The year 2015 had been filled with ups and downs. The Christian community saw the fall of the 19 Kids and Counting family, with Josh Duggar witnessing his life get shattered in the public eye. Despite the trials faced by Jim Bob Duggar and his family, it looks like a new beginning is in the horizon for them. That is, Jill Duggar Dillard and husband Derick Dillard welcomed their first child: Israel. The same news was made by Jessa Duggar Seewald and hubby Ben Seewald who also welcomed baby Spurgeon. Josh and wife Anna Duggar, albeit experiencing a challenging time in their marriage, saw the entry of baby Meredith into the world.
Even Christian athletes saw trials and triumphs last year. For instance, Jeremy Lin had been quite open with his concerns as he enters the Charlotte Hornets. However, the former Los Angeles Lakers star eventually overcame his struggles and is now gunning to go back to his top form. Kobe Bryant's former teammate saw himself initiating a Bible study group in his current NBA team - an effort that pushed the former Michael Jordan squad to actually unite in their goals.
In addition, Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry continues to shine in the NBA. Earlier in 2015, the MVP had been the target of criticisms after winning the championship. A number of basketball fans believed that the more deserving team was LeBron James' Cleveland Cavaliers. As for the MVP award, some followers of the sport claimed that Houston Rockets' James Harden should have been granted the award. As the current NBA regular season heats up, however, the Klay Thompson squad silenced their detractors by breaking the winning streak of Jordan's Chicago Bulls. At the moment, the Draymond Green team holds a 31-2 record.
Another notable athlete who experienced a tumultuous 2015 is Manny Pacquiao. The Filipino boxing icon saw himself losing his title to Floyd Mayweather, Jr in May. Apart from his defeat, Pacman had been widely criticized for getting into the match with an injured shoulder. Despite these issues, Pacquiao opted to remain positive and clung even more tightly to his faith. At the moment, he is on the road to recovery and is slated to have his final match on April 9, 2016. According to promoter Bob Arum, Pacquiao will be facing Timothy Bradley on his last bout in the boxing ring.
TimTebow was also the topic of a number of headlines last year. The Christian football star earlier attempted to relive his NFL dreams. However, his stint with the Philadelphia Eagles was cut short when then head coach Chip Kelly decided to cut him from the football team. The DeMarco Murray squad allegedly saw potential from Tebow, but felt that the NFL hopeful needed more experience. If the rumor mills are to be believed though, the Christian star might have another shot at the quarterback slot. It is widely speculated that the Dallas Cowboys, Denver Broncos and the Pittsburgh Steelers are perusing his credentials and the possibility of adding him to the team.
