A Passion For Christ and Sports

This is the Truth Network kingdom pursuits where you hear from ordinary people instilled with an extraordinary passion together we explore the stories of men and women who take what they love and let God turn their passion into the kingdom pursuits now live from the truth.

Your host Robbie Gilmore. Oh wow do we have a cool lineup day on the Truth Network I tell you that we are and have a little bit shorter kingdom pursuits today with Joe sparrow with his one of the early early.

I will be helpful if I could say your name right early and he is sports talk like is a sports talk podcast is considering doing a sports talk talk show on the treatment works for you to be excited to hear him and then it 1130 we have a brand-new show that's beginning this sort of every other week kind of thing. It's called Jesus junkets which are missionary stories very very exciting missionary stories. I think your be so excited to hear it first airing in pilot episode which is absently awesome. Really, really itching to be so glad you came in today's Jesus junkets. It's 1130 and then your course encouraging prayer with Pastor Banks at about 1150 so you got quite a lineup today. So glad that you turned in. But right now you get to kingdom pursuits so that somebody where God is taking his passion for baseball and other sports and use it to build the kingdom like him. Welcome Joe they can. Robbie think you have me on so interestingly can you share what well may be wet since you might know that Joe is a baseball player right you played is give a little background on that yet again.

I grew up playing baseball, basketball, football, three sport athlete and then the law had passion and wanted to go on and play professionally in and after my mom passed Midland move back up to North Dakota where I was born in in baseball was very big so I will.

I would restain sacramentally been drafted hi, there was no baseball psychotic into the ranks of the you know just free agent and bounced around in the minors and you know found it was it was a tough situation with lose my mom at a young age. My dad had some diabetes disability and some PTSD so owned and then made a comeback after that and the Kenneth remember the movie the natural I will want to contest called scouting for natural and then excellent on the floor was MVP and then on some plans and independent small minor league ball and then started doing a lot of the lessons are solid all the years I played there really wasn't some guide to good coaches in all the years I played baseball Basco football select account God led me passion to start to give all my years of my life and my sports wisdom to use in and start the effort in pro baseball Marley in Arizona in Phoenix. So now you can tell so when you think about Joe, you can't help but think about ball so speaking of ball right even made her this but Joe has a soft spot for crying hard now. He told me the best thing about being a ballplayer is even if you get debased, you can always count first Joe thought you know about being a tennis player you got all these different skills you figured out that with the so interestingly I really love this riddle today. I have a Bible little for it in all the shenanigans if you call in and guess this one you can when here's the riddle. Isaiah is the only profit who describes God as a picture and what chapter of Isaiah is he on the ball on to say, Isaiah is the only profit he describes God is a picture and I'm telling you, throwing hard and fast hit what chapter of Isaiah is he on the ball. If you can answer that call ended.

866-34-TRUTH 87884 866-34-TRUTH if you do that don't want to win for me and that I would point out is about that you could go to. By answering the ball riddle, so Isaiah. That's a huge hint. Isaiah is the only profit who describes God as a picture and what chapter of I say is he on the ball 866-348-7884 as a member: if you got that one key Joe now 90s in Lincoln he think they can. It's in there.

It's like Prego spaghetti sauce problems.

It's in there. So Joe, you know it's interesting God gave you this passion for sports, but what you seeing as a result, is how many young people based on actually their parents involvement end up with. This is a huge idle in their life. Yes, yes, I've seen you know that I saw so many that were being overlooked or just one coach properly and then they started playing in these tournaments and showcases and in the other.

There is good tournament teams is good showcases, but there's also a lot I saw were were not developing in and elect the latest statistic is is that three out of four boys and girls are no longer playing after age 14, which is a study by the NCA which really to me that that's really sad because you know sports is a big part of my life of real life lessons and and so forth lose my parents. I was always on the court in the field, but not of God led the passion to me were going to be doing to Your Calgary and lead Calvary count Calvary, they sound skinny African states Kelly date the school year, November 2, the boys age 7 to 12 in the morning and then 13, 18, their window girl sop on the memo night Saturday in order to really show a lot of things and and bring back to gain the weight used to be for fun, because realistically I think it's just too much pressure being put on his use in you know they should be having fun in and learn allegiance to God and also an understanding that giving life lessons at school is is number one important, I think this is think about it. You may know, I host messenger and readership. One of the hosts of the mass country radio show transaction of the host and conquer. Nonetheless, we talk about that. There are stages that a man goes through in the first stage is the beloved child and you can picture the life of David when you do that him he was beloved son, and all that stuff and then you got this cowboy Ranger stage that the kids you know he's in the plain army and always different things is playing games and you know those things become important, but it's not time to grow up yet and if you make them grow up too fast then you kind of rob them write it right state).

The cowboy Ranger stage is when these kids are getting there being told that they got a player in outdated and it ended that you gotta meet your parents or your coaches idea of what it takes to compete earlier than it really was designed to be exactly it's it's way too much pressure that's put on you know these these boys and girls that that even starting at age 7. Now you know I see some of the started in league city needs no five now which but what we are going around playing in tournaments almost every weekend.

You know, for the youth they that's blasting now suddenly start find out that it's it's it's not working out and I can play in their you know that the parents are putting pressure for a college scholarship and I've helped over 300 you'll get to college on college scholarship and I can tell you Robbie.

In this day and age it if you don't have a good coach and mentor a life person X been there and in the sports world. It's very tough than even the plain high school.

In this day and age, which God's letter might heal my heart to to help as many as I can and you know that's where I also saw some are going to college and got drafted and played minors and lets us talk about that phase gives and after the cowboy Ranger comes the warrior fit right in and in one of the big things for young man in the warrior stages.

He's got a question that meet he needs to answer anything answer.

Do I have what it takes and so if he started to answer that question to the negative before he ever becomes a warrior. That's why he didn't replace because he thinks I need you know I cannot going to go do that because I'll never make it an end because some coach down the way he did this that and the other right at the point in time when it was critical that God was putting something in in the boys path to like David okay can you take him. He is out there exactly right now he's learning how to kill a bear, and he's learning how to but he didn't do that when he was eight. Right. I mean exactly need any hit on something I've I've been one that is really kinda help some that were in the competitive area and in Phoenix and we can go to break Joe what I'm just shocked what is called in about this Isaiah test you gotta do it, will yet one more segment. You gotta rush Collis and 866-34-TRUTH 87884 which chapter did Isaiah describe God was on the time he was hard and fast. It says the Robbie Gilmore here in the Truth Network podcast of help make my pillow the company it is today, and now Mike Lindell, who by the way, I've met is a great guy, the inventor and CEO of my pillow wants to get back to our listeners for the first time you can get deep discounts on all my pillow products you go to my pillow.com right now, and click on the new radio listeners special who never thought that my dream job would be selling my pillows babe, you're getting tired of these sleeping droughts, but you can get deep discounts on my pillows, mattress toppers, bedsheets, and so much more. For example, the body pillow is regularly 89, 99, but with a promo code get truth it's only 2999 remember all my pillow products, the 60 day moneyback guarantee in a 10 year warranty. Just go to my pillow.com and click on the new radio listeners specials and get deep discounts on all my pillow products including the body pillow for only 2999, and a promo code to get truth or call 800-942-9613 these great radio specials here how God passion then uses it to build the kingdom we got show arms fairly early. I don't know why I cannot say looks like spiral.

It does, but it's fairly and he is a coach of coaches actually sports talk podcast and looking at doing a show here in the Truth Network and chill right before the break, and you thought of the story that illustrated that poor child that was in the cowboy Ranger phase gets wounded, and then he does not want to step into the warrior state right and in some of them. In this case it was a train when he was 12, 13, 14, and then pitching and hitting his passion since he was age 5 was to play major league baseball.

Then he went on and went to competitive high school and in Phoenix and then played on freshman team and then JB in his junior year he was cut his whole life. His legs were chopped out as he was. He want to quit school. His whole life and come tumbling down on him, his mom, who was upset and said you know what to do with them and was what homeopathic physician was real wisely help a lot of people. So she said he had get a job at Subway so after school he was working. Aaron she asked. Insula stopped in and an estimate talk limit. He was so bitter and upset he didn't want to talk about baseball three times going and get us some sense to finally get to sit down with me take a break I said you know we can't let one man I know he made a bad decision.

I said that that's a squad play catch. Let me think about the text means readily when Otley was just like God and his passion came back he was smiling ear to ear was so awesome to watch him that love that he had since five-year-old came back in his heart and burning desire in a group program up form got them back in the ditch and shape that in the summer collegiate league. He ended up doing well on college coaching at Paradise Valley community college and had both the tone was one of these package deal that never had mental, physical, passion just picks up on things that Sean and the ended up making the team went on to be All-Stars Utah Valley picked them up. Imagine this heavy gold six years almost to the date that he was cut from high school at Chapel high school and in Scott's Arizona. He's on a plane from Salt Lake City, Utah in the LA pitches that USC the number one college winning baseball team knows when the most college groceries and then next he flies back home. They start them against Stockton and he gets when he goes on in and pitched two years. It's a great education and and just amazing how his life was changed from that time to stop it in their and not get handed to not let one man holding back. I think that's really what God is laid on me as to to instill he's in is a great young man is to do sports but just watching him and that's done numerous times of others that were like that of a catcher that was at Tucson and in nobody while in high school and in the and I got into community college in Arizona State picked him up he takes a team to the final for the College World Series and ends up being drafted in the six round of angels and just post stuff that that just watching you know what God is through me. In my years of experience in seeing these men like you say that it's him it's a very tough thing and and and these guys it's a lot of them don't they they quit because there they don't want to get caught are they get burned out that the number one number one reason why the Sony at age 14 are not longplaying is is because of of loss of having fun, burnout, overuse injuries, poor coaching too much pressure yeah and it gets to the real heart of the issue that really ice. I saw with my own son that he could have an enemy and he if you could've seen them when he was 13, 14, meaning be outside playing basketball to the cows came home, meaning that he disliked it he did everything about it in high school, he got the plate and certainly had a blast blast when he got college and that's when he ran into the coach that took away the fun and when they take away the fun. Then what that does. Unfortunately is just really terrible young man for yes is this this walkers life was just totally devastated eat.

He was just didn't know what you want to quit school. He was didn't want to go to school is embarrassed because you know he all those kids he grew up and he was one of the main players in this was so much talent and work with a lot of those individually hitting pitching in all the couplings that fit in a high school, but it still wasn't wasn't a mistake on the coach that didn't know how to judge his ability, and that saw of what kind of young man that he wasn't passion he hasn't got I think more things out in my last show.

Talk to what's missing link to advance in playing sports when you think about right now it's happening and all sports. It is there.

Is this right now there's going to be as eight new manager positions open amazing baseball was a very hard thing. And in this day and age to identify, develop and lead athletes. It is certain individuals that have that gift of God give the gift know my Chesky Greg Popovich. Obviously Lombardi was one you know Don Shula, one of the guys that last guy they were going to feed for whole seat season with the Miami Dolphins and it was something that God is laid on Mike, myself and Gil Patterson as Guy learned a lot from backgrounds coming through the ranks is now the Oakland A's might pitching coordinator. It's things that I really want to get to Paris to understand the can. They can email me you know questions and and really you reach out and in. Don't let your child, boy or girl stop playing because of a bad note happening. Whatever happened on a team where you know getting a coach that just didn't plan that was kind. One of things that I just made sure instilled in doing the lessons was to keep working in this not giving up. If you do that eventually you get to a spot we are going to break through it and it's it's meant to be fun and school should be number one and is interesting thing that you know some of those kids actually don't have the talent and yet they've made it an idol based on a lot of stuff that they've been fed and a lot of things that they were thinking, but they have what it takes in other areas and somebody's got to see what where the spark is an and somebody got it. You know, everybody has a spark. Everybody has exactly and that's where God had given that that gift to me and a young age that I know how to get that spark that I can see I can work with. I see the personality see the strength and weaknesses and I can turn that switch on and you watch the face light up and like you say there's there's many that just got just begin giving the gift to go on to play in college or professionally, but they have amazing other gifts that I firmly believe God is giving us all gifts and talents. That is to find those to glorify him and then also to enjoy life and you know, a lot of times it sports is a great avenue to learn a lot of life lessons and continue to play in nonage. It's great help in over 300 go to college on scholarship but if you don't, you still should go to college and you should find your passion and use that to make sure that you are doing what you love to do this.

Only people I think in the world. It's hard they haven't found the passion yeah I mean that's the deal that there is a spark in their and in this kind of neat that his parents you know God put Gloria in each and every child and someone there is a way that they reflect him as only they can reflect him and to help bring that out is the joy of parenthood is that you get to see God is like a little when he was running could feel God's pleasure. Well, where do you feel God's pleasure as you say to your child and that situation and those, thanks so� This is absolutely critical stuff to parenting to coaching and and you know that's the sad thing to do is that a lot of these younger children coaches don't realize their role is not necessarily to win exactly. That's exactly that it's a win at all costs.

It's it's more about showing them also to lose and to to learn to be good teammates learn camaraderie know the thing that I think that that they a lot of kids also want you know get out is that sometimes is this false hope that's that's given therein, and parents. You know can email me and and I want to see them go on play as long as they can because I think there's there's great things happening. Some of these turn teams and showcases the success but there's also a lot that gets missed in one of things I want to make sure that every all listeners understand is that it's not always the best player that goes on, boy or girl goes on to play in college, and then professionally.

It's one that has been coached properly and mentored that will do it.

I've seen amazing amount talent gifted God gifted that all right, we've got a call around somebody's going to name that are see if they've got the idea and Isaiah force got Tammy neuron kingdom pursuits component, can you hear me are you with me. Tammy yes so who was like what chapter was that that Isaiah talked about the picture you are exactly right.

And if you got there in front of you. Can you read it just a partner in that system time where he pitches.

That's all I need way where the Lord all the way mighty man like Mark. I and that also is thank you Tammy Imes you saved my bacon on this when you want. I'm so excited, so when we got a lot going on today I I gotta tell you that this Jesus junket episode that's coming up will blow your mind. I mean I is one of the neatest things ever get to take part in the thank you call it for Colin and Tammy.

Please stay tuned for Jesus junket, I thank you and also I would be remiss if I don't mention the podcast is a podcast of Christian card I show it was just on if you want to hear about wisdom and all accounts of podcast getting a pursuits if you want to hear more about Joel's early and of course the podcasts you can say if you get a chance to listen to Jesus junket while you want a list of the project. It's Jesus junket. Tell your iPhone always. It's about cannibals in the headhunting and you won't believe it can happen, not