| Growing up, his mother, Susan Schuchard, put Iginla through the Catholic school system. Then, in 1979, his father became a follower of Jesus. Through these influences, as well as those of his grandparents, Iginla had always believed that God existed.
However, at 14 years of age, his fledgling faith journey hit a bump in the road.
"I remember my best friend asked me, 'What if God isn't really there? What if, when you die, it's just like going to sleep, and then there's nothing?' That shook me up a lot, and I was scared to even think about God for almost two years."
Iginla finally shared his fears with his father at age 16, during his first year of playing with the Kamloops Blazers. His father's suggestion was simple. "Ask Jesus. Ask Him to let you know that He is there, and to take away the fear." So I did, Iginla recalls, "and the fear was gone. I had connected with Jesus in a way that gave me a peace about the reality of God and where I stood with Him."
Since then, Iginla's relationship with Jesus has been solidified and his character, developed, by the pressure cooker of professional hockey. He's disciplined in staying close to God, purposely setting aside personal time to study the Bible, with the help of a daily inspirational-reading.
Although church attendance during the hockey season is admittedly sporadic, Iginla tries to be more consistent through the summer break, attending with high-school sweetheart, now-wife, Kara Kirkland. "I'm always trying to learn more about Jesus and how He would have me be as a person."
Strength, balance, perspective. These are some of the qualities that have enriched Iginla's life through his relationship with Jesus Christ.
"I am so thankful for the life I have been blessed with. I get the chance to live out so many of my dreams. It's been great fun, but at the same time, it is so fleeting. These first eight years in the NHL have gone by in a flash. Before long it will be over, and nobody will remember who I am - but that's okay."
Iginla knows there are more important things in life than hockey. "Knowing Jesus has taught me to keep everything in perspective. It has helped me to see beyond the dry spells and the toughest disappointments to the bigger plan."
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