I’ve followed Leah’s story for a while and this book is a great message of faith and perseverance. So inspirational!

Still in the Game: Finding the Faith to Tackle Life’s Biggest Challenges is a book by former NFL player Devon Still, who despite numerous setbacks professionally and personally, persevered to overcome these challenges.

Devon grew up in Wilmington, DE with loving, supportive parents, who did everything they could to set their children up for success and shield them from the dangerous areas of town. Growing up, Devon played basketball and football.

Devon went to Penn State and played football for Joe Paterno. Unfortunately his college years included the time where Jerry Sandusky’s inexcusable behavior came to light. Devon felt the Penn State team was unfairly scrutinized and punished as a result. I really felt for him as I read this part of the book - I was also in college at this time and remember thinking how unfair it was for all of the current student athletes at Penn State, who had no part in Sandusky’s piss poor actions, which happened well before their time at the university. Devon sincerely felt he was snubbed in rankings, projections, and awards as a result of being associated with Penn State. How could he not feel that way? Fortunately, he was able to overcome this obstacle along with multiple injuries, and was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2012.

Perhaps what Devon is better known for (and how I personally came to know of him), is his public role in helping his then 4 year old daughter, Leah, battle cancer. She was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer and while Devon put on a strong front for her, he was understandably crushed inside. He also had to balance being there for Leah with his need to continue working for the NFL in order to maintain health insurance coverage for the incredibly expensive treatments. The Bengals earned a lot of respect for keeping Devon on the team, in order for Leah to continue to receive health insurance. Devon’s love for his daughter is obvious, and it was touching to see his devotion to Leah and her recovery as they dealt with this devastating blow.

The underlying theme of the book, through all of the challenges Devon has faced, is his faith. He didn’t always embrace it but when he finally chose to, he realized the great value it provided in his life. The tone throughout Still in the Game is relatable, conversational, and passionate. While his faith is a big part of Devon’s life, I did not find the book to be overly religious.

“God has a plan. We can’t always see that plan, but it’s there. Whatever you’re going through is just preparing you for something else. Something bigger. Something you probably can’t even imagine. You just have to pay attention. Learn the lessons God’s trying to teach you. Stay in the game. Don’t give up. Fight for four quarters. Overtime if you have to. Keep going.”

Leah is now 8 years old and has been cancer free for multiple years. The Still Strong Foundation works to provide assistance to families whose children are battling cancer. Still in the Game is an inspirational read for finding the faith and motivation to overcome unexpected challenges.

"Still in the Game Finding the Faith to Handle Life's Biggest Challenges. by Devon Still is a nonfiction sports book about Devon's life. Devon was born to very supportive parents. They encouraged him to go far in life. He faced one challenge in life after another. He did well in football and basketball. He had several body injuries but kept moving forward in life. He teaches and challenges the reader to move forward when they face obstacles daily and not give up. His life is very inspiring. This book will show teenagers what happens when you make good vs bad choices . It will encourage them to think to choose the best God honoring decisions in life. He became an NFL star. He did all He could to support his daughter Leah in her fight against cancer. He went the extra mile to show his daughter how much He wanted to be there for her. He supported her fight when He was in the NFL. It is a very moving book . It would be excellent to mentor for adults and youth in how to fight and move beyond obstacles. He moves beyond himself to make Jesus first in his life. I commend his character and dedication to his wife and daughter and to be an inspiration to many families undergoing cancer treatment. He saw how difficult the fight is for cancer patients. Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for making this book available to me to read and review. I will share my review with Amazon, my blog, facebook, for pastors, friends, Goodreads.
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I really enjoyed this book! Devon Still’s story is a story of inspiration and perseverance through what most would consider imaginable. This is also a story of faith. Throughout Still’s life story there are moments you find yourself relating to his experiences and moments you find yourself cheering and rooting Still and his family on. This books was very well written and is an easy read! After reading this book I will be a forever fan! Leah strong! Still strong!