Edmonton Eskimo keeps his focus on God In the tenuous world of CFL football, Jimmy Kemp keeps his sights set firmly on God and His plans for Kemp's life. by Annette Wierstra     The game of football is a battle of two steamrollers, with the quarterback usually getting the squeeze. It takes a man of courage to willingly face an army of thugs whose primary goal is to flatten him.     With the injury of Edmonton Eskimo quarterback David Archer, backup quarterback Jimmy Kemp is facing that pressure regularly. Archer is a veteran, so his absence on the field leaves big cleats to fill. And if Kemp fails, fellow quarterback Marcus Crandell is ready and eager to take his place.     Kemp also has his family’s reputation to hold up. His father, congressman and vice-presidential candidate Jack Kemp, and brother Jeff Kemp, were both successful quarterbacks in the NFL.     But the 27-year old Kemp doesn’t worry or scare easily. In fact, he welcomes the pressure. His confidence comes from the knowledge that God is in control. “If football is your life and football is your only reality, then you fear injury, you fear losing, getting cut getting traded, throwing an interception, all kinds of things,” he says.     Kemp says the way to deal with those fears and anxieties is to know your purpose for living. When you know why God created you, you can leave the future in His hands.     He believes his purpose is quite simple: to please God.     “By pleasing God first, you learn how to please others and to please yourself,” says Kemp. But pursuing a right relationship with God is definitely the top priority.     “I need to remember that the Son of God is alive in me,” he says. “And when you think about having God’s Spirit inside of you, that changes your perspective about this life. Then nothing seems that big of a challenge.”     Instead of feeling pressured by the responsibilities of the quarterback position, Kemp enjoys the leadership role that gives him. “The other guys watch how you react in all the different circumstances that come up, good and bad,” he says. “You set the tone with your facial expressions, with your body language, the way you react to situations.”     Playing quarterback for so long has been a great way to teach me that in life as well as in football, the more you can handle highs and lows with the same approach, the more people want to be around you. Everyone is looking for a reason not to be scared or angry As a quarterback, you have to find a way to bring the team together and reach a goal that you share.”     Kemp is also involved with Athletes in Action, an organization that uses sports as a platform to reach youth, athletes, and leaders with Good News of Jesus Christ. He has participated in activities with youth and spoken to them about the importance of making good choices. He tells them how his relationship with Jesus Christ has guided his life choices and made him a better football player.     Right now, things are going well for Kemp, both professionally and personally. After playing for five teams in four seasons, the Eskimos provided some stability by signing him for a second year. That decision has paid off handsomely as Kemp has led the team to victory in four of the five games he’s started this season.     He and his wife Susan, whom he married early this year, enjoy being in Edmonton, making new friends and finding a new church home. They’re also looking forward to the January arrival of a new baby, whose ultrasound image is pinned to Jimmy’s locker.     Kemp is prepared for life after football but his college degree in Education is already giving him an enjoyable teaching career during the off-season.     “I love the fall, because it signals the beginning of football, season,” he says. “You’re so excited and ready to go. And when I am done with football, that will be something that I’ll miss, and the memories will come flooding back. But right now, I’m trying to make memories.”     For Kemp that means being in the thick of things, showing leadership on and off the field, and handling the unexpected steamroller pressure of being a starting quarterback for a professional football team. “I hope to stay right hear for the rest of my career, if that’s possible,” says Kemp. “But when you’re playing football, especially in the CFL, you learn how tenuous your situation is.”     “If you’re doing what God wants you to do, you don’t have to fear, though,” he says. God prepares us all for specific roles, and I think He’s prepared me for the role in which He’s placed me right now.” [LLN-Online] [Adopt-a-Block] [Newsbriefs][Event Calendar] [Lifestyles] [Juke Box] [Cover to Cover] [Movieguide][Casting the Net] [Viewpoints] [General Info] [Rates & Sizes][Marketplace/Classifieds] [Volunteer Ops] [Writing Guidelines] [Contact Us] [Subscribe][Archives][Good News] [About Us][Links]