What is the first word that comes to mind when I say baseball? Is it faith? It might not be now but after reading this book, maybe. It is Lent which means time to prepare yourself. Strengthen your faith. Whether you are a baseball fan or not, this is an excellent devotional for you.
In a family of sports enthusiasts, I am the odd gal out. Not only do I not enjoy sports, but I do not understand them. Take baseball for instance, everything I know about it could be put in a Little Leaguer’s pocket. They do have pockets, don’t they?
“Baseball Faith: 52 MLB Stars Reflect on Their Faith” by author Rob Maaddi is the first baseball book of any kind I have read. This 217 page Christian Living book could definitely be read as a devotional. I was totally and pleasantly surprised at how much I liked this book. Actually I loved it. It begins with a heartfelt dedication and then “On Deck” intro to the book. The Table of Contents list all 52 baseball stars alphabetically which is the order you will find them in the book. Each player has a full page color picture, the next page lists his name, a Bible verse that means something to him, and his testimony. The third page lists baseball information on him such as his position, teams, schools, honors, and more. The fourth and last page has “Seventh Inning Stretch” which includes some detailed trivia, more information, and Career Stats. At the end of the book is author information. You will also find an index of Scripture used followed by art credits.
If you know anything about baseball, I bet you know some of these players. Chris Davis, Cesar Hernandez, Pedro Martinez, Steven Matz, Aaron Nola, Andy Pettitte,
just to name a few.
Pedro Martinez talks about growing up in the Dominican Republic and how he prayed all of the time to be a baseball player. He was a skinny kid and questioned about his ability, but his testimony tells that God is the Mighty One and the only One who knows what we can become if we overcome what we think are our limits. Psalm 18:2 is his Bible verse. The other stories are as uplifting and God glorifying, too.
This is an encouraging, inspiring book. Anyone would benefit from it. A baseball fan will especially love this book. Young boys and girls that want to learn about baseball will devour this book. Adults, too. The 52 messages are real and some pull on your heartstrings. You can feel the emotion through the words.
Author Maaddi has done an exemplary job with this book. It is a well researched, well planned, and well written book. It was penned so that anyone could understand the baseball information and more importantly the testimony. It will light a fire in you to turn to Jesus. It is a book to honor God and share our faith. Something we should do everyday.
This is no base hit. It is a big, bases loaded home run. A true winner! I highly recommend it and rated it 5 out of 5 stars. Pick up a copy as an Easter gift, for the church library, your youth group, and yourself. Get inspired!
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Barbour Publishing and was under no obligation to post a review.
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