Who is Demi-Leigh Tebow?
Yes, who is Demi-Leigh Tebow? Tim Tebow’s wife? Yes. 2017 Miss Universe? Yes. Model, businesswoman, social influencer, and philanthropist? Yes. Entrepreneur? Yes.
A woman after God’s own heart? Absolutely. I enjoyed the delight and privilege this morning of sharing breakfast with approximately 1000 women at the “Praise! Breakfast” created by the Scenic City Women’s Network in Chattanooga, our new home. What a blessing!
I awakened at 4:30 a.m. to get dressed, drive downtown, and attend the event. I went out the door telling Reen this would be the first and last time I went to this event! 4:30 a.m. for me is way outside my comfort zone! But, I was tremendously wrong. I will definitely be there next year!
“Why?” you ask. Not only was I truly heart-blessed by the choir of young Christian women from Lee University, Chattanooga’s foremost Christian college, singing praise to God and harmonizing in amazing unity while singing, “The Lord Bless You and Keep You” acapella, but Demi-Leigh was so much more than a much-anticipated celebrity. She was a woman of God who shared a message I will not soon forget.
One of the most memorable moments was her story of becoming Miss Universe. She described the months and years she sought after this title, preparing and training for the prize. Then she described the year she spend living in New York traveling the world while being served at every moment like royalty…whether the doorman of her high rise apartment greeting her every morning with “Hello, Miss Universe,” to being escorted every day no matter where she went, to receiving every luxury for an entire year.
But then she explained how, unaware, her identity began to be attached to that crown and title. Miss Universe became her persona. Then suddenly one fateful day she had to remove the crown and pass it to the next year’s recipient. She said as she put the crown on the other young woman’s head knowing it was much deserved and rightfully hers, she gradually backed out of the spotlight and realized she had lost her identity. She was no longer sure who she was.
She said she was warned. Who warned her? Paul. Very cleary in his words, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever”(I Cor. 9:24-25). Paul let her know what the outcome would be but she didn’t remember.
How about each of us? Do we remember? Do we realize that our only identity is in Christ and Christ alone? And there are only two things we can take to eternity with us…the Word of God hidden in our heart through relationship with Jesus and people whose lives we touch for Christ. Only two things are eternally significant.
SO, where is your identity? Is it in your job? Is it in being a Mom? Is it in the beauty of your home or your appearance? Is it in what you own?
Or is it rooted and grounded in your relationship with Jesus Christ as you reach out in His name to invite others to His Kingdom? Demi-Leigh repeated the words she saw on a pastor’s whiteboard and my heart resonated as I realize at this time in my life, legacy living is my greatest and only desire. The whiteboard read, “Kingdom Over All.” And she reworded this as “Christ’s Kingdom over self.” Christ’s Kingdom, His will and purpose, each day over everything else. That is my heart’s desire and I pray I may grow in His love more and more as He fleshes this truth out in my own life.
How about you? Where is your identity today?
