The Bowden family: Tommy, Linda, Ryan, and Lauren


      "Prayer has been an important part of my Christian life," said Linda Bowden, wife of Clemson Tigers Head Football Coach Tommy Bowden. 
      "Most people probably know me as Coach Bowden's wife. I am proud to be Tommy's wife, and I see us very much as partners. I firmly believe that behind every great man is a good woman. 
      "The question I am asked the most is: 'What is it like to be a coach's wife?' It's a very interesting life and certainly never dull. It's a life of extremes. Things are either really good, when you've won, or really bad, when you've lost. There is no middle ground. So, Tommy and I have learned to appreciate the good times. The coaching life does not offer a lot of security. You're really only as good as that last football game or that last football season. Life is really uncertain. Because of that, Tommy and I have had to put our faith in something greater than Clemson University. We've had to put our faith and trust in God and to know that He is the one who is in control, because we will not always understand the things that happen to us. One of my favorite scriptures is Proverbs 3:5-6, Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths. That has been what we have lived by. 
      "A coach's wife has to be independent. When they take a new job, they've got to go, and so it's the wife left behind to take care of all of the 'fun' things, like selling the house, gathering school records and medical records, closing the bank account, and so on. Sometimes, this did get to be a bit overwhelming, and I was not always a good sport about it. I remember one time, in particular. It was in the month of January, which is recruiting time. Tommy was upstairs packing, to go on another recruiting trip. I was having a little 'pity party', because I was going to be left home again with two small children. The more I heard Tommy up there just whistling and carrying on, happy about going, I was getting aggravated. So, I said, 'You know, Tommy, sometimes, I think you love football more than you love me.' Tommy stopped what he was doing, came over and sat next to me, put his arm around me, looked me in the eye, and said, 'Yeah, but I like you better than basketball.' 
      "You have to have a good sense of humor. 
      "Coaches' wives really get into the football games. We're not only cheering for Clemson University, but we're cheering for our husbands, for a house payment, for groceries. So, it really is a serious business. Because there is so much at stake, I really hate to lose. I'm not a good sport about it. Tommy hates to lose as badly as I do." 
      She recalled one close game, in which Clemson lost at the very end. 
      "I know that, as a wife, I should have been saying something encouraging to my husband, but I just didn't have it in me at that time, so we had a quiet ride home. When we opened the door, our dog came running. She was so excited to see us, and she didn't have any idea whether Clemson won or lost that day. She was just glad that we were home. Tommy bent down to pet her, and she was licking his face. He looked down at our dog, and then he looked up at me, and he said, 'You know, Linda, every man needs at least two good friends.' I told him, 'Well, it looks like Monday I'd better buy you another dog.' 
      "So, I get him back. 
      "As a coach's wife, the scripture that says to pray without ceasing takes on a whole new meaning for me, especially during football season." 
      Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (cpr), she said, is a technique that has been used over the years to save thousands of people from physical death. "Think of prayer as a technique that we Christians can use that can save us from spiritual death," she said. "Think of prayer as our spiritual cpr. 
      "The letter c stands for Christ. While He was here on earth, He took time out, of healing the sick and teaching, to spend time alone with God the Father in prayer. If Christ, who was God in the flesh, needed prayer in His life, how much more do I or you need prayer in our lives? Several years ago, Michael Jordan became a huge sports hero, and the slogan I want to belike Mike became very popular. As Christians, we have a slogan: I want to be like Christ. One of the ways we can do that is by following His example and taking time out each day to spend time alone with God in prayer. 
      "The second letter is the letter p, which stands for power. Prayer will give you the power you need to face life. Christians are not guaranteed a life full of sunshine and flowers. In fact, the opposite is true. I Peter 4:12 says, Do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. Matthew 5:11 says, Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. II Timothy 3:12 sums it up this way: Everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Scripture tells us that we will have trials and that we need to be prepared to face them. Satan is alive and well. I Peter 5:8 describes Satan this way: Your enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. Satan is real, and he is a powerful being, but he is not more powerful when I team up with God. Just like we need to take our cars to the service station on a regular basis to fill them up with gasoline, so that they have power they need to run, we, as Christians, need to take ourselves to God, on a regular basis, to fill up with His Holy Spirit, so that we will have the power we need to resist Satan and to live a godly life. 
      "The last letter, r, stands for relationships. Prayer will strengthen relationships. Our Christian religion is based on each individual's acceptance of Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Saviour. But after we have taken that first step, Jesus desires to have a close, intimate relationship with each one of us. Studies have shown that the number one way to establish a close, intimate relationship with someone is through communication. What is prayer? Isn't prayer our way of communicating with God? Spending time with God in prayer should be a priority for every Christian. How does He talk to us? He talks to us through His Word. "The second relationship prayer can strengthen is the relationship you have with your spouse. Tommy and I were both Christians when we married, and one of the things we did together as a newly married couple was pray together every night. Tommy and I have not always seen eye to eye, but it's very difficult to be angry or hold a grudge when you know you have to pray with that person every night. So, prayer has definitely helped to bind Tommy and me together in our marriage. "The third relationship prayer can strengthen is the relationship with your children. The Lord has blessed Tommy and me with two great kids. Ryan and Lauren have been a tremendous source of joy for Tommy and me. We are so blessed. As parents, we want to do the best for our children. The best thing anyone can do for their children is to introduce them to their heavenly Father and to share with them the good news of the Gospel. Deuteronomy 6:5-7 says, Love the Lord your God with all of your heart and with all of your soul and with all of your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your heart. Impress them on your children. As parents, it's not enough to simply take our children to Sunday School and church. They need to be there. That is important. But parents need to play an active role in their children's spiritual growth and development, because they don't always understand what is being taught. 
      "Let prayer be your spiritual cpr. Prayer will help you become more like Christ. Prayer will give you the power that you need to resist Satan and to live a godly life. And prayer will strengthen your relationship with your Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, with your spouse, and with your children."