Wednesday’s Spotlight: Beyond Belief
I wanted to highlight Josh Hamilton’s book today (written with Tim Keown). 
I was completely humbled and blown away by this book. I was familiar with Josh’s story before I started the book. I lived in Dallas for over 30 years, and I’m an avid Texas Rangers fan.
I was aware that Josh previously had a drug problem. And I knew that he credited his recovery to his family and his faith.
However, I had no idea the depth of his faith. And I am serious, when I say I stand amazed – and humbled. After reading this book, I wish that I could read it with the high school classes that I teach. Although I do read excerpts with them, and I often assign news stories to them (including sports stories – and yes, a Josh Hamilton story), it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to assign them this book. HOWEVER, I can definitely put it on the bookshelf in my room and hope someone will ask to check it out!
The short version – if you’re unfamiliar, is that Josh was given a $3.96 million dollar signing bonus 2 days after graduating high school to play baseball for the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Somehow along the way, he fell under the spell of drug addiction, until he was suspended from major league baseball, spent nearly all of his money, and his wife had to have a restraining order issued against him in order to protect their children.
The turning point came when Josh showed up on his grandmother’s doorstep. She took him in, prayed for him (as many people were praying for him), fed him and loved him. Today, as I write this blog, Josh is the #1 hitter in major league baseball. He’s clean, he’s reunited with his family, and he credits it all to God.
“None of this would have been possible without my relationship with Christ. I went through 8 different drug treatment and rehabilitation clinics, but my personal resurrection did not come from a group session or a therapist’s couch. I know the twelve steps by heart, but my healing did not come from a strict adherence to those principles. Instead, my life changed from hopeless to hope-filled when I turned to God and asked for His help.”
Wow. When Josh is asked how his recovery was possible, how he could make a come-back after the abuse he showered on his body, he shrugs and replies “It’s a God-thing.” There simply is no other answer. And the words he repeats over and over are “God first, then my family, then baseball.”
This was one of the most inspirational books I’ve read this year, actually in several years. And this is one young athlete that I’m proud to have my students look up to.
V~
Vannetta Chapman 