Hope in Baseball

Adrian Gonzalez of the Boston Red Sox

Sat, 10 Dec 2011 14:51:00 -0500

http://www.boston.com/Boston/names/2011/09/adrian-gonzalez-keeps-the-faith/WCbQDrEFiabp32tvfPuM6O/index.html

Wow it’s been awhile but hopefully as we approach the end of 2011 and the beginning of 2012, postings will return more consistently.

The baseball offseason has been quite an interesting one, with major trades and acquisitions, surprise signings and releases, and of course, major turnover on the Boston Red Sox team. I’d like to draw your attention to a particular player, Adrian Gonzalez.

Put aside for a moment the whole “greatest collapse in September” deal and let’s look at the character of Mr. Gonzalez. This is the same Gonzalez who is an all-star, gold glove winner, and has Psalm 27:1 etched on his bats.

¹ The LORD is my light and my salvation—
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life—
of whom shall I be afraid?

This is a man who plays for Boston, a city of volatile fans who can love, and hate you, like no one else can. So for him to come out in the midst of their failed playoff run and say -

I’m a firm believer that God has a plan and it wasn’t in his plan for us to move forward,” he said. “God didn’t have it in the cards for us.

must have irked some people. How much more bold are his words then that the Lord does not serve as a clutch, an excuse to go to when one fails. That he may be sad, disappointed even at the way the season ended, but that he is also faithful, and knows His Lord as the creator, the planner.

Who knows. Maybe Mr. Gonzalez was trying to console himself. But I don’t think so. I think his words are genuine, that he firmly believes his God has a better plan, a better story for him.

So here is my prayer for Mr. Gonzalez as he continues to be a light to his team. I pray for strength and a bold voice and presence on the Red Sox team. That he would encourage, affirm and show love and care to his teammates. I pray for success, so that he would be given an even greater stage to proclaim his faith and glorify the Lord. I pray for humility in his success, that he would remember where strength comes from. And I pray that in his struggles, his failings, his shortcomings, that he would know that we have a God who knows us, who calls us by name, who loves us and has already covered us in his mercy and grace. I encourage you all to pray this prayer with me.

I know I have Jesus, and he’s given me eternal life, and that’s the only thing that means something

"I was always praying to God, and thanks to God he gave me the miracle of sending me these wonderful..."

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 06:24:12 -0500

““I was always praying to God, and thanks to God he gave me the miracle of sending me these wonderful people,” Ramos said. “I’m alive thanks to them.””

- Wilson Ramos

(full article here http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=ap-venezuela-ramos-abducted )

The Reason for Hope

Thu, 10 Nov 2011 05:49:04 -0500

The first time I really thought about the connection between faith and baseball came when I was reading a blog post by San Francisco Giants pitcher Jeremy Affeldt. I remember reading this and being filled with a sense of hope, that God is working within baseball, even when we don’t see it. There is hope

“I know and understand what intercessory prayer is. And I truly believe that God would save a whole team based on the heart of someone who would pray for it, just like when He told Abraham, “If you can find even ten good people, I will save this city.” (Genesis 18:22-32)”

“I just look at that and say, “God, I know that all of my teammates don’t believe in You, or they might believe in You but they don’t really know You, they just know of You, and right now that’s okay because You know them and You love them.” And so I pray for each and every one of them. I go to each position, I stand on each area of the field, and I ask God, “Bless this area, and whenever this person comes into this area, I pray that You would elevate his ability to play.” And I’ll stand in the batter’s box and pray that God will bless them as they hit. I’ll sit behind the plate and I’ll pray for our catchers, Buster Posey and Eli Whiteside. I pray that they will have wisdom, and they will know what pitches to call, and they will see the hitter’s reactions, and that there will be a trust factor between the pitcher and them.

And somehow, some way, whether a player believes in God or not, I believe I stand in the gap for that person. I stand there and I pray a blessing over them, and over the area that they play, that they will be great. For whatever reason, I just feel like that’s what I was led to do. And that’s why I do it.”

Read the full article at http://jeremyaffeldt.wordpress.com/2010/12/07/world-series-disciple-part-5/

Lance Berkman - 2011 Comeback Player of the Year

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 14:57:00 -0500

Bonham: How important is it for you to use your influence as a clubhouse leader to share your faith?

Berkman: It’s extremely important. I don’t think you can overstate the importance of using your platform or using the position that you’ve been given to affect good in every circumstance that you’re in. Obviously, the only reason I’m where I am is because God has gifted me and He has seen fit to put me where I am. I have to honor that by using my influence and my status on the team and in the game of baseball for good and to His purpose.

Bonham: How do you go about making a difference in the lives of your teammates?

Berkman: The key to dealing with people in general is that they have to know that you care about them. You have to deal with people in gentleness. You have to come along side of them. You can’t push them. You can’t pull them. You have to walk with them. In order to do that, you’ve got to demonstrate care for that individual. That’s my whole thing. I want my teammates to know that I care about them personally. I care about what happens with them on and off the field. When you are in that position, you earn the right to speak into their lives. I try to let guys know that I do care about them and consequently I think they’ll listen to me when I have something to say.

Bonham: How encouraging is it to know that there are several players in the league who are also strong believers?

Berkman: You certainly know the guys on the other teams that share your values and beliefs. There is sort of a loose fraternity. At the same time, I know that every time I’m up there against Jake Peavy, I know he’s trying to strike me out just as hard as I’m trying to take him deep. The good thing about being a Christian is that you have that perspective. Then you can really have fun. Then it’s a fun competition. After it’s over with, it’s over. That’s actually a benefit to have some Christian guys competing because they understand that there’s more than just the outcome to the confrontation that’s important.

Bonham: How do you use your platform as a leader in the clubhouse to speak into the lives of other players?

Yet another young player who is firm in who he is in Christ....

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 13:22:27 -0400

Yet another young player who is firm in who he is in Christ. Again, unless we know these players personally, we cannot say for sure where they stand with their faith. But again, I like to be optimistic and believe that they are true men of God who love the game of baseball, but strive to be a witness in the lives of those around them first, including their family, teammates, and fans. Praise the Lord that a young man, given a HUGE platform with being the rookie of the year and world champion catcher would be firm in who God calls him to be.

"As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth..."

Sat, 22 Oct 2011 05:41:00 -0400

“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
and do not return to it without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seeds for the sower and bread for the eater,
so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it”

- Isaiah 55:10-11

The story of Josh Hamilton is a story of complete grace and...

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 16:17:43 -0400

The story of Josh Hamilton is a story of complete grace and redemption. In it, the brokenness and weakness of man is shown, and God and His Son is elevated to the epitome of grace and love. Here is a true and real story of the power of satan, the knowledge he has of our weaknesses, our buttons, our breaking points. And here lies a true and real story of God’s power, His strength, His support, His ability to bring us back, pull us out of the hole we dig ourselves into. Here is a story of the real Jesus, who stands next to us, so that we never have to be alone, we never have to confront our weaknesses alone. Here is the story of our mighty Savior, the true and living God, Jesus Christ.

Praise be to the Father that this story of such brokenness, such sin, can be shared with the world so that any individual who comes across this story, knows there’s hope, knows there’s power in His name as long as we call on Him.

"The main thing is to be humble and know what you’re doing on the field, and that is glorify..."

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 18:33:09 -0400

“

The main thing is to be humble and know what you’re doing on the field, and that is glorify Jesus Christ in the field and off…

God has given me this platform so I can glorify Him…

As for me and my house, we serve the Lord (Joshua 24:15)…

What matters is what I’m doing now for Jesus Christ

”

- Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals

(words of great wisdom)

A great video testimony by Albert Pujols of the St. Louis...

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 18:25:20 -0400

A great video testimony by Albert Pujols of the St. Louis Cardinals.

I absolutely love the humility you hear as Mr. Pujols talks about Christ. Christians are not perfect, but everyday we are called to live out our lives worthy of the calling we have from God and Christ. Christians are not perfect but we are still called to witness to all those around us through every action, every word, every relationship. Just watched this for the first time literally right after my midterm and my heart is so content right now :)

“If you’re on the fence, you’re already on...

Sat, 15 Oct 2011 14:54:25 -0400

“If you’re on the fence, you’re already on your way”

Wise words from Javier Lopez of the San Francisco Giants during the 2010 World Series against the Texas Rangers.

How often do we hear athletes or people in the media thank God after they win an award? I can’t help but think to myself in those times, are they saying it genuinely or superficially? Would they still thank God if they had not won? I don’t know them so I can’t really say but I can hope that it’s genuine. Thus, it’s great to hear Mr. Lopez acknowledge God’s hand in determining their career, the level they are playing at, and the blessing of the simple ability to do so.

Almost done with the Giants testimony set :)

"Don’t let the looks fool ya, cause I know where I’m going when I die, and I know what I..."

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 04:01:00 -0400

“

Don’t let the looks fool ya, cause I know where I’m going when I die, and I know what I believe in, and you can’t tell me for one second I wouldn’t die in the name of Him…

He means everything, He’s my life.

”

- Brian Wilson of the San Francisco Giants during the 2010 World Series

Brian Wilson of the San Francisco Giants sharing about his faith...

Fri, 14 Oct 2011 03:32:49 -0400

Brian Wilson of the San Francisco Giants sharing about his faith during the 2010 World Series against the Texas Rangers.

Brian Wilson seems to be very popular in the media these days and the character he has made for his closer personality is quite entertaining. Maybe that’s why to me, this interview is even more special, that he speaks about his faith so seriously, so honestly, and so openly. Having been a born again Christian just a few years ago, he acknowledges his former feelings against religion, but what a great story that God has pursued him and redeemed him!

Madison Bumgarner talks about his faith during the 2010 World...

Thu, 13 Oct 2011 14:49:13 -0400

Madison Bumgarner talks about his faith during the 2010 World Series with the San Francisco Giants against the Texas Rangers.

If you all didn’t know, I’m a big SF Giants fan(can say I’ve followed them through all the bad years and not just the good :D). So often the testimonies, videos, articles I find are based on individual players on the team. That’s my disclaimer, now onto the video.

At the time, Madison Bumgarner was a 21 year old starting pitcher, one of the youngest players to ever pitch in the World Series. A great feat for any athlete. But what is even greater is that Bumgarner knows what he lives for, and who he lives for, and that’s the Lord our Savior, Jesus Christ. It truly does warm my heart that God is working through yet another young player on the Giants team, that He is truly building up a new generation of players founded on His Word, understanding that they play with a greater purpose. To Him be the Glory!

Heath Bell’s testimony at Fellowship/Faith Day at AT&T...

Sun, 09 Oct 2011 22:55:00 -0400

Heath Bell’s testimony at Fellowship/Faith Day at AT&T Park in 2010.

How great is our God who not only pursues us, but transforms us as well. This is not to say that Christians are perfect, or have it all figured out, or don’t struggle. But we know that our flaws and shortcomings do not hinder the work God is doing. It is a process, a journey that we are on for the rest of our lives and all we really have to do, is give it up to God and surely we can do all things through Him.

Faith/Fellowship Day with the San Francisco Giants in 2009....

Sat, 08 Oct 2011 22:30:00 -0400

Faith/Fellowship Day with the San Francisco Giants in 2009. Brian Wilson sharing his testimony about his father, and how he came to know Christ.

I think in reading a lot of the comments for this video, I am reminded that we are not God. We are not called to be the ones to judge whether an action is sinful or not, but it is up to God. The commands we adhere by, the laws in the bible, are things we live by, but not things we individually set. Moreover, while I do believe in the letter of the law, I think it is also important to look at the spirit of the law and to remember that Christ sets us free and apart from the law. And maybe that’s why there are so many disagreements, because our own interpretations get in the way and we can’t figure out who is right, and who is wrong, if anyone is.

I am also reminded that as much as we hear about an athlete’s life, we do not know them personally, and thus we even more so cannot judge their character, or their faith. I don’t know what Brian Wilson does in his free time, I don’t know how much bible knowledge he has or how he much he actively seeks to grow. All we know about him is what he decides to share with the world, and if we try to characterize him solely on that, I think we’re all going to be wrong. And this doesn’t only apply for Mr. Wilson but everyone we come across in life.

As for me personally? I like to be optimistic that the level of faith we hear about from athletes is genuine and true. Because honestly, why should we ever want the opposite?

Faith/Fellowship Day at AT&T Park with the San Francisco...

Sat, 08 Oct 2011 05:12:00 -0400

Faith/Fellowship Day at AT&T Park with the San Francisco Giants 2011. Brandon Belt’s testimony about the hardships of being brought up only to be sent back down, and his need for faith in God’s plan for him. Great testimony for a young man God will most assuredly use. I honestly pray that Brandon does well not only so he will stay in the game of baseball but so that God would be glorified in His use of Brandon and through this testimony. I hope that Brandon is just the beginning of a new generation of players who depend on the Lord and are confident to outwardly speak about their faith in His name.

"Only God can judge me" - Ryan Roberts

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 21:06:52 -0400

“Only God can judge me,”

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/-8216-Tatman-8217-Roberts-covers-D-backs-on-?urn=mlb-wp22892

“Roberts, who turned 31 in September, said he gets tattoos in order to show what inspires him: his Christian religion, as it relates to family and his other life experiences, including baseball”

We can have a long debate about whether tattoos are good or bad but personally, I think what it comes down to is if it’s glorifying to God. If a tattoo can start up a conversation about how God has been working in your life, then go for it. I think especially for athletes, tattoos serve as a good tool to share the gospel with others and it seems that Ryan Roberts of the Arizona Diamondbacks has taken on this mentality as well. Though I’m sorely saddened that the San Francisco Giants are not in the playoffs, I’m glad that God is at work through many players on different teams.

Derek Jeter

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 14:34:00 -0400

“I say a prayer after the National Anthem, thanking God, (for making me a Yankee) too, and asking that we play to the best of our abilities, and that no one gets hurt.”

Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Is_Derek_Jeter_a_Christian#ixzz1a1mGsVrL

Now I haven’t read the book myself but this quotes is supposedly in Jeter’s book, The Life You Imagine. If it’s true, praise be to God that He has blessed his child with great talent to be able to reach out to so many fans.

I think in the process of this tumblr, we will struggle with taking these quotes with faith. The question will pop up, ‘are they really Christian, or are they just saying it?’ Unless we know the players personally, we may never know how strong their foundation in Christ is, how devout they are. But that is not for us to judge, and any way God uses them, and reaches out to others through them, is praiseworthy.

Faith/Fellowship Day at ATT Park with the San Francisco Giants

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 04:29:05 -0400

Faith/Fellowship Day at ATT Park with the San Francisco Giants

Mission Statement

Thu, 06 Oct 2011 04:12:40 -0400

I believe God is doing great things in the world of baseball. He is working through so many individuals, specifically using the platform of baseball to show his power, love, and grace. In sports, we don’t usually hear about an athlete’s personal beliefs, and more often than not, it isn’t something media outlets desire to look into. But God is greater, and He will be heard. This tumblr is meant to be a compilation of videos, blog entries, anything baseball-Christianity related so that it will be clear to anyone who comes across this blog that God is at work in baseball and people are being transformed because of Him.