Defender is a descriptor used at several different points throughout the Bible to describe God. He is there for the weak, the vulnerable, the oppressed — for His people — as the ultimate refuge, as a shelter, as shield, as protector. During these difficult times, when the world is struggling with fear from the coronavirus and its tremendous impact, perhaps more than ever, we need to remember and call upon God to be our Defender. In today's From the Touchline episode, special guest and friend, Jared Watts joins me to share some different defensive points of view for the beautiful game and to help illustrate ways that God is our Defender. Jared shares memories from his own story and journey

My latest trip to Rio Grande Valley was another example of seeing the way that God works. My flight down to McAllen, Texas had a long layover in Houston. I reached out to former player, Jared Watts with whom I have a strong relationship and who shared his testimony with Soccer Chaplains United. Watts, traded earlier this season from the Colorado Rapids to the Houston Dynamo and myself hoped to maybe get an hour at a coffee shop during one of the layovers. what we both received was more than we both could have hoped for. An hour before leaving Denver, I texted Jared, Hey bro, just a reminder I've got a 3 hour layover today. No worries though. He

While the offseason can mean many things for professional athletes the most integral part of this time is to capitalize on the opportunity to find rest. With the Major League Soccer season beginning preseason preparations in February and the championship game being held in mid-December, there is little true rest to be had for the players and their families who endure such a lengthy season. Even the offseason, with its time away from the game presents many different opportunities that get in the way of taking that rest. For some players, they can spend several weeks overseas training with other clubs. Others will be invited into camp for their respective national teams to play in friendly matches. Still others have