Last week we watched as this duo won the Silver Medal in the Men's Diving 10m Platform Final, and once again, in their post-competition interviews reminded us that being a Christian is a far more important part of their lives. They were both, of course, extremely happy to win the silver medal and have worked and trained hard for this achievement, but I loved hearing them stand up for their faith in such a public setting.
When I saw that David Boudia's autobiography, Greater Than Gold: From Olympic Heartbreak to Ultimate Redemption, was available (free for an honest review) from Booklook Bloggers, I immediately requested a copy.
This easy-to-read book tells David's story from the time he set his mind on becoming an Olympian at the age of seven through the two years after he won a gold medal at the 2012 Olympics. It is an honest and straightforward account of how he spent most of his life striving after medals, selfishly believing that those things would bring him comfort, security, and fame. However, he often felt empty and reached a crisis point in 2009 (after competing in the 2008 Olympics without winning a medal). With thoughts of suicide entering his mind, he sought counsel with his diving coach at Purdue University, who led him to the Lord and a new outlook on life.
David shares how in the following years he continued to struggle with selfishness and striving to win for the wrong reasons, yet he fought through those times and worked to put God first in his life. In 2012, he won a gold medal at the Olympics and the fame that followed was again a battle to remain grounded in the Lord. I thoroughly enjoyed his story and his honesty about the struggles he's endured (and often continues to battle) as he chooses to place God first in his life. I would definitely recommend this book.
Did you watch the synchronized diving final and see the US duo win silver?
I love the Olympics and saw the final, well done to them both.
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