Winter Clark was in heaven — or close to it — Wednesday night. The seventh-grader from Ronan Middle School made the trip to Kalispell with her mother, Shari, to hear Tim Tebow speak. It was a dream come true for Clark — a chance to see her idol in person.

“He’s my role model, and Mom didn’t let me miss it,” said Clark, who came to the dinner clad in an orange T-shirt with the word “Tebowing” and a kneeling figure on the front. She also had a marker in her pocket, just in case she could get close enough to her hero to request an autograph. 

Clark wasn’t the only one who wouldn’t miss the opportunity to see the Denver Broncos quarterback. 

About 2,200 people packed into the Trade Center at the Flathead County Fairgrounds to hear Tebow speak at Stillwater Christian School’s “For Such a Time as This” fundraiser banquet.

For much of the evening, Tebow answered questions posed by former local sportscaster Darnay Tripp. The discussion ranged from Tebow’s childhood as a Florida farmboy — and uber-competitive T-ball player — to his high school, college and professional football careers.

But much of the discussion centered around Tebow’s outspoken Christian faith.

That faith was the reason Stillwater Christian — a school that doesn’t have a football team — asked him to speak in the first place, Superintendent Dan Makowski told the audience.

While Tebow grew up going to church, his faith really caught fire during his first mission trip to the Philippines when he was 15. He spent time there with children who spent their nights on the street and girls who never had known a touch that wasn’t abusive.

That trip helped Tebow form a new goal in life.

“I wanted to believe in people most people didn’t believe in and care about people most people didn’t care about,” he said.

His faith has been of utmost importance since, even during times when he didn’t know what to do, such as during his agonizing decision over where to play college football.

The choice came down literally to the final minutes, Tebow said. In the middle of a press conference to announce his decision, he still was wavering between the University of Florida and the University of Alabama. But Florida stood out, and Tebow never regretted his decision to play there.

He also learned an important lesson in his faith.

“Just because [God’s] not making the door wide open ... doesn’t mean he’s not still leading you in the right direction,” he said.

Despite his success as a college player — he was the first sophomore to win the Heisman Trophy — and the hype over his most recent season with the Denver Broncos, Tebow has striven to remain true to his faith and to keep the game in perspective.

His mother has often told him — and sometimes still texts him to remind him — that “God gives grace to the humble but he opposes the proud,” Tebow said. “Just because you play football and some people know your name ... God doesn’t love you any more, and he doesn’t love you any less.

“I’m not any more special than anybody else. When you’re humble, you can be a servant, and when you’re a servant, you can be closer to what Christ was.”

Toward the end of the program, Tripp read questions that had been submitted by Stillwater Christian students. One fourth-grader asked Tebow how playing football has influenced his witness as a Christian.

“It’s a great platform,” Tebow said. “When it’s live, so they can’t edit it, and I thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ ... I get to talk about this thing. I get to talk about my faith.”

He added that he hopes his open professions of faith will inspire young people.

“I want to encourage young kids: You know what? The name of Jesus is cool,” he said. “It’s not something you have to be ashamed of.”

Winter Clark said she respects Tebow for the stand he takes. Before he became her idol, Clark looked up to Katy Perry, whose music she likes. But she has found more to look up to in Tebow.

“Christian people, you can trust them not to do something really bad,” she said. “He’s better than most.”

Tebow also inspired her to try something new.

“He made me try out for football this year — even though it only lasted one practice,” she said.

Throughout the evening, Tebow emphasized the sense of responsibility he feels to the youths who are looking up to him, just as he looked up to players when he was young.

“I want to be a great role model,” he said. “I take that as a huge responsibility.”

His added that his priorities are God first, family second and football third. 

“If I can do that, that’s something to be proud of.”

Reporter Kristi Albertson may be reached at 758-4438 or at kalbertson@dailyinterlake.com.