Heading into his fifth year at Ball State University in 1992, the culmination of Tims lifelong dream and goal of becoming a professional football player was occurring around him. Engulfed by joy and pride at what was permeating throughout his life, Tim was witnessing the adage that the NFL will find you if you are worthy of becoming a professional football player.
At the precipice of attaining his goal, life would spiral out of control. His girlfriend left him, his agent was backpedaling, his pet would die, and his bubble would burst. Everything changed. Grades dropping and cutting class, at twenty-two, Tim went from the top of the mountain to the deepest valley. Stress, depression, despair, fear, and physical pain would lead him to his darkest hour.
Psalm 34:1819: The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
At the height of his despair in 1993, Tim did not know Jesus. He had no spiritual life.
The fact is when we are going through times of sadness and depression and when we feel completely crushed is just when God is nearest to us. The times that we think God is silent is often when He is actually closest (Jack Wellman, pastor of the Mulvane Brethren church in Mulvane, Kansas).
From a lost soul laser focused on his one goal, one plan, to scaling the depths of all-out despair, Tim was about to begin the process of life-altering change. His mother became his angel. Seeing the despair and pain, and recognizing it for what it was (since she had lost two brothers at young ages and a relative had committed suicide), she led Tim to his knees where he could finally hear God say I am here.
