Greater Than Gold - Book Review

The Rio Olympics are over. Which events did you watch? How about diving? The men's synchro diving competition was one of the few events I did catch on TV, so I got to see diver David Boudia win the silver medal along with his diving partner Steele Johnson. After they won, an NBC reporter quickly interviewed them, and here's what I gleaned from that interview:

1. David Boudia had a terrible previous Olympic experience
2. David Boudia was a Christian

I got to read more about both of those fun facts in Boudia's autobiography, written with Tim Ellsworth, Greater Than Gold. This book is essentially Boudia's testimony, his story of how he came to Christ. Oh, and then there's the diving stuff, too.

This is a guy who was pretty much a huge jerk. He was really good at diving. It consumed him. It inflated his ego. He thought only of getting to the Olympics, and it didn't matter what needed to move out of his way so that could happen. And then it did happen! He made it to the 2008 Beijing Olympics. But the experience was not what he had hoped for.

Shortly after that, he started college and met a couple who forever changed his life. They brought him to Jesus. The road to Christianity wasn't always easy for Boudia. He still struggled with smoking. He still struggled with his ego. He still struggled with being a good person to his girlfriend (who just kept taking him back every time he decided that he did want to date her). But by surrounding himself with good and positive people, he was able to keep the focus on God and not on himself.

Lest you think, "Oh, he became a Christian and then won some gold medals!" Well, yes, he did win a gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics, but he's quick to point out that it had nothing to do with becoming a Christian. You can still lose competitions as a Christian, so don't read this book and think that converting or re-dedicating your life to God is going to make everything better. That's not how it works.

But if you're interested in Olympic athletes, if you like diving, if you like reading stories about people who have overcome their sins, then you might like reading this book.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers <http://booklookbloggers.com> book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 <http://www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_03/16cfr255_03.html> : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”