Kurt Warner: ‘God’s Plan Was Better Than Our Plan’
By Movieguide® Staff
After the release of Kingdom Story Co.’s newest faith-filled blockbuster, AMERICAN UNDERDOG, NFL Champion Kurt Warner shared how his faith in God played the most prominent role in his story.
AMERICAN UNDERDOG follows the inspiring true story of how Warner went from his job at a grocery store to one of the most successful NFL Quarterbacks in league history.
In a recent “I Am Second” video, Warner explained how his wife, Brenda, helped him have a relationship with Jesus.
“So I met my wife at a country music bar,” Warner explained. “She was very open and upfront with me and before she left for the night she said, ‘I want you to know, I’m a divorced mother of two. So if I never see you again, I completely understand.'”
Warner said he struggled with what to do next but decided he wanted to meet Brenda’s two children.
“I told her I wanted to meet her kids,” he said. “I wanted to explore all of this and her son Zachary, at the time, grabbed my hand and pulled me into the bathroom. And as much as I don’t like country music, flipped on the radio with some country music and we sat on the floor, in the bathroom, and just kind of enjoyed a moment together. And it was in that moment where I said, ‘This is different. It’s unique.’
“We always joked in our house that I fell in love with the kids first,” he added.
Warner said that after five years, he and Brenda got married. Warner recalls that Brenda constantly challenged him on his beliefs about Jesus and his faith.
“I grew up in the church, went to a Catholic school growing up, was making sure that we went to church every Sunday. I understood the stories I understood, Jesus and how all of that worked, but it was never really personal for me until after I met my wife,” Warner explained. “She challenged me early and often in our relationship about what I believed in and why I believed it.
“[When] you dive into the Bible, you actually start reading the Bible for the first time in that kind of context, you start to realize, ‘Oh shoot, I had this mixed out that God’s not just here for me that the goal is that I’m here for him. I’m here to give my life for him as Jesus did for me.’ And it started to become real. I started to understand and take a different perspective on what life was all about.”
Much of Brenda’s faith — and later Warner’s — is on display in AMERICAN UNDERDOG.
A portion of Movieguide®’s review of AMERICAN UNDERDOG reads:
AMERICAN UNDERDOG is an uplifting, entertaining sports drama about the highly honored quarterback, Kurt Warner. It shows the challenges Warner overcame and is intentionally very clean and inspiring. At a young age, Kurt wants to be a winning quarterback, but he struggles making it into the National Football League. He falls in love with Brenda, a divorced woman with two children. They struggle until Kurt becomes a star in the Arena Football League, then becomes a popular starting quarterback in the NFL in 1998.
AMERICAN UNDERDOG is a well-plotted sports drama, with strong personal elements and heartwarming moments. The main characters and storyline are well crafted by the directors and lead actors. AMERICAN UNDERDOG has intense football violence that gives power to the story, but it’s not too intense. The movie is marred by some low-key foul language, which is often mumbled. AMERICAN UNDERDOG contains strong references to Christianity and faith. It stresses doing the right thing, having God as your Lord and Savior, praying for help at the lowest point, and much more. AMERICAN UNDERDOG is recommended for older children and up.
Warner said that even with his uphill fight to play in the NFL, his faith and his wife’s faith remained firm.
“The biggest low point was going from Green Bay Packers training camp—so I’m right there, I’m inches away from being able to accomplish what I’ve always dreamed of accomplishing—Get cut by Green Bay. And a couple of weeks later find myself working in a grocery store at night, trying to figure out how do I chase my dream because there’s no roadmap,” Warner said. “There’s no path that set out for those that are working in a grocery store to find themselves in the NFL. And as hard as those moments were, and as frustrating as they could be at times. I think the fortunate thing for me is I had a great support system, but I never lost faith in who I was. There was always something internally that just said, ‘you got this, you can do this.
“We look back now and we’re so grateful that God’s plan was better than our plan,” Warner said. “Even though we didn’t see it for a long time. He’s always there for me no matter what the circumstances are, no matter if it’s the highs or lows, the goods and the bads, He’s with me through all of them.”
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
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