Things Have Been Going Great

Lately as always, I have been pretty busy with everything and had no time on the computer whatsoever. I don't even know how I find the time to do my homework. I'm lucky that I don't have class till 10:30 everyday otherwise I probably wouldn't get a lot of it done. Well besides that fact everything has been going really well for me and everything around me. Baseball is getting much better, school work is slowing down, and Jesus and I are having the times of our lives. I have so much peace about the troubles and problems that surround me on a daily basis. I have been taking different more positive approaches to these problems and putting God first before anyone or anything else. I am meeting many new friends and hanging with them almost everyday and some that I am becoming real close too. I look back an think of how awesome God is and the wonderful ways in which he works. A few weeks ago I was at an all time low and now I am up in the clouds. It is crazy to go back and really look at the negatives and I am sure they will come my way again. Despite that fact I have learned a lot through this last couple of weeks and I am glad it all happened the way it did.

Well just wanted to post a good update and I will try to post again soon.

I Lost My Keys

I believe that nothing is more frustrating then being in a rush, getting everything ready to pile up in the car and head home, then finding out you lost your keys. 

And yes I looked everywhere and no they are not locked in my car.

Satan Will Never Win

Well after having a good week, things seemed to go back to the way they were before I had the whole conviction experience. For some reason I let it all get to me and I began to feel down again. Baseball really wasn't going my way, I made some decisions that didn't turn out very positive so i just began to become frustrated with a lot of things. Like I wrote about a week ago baseball is a frustrating game and some times it can depict on how my mood is towards everyday life. I tried my best not to mend the two together and really separate life on the field from life off of the field. Despite the frustration I have actually been able to do exactly that. Although I may have been in a bad mood between the lines, I was able to be myself outside of the lines and not let it all bring me down throughout the day.

The whole week kind of wen through this motions up until yesterday during practice. Things were at an all time low point when one of the coaches pulled me aside to talk to me. This particular coach hasn't been around all that much since he got a new job but still manages to take his free time and spend it out on the field helping us out. First of all I am real grateful for all that he does and he is one of the smartest coaches out there and I have learned a lot from him. After the discussion we had I learned a lot more. One of the first things he asked me was how was me and God. Right away I new that nothing but good was going to come out of this conversation. I starting opening up to him as much as I could because the conversation was totally unexpected. After getting some things off my chest I felt a big weight lifted off my shoulders. The one thing he explained to me that has stuck was that, Satan had me right where he wanted me. The moment I started to turn things back around a few weeks ago was the moment he started trying harder to bring me down. It all started to make sense and I realized that there is no way that I could let Satan win this battle so I forgot about all I was going through and just tried becoming myself again. After that I began feeling more comfortable out on the field and especially during my at bats. I am very thankful for my coach and that he took the time to do that.

Well after all that I literally did nothing the whole Halloween night, not to mention the fact that I lost my car keys for the second year in a row. It is pretty lame when I have to have my mom drive all the way down here, pick me up, then take me to work. Plus I was late to work which didn't make things any better. Although I lost my keys, I had some sort of peace during the whole process, yea it sucked, but I new I would either find them or everything would work out. I sure hope it does otherwise my car will be in the parking lot for a long time. 

To end things, as I was sitting in Church today and listening to the wonderful message I couldn't help but think about how much I really spend reading and meditating on scripture. The pastor really emphasized on how important it really is with your walk with Jesus. It is astonishing to realize how much God promises us if we practice spiritual meditation. I would like to be able to spend more time on this and I hope that it will become a habit.

Alright, Alright

Okay so things lately have been going smoothly for the most part. Still struggling in some areas and I am also realizing more and more the things that God really wants from me. They are simple things but for some reason I am making them difficult. 

I am not much more easy going about the things that are going on around me. Including baseball, school work, and any other area that is going on in my life. I am catching my tongue and trying my best to put God first no matter what the situation may be.

Through all of this I have failed at a few things that have just kind of been bothering me. I have found a solutions to these so it wont happen again. I had to delete their number out of my phone which I usually have trouble doing but after I did I felt relieved. Like I said before, solutions to problems can be so easy but it is up to defeat our stubborn attitudes and just go for it. For example the other day I lost my wallet. Now I lost it in my car but for some reason no matter how many times I went through my car searching for it, it never popped up. I retraced my footsteps time and time again but the one place where I set my wallet seemed to be a blur. I talked to God throughout this search and tried my best to keep peace about it and know that somehow it was going to pop up. After a few hours I wanted real bad to get frustrated and at times I did but then something happened. I was about to give up so I went, parked my car, and something was telling me to retrace my footsteps one more time. Of course my stubborn attitude I didn't want to even though it was real easy. So after thinking about it I did it one more time. Sure enough nothing was a blur anymore and I reached over and it was right on the side of the passenger seat. Right out in the open! I laughed and realized how much of a big deal I made out of nothing. I feel that God just wanted me to take the time to talk to him and trust in him. Sometimes the smallest situations can have the largest impact. God definitely works in unusual ways but they always work perfectly. 


Anyways, it has been a good week and I am glad that I am able to jot a few things down from time to time. I hope and pray that more writing will be coming soon.


Dear God,
Thank you for making me realize that talking and trusting in you is very important in order to go through everyday life. I pray that I can find peace in everything I do and I praise you through each task of the day. I pray that I can stay away from any type of action that displeases you Father. I pray that I can find time to write more and spend more time with you. I pray that I can mantain a positive attitude. I love you so much.
AMEN

Relax! It's just a game!

Well I got super busy the last couple days and haven't had the opportunity for an update. Things are still going smoothly for the most part. I am still struggling in some areas but I have people helping and praying for me every step of the way.


 www.eatball.com

One thing that has really gone through my mind lately is my attitude. I tend to act differently depending on the situation I am involved in or who I may be hanging out with. I especially notice that I am a totally different person when I am playing baseball. I am what you call an emotional player, I am literally affected by every play that goes on during the game or even practice. This week we had a few games where I really let my emotions get the best of me and I was unable to perform the way I normally should. It is somewhat embarrassing to look back on the ridiculous things I think and say during a game but it is best to go back and laugh at what I actually did. The thing is that baseball is the one sport where it is acceptable to fail a certain amount of times and still be declared great. The problem is that I don't deal to well with failure which gets me into more trouble. Failure is not only embarrassing to me but it is also fills my mind with anger. I know I know, it seems like I am this crazy guy but sometimes I can be. I try my best to get my mind off things and laugh it off with teammates but for some reason I can't shake off certain at bats or plays on the field and they tear me up inside. So I have realized that this too is something I need to work on and just relax because it is just a game. There is no need to be the superstar or the well known athlete. I would rather be known as a superior follower of Jesus then a superior baseball player and getting upset during a game or after an at bat wont help either of those situations. It will only hurt it. So in the end I have learned a lot through this week of conviction and I can definitely see some improvement coming my way! We got a day off today from baseball and I was really able to clear my mind away from all the negative areas and just work to get better!

Ecclesiastes 10:4 (New International Version)

 ⁴ If a ruler's anger rises against you,
       do not leave your post;
       calmness can lay great errors to rest.



Dear God,
Please help me to be able to have a positive attitude and use the talent you gave me to glorify you. Help me to be able to control my anger and tongue during games and practice Lord. Help me to be able to trust my talent and work hard to get better. Give me the energy I need to be able to get through the day and for me to find time to work out on a daily basis. Help me to continue to write and enjoy what I do Lord. I love you very much.
AMEN

Still Climbing

Ever since the other night for some reason I wake up much better even though I only average about 7 and a half hours a night. I just go about the day with a much brighter sense and positive attitude. I look at things brighter and try to remain happy and joyful when around others. One thing I have to continue to do is fight off the enemy and really spend some time talking with God. This sometime can be a tough thing to do especially since I am so caught up on pointless earthly pleasures. I am going to continue this climb up the hill and not give up along the way. 


One thing that I definitely to start doing consistently is reading more of scripture. Going to class is one thing but actually taking time out of my own day to read the word of God is real important. It doesn't really matter what I read, it always seems to apply to my life one way or another. One thing that I recently became interested in was the gospels. Reading about the life of Jesus for some reason just fascinates me. I am sure it is normal for believers but just learning about how the way he went about things and the certain ways he debt with temptations, Jesus is not only my savior he is my hero. My goal in life is to live my life just as he lived his. There is no way I can be perfect but there are millions of ways that I can please him. 


Another positive note is that God keeps showing me signs in different ways telling me not to give up and stay strong! I am so thankful that I am able to take the time to write! I haven't been able to really do this in well over a month and I can't remember the last time I posted things three days in a row! Praise God


Well I leave here tonight with a prayer and a bible verse!

“A man finds joy in giving an apt reply— and how good is a timely word!”- Proverbs 15:23

Dear God,
Thank you for another good day. Although there were times I did struggle I thank you for letting me realize each area where I need to improve my walk with you. I pray that I can be able to get in your word more and spend more time with you. Please continue to help me walk not run this climb by your side God. Help me to have a positive attitude and be an example to others. Help me to live by your standards not mine and help me to focus on Godly things not on earthly things. I pray for my friends and family that may be struggling in specific areas of their life. Help them to look to you for answers whether they know you or not. I love you very much.
AMEN 

Step Forward

Well after a rough couple weeks I went through today with a totally different approach to how I handled things. I was definitely a little shaky but over felt some what accomplished after listing the things that I have been struggling with lately. My game really didn't go as well I as I have hoped and I got angry at points but I kept trying to stay in control with God and he helped me through the rough patches through the day. I also had to fight off the enemy a few times especially when I went to college group tonight. The thoughts that just get caught up in m head, I don't even know where they come from.

Anyways, I see change in my life and I am starting to notice every little thing I do that is unnecessary and the things that I say I sometimes should just keep to myself. I have learned that I am a pretty emotional guy and I like to express how I feel whether it may be positive or negative.

I definitely have a long way to go and it is going to be a tough process but I am going to use all the strength I have in order to make it through this rough patch and come out on top. Since I have God on my side I am guaranteed to come out on top %100 of the time.

Having 3 days off of school starting tomorrow is definitely a plus and will relieve a lot for stress, hopefully I'll be able to get caught up on homework and hit up the gym.

Dear God,
Thank you for the progress today. Please help me to continue to seek you and follow your ways as I go through my everyday walk Lord. Help me to think positively and get rid of all negativeness. Help me to admit when I am wrong and help me to be able to listen to others as they let me know when I do something wrong Lord. Keep me away form any kind of sexual temptation and lustful thoughts. Help me to be able to pay attention through Church and class sessions Lord. Keep me safe through the day and help me to have a Christ like attitude. I love you.
Amen

Oh yea and...

www.BibleGateway.com must of knew what I was going through and picked the daily verse just for me.

Psalm 51:12 (New International Version)

¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.

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Facing My Faults

I know it has been way too long since the last time I have taken the time to write things down here. Honestly since the last time I wrote consistently it seems as if I have lost my fire for the Lord. I see myself getting lazy not only through my everyday life agenda but lazy in seeking and honoring God. I seem to be getting caught up in little pointless things that keep me from the things that need to get done. The only real time that I have picked up the Bible lately was for class and that is the one thing professors told us not to do. I am literally spending no time with God and prayer. I feel down and broken many times during the day. My grades are slipping, I don't have the energy to work out, and I am slowly getting over playing baseball. Sound ridiculous? Well it is. For some reason I thought that I would be able to handle a full schedule this semester. So far it hasn't worked out for me. Not only do I have practice every day except Sunday but I also have class Monday through Friday then work on Saturdays and Sundays. Leaving me basically no time to do anything really and by the time I am done with practice all I want to do is eat and be lazy. I see other people studying for test, working out, telling me what God is doing in their lives, and then I can't even think about the last time I studied for a test, the last time I worked out, or the last time I had a real encounter with my Jesus. I get caught up in making friends, girls, and pointless things on the computer. I try to distance my self from certain things but for some reason they keep popping up. I try to pray real hard but for some reason I just can't figure out what the real problem is. Basically I just want to give up even though that isn't an option. I need to be able to man up and face my faults and open up to others about what is going on in my life. I know that there are people in my life that are willing to listen but I don't know if I know them well enough to open up to help me through this slump. Things I am struggling in include: lustful thoughts, anger, hate, stress, time management, prayer, frustration, love, judging, stealing, laziness, money management, not going to church Sunday morning, selfish thoughts and actions, inappropriate jokes and thoughts, watching R films, looking more then once on bad things that my eyes stumble upon, and many more that I can't even think of. Now I am not running around doing all of these things at once. Honestly I am praying for each and everyone of these things and I can feel the conviction everyday. Every time I commit one of these faults I often have to fight off the enemy and try my best not to slip up and regret something that I do later. This does lead to frustration and lame thoughts that posses me throughout the day. God awakened me today while sitting in my favorite class of the semester New Testament History and Literature with Dr. Mickey Klink. I have never met a man that truly loves scripture like he does. The way he talks about it makes me feel like a child again upon how excited he gets when talking about certain verses and chapters throughout the new testament. Today he talked about letting others know about your faults and for some reason it hit me like a ton of bricks. I new right away that I needed to get things off of my chest and I didn't know how to do it, so after I got up in bed I decided that I was going to read the Bible but when I got up in here for some reason I felt the need to write and talk about what is going on in my life. So I dusted off the good ol blog and decided to pump some stuff out. It feels real good to be able to flow freely on the keyboard without having to really think about what to write about. It is also nice to type something that isn't notes or an essay. It makes me realize how much I miss taking the time to write everyday about my life and my experiences with God. I pray that I will be able to do this more especially since I go to bed late every night now. I definitely have the time to put something up hear everyday but for some reason I just don't. So today I am going to do something that I have never done and just list some stuff asking if you can pray for me. Although no one may really go on here anymore, I need all the prayer I can get. I could probably go on and on with the things that are really going on inside my head lately but I just wanted to get the point across...it is 1AM so i don't know if the whole thought process really worked but I am glad that I actually took the time to get this stuff off my chest.

Although reading this may seem like I am being selfish, it is because I am just trying to get a lot of stuff off of my chest that I have built up inside of me. Everything I think of I write it down no matter how big or small of a circumstance it may be. Once I am able to cope all these things together and figure them out I will be able to help others who may be struggling just like I am today.
Please pray for God to help me for:
Being able to use my time wisely
Help me to keep from committing any type of sin
Keep me away from sexual lust
Keep me away from the love of money
Help me manage my money better
Help me not to judge others
Help me to not be lazy
Help me to not get caught up in pointless necessaries
Help me to seek God and have a burning desire to desire him
Help me to find time to sleep and to wake up refreshed
Help me to love others as Jesus loved me
Help me to be able to represent Jesus everywhere I go
Keep me from looking at things I shouldn't
Keep me humble
Help me to be able to read the Bible and understand Jesus more
Help me not to get frustrated
Help me to be able to do my homework
Help me to take things seriously
Help me to get closer to the guys on my team
Help me to be able to set the good example
Help me not to boast
Help me to be fair
Keep me from steeling anything whatsoever
Pray that I am able to find someone close to me that I can talk to about anything and have them understand what the heck is going on in my unusual brain.

Dear God,
Thank you for pushing me into writing the things I did here today. Help me to be able to find the time to do this on a daily basis. Help me to get closer to you and not do this for myself but to do it all for you! I pray that I can be able to spend time with my family more often and be able to go to church on Sunday mornings. Help me to work harder in both school, baseball, and most of all reading the Bible. Give me a good night sleep so that I may be refreshed for the oncoming day. Help me to do anything I can to serve you God. Help me to keep my eyes and thoughts away form anything sexual God. Help me not to judge others but to love them. Please guide me on the right path to righteousness. Help me to kick off this the moment I wake up to the moment I fall asleep. Give me the strength I need to be able to keep you in my thoughts throughout the day.
I love You.
Amen

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!

Here is the Deal

I not only let myself down but I know I have let many others down with no keeping up with my writings. To be honest ever since I stopped putting in the 2 hour a day effort it really has be lowed my status as a person. I couldn't really put that into better words but basically ever since a week before my last post my life really hasn't been on the right tracks. I am always busy and I am always doing something so I come with excuses for just about everything. There aren't to many friends I really am close with anymore these days. I am constantly at work, playing baseball, and I am actually apart of a jury and in the middle of a big decision with that. I miss coming to the computer and writing about my life and what God has been doing in my life. Again through the last couple weeks of writing I saw the writings more as a burden rather then a beneficial part of my life. That is basically the main reason why I stopped. I didn't see any positive responses in my life through the process. I no longer was looking forward to sitting down at the computer and giving the time not only to reflect on my day but the time where I can sit and talk to Jesus about everything that is going on in my life. I no longer have those people who I talk to that take the time to read and i could talk to them about what goes on in my day. When someone brings up the fact that I haven't written or when they ask "hey what has been up with your blog man?" I just put my head down and don't want to talk about it. So again in honest words I am ashamed for the fact that I haven't written a decent amount of words in well over a month. I apologize to everyone I let down and I decided that from time to time I will go ahead and post some things on here but it most likely wont turn into another day to day event. Thank you for understanding and please keep your eyes fixed on the wonderful son of God.

Okay so here is the news

I know it is an excuse but I have spent no time on the ocmputer lately. I have been super busy with work, school, and baseball. I couldn't find time in the day to actually write and it is getting really tough now keeping up with everything. I am sorry if I have let anyone down. Two more weeks and I will be done with everything so hopefully I will be able to write more everyday.

Day 123 "Down to San Diego"

Daily Summary: Well for some reason coach scheduled practice for 4:00PM instead of our normal 1:30PM. So throughout the day I just kind of sat around did some homework and relaxed up until practice began. It seems as if every time I think it is going to be a simple and easy practice I am always awaken by the fact that it is not only long but tough. I love these kind of practices but it still puts a toll on me sometimes. Eventually we got out and I rushed to dinner, then to my room to gather my packed things and before I new it I was in the car headed to San Diego for the conference tournament. I was super stoked and ready to play and can't wait to get away and play some baseball in a beautiful area. This park is amazing, you could literally see the ocean right from the field. The school and the field is on a cliff facing the beach and is just a beautiful sight. Well I have to wake up around 6:00AM tomorrow to get ready for the game. Good night.

Day 122 "9 hour work day"

Daily Summary: Well I worked literally all day today! Well only from about 12:00 to 9:00 but it was still the longest day I have ever worked before. The thing is I enjoyed every single seconed of it! I love the people I work with and the place I work at. The place is caled Outta Bounds and it just opened off of Green River Rd. in Corona. It is a preety kick back place that has everything from computer games to Laser tag and has great food. After work I just headed back to school and got ready for another busy week at Biola.

Day 121 "Productive"

Daily Summary: Well I was supposed to have an early practice then go back home and work for the rest of the night. Well for some reason our coach changed the practice time and I wasn't able to go in and work. It was kind of disappointing but I was excited for the fact that my neck was feeling a lot better and that I was going to be able to actually practice today. It was a good practice for the most part. It was pretty normal, we played lighting and I got to play infield for the entire time which was awesome! I haven't played it in a while so it was for sure fun. A few of the guys were being kind of lame during the day, but it is pretty much normal when we play lightning. Well practice finally ended around 6:00PM and I couldn't wait to get off campus and head home. I met up with my friend Allison and hung out with her for a while before getting into Corona and spending the night at my dad's house. Although today was short it was productive. I literally didn't stop moving the whole day. Always doing something but not wasting my time. Woo hoo! Ha well tomorrow is going to be a busy but productive day as well as I am working from 12:00 to 9:00PM! This will be the longest day I have ever worked but hey it's money in the bank! Lol good night.

Day 120 "Stiff Neck"

Daily Summary: Okay so I woke up today perfectly normal like any other Friday morning. I played some tetris, called my mom to see if we were meeting again, then jumped in the shower. I was moving around great and everything was fine. As I was getting out of the shower I felt this pain all of a sudden on the right side of my neck. I thought it was just a little burst of pain and that it would go away quickly. Then as time went on, the pain just seemed to be getting worse. Before I new it I couldn't move my neck an inch to the right and my neck was completely stiff and painful. I had never experienced anything like it before and it didn't seem like it was going to get any better throughout the day. Since I didn't handle my last injury well I tried my best to handle this one okay. I didn't really get upset, I probably could use another day off from baseball. At least my body could. I went to the training room and put a heat pad on it for a while before heading down to meet my mom. This was the second time this week I was able to meet her and I loved it. Although it was really hard to drive not being able to turn to the right I am still glad I was able to drive down there and hang with her. I managed to just stay in the right lanes so that way I wouldn't have to look over my shoulder. Well after that quality time with my wonderful mother, I headed back to school and headed to practice. I tried my best to do things but my neck just wouldn't let me. It was hurting pretty bad so I just sat out for the day and watched our long practice. I thought it would be a nice simple one but today was a long day. Everyone thought it was pretty funny the way I was walking around, I thought it was kind of funny to. I walked around kind of like a statue would walk around. Well if they could walk. Ha anyways after practice, I got ready real quick and picked up Gab. We went and met my step mom over at Outback and got ourselves some free food and hang out with her for a little bit. After that we drove down to Downtown Disney and hung out there for a while before heading back and going to see the new Fast and Furious movie at the 2 dollar theater. It is actually called the dollar theater but since the price is actually $2 most of the time, I think it should be called the 2 dollar theater. Anyways ha today was a great day and I am glad I was able to hang out with the people I hung out with and I am praying that my neck feels better for tomorrow! By the way I have no idea what the picture means. I just googled the words stiff and neck and that came up. Good night.

Day 119 "Another Long Day"

Daily Summary: Well today was definitely another long day but another productive one. I turned in all of my homework and also got a lot done. If we didn't have these two days off from practice then I probably would have never finished all of the things I had to do. The next few days I am going to be pretty busy as well so that means I probably am not going to be writing all that much. I promise though for Atlas Monday, maybe Sundays blog I will be writing a lot. I have been slacking once again big time on my writings and I really need to step it all up. Summer is three weeks away and I will be able to write a lot every single day and I can't wait for that to get going. I read today in 1 Corinthians 10:13 and it talked about temptations. God will always give us a way out if we seek it. There is always a way to defeat Satan we just need to be able to stand up for God and follow his will. This is another tough thing to do especially when we all get stressed and overwhelmed with the things around us. We often give in easy and we need to really just sit down and relax and talk to God through what we are going through. It will help us put a positive outlook on things and it will make our day that much better. Well tomorrow is another busy day that I am looking forward to. Lets see what the Lord brings me.

Day 118 "7 Hours in the Library"

Daily Summary: Well today consisted of exactly what the title explained. From 10:00 to 5:00 I sat in the library trying to catch up with about 2 weeks worth of homework. With God's help and a little patience I was able to get through it all and finish what needed to be done. There are so many times where we want to give up on the things we started. School is one thing that growing up not to many kids actually enjoy. For those who are able to attend a University and earn a degree is an accomplishment that I consider one that is honored. I am looking forward to the day that I am able to walk down that narrow pathway and receive my diploma. Although I probably am going to have quite a bit of debt piled up, the fact that I was able to push through all of the rough trials that I accomplished would be one that is enough. Those little words push me through every day to be able to get through the lame assignments that I have to complete. Like I have said many times God has put me at this school for a reason. It is difficult but hey, I am getting paid to play baseball and have a half/free education. Life couldn't have worked out better, especially at a Christian school. Well goodnight everybody.

Day 117 "Last Regular Season Game"

Daily Summary: Well I didn't at all really get a good night sleep last night I woke up exhausted. I jumped in the shower and managed to wake up somewhat. Today was somewhat a big day. With a loss we could end up in 4th place but with a win we would be in 3rd place. We obviously were shooting for a 3rd place finish so we weer pushing a victory. Fresno is the 8th ranked team in the country and we missed being ranked 25th by about 3 votes. This victory would also secure a top 25 finish in the nation witch would be awesome! Ha well the time finally came and we showed up at the field. They put the same pitcher that faced us last time on the mound which was kind of weird but he is a good pitcher so they took their chances. They guessed right and he threw a great game. Not good enough though as we pulled off an upset win and beat Fresno 4 to 3! I was stoked and I new after winning we would have a great ride home with the coach and definitely stop and eat somewhere. Indeed we did and it was a great way to end the regular season. We are heading up to San Diego to play a GSAC tournament on Monday and I can't wait for that!

Day 116 "Live Like It's Your Last"

Daily Summary: Well last few days I haven’t really put in a whole lot of time through my blogs. Now it isn’t because I don’t feel like writing, it is just that I haven’t really had time to find things to write about. From the moment I wake up to the moment I fall asleep I always seem to be running around doing something. Weather it may be homework, eating, reading, or baseball I am always on the move. Today wasn’t really all that different. I woke up got ready and then headed out to go meet my mom for lunch. Since she cancelled on me last week she said she wanted to go on Monday. So I left around 10:30 and headed over there. I left early to stop somewhere and by some treats for the long ride to Fresno today. I got there and I couldn't’t find anything to get. For some reason for the price it wasn’t worth it. So I settled for some almonds and starburst jelly beans. Those are my favorite. Ha well I filled the car up with gas and I met up with my mom. We went to Chipotle and it completely filled me up. So the snacks I bought were completely useless but hanging out with my mom definitely wasn’t. It is always fun like I always explain, when we get to hang out with one another one on one. After that I headed back and I went a way where I could see the flowers on the corner where Nick Adenhart died. It made me think of how precious our time is here on earth. It could literally be our last moments here on earth at any time. So that is why we should be motivated to live everyday like it is out last. Weather it may be playing a sport, working, or talking about Jesus! Keep working at whatever your doing your best and just love on God. He will be with You every step of the way and will always be there when you need him. Well after that little touching moment I got back to school and got ready to head back up to Fresno. Another long drive awaited and this time I wasn't able to go with Dave but I went with a couple of the coaches including out head coach. There were only 2 other teammates in his truck and it was kind of awkward the whole time with the coaches there so we were quite for the most part but still managed to have fun. We watched a movie called "Catch Me if You Can" and it was really good. I enjoyed it and the drive wasn't so bad. It didn't really last that long and before we new it we were sitting in the hotel room watching TV. It is kind of funny how we instantly get glued to a TV like we have never seen one before. Being away at college watching TV is something that is never done so it is nice to be able to. For the remainder of the night we didn't really leave the room for the whole night. We even ordered pizza that was delivered right to our room. Ha we just relaxed for the rest of the night. Lets hope I sleep good! Ha good night.

Day 115 "Legit Quote"

"Love winning because it is easy to love, but recognize that losing makes you become better. Love throwing, hitting, running, and scoring. All over the world today, there are people lying in bed dreaming of being able to do those things. It’s not whether you win or lose, it is the fact that you are gifted, skilled and talented and, win or lose, you STILL will be."

I am not sure who wrote or said this but a facebook friend posted it up on their profile.

During the beginning of the baseball season things weren't really going my way. I wasn't playing to the best of my ability and I actually just wanted to give up. When I got hurt things really got jacked up in my mind. I honestly just didn't want to play baseball anymore. I thought my days were done. Now after looking back and reading this quote it makes me realize how stupid I really was. Instead of just giving up all I had to do is go to God for help. I began to pray and pray consistently in not only healing but for Him to help me be able to trust in the talent that He has given me and for me to use it to the best I can. Through a long process and a couple of miracles I am now back on the field playing some of the best baseball I have ever played. My dad reminding me of past experiences and past teams really motivated me to step it up a notch. Now my dad may not know this but his words really have had an impact on me through my career in the sports world. I still remember the things he said to me when I was 11 years old and they still affect me today. Even though they may only be one sentence I still put them all to heart and they have influenced me in the way I play the game today. He always knocks some sense into me and has told me to never give up my dream of playing baseball for as long as I can. That is exactly what I am going to do. My dad has sat through 1,000's and has spent 1,000's upon 1,000's of hours and money on me for baseball so the least I could do is respect what he has to say and put it to heart.

During the time I was writing this for some reason I was lead to send my dad and email.

Hey Dad,
For some reason I felt like I needed to send you and email about what is on my mind. I was doing my normal writing like I do everyday and I found this awesome quote that really had big impact on me and baseball. I was talking about it and for some reason I couldn't stop thinking about you and how you have really motivated me in playing the game. I still remember things way back in the day that you said to me and still have an impact on me today. For example, when I was 11 years old playing for the Dodgers at Anaheim pony I was struggling. I wasn't hitting to well and it wasn't even bothering me. I was striking out more then I have ever struck out before. On the way home from one of our games I think it was, you began talking to me and asking "What the heck is going on with you?" you then went on to say "Why are you striking out so much? You never used to strike out." Since you have said those words, I have made it one of my top priorities when hitting to not strike out. Those words go through my head before every at bat and before every game and they have been for well over 7 years now. Another example was when I was 12 years old playing in an All Star game for Olive Little League. I was wearing sun glasses while playing third base and then didn't really have a good game hitting that day. I actually had my first strike out in 32 games if you could remember that and I am sure you can. After the game on the way home, you started talking about how I was wearing glasses and when taking them off in-between innings if that was messing up my eye sight when I went up to bat. I don't think I wore glasses out on the field after that up until I got to high school and played the outfield. Now I wear them almost every single game and you probably haven't noticed this, but after every third out is made, I instantly take off my glasses before running into the dug out, just to have an extra couple of seconds to make sure my eyes are adjusted to the sunlight before I go up to bat. I know it may sound a little crazy, but you have that kind of impact on me. The glasses may not have an impact on my eye sight but your words do. One more thing that I will explain is my Junior year of high school. You and I went to a college information meeting at the school gym on night. I was looking into trade schools and everything to go to after college and not go further in baseball. Ten I think when we were walking out you clearly explained to me not to give up my baseball dream and not move to forward in pursuing a career rather then play baseball in college. After that I began to work extra hard in baseball and bumped up my average that year and ended up hitting .349 and obviously got a scholarship the next year to Biola. Now with these three examples I am sure I could explain a million more. There have been a few instances this year where you have said a few words of encouragement that have motivated me to play harder and I have done exactly that and I will continue to do so. I am going to work hard and continue to stay on the top of the hitting charts for the remainder of the season. So with all of this I would like to say thank you. Thank you for the countless hours and money you have spent on me in order to stay on the top of my game. Now to end it, beneath all of the money you have spent and all of the time you have spent driving and sitting through games THANK YOU for the most priceless thing you have given me, your words. I love you so much dad and I know that you know that. I look forward to talking with you on a daily basis on the phone no matter what it is we talk about. I can't wait to spend some time with you this summer.

Thanks again your son,
Vincent Gary Fayard

Day 114 "Double Header Sweep Over Azusa!"

Daily Summary: I don't really have to much to say today since I didn't go in front of the computer at all. The one thing that I will mention is that we swept Azusa Pacific today in a double header which garunteed us a regional playoff birth! It was two really good games and I had so much fun competing with Azusa. They are games that I have been waiting for all year and I am glad we got these two games today. Read about it here. SWEEP OVER AZUSA!

By the way, Jesus never sinned because if He did then our faith would mean nothing. Hebrews 2:14- Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—

Day 113 "Jesus Never Gets Old"

Daily Summary: Well, after having a great night sleep last night I started my day off by going down the gym and trying my best to work out and not hurt my shoulder. It usually never hurts during the day, but when I work out it hurts almost the whole time. It is still healing and I'll definitely be able to get back to my normal workout schedule in about a month. Can't wait for that. After that, I went back to the room for a while before my mom called and cancelled our usual Friday lunch. I was pretty lame because I was really looking forward to it but I just went on with my day. I relaxed up until practice began and it was sure an easy one. I thought since we lost that we were going to have a long practice but it was only about 2 and a half hours and we got out of there around 4:00. I showered up and got back to my room before heading out for the night with Gabby. We went down to the beach and read the Bible and talked about Jesus. Basically what we do every time we hang out but it never gets old. Ha I don't think Jesus could ever get old, there is always something to talk about when it comes to Him. Oh so I was browsing around on the web today and a few days ago I talked about how cool it was that Miss California stood up for what she believed in with the whole Gay marriage thing. Well I found this video of her being interviewed and the way she talks about how God is blessed her and how positive she is through the whole thing is just amazing. Check it out!

Day 112 "Lost"

Daily Summary: Well something that went great today was that I woke up in not only a fantastic mood, but refreshed and ready for the day. I had the best sleep that I have had in a while and I usually never sleep well in hotel rooms. I got right up walked to 7 Eleven and got some coffee and a donut. After that I sat by the pool and wrote a little bit before packing up and getting ready to head to breakfast then to out game against Fresno Pacific University. We really needed to win these games especially since we lost that last league game against Concordia. I again ate awesome food at that same restraint as last night but this time I had breakfast there. Ate a delicious waffle, sorry i don't have a picture of it today. Breakfast then finished up and before we new it we were heading down to the field to start our game. Their field was beautiful and they had what it seemed to be a professional announcer that announced the hitters an everything it was actually pretty cool. While that was cool the game wasn't that cool. We lost big time and never had the lead throughout the game. The score was 13 to 5 as there bats came alive at their home field. It was a disappointing road trip up until we found out the Azusa Pacific lost to Westmont. This was huge for us since we are playing them this coming up Saturday and we need to win both in order to secure a spot in the playoffs. I have been waiting for a long time to play Azusa especially since the last time we played them I was hurt. Shoot. Anyways all we did was basically drive home for the rest of the night. 5 hour drive that wasn't too eventful, sorry there was nothing really to talk about today. The day was pretty short.

Day 111 "BIggest Buger Ever"

Daily Summary: Well again I didn’t really have the best amount of sleep that I should have had last night, but I still managed to wake up nice and refreshed. Right away I started off the day doing homework and I wouldn’t look back from doing so up until around Noon. So about 5 hours of homework before a 5 hour drive wasn’t the best way to start off a day. I took some time to go to the cages and hit a little bit with Hawkins so that gave me some time to get my mind off of things. After that I kind of had to rush around, pack some stuff up, and grab the lunches before heading up to Fresno. The drive actually wasn’t that bad at all. I watched a Wednesday night Generate service from last week that I downloaded the night before and then we watched a movie so the time literally flew by. We finally got down here to feel that it was well over 100 degrees. We settled in our rooms for a while before walking over to the restaurant they had here on the same campus as the hotel. Here at this restaurant they had the biggest burger I had ever seen on their menu. I don’t know if you can tell from the picture but this thing was huge! So of course I had to get one, along with the other half of my team getting the same thing. There were a few that couldn’t finish but I myself stuffed that whole thing in my stomach and said I never was going to eat again. I was stuffed but proud of myself. It was a lot of fun all sitting at the same table as most of the team and fellow shipping with one another. The cool part was that I happened to be sitting at the end of this huge table and we held hands as I prayed for the food and the safe travels. Although I stutter at times when I pray in public, I do indeed love to. Setting the example to people that we never may see again is just one thing in general I love doing. I keep praying to God that he will open my mind even more and be able to talk to anyone about God even if they are sitting right next to me and talking about something totally other then God. I do pray for that they start talking about something that I may relate to so that I could jump into their conversation and then bring up the topic of Jesus. I mean why not, they may never get another chance to realize who Jesus is. I love Jesus ha wow. Anyways, for the remainder of the night, we just watched this awesome presentation on Josh Hamilton. He was a number 1 draft pick for then the Tampa Bay Devil Rays back in 1998 or 1999, and then fell apart after getting injured in a car accident and getting addicted to drugs and alcohol. A few years later the Lord opened his eyes through his grandma back in 2005 and he hasn’t looked back to his old habits. The story is truly amazing and the way he gives everything to God is even more amazing. He is now an all star outfielder and doing excellent for the Texas Rangers. I recommend looking up his story and testimony as a true inspiration to your self. I guarantee there isn’t one quite like it and it will pump you up as a believer. After watching that we watched a little bit of Sports Center the capped off the night with a movie called Vacancy. It is this horror flick that takes place a small little motel and every time a couple checks in, they rape and kill the customers while having the whole thing filmed. Pretty gross stuff not to mention the fact that we were currently staying at a small little hotel in Fresno. Ha good thing I don’t let scary movies get to me otherwise I would probably of freaked out. Yay for Jesus telling us not to fear! Well my patience and anger was tested tonight as a few of the players decided to play a prank on us 4 freshman. What they did was take an Axe bottle (body deodorant that smells horrible), put tape around it so that it continuously sprayed, then put it in our bathroom until the entire bottle ran out. I am not going to lie, I got pretty dang upset and bitter about the whole situation. Especially since I was about to go to sleep and they had no reason for doing such lame prank to us. Our room smelled like a bunch of chemicals and I could hardly breath. It put me in a bad mood for a while especially after I started sneezing and having a headache but then I just kept praying to God and telling myself that they were just trying to have fun and I should just try and be the bigger person and let it be. To be real, seeing me upset probably made their whole prank a little funnier to them seeing that I don’t really get that upset all that often. So if I just ignore it and let it be, then they probably wont do it again since they saw that it doesn’t bother me. I don’t know if that makes sense but it seems to always work. Ha well I am just about in the 1000 word range so I’ll stop here. Tomorrow is a big game against Fresno Pacific and I can’t wait to get on that field and compete. I don’t know what time this is going to be posted since there is no Internet around here so bare with me. Have a great day and remember to fix your eyes on the Son! (As my step dad always says in his emails.) See ya!

Daily Reading: James 1:19 Well I picked this verse as kind of a conviction to what happened today. I wasn’t very slow to speak and I wasn’t very to become angry either. I actually went off on one of the guys on my team and I would like to flat out say I handled the situation totally wrong. I talked to them afterwards and explained my thoughts on everything, I apologized for it all and it was done with. Not getting angry when things don’t go my way is something I need to work on and is definitely a tough task to accomplish for anyone. Just remember that Jesus never got angry with anyone even the ones that mocked him and made fun of everything that He did. What he did was ask God to forgive the people that were making fun of him. Now if we as Christians are trying our best to be like Jesus then this is one giant step into doing so. It is kind of funny as I am writing this I am sitting in a car with a bunch of guys listening to 2 Pac who is rapping about being angry and is blasting out the F word like it was his first word as a Child. Sorry I just thought I would through that in here real quick. I thought it was quite funny. When we talk to much and listen too little, we communicate to others that we think our ideas are much more important than theirs. James wisely advises us to reverse this process. Put a mental stopwatch on your conversations and keep track of how much yout alk and how much you listen. When people talk to you, do they feel their viewpoints and ideas and value? Now we are often quick to find fault in others that may have these problems but sometimes we need to sit down and figure out if we to do the same thing. Just be humble and let Jesus shine through you with words and actions.

Daily Prayer: Dear God, Hey there, today was a great easy day. I pray right away for the angry that I dealt with today. I pray that in the future I will be able to handle these kind of situations the way You would handle them. I pray for our games tommarrow that they will go well and that I will keep my eyes fixed on You throughout the entire game God. I pray that others will also look to You when struggling with self desttruction. I thank You for the safe travels and the time I got to spend with some teamates on the way to Fresno. There are some God that don't really know You God. I pray that I can be a light in their lives and that they can somehow find You Jesus. I now would like to pray for any of my friends or family that may be going through a rough time. Please help them to come to You with their problems and for them to Trust You through the whole situation. I pray God that You will not only help me but help others as well in being able to understand how truly perfect Your timing is. Please also let us no that there is in fact a time for everything and that anything can happen on any given day. Good or bad God help us all to praise You. I pray for my friends and family that don't know You God. I pray that You will help them to somehow find Your light and please use me in doing that Lord. I pray that You will continue to help me develop new friendships and for me to grow in the ones that I have. I pray for my dream girl God that there will be someone in my life forever who I can talk about with You and praise about the wonders You are doing in our lives. Please help me to be patient in the process and know that Your timing is right. I pray now for the churches I am apart of or have been apart of Lord. Many of them are struggling financially. Please help them to fix these problems God along with all of America's economy. I pray for my frustration, anger, and sexual temptations God along with any other earthly pleasure. Please keep me from them so I will not be tempted in anyway to go against Your word. I pray for the unspoken and forgotten prayers God. Please help them to come to me so I may pray for them. I pray for these things in Your wonderful name.
AMEN.

Hey Guys

I was in Fresno through the past couple of days so I will be posting both blogs for Wednesday and Thursday right when I get internet service.

Day 110 "Standing Up for what You Believe In"

Daily Summary: Alright, well today was another good day. I had a great sleep last night and was just ready for the day. Lately I haven't been wanting time to really go by all that quick since I have so much homework to do and everything. I am trying my best to complete it all but baseball is kind of taking up all of my time. Not including today's game there are only 4 regular season games left. I can't believe how quick season has gone by so far. It isn't over for still a couple of weeks because like I said before, we need to win these next 4 games otherwise we are in trouble. I think we can pull it off especially since the way we have been playing. Well I got through my classes and got ready to head to La Verne in a non conference match up with a NCAA division 3 school. Although I was super tired throughout the day, I was feeling pretty good about today's game. We beat this team last time we played them but barely beat them 4 to 2. They aren't a very good team but for some reason we were just real flat the last time we played them. Well we weren't so flat this time. We beat them 16 to 10 including two grand slams hit one by Billy Vopinek and the other one by Steve Alexander. It was a fun game that that I really enjoyed but boy was it hot! The other cool thing was that my buddy from high school was on that team and we got to see each other. He didn't get to play and we didn't really get to talk all that much but it was still good to see him. I played right field again and had a good game. I went 3 for 3 with a double and 2 RBI's. I have been feeling real comfortable at the plate lately and I try my best to have no fear up there so I think that has really been helping me out. Along with talking with God throughout my entire at bats. Baseball is really fun at the moment. It is all I have had to really write about lately because that is all I have been doing the last few weeks. One thing that I have been reading on the news lately that both pumps me up but also disappoints me is Miss California. The way she stood up for what she believed in was amazing! In front of millions of people she clearly showed that marriage should be between a man and a women. The amazing thing was she said this answer to a gay judge that obviously asked her because California voted yes on prop 8! She probably new that she wasn't going to win for her answer but she went ahead and answered it trufuly anyway. I am so happy for her and I hope that what she said hasn't disappointed her at all and that she wont regret standing up for what she believes in. What disappoints me the most is all the comments she has gotten back about her remarks. People are pretty much ripping her up for what she said and while reading the comments by people on line and everything it saddened me at how many people were against what she said compared to the people that were supporting her. I'll have take the time to really pray for those people because they really have it all wrong. Well for the rest of the night, I just spent time in the dark room and finish up some photos for my project that is due on Tuesday even though I am not even going to be here for the due date. With this Fresno trip I am missing about 5 papers that are due both Thursday and next Tuesday. Baseball is kicking my but ha. Well I am going to get a good night sleep tonight because tomorrow is a long day! Good night!
Daily Reading: Mark 13:13
Jesus speaking here! He is speaking to a few of his disciples about the future and is letting them know that people will hate them just for following Him. To believe in Jesus, and stand "firm to the end" will take perseverance because our faith will be challenged and opposed. Severe trials will sift true Christians from fair-weather believers. Enduring to the end does not earn salvation for s, but marks us as already saved. The assurance of our salvation will keep us going through the times of persecution. As I explained about Miss California today Jesus was obviously right. I am not sure if Miss California is a follower of Christ but she obviously believes in the same things we as Christians do with the whole marriage thing. With this example she stood up for what she believed in even though she may have known that she wasn't going to win the competition by what she said, she still said it anyway. This is what we as Christians should always be doing when we are faced with trials and temptations. Sometimes we are asked similar questions in many situations where you may loose respect from millions of people or possibly even just one or two. Whatever the question may be, we need to be able to stand up for Jesus and answer the question according to what His word has to say about it. Would you rather go against what you believe in order to please others that may loose respect for you? Or would you rather stand up for what you believe in and be saved and respected by the man who died for you just so you can live a peaceful life? Jesus' respect is far more important then anyone on this planets respect. He will always reward us in wonderful ways.
Daily Prayer:
Dear God,
Thank You for another amazing day and another victory out on the baseball field. Thank you for the fact that I am succeeding and playing the way You have made me to play. I thank You for helping me get rid of all my fear and everything while playing. Thank You for helping me trust in the talent You have given me and please help me continue to talk to You during the game. I pray for the ones and myself who may have trouble in standing up for what they believe in. Help them to always be speaking the words of You Father and for us to not worry about what people think about us and for us to focus on Your respect rather then other non-believers. I pray that while we are standing up for ourselves that we will plant a seed in their minds and may question why is it that we think so positive so that they too may have a chance to be saved. I pray that others will be able to see You through me and my actions Father. I now pray for my friends and family Father that they may be going through some rough times. I pray that You will lift them up in whatever they may be going through and help them to fix their eyes on You. I pray for the friends and family that don't know You or they think that they know You Lord but the full relationship isn't there. Please help them to understand what know who You are and for them to somehow find You. Please use me in this process an for me to show Your love and grace to everyone around me. I pray for us Christians who may be getting judged by the things we do. Please help the ones that may be criticizing us to realize what the Word says about it all and for them to focus on how their relationship is rather then ours. I pray for my dream girl Lord that You will somehow help me find her and for me to be patient in the process. I pray for school for me to get going on that and for me to be able to do all of my homework and to do it on time. I pray for our country and our new president. That You help him in making the right decisions and for us to be able to turn this economy around. I pray all these things in Your name.
AMEN.