Finally 19

Well after a very stressful couple of weeks I finally got a 3 day weekend to settle down and relax. Not to mention the fact that it was my birthday. I finally turned 19! Looking back this year absolutely is flying by. I can't believe my birthday just passed. It seems like just yesterday I was moving into the dorms for my first year of college and now I am already on my second! Shoot before I know it I will be graduating. Ahh lets not get ahead of ourselves now. It kind of scares me to be honest. I don't really like to think about what the future brings. All I know is that God has a plan for me and I need to be able to trust Him. It is going to be awesome and that is all I need to know. Even with all the stress and down times that I am going through, I still have to realize that this is all learning experiences for me and once I figure out a way to work out of them then everything will find its place and I wont have to worry about it happening again. For instance I am having a horrible time trying to figure out my school paper work. My meal plan has been shut off and my classes are about to be dropped. I have literally began to pack up all of my things and go home but for some reason God finds a small way for me to stay here and I know this is the place where he wants me to be. Anyways after all this is finally complete I will know exactly what I need to do in order for me to be able to be done with it all before I step onto campus next year. Well with school kicking up again I have a completely different schedule then I did last semester. I went from having class basically 2 days a week to having class all 5! It is a hard thing to adjust to but I am toughing it out and trying my best to get through it. I know it is going to be a long semester. Hopefully I'm wrong and it will fly by. Well anyways I am going to start writing more hopefully so we will see what happens.

Stressed

Well the first week of school really didn't go as planned and nothing really seems to be going the right way. For some reason Biola didn't notify me that I still needed to turn in certain paper work until I got to the school and they shut off my meal plan and warned me that they were going to drop my classes if I don't pay them by Wednesday. So I have been down to the office almost every day to try and figure everything out and it doesn't seem to be working. So if your checking this please just pray for me, I am having big time trouble with all of this and just want it to be over! Shoot well on a positive note my birthday is coming up and my money for the video project is coming next week! I can't wait. God Bless.

Coming Home a Champion

Well after spending about a month and a half in the middle of the country my journey has finally come to an end. I have to say that the time that I was able to spend in the Midwest was truly one of the greatest experiences that I have ever been through. Not only the fact that I was able to be a part of a championship team but just the people that I was able to meet, the places I was able to see, and the amount of baseball that I was able to play. When I first got there I second guessed my quick decision in going out there on such short notice. To tell you the truth I really didn't know what to expect when I got there. For some reason when the opportunity struck I didn't really have the time to think about going or not I just got up and left. The first week went by and I wasn't really playing at all and I wasn't bonding with the guys very quickly. I thought about just packing up and heading home after a few days but I prayed about it and God said stick it out so that is exactly what I did. So as I sat through a couple games patiently waiting for my opportunity to play I decided that I would make the best of it and would play hard every out of every inning. I did exactly that and I was able to be a part of the team that one the whole league. It was indeed one of the funnest championships that I have ever been apart of. The 10 hour bus rides where well worth it all when we were able to dog pile on one another after the last out was made. Well anyways, the people I met out there were just amazing all around. Every single one of my teammates seemed to be a comedian and even when times where rough they were still able to put a smile on my face even if they weren't trying to. I am not 100% sure but it seemed that most of the kids didn't really grow up the way I was raised but we still seemed to get along. I prayed before and while I was there that I would be able to somehow share Jesus with those around me. I thought that there would be many opportunities for me to be able to share since I was going to be there for so long. Well it didn't really turn out that way. I became frustrated at times because I wasn't really able to talk about God to anyone because I couldn't meet any Christians. Then God put this host family in my life that were just straight out awesome people. I met them because they were my host families friends and we went out to dinner with them after the game. I talked with them quite a while and hung out with them from time to time. At times they made me feel more at home and it made me not really miss home at all. I really appreciated all that they did for me. Not to mention the fact that they were awesome Christians and loved Jesus as much as I did. It was great to see that they were using their hosting as a ministry to young student athletes. Well since I didn't come up with any opportunities to talk about God to others, I decided to just walk around having a positive attitude and just shine his light and just see what happens. I didn't really expect anything to happen but God had other plans. While saying goodbye to some of the guys the last night we were there hanging out after the championship, one of the guys sat down and talked with me for about 30 minuets on what an impact I had on him through God. I realized that I didn't really do much at all but somehow God rubbed off on him. It was truly an answer to prayer and I couldn't believe what just happened at the time. Coming home a champion is one thing, but coming home having impact someone in a Godly way is much more important. I know that God put me there for a reason and now I now exactly why. It wasn't to play baseball it was to put thoughts and lights in peoples head that God is out there and God truly has an effect on those who follow Him. Well there ya have it. My trip was one that I will remember for the rest of my life and I can't wait to go back and play in the Midwest once again.

Been a Great Trip

Well my month long trip is finally coming to an end. I have spent well over a month out here in the Midwest and have visited places I thought I would never have the chance to visit. I spent most of my time in a small little town right on the border of Missouri and Illinois called Quincy. From there I visited Chicago, St. Louis, Indiana, and Ohio. I had the chance and played in front of 1,000’s of fans, be on the news, and in the newspaper. I was able to compete with kids from Division 1 colleges. It was really cool to be able to say that I was from an NAIA school because they are so looked down upon these days. There are times where I feel like I should of worked harder and got my name out so I would have been able to go to a big time division 1 school but I know that God put me at Biola for a reason and I believe that it is best for me to stay there and be as much of a leader as I can be. This trip has put me through many obstacles involving my faith but God put me in a home where I was able to be myself. They may have not been Christians but understood the background that I come from. God also brought me to a family that is indeed Christians and that have really had an impact on me for the little amount of time that I have known them. Beyond all of this I had no teammates that really had a Christian background but I was able to have an influence on them that made them know that I was indeed a follower of Jesus and not one of them tried to persuade me to do anything wrong whatsoever. Although I was different then most around me I never once felt lonely or anything like that because I had so many cool people around me. My team was full of comedians that I always seemed to be laughing at. So in other words my time out here has been beyond amazing and I can’t see what God has planned for me next summer. I am just glad that I will actually be prepared to go far away from home instead of getting a call one day and leaving the next. It has been great and I have been invited to come back next year and play so we will see what happens. I am just excited to come back home and relax for a week before I have to head back to school and start the year all over again. Anyways I am in Ohio for the playoffs now and I will be home this Saturday! I can’t wait!

Having a Blast

Well despite the fact that all this week has been is traveling everywhere, I am really liking the fact that I am getting the opportunity to do all of this traveling. Right now I am sitting in my hotel room in Lorain, Ohio getting ready for a baseball game. Before that we were in Springfield, then we went two hours back home to Quincy, then traveled 5 hours north to Dupage, after that we drove 7 hours here to Ohio then tonight we are headed to Richmond, IN to finish off the road trip. It has definitely been a long week but indeed an exciting one. We are winning which is always great and I am really getting to know each of the teammates and they are all a great bunch of guys. I actually made the T.V. news the other day after making a catch at the wall and running into it. It is kind of funny to watch and the broadcaster announces my name wrong, but it is still awesome to be able to see me up on the T.V. I posted a link so you can be able to check it out. As far as my personal life is going, it is tough not being around to many Christians all of the time and I am often tempted with sinful things around me. For example if I opened up the blinds in my hotel room, there would be a close up view of a strip club next store. Last night a couple of fellas went down there and I spent the night alone up in the room. I did not think once of going down there thanks to the kind words of my step dad Ron. He told me some stories of how he dealt with basically the same situation and it definitely gave me the courage to be able to stand up for what I believe in. Well now to get off that topic and head to one that has been bothering my stomach. Ever since I have been here all I have been eating is junk food! I can't get away from it, no matter where we go we always stop at some fast food restaurant and I am basically forced to eat unhealthy. I mean I don't have to pay for a thing which is nice so I guess I'll just have to go with the flow for a while. Let's just pray that some better food finds my stomach. I am kind of random today only because I just want to write down some things that are on my mind and get on with the day. There weer thunder and lightning storms last night so I am sure the field is going to be soaked so lets get muddy.

Wrigley Field

Well since I had a few days off over the weekend I decided to meet up with my buddy from school up in Chicago. I headed up there Friday night after our game in Springfield. It was quite a drive but was definitely worth it after I got to go down to the historic park of Wrigley field and check up a Cubs vs. Cardinals game. The thing that made it even better was that the two teams are rivals and are also battling for first place in the National League Central division. After getting through the hour of traffic we finally made it to the ball park. Every part of the park was amazing. Between the packed stadium, to the devoted fans, and the wonderful seats I never wanted to leave this historic stadium. It was also very cool to be able to spend time with a friend of mine that lived on my floor the entire year at Biola. He is studying abroad next semester so I wont be able to hang with him as much. He lives in the small town of Downers Grove, IL. Which is about 5 hours from little Quincy but only about 40 minuets from downtown Chicago. His town reminds me a lot more of home then Quincy does. It hold a lot more people and is more "city like" rather then the typical country feel I get down South. With it all it has been a great experience. I also got to try traditional Chicago style pizza. It was huge and Kurt bet me that I wouldn't able to finish 3 pieces of pizza. Whoever lost would have to pay for the dinner. Let's just say that he underestimated me and how much food I can take in. After all I am an athlete. Well today we woke up bright an early and went to his Church. It was definitely a lot More traditional then the Churches I have attended back home. I actually wore a nice dress shirt and everything! The Church is also full of older people which is another thing that I am not really used too. Despite the differences the loving nature of God was running through the place. Everyone wasn't just there to go to Church but they were there to learn. I really enjoyed my time at the Church and also my time with Kurt for the day. I have a big game tomorrow against our rival team across the river in Hannibal, Missouri. So I am going to have to get a good nights rest and hopefully I will be able to get in the game! See ya and pray that I will find time to write and get back into this slowly but surely! Thank you!

I Can't Believe I am in Illinois

Picture 1: Our highlights are on TV every night!

Picture 2: 4th of July Fireworks at the field

Picture 3: Part of the packed Quincy Stadium

BTW I took them with my phone so they are a little blurry.

Well I was sitting at work one day and my buddy Chris text me and asked if I was playing baseball this summer. I explained to him that I indeed was paying and also working a whole lot. Now I new that he was in Illinois playing in a summer collegiate league and was also doing very well as a pitcher but I never expected him to do what he did next. He asked me if I would like to fly out and finish up my summer playing with his team! I was super stoked! This is the kind of league that my dad wanted me to play in originally but by the time we started it was to late to get on a roster. So basically this was s huge answer to prayer and before I new it the next day I was on a plane headed to St. Louis then the small town of Quincy, IL. I have been to this part of the country before while playing in the Colt World Series in Lafayette, IN. I absolutely love this part of the country and I am so excited to be here. I mean the thing that has sucked was not really being able to say good bye to my Friends and family. I just got up and left. I don't have any regret though because I am having a blast out here. I am hoping to get in more of the games here and prove that I have what it takes to play. So far in three games I am hitting .450 with 3 RBI's. Hopefully I can continue to play this way when I get put in the game. I will try to update the page more often then not and explain what kind of fun I am having out here! I mean we get 1,000's of people a game and it is just full of fun events to keep the fans into the game. I posted up a picture of just part of the stands that were packed through the night and us sitting down enjoying a nice fire work show for the 4th of July. It kind of reminds me going to Minor League games growing up with the kind of ridiculous things they do around the ball park. It is also nice getting to know the guys on the team, they are definitely different then Biola players haha but they are the most hilarious group of guys that I have come across. I am staying with a host family in town and they are also awesome and have a nice house for me to stay in. I get the whole basement to myself and although it is usually freezing down here it is nice to sometimes just come down here and unwind after a long day at the ball park. Well I am just kind of writing things as they come to mind but I am going to go ahead and take off for now. I have a game in Springfield, IL today then my buddy Kurt Jaros that lives in Chicago is picking me and we are heading to his place for the weekend! Hopefully we can check out a Cubs Game!