Brenda Warner - First Things First: The Rules of Being a Warner

To our parents, who gave us passion,

our siblings, who gave us strength,

and our children, who give us purpose,

we dedicate this book to you.

Thank you for loving us.

CONTENTS

To many people, Kurt Warner is associated with his amazing quarterbacking abilities and his performances on the football field. Hes known in the world of sports as an icon of excellence and talent. However, many more people, including me, know him and my mom, Brenda, in a totally different way. They are not only famous in the eyes of sports fans everywhere; they are also known for their incredible capacity to change lives. I dont know anything about football. I dont have to, though, to know that my parents are great.

This book has a lot to do with the other side of things: what goes on in their lives outside the realm of professional sports. There is a lot to be said about their charity work and their calling in life. But take it from me, their teenage daughter: There is a lot to be said about their normalcy as well. People in the spotlight often are unfairly credited with perfection when in reality, theyre as normal as everyone else! Our living room is flooded with toys, and odds are, one of the twins didnt flush the toilet. Ive wiped one little brothers vomit off another little brother; and my dad, as he will mention, is a pro at cleaning poop off any surface. We argue, we disagree, and we love each other, just like any other family. Were normal. That is something a lot of people have a hard time believing.

There are many areas in which my parents do not excel, including their rules about boyfriends and curfews, but no one asked me! They have, however, successfully ingrained in their childrens hearts countless important lessons. Im grateful to have been raised in a household where there is so much love. I dont always see eye to eye with my parents, but now that Im getting ready to leave the nest and head to college, more is becoming clear about why theyve done what theyve done.

My parents have rules that were created to protect us, but they also have invested time in teaching us how to be independent, to love people actively, and to lead lives of excellence. My mom always emphasizes that we are self-sufficient, and she has, with a motherly sternness, taught us to stand on our own. Im especially thankful for this now that Im leaving, because I can take what shes taught me and confidently fend for myself at school in New York City. At the same time, my parents have exhibited what it means to love the people around us. We have had the amazing opportunity to spend our Christmases at orphanages and our Thanksgivings at local food shelters to serve God through serving his people. These opportunities have given us perspectives that we will carry for the rest of our lives andI hopeelaborate on. My father has done an exceptional job of teaching his children to lead lives of honor and excellence, and he has done so mostly through example. He doesnt need to tell my brothers how to treat their wives when they grow up, because theyve already seen firsthand how to do it with excellence.

What I would like readers to take away from this book is not the attitude that Kurt and Brenda Warner are perfect but that they are real, normal people who have experienced a lot and have a lot to say. They love God, each other, their kids, and the people God has sent them to reach. They stand for excellence and Gods love, and they have amazing stories to tell.

Jesse Warner

{KURTSINTRODUCTION}

I knew it was important to get it right the first timethere wouldnt be any second chances. I didnt have the control I would like to have had in this situation; there wasnt much time left, and I couldnt call an audible. I had to trust that those who had laid out the game plan knew what they were doing. We were all professionals, yet I was the one who had to make it happen.

It was a bright Sunday afternoon, and I stood in the middle of the green Astroturf. I hadnt properly warmed up. In fact, I hadnt expected anything to go like it had gone. I remember lots of shouting. I got the ball in my hands, but there was no chance to get rid of it. I dropped to my knees and then collapsed to the ground, vowing to hang on to the ball no matter how hard I was hit.

The biggest one got me first, his arm grinding into my back. I tried to support myself on my elbows as the bodies dove on top of mea second, a third. My shoulders burned from the pain, and the blood rushed to my head.

People yelled from every direction. There was confusion and chaos. As I lifted my head, more bodiesa fourth, and then a fifthpiled on. Someone stepped on my calf. I wanted to scream, but I knew a camera was aimed at me, and I didnt want anyone to see my pain. I didnt say a word. My training had conditioned me to absorb the worst pain imaginable and never give my opponent the satisfaction of seeing me react.

From the corner of my eye, I saw two different-colored jerseys pile on. My shoulders gave a little from the weight. By my count, I now had seven bodies smothering my back.

Stay focused, stay focused. This must be what it feels like to be