Straight Talk With . . .
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PITCHER, ATLANTA BRAVES • Won nine games for Cindnnati in 2003 • Led Atlanta in appearances in 2004 (team record 84) and 2005 (76) • I was born in Minnesota in 1977 and moved to Fresno, California, as a young child. When I was 11 years old, my family moved to Calgary, Alberta, Canada, and that is where they continue to live. Growing up, playing sports was everything to me. I was very athletic and excelled at whatever I played. It didn't take long to realize that pitching was my thing and that I could throw the ball harder than anyone else. I was "the man" and had come to rely solely on my athletic abilities. I had prayed a prayer of salvation as a child, but now I was doing it on my own. When I was 16, I was playing in the Canadian National Championships for youth baseball. I was pitching when the sky clouded over and the rains carne. After a 10-rninute rain delay, we were back on the field and the grounds crew was getting everything ready. I threw a warm-up pitch just as a lightning bolt carne out of the sky ; and struck one of my best friends, who was out on the field. I ran over to him, and he was dead. This rocked my world, and I found myself angry with God. That was a defin- l ing moment for me. I began to question whether the Lord was truly trustworthy, and I sh!1fed my frustrations with my family. After a lot of wrestling through some tough questions, I carne to the conclusion that the Lord was indeed sovereign, and I could trust Him with my life. In 1996 I was drafted by the Boston Red Sox, and I was about to experience another crisis situation that would require more wrestling and some more soul-searching. I was pitching in an A-ball game in Rockford, illinois. I threw a pitch and my pitching arm snapped in half! Initially, the doctors thought that cancer had weakened my bone, but after a number of tests they ruled cancer out. I rehabbed the rest of
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the year, only to have my arm snap again the following year. It appeared, according to the doctors' prognosis, that my career had come to an abrupt end. I questioned J why God would let this happen when He had given me so much ability. I eventually concluded that He could be trusted and that I would trust Him no matter what! Two years later I made it to the big leagues, and I went 8 years without being on the disabled list- until an elbow injury in July ended my 2006 season. Now I see the Lord's hand in my life. My wife and I have two children, with another on the way. God has been so faithful! It has not always been easy, but it has always been worth it! If you would like to surrender your life to the Lord, pray a prayer such as this: "Dear Jesus, please take my sin and shame. I am nothing without You! I am a sinner and I desperately need Your forgiveness. Thank You for Your sacrifice on the cross for my sin. Your will is the best thing for me. Jesus, I give myself up for You! I am saying 'no' to my will and 'yes' to Your will. I surrender to You, and I thank You for saving me. Amen! 0
Barb Cash, freelance writer from Dacula, Georgia, assisted Chris with this article.
Are You Sure? Really sure? Do you know beyond a doubt that your sins have been forgiven and that God will accept you into His presence when you die? To examine these and other vital questions, go to www.rbc.net/bible_studyfdiscovery_seriesf booklets/31017.aspx and read the booklet The Assurance of Salvation.