Tim Tebow, the two-time college football national champion, retired NFL quarterback, and former professional baseball player, and his wife, Demi-Leigh, the former Miss Universe, have found second—or third—or fourth—callings in life. Today, they are intensely focused on helping the world’s most vulnerable people through their work with the Tim Tebow Foundation.

In over 90 countries, the Foundation fights human trafficking and child exploitation, helps with orphan care and prevention, supports people with profound medical needs, and offers special needs ministry.

In addition to his impressive sports career, Tim has written four books and is a sports analyst on television. Demi-Leigh, a model, influencer, and former Miss Universe, has written her first book, A Crown that Lasts, about the dangers of tying personal identities to accomplishments instead of aligning with who God created a person to be. It will be released in August.

Tim was born in the Philippines and grew up traveling around doing Christian ministry with his family. Demi-Leigh grew up in South Africa in a small town focused on sustainable farming. Today, the two live with their three dogs in Jacksonville, Florida.

You both seem so busy. What is your day-to-day life like?

Demi-Leigh: Each day brings something new with a bit of chaos. We are grateful to be keynote speakers. We travel around the world for ministry events and mission trips, which is one of our greatest joys. Anytime we get to work together, it’s always fun. We often run from flight to flight and event to event, so when we are home, we love to take it slow. That might be working out together, taking the dogs on a run in the field, cooking together, or having friends over for a super-competitive game night. (We can’t help it! We’re both so competitive.)

Tim, you’ve had many careers. How do you navigate the end of something and find your way to the next venture without getting lost?

Tim: I try to navigate life by doing what I love to do and what I feel God has called me into. I’ve been blessed with many opportunities throughout my life—some of which ended sooner than I thought—but I strive to be my best in whatever I’m doing.

One of my favorite words is “urgency.” I want to live with a sense of urgency for what God has called me to. Unfortunately, for most of my life, I have not lived this way. I’m truly grateful for the many careers I’ve had, but with the time I have left on earth, I want to focus on what really matters, and that’s God and impacting people.

What are you focused on now?

Tim: One of the greatest calls of my life is to fight for people who can’t fight for themselves. When I was fifteen, I met a boy in the jungles of the Philippines who was born with his feet backward. Because of that, his village viewed him as cursed and considered him a throwaway. But I knew that he wasn’t a throwaway to God, and God was putting on my heart that he better not be a throwaway to me. While I haven’t done it perfectly, ever since then, I’ve known I was supposed to fight for vulnerable people all over the world who were viewed just like that boy. As the founder and chairman of the Tim Tebow Foundation, we work to bring faith, hope, and love to those in need. This is my greatest focus, and our team works every day to get to one more precious life.

Have you always felt passion and drive in your life? Were there any specific experiences in your early years that helped foster this in you?

Tim: Passion is a word we often throw out flippantly. We think it means excitement, motivation, or hype. But let me tell you something—when I would get hit by a 300-pound lineman, I was no longer excited, motivated, or hyped. But I was still passionate. Why? Because passion means something different. Passion comes from a twelfth-century Latin word meaning ”to suffer.” So, by definition, passion means that you care so much for something that you’re willing to suffer for it. Jesus was passionate. He cared so much for humanity that He was willing to suffer on our behalf. This type of passion is contagious.

I watched my dad live this way. He was willing to suffer and work hard for the sake of the Gospel. He told me that if I lived with passion, I’d be different, unique, and contagious, and people would want to be around me. And I believe that to be true, not just for me, but for everybody. If you live with passion, you will be contagious, unique, and different, and people will want to be around you.

Have there been any times when your passion and drive have waned? How did you get yourself out?

Tim: I think one of the biggest ways to get out of a slump or a pity-party is to get out of your comfort zone and help someone. I have an agreement with one of my friends that when something bad happens, before reacting in any way, we go out and serve others. Whether that is getting cut from a team or something else super-disappointing. So much of what we do in our lives is about us, but when we finally change the focus from putting ourselves first to actually serving, that can drastically change us.

I have one story from my time at the University of Florida. It was the weekend of the college football awards, and we had just lost the SEC Championship game, ending our chance to win another national championship. I was devastated.

The night before the ceremony, my family was invited to a dinner to honor the two teams that made it to the championship. I remember feeling so bitter watching those players walk on stage. I wanted to puke. While my negativity was spiraling, a waitress approached us and said a girl and her family were asking to meet me. Whew, anything to get out of that room!

A few moments later, I met Kelly Faughnan, a girl who had overcome more than I could imagine. Kelly suffered from brain tumors and tremors. I got to hear more about what she had been through and just how courageous and inspiring a young woman she is. On a whim, I asked Kelly to be my date for the next night’s award ceremony. We all went dress shopping, and later that night, we walked down the red carpet together. She looked beautiful, and it was an incredible night.

I learned that what mattered at the moment was Kelly. At the banquet the night before, everything was about me and my legacy. But when I met Kelly, everything changed. I stopped focusing on myself and started thinking about her. And, you know what? I finally regained the right perspective.

When we feel stuck or like our passion is waning, we must find ways to regain perspective on what matters most. I’m so grateful for what Kelly did for me at that moment, and she continues to impact me today.

Demi-Leigh, what inspired you to write your book?

Demi-Leigh: When I won Miss Universe in 2017, it was a life-changing moment—one of the greatest honors of my then 22 years. While I had an incredible whirlwind of a year with amazing experiences, I eventually had to give that crown back to the next deserving Miss Universe winner. I was left questioning myself in many ways. I had put so much of my identity into pursuing that physical crown, the title, and the purpose behind the crown that when I had to give it back, I felt insecure, confused, and lost.

The book I wrote is for people like me, who put their confidence, worth, and hard work into something that didn’t last. It’s for those who waited so long for that “next thing,” that label or title they dreamed of—college graduate, promoted, wife, mother, boss lady—and now that they have it, they realize it didn’t fulfill them the way they thought it would.

If we put our entire identity into what we do, we start to believe that’s who we are. But the only person who can define us is the One who created us. Instead of chasing after temporary things, I encourage you to pursue an everlasting crown—the purpose God created for you.

Would you say you are both beach people?

Tim: You won’t find me venturing out to the beach alone, but my wife loves it, so whenever she wants to go, I’m excited to spend time with her. Although I might be more of a cool, crisp weather and snowy mountain guy, some of my favorite family memories have been on the beach.

Demi-Leigh: My hometown was on the coast, and I spent all summer on the beach. I love reading under an umbrella or laying out in the sun with my friends. It’s one of my favorite ways to recharge. I’m grateful to share my love for the beach with our golden retriever, Kobe. He loves the water and sand. Chunk and Paris, our other two pups, would rather join Tim in the mountains (or air conditioning).

What are your favorite coastal spots and why?

Demi-Leigh: Jacksonville, Florida, is home for us. Even though we love the nearby Neptune and Ponte Vedra beaches, one of our favorite coastal spots is Rosemary Beach and Alys Beach in Northwest Florida.

How do you find happiness? Are there any practices that help you?

Demi-Leigh: Our happiest moments are the ones we get to spend together. In our wedding vows, we said, “Every day, all day, I choose you,” and we live by that. Sometimes, our schedules aren’t synchronized due to travel, events, meetings, and everything else life throws at us. During these busy seasons, we make it a priority to continue to choose each other, keep communication open and consistent, and make time to be present for each other.

To learn more about Tim and Demi-Leigh’s work, visit timtebowfoundation.org. Follow Tim (@TimTebow) and Demi-Leigh (@DemiTebow) on social media.