More than alive and kicking Michelle Akers relies on God to help her battle illness and perform on the soccer field. by Annette Wierstra & Jessie Schut       When Michelle Akers was a little girl, her goal was to play wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers.     While she hasn’t yet achieved that goal, the 33 year old soccer forward, currently appearing for the American women’s team in the ‘99 FIFA Women’s World Cup of soccer, has an impressive string of credits. She’s the only woman in history to score 100 goals in international competition, averaging nearly a goal a game. She led her team to a 1996 Olympic Gold Medal. She’s been honoured by various associations as Athlete of the Year, college soccer’s best player, Most Valuable Player, and Top Woman Player of the 20th Century.     Some of her other statistics are equally impressive: 13 knee operations, numerous bumps, bruises, and concussions, and a triple fracture to the face requiring 25 stitches.     Injuries are the toll she pays for the aggressive, never-say-die style of soccer that’s Aker’s hallmark. Even as a little girl, she never backed away from fighting to win.     Impressive as they are, Akers’ achievements are even more remarkable considering that she has earned them while battling an insidious illness since 1991.     Akers was at the peak of her career after a World Cup win in China that year. She was considered the world’s premiere women’s soccer player. She was in great demand for appearances to promote women’s soccer.     Then things started to go wrong: extreme fatigue, migraines, and a diagnosis of mononucleosis. But after a year of rest, she still didn’t have the strength to brush her own teeth. In 1994 she was diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS).     Akers, who had always relied on her strength and abilities to carry her to her goals, had met a seemingly insurmountable obstacle.     “I was so sick, I couldn’t distract myself with soccer, appearances or friends. I was forced to spend a lot of time thinking about who I was. That was the hardest thing. I was forced to look at my life. I didn’t like what I saw,” she says. “I realized I had spent my life pursuing goals that were shallow and empty. What would being the best player in the world do for me now?”     In high school a teacher had introduced Akers to Jesus Christ and she had become a Christian. But during years of intensely focusing on soccer Akers left her faith on the back burner. CFIDS was a wake-up call. She recommitted her life to Christ, and realized that God had a bigger plan in mind for her than a mere World Cup Championship.     “My ‘strengths’ and good health often get in the way or hamper God’s power; therefore when I am weak, sick, or inadequate in handling a certain situation, God’s power is more evident and able to carry out its full promise,” she told Victor Lee in Sports Spectrum.     Akers renewed faith did not diminish her passion for soccer, it just redirected her focus. Instead of believing that with enough training and dedication she could win, Akers realized that it was only with God’s strength that she could make it through the next game.     In spite of her daily battle with CFIDS, she was determined to play in the Olympics. “Some doctors told me to retire. I was struggling to make it through practice,” she recalls. But she made some major adjustments in her life; a new diet, and a new regimen to preserve her strength took her to the 1996 Olympic games in Atlanta. She played every game, and before 76,481 cheering fans, the women won the gold medal. Akers stepped up on the podium.     “It was like I was standing up there with God. I knew I hadn’t accomplished anything on my own. I knew it was Him working in me. I knew this was part of my special purpose God had promised me,” she says.     Akers still has her goals in soccer. But she also has a new focus. She has combined her two passions to create Soccer Outreach International. SOI allows Akers to integrate faith and sport to inspire people with her testimony all over the world.     “My faith has enabled me to maintain hope, strength and perspective that can never be shaken. Setbacks and tough times are part of life, so we all have to face them at one point or another, but how we face them is what distinguishes one person from another.”     “Through this experience, I have learned that God is in control, and if I am faithful and courageous, He will use everything I go through for incredible things.”     Standing Fast, Battles of a Champion by Michelle Akers is available from JTC Sports at 1-800-551-9721. [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]