbal and comfortable with talking about it every chance he gets. It is also inspirational on an atheltic level because he speaks about how passionate he is about football and about working hard to always be the best he can possibly be. Overall, if you are at all a fan of Tim Tebow, this book is a MUST read!

[Sam Mrstik · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book Through My Eyes by Tim Tebow is a fairly new Autobiography that he has come out with. I am not quite finished with this book yet but it so far so good. It starts off by giving some background info like about how Tim almost died at birth. It then moves on to his childhood and how he grew up. Tim really stresses his faith in God in this book by not giving the credit of his success to himself. He always talks about how much his family has been blessed.I was able to relate to his childhood because my parents always wanted to be the biggest influence in my life. My parents wanted me to grow up in a positive Christian environment. I highly recommend this book to anybody, no matter what your beliefs are.

[Janie Boyd · Rating 4 out of 5]

Through My Eyes is an honest insight into Tebow's life. His competitive spirit and love for God shine throughout the telling of his lifestory. I am not a Gators fan, but Tebow impressed me with his presence both on and off the field so I was curious about his "take" on his rise to sports stardom. I was not disappointed! He is the "real deal!" An authentic and honest young man who focuses on making use of his God-given talent while giving the glory to God. He's an excellent role model and I look forward to watching his success in the NFL.

[Kelly Stalions · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tim Tebow is a great guy--a leader, a competitor, a strong Christian. There's no doubt about that. Several of my fellow Christian friends told me I'd love his book. I do love football, after all. But it just wasn't that good. I read it off and on for a few months. It was easy to put down and walk away. Maybe it was because I already knew (for the most part) what the book was going to say because I've followed Tebow's career fairly closely. It wasn't a waste of time but it's not a "must read."

[Tom Hames · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found the book uplifting and encouraging. I enjoyed reading about his upbringing and family life and, as a Christian myself, especially appreciated the references to his faith. To be honest, I even enjoyed reading about the football games. Of course, I am a big Tebow fan so the book had significance for me. In fact, my son and I stood in line for over four hours on Thursday, June 9th in Gainesville, Florida so he could sign my book.

[Matthewl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought that this book was a very interesting book about Tim Tebow's life. The book made me feel like I was seeing his life through his eyes. Reading this book made me realize how hard it is to make it into a professional sport. Tim Tebow never gave up and worked hard every day to build his muscles. Reading this book made me a better person by helping me realize that life is not always fun and games.

[Kevin Keating · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun little book about a subject I wanted to know more about - Tim Tebow. I'm a pretty big fan of this guy and I think he got hosed by the NFL, but this book stops after his first season in Denver. I guess I gotta get the sequel. This guy worked his tail off to get better every day and he enjoyed a huge amount of success. I mean it's not a masterpiece but I enjoyed it.

[Ron · Rating 1 out of 5]

Maybe it's just that I don't like football, but someone gave me this and I read about a third of it. I rarely quit a book in progress, but it's pretentious poop. I feel dirty for having put it on my 'read' list.

[~Bellegirl91~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Last December of 2016, I had gotten Tim's book SHAKEN as book mail one day and at a family gathering just a few days before Christmas, I decided or thought that I should get this one as well. I was hesitant at first but for some reason I ended up buying it. Well, a few weeks later, a guy and friend I thought was it (even though he didn't know it but I started to feel something different after praying so much of what to do and wanting to give up but feeling like God was saying not to every time) had a girlfriend and totally broke me. I didn't know what to do in a time of need and just started to have a faith crisis. the relationship didn't last a month with this particular friend later on but I found out through facebook when he was tagged by this girl who was in the same Young Single Adult congregation of ours from church. so yeah.... tough day and two weeks.

I mean, I've had my heart broken a few times and it lasted a week or less and just had to remind myself to keep going and there's someone better. well, of ALL WEEKS I swear this book showed up in the mail the second week of January and I would never forget that day. The pictures in the middle of the book and came across two picture captions. Pic 1 said, "A promise was made" and pic 2, "and now it was time to back it up." I shrugged and thought, "I guess I'll figure out the promise he made when I get there." So the table of contents and 2 chapter titles had also caught my eye and those said, "The Promise" and "A Promise Fulfilled" and my curiosity was piqued enough so something I believe led me to those chapters and I did find out after skimming what the promise was, but then the next chapter as I was also skimming (not expecting to find anything really), I came across a story he told about a BCS championship game and what he and a few players did before the game etc.

I skimmed passed the details of that game and came across this passage when he said, "Game over."
He said this,



"After the final touchdown, I walked over to Coach Meyer. He pulled of his headset, opened up his arms, gave me a great big hug, and said, 'Atta boy. You finished. I Love you.' As great as that was, how much greater will it feel when we get to heaven and Jesus takes off his headset, opens up His arms, gives us a big hug and says, 'Atta boy. Great job. You finished.' I talk to kids about that all the time--finishing strong. It's great for football. You have to finish in football; you have to learn to finish in the weight room, through the line, finishing a sprint; everything gets hard. Finish. Eventually some people are going to stop...and quit...and some people are going to start going slower, but the people who can finish and finish at the same pace or stronger than when they started, those are the ones who are going to succeed.... How much more so in life to finish strong. For yourself. For the world. For others. For the God who created you."



When I read those last words: "Finish Strong: For yourself. For the world. For others. For the God who created you." I couldn't stop the tears from coming and found my answer right there. FINISH STRONG. And that seemed to be the theme of this book and his life and still is to this day. I remember when I was crying tears of peace and joy, I asked myself, "Did I finish strong in what I needed to accomplish?" and I said, "Yes. even though it slipped from me and still not dating someone, I finished strong in ways I probably can't imagine."

So I wrote that phrase down and everyday and night when I wake up and before I go to bed, I read that to remind me to FINISH STRONG no matter what comes my way.


I felt throughout this book and up to the end that I TRULY saw the real Tim Tebow. Yes I see fame, money, career, etc, but I see him for him. and personally when I see him with pictures of kids and as someone who has a gift with children and loves them (and worked with them for years), I can tell you he's so genuine. I also see personally a future loving Husband who loves his wife no matter what and will do anything for her. I also see a future father who loves his children more than anything in the world and will and wants to teach them of not just who they are, but who they truly belong to and that there's a loving God who loves them and that they're His children. I see a man who's just trying to live his beliefs, love God, do the best he can in life and live it and serve others just as Christ did while He too was on earth. I see a man who loves his family and nieces and nephews and even today as well. He has truly grown since this book came out in 2011 and his foundation was just at the beginning about the time this book was written. But to see and hear the gift and impact he has with kids, it's special to me because of how much I love them as well, have been told I'd be an amazing mom one day many times with how some have see how I've handled kids, someone who works with them, (I took child development classes all 3 years of high school and watched supernanny reruns after high school haha), and as an on call nanny/babysitter, I love it.
But he truly does have a gift with kids and a special light about him. I truly saw his life in a way not many would know unless you ignore all the details but look at it as how he was raised and his feelings. Not what the media says about him. He truly is a special person and would be cool to meet him one day after read if this book.


Tim's book "THROUGH MY EYES" can get wordy yes from what I've seen others complain about, but if you ignore all that and just read it as his POV, then it's TRULY through his eyes and even though I'm more of an NBA girl and not a huge football fan (except BYU cougars college ball so go Cougs boo Utah ;) and despite them sucking it bad this year. Like BAD!! 🙈🙈🙈) it was interesting to see how Tim saw these college games and even when he was giving play by plays and crowd attitude and his relationship with is coach and teams and hard work to want to Finish Strong.

so being in Tim's mind and through his eyes for this book, I learned A LOT of things about him that I would never have known or guessed. And now know even more how stupid those sports commentators can be and the media. he TRULY is an inspiration and a great role model through and through.

So great story and great personality and to end on this with the question I kept asking and joking with myself each time I read this book was, "Can I please marry him already?" Or "I need to marry this guy (along with every other girl out there)" hahaha

so I'd HIGHLY recommend this book to anyone or if you like sports books/sports autobiography's then this is for you. :)

[Loraine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tim Tebow tells the story of his life from birth through his first year with the Denver Broncos. As a Broncos fan, I was interested to learn more of this amazing, faith-filled Christian young man. From his difficult birth in the Phillipines to missionary parents through his homeschooling by his mom, Tebow always was sports oriented along with his 3 brothers of whom he is the youngest. Encouraged by his parents, he played league football and then high school football at a local high school since Florid has state rules that allow homeschoolers to try out for public school teams. Moving on to the University of Florida, he continued a stellar football career.

I loved the parts of this book where Tim talked about his life, his family and most of all his faith. Brought up by missionary parents, he gave his life to Jesus at the age of six and his focus has always been on how he can help others especially children. For me though, my interest declined in the better than half of the book that gave blow by blow descriptions of his numerous football games. I am sure both boys and men would love reading the variety of plays that were used in his games.

[Gavin F · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a easy read

[Kensley Watkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Mrs. Tebow was told by her doctor that having this baby may kill her, there were only two options: to abort, or to have the baby. Through all of the struggles, Mrs. Tebow knew that the God would protect her and her baby through all that was going on. Six months later, she gave birth to what would be one of the greatest quarterbacks in history of college football.

Tim Tebow was born in Makati City, Philippines, where his mom and dad, a pastor, were on a mission trip for their church. Tebow was brought back to Jacksonville, Florida, where he was homeschooled. Tebow attended Nease High School to play baseball, and football which he excelled at. During his senior year, it all came down to one decision: Alabama, or Florida. As everyone would soon know, Tebow would attend the University of Florida under Coach Urban Meyer.

Throughout Tebow’s career, there were many different games that impacted his career, and left a mark on the “Tebow Era”. He made his college debut against Southern Mississippi in a goal line situation. The first play of his career he rushed for a touchdown, and would later lead his team in rushing yards, which is very impressive as a quarterback. Tebow lead the Florida Gators to two BCS Championship games in his four years at Florida. In 2006 he contributed little against Ohio State, but what he gave won the game. Tebow only had thirty-nine yards on the night, but two touchdowns raised the Gators over the Buckeyes. 2008 was a very rough year for the gators, even though they finished 12-1 on the season. The only loss of the season was the game against Ole Miss back on September 27th , losing 30-31. After the game, Tebow became very emotional about the loss. Despite the anger and sadness of the loss, Tebow came out to the press and released a very brief statement. “I’m sorry. Extremely sorry,” Tebow said. “We were looking for an undefeated season. That was my goal, something Florida’s never done here. But I promise you one thing: A lot of good will come out of this. You have never seen any player in the entire country play as hard as I will play the rest of the season, and you will never see someone push the rest of the team as hard as I will push everybody the rest of the season. You never see a team play harder than we will the rest of the season. God bless.” After one of the most inspirational speeches of college football, Tebow kept his promise. The Gators took on quarterback Sam Bradford and the Oklahoma Sooners to win another BCS Championship.

People will remember Tim not only for his amazing college career, but for his role as a follower of Christ. In his senior season, he began wearing eye black with a bible verse on it. In the 2009 Sugar Bowl, he wore the verse John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish, but have eternal life.” Over 95 million people looked up what the verse meant after seeing that Tebow had it on his face. Tim is a follower of Christ, but is also a teacher of Christ.

Tebow has certainly left a mark on many people’s lives whether it was because of his athletic performance, or as his role as a leader of Christ. Through everything that he’s gone through, he’s a sure fighter, and is one of the most influential men in sports.

[Danielle Behn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Personal Response: This is probably one of the most motivating books I have ever read. I liked how he mentioned all of his favorite things along with his family background. I gained a lot of respect for Tebow after I read this book, and I'd love to read more books by him.

Plot: Tim was born in the Philippines, and later moved to the United States when he was three years old. He always had a passion for sports and would play every chance he could with his older siblings. Since he was the youngest, he learned how to be strong from the beginning and to never back down. As soon as he could, he started to play little league baseball and had a successful career. Tim was home schooled all the way until his freshman year. When his parents realized his athletic ability, they decided to enroll him in a Christian Accademy mainly with football in mind. He played for Nease High School for his junior and senior years. He worked hard, on and off the field. He couldn’t emphasize enough how important it was to never lose sight of yourself and to keep a level head.
Making the decision between the University of Florida and the University of Georgia was extremely difficult for him. The decision came down to the last seconds before the announcement. Once at Florida, Tim worked extremely hard to get his quarterback position and never quit. He had a remarkable college career in football, and made the most of every single play. He caught a lot of NFL attention and was soon drafted to the Denver Broncos. Tim did not like the NFL at first, because it was hard to get accustom to. He struggled quite a bit, but he never gave up on his dreams.

Characterisation: Since this book was an autobiography about Tim, he was the one and only main character. Tim was born in the Philippines, but moved to Florida shortly after his third birthday. He was homeschooled until his freshman year of high school. He first attended a Christian Academy school, Nease High School. All with the interest of football and his career in mind. After high school he attended the University of Florida, he played football for four years there. After he graduated college, he got drafted to the Denver Broncos.

Impacts of setting: The setting is in roughly 2005-09 in central Florida and the Philippines. This is where Tim grew up and it molded him into the person he is today. Down south is where all football fanatics live and breathe.. Football is a sport that almost every American has watched or watches, so basically everyone can understand what is happening and relate to what he says.

Thematic connection: A theme that really stuck out to me was Tim's ambition and determination. He and I relate to this in many ways. He's very determined and confident, without being boastful. He knows what he wants and he'll do whatever is needed to achieve that. I am the same way we both stubborn people until we reach our goals.

Recommendation: I recommend this book to anyone who needs a little pick-me-up. This book is mainly about football so anyone who plays the sport or has interest in it will enjoy Through My Eyes. There is a lot of religion in the book as well. If people are in need of a strong reminder of their faith, Tim does a great job of it. I would highly recommend it to any high school aged boy or girl who is in a sport that needs some motivation.