I wonder if NFL defensive linemen would recognize this Shaun Alexander. The Alexander they’re used to is a game-changing, offensive genius who makes his living carving up defenses for extra yardage. But this guy is so … disarming. He’s laughing with kids, putting his arms around them, and even praying with them. In this environment he certainly doesn’t look like the typical NFL megastar.

Believe it or not, this is Shaun Alexander — a man who loves God, loves people and loves life.

These days, it’s the rare athlete who plays his entire career with the same organization. Trades and free agency offer players unlimited opportunities to reshuffle the deck in search of better situations. But for Mike Fisher—the 1998 second-round draft pick of the Ottawa Senators and a Peterborough, Ontario, native—the chance to skate for what equates to his hometown team has brought blessings unmatched by any contract offer.

Let’s think for a moment about the various ways we have traveled to and from competitions across our lives in sport. Low rent or first class, those who play their hearts out find joy in the journey.

I remember traveling to high school wrestling meets in school buses. I remember teammates spitting in paper cups to lose the last fractions of a pound to make weight. I remember the smell of oranges being peeled and snacks from mothers being shared among teammates. I remember the raucous rides home after victories and the deathly quiet following painful losses.

Tynesha Lewis of the Charlotte Sting has been blessed. Not only is she gifted with an amazing athletic talent that she continues to use for God’s glory, but she’s also been forgiven. Now in her fifth season in the WNBA, Lewis has experienced the world’s temptations and received God’s redemptive grace along the way, through it all, learning the benefits of complete honesty.