Dexter Fowler, Chicago Cubs

“He gives strength to the weary and strengthens the powerless. Youths may faint and grow weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint.”– Isaiah 40:29-31

I grew up in Marietta, Ga., a suburb of Atlanta, where I was actively involved with FCA, and my family and I were always at church. Throughout my elementary school days and all the way up, that was my life. And it was from that foundation that I learned to trust in God and put Him first in all I do.

Looking back, I know God’s truth and salvation were somewhat hard to comprehend at a young age, but I just kept asking questions, determined to learn more. My close relationships with my parents, who have been together for more than 30 years, and my older brother, Wesley, helped provide answers to my questions and led to my decision to follow the Lord when I was 12 years old. That was just the beginning, as I invited the Holy Spirit into my life to lead and guide me.

Outside of the church, my childhood consisted of a heavy dose of baseball. My dad was my coach when I first started playing at the coach-pitch level at four years old. He and my brother, who was actually better than me, taught me so much about the game.

As the years went on and I kept improving, my expectations for how far I could go with baseball began to soar. Having a successful high school career and seeing other local guys get drafted made me realize that my Major League goals weren’t far from my reach.

I took one step closer to those dreams when the Colorado Rockies selected me in the 14th round of the 2004 MLB Draft.

Without the support of my family and seeking the Lord’s direction through prayer, it would have been much more difficult to decline the college scholarship offers and sign my first professional contract to begin playing in the minors. I leaned on my faith in God, knowing He is never wrong and would be my steadying Rock as I left home to pursue my dreams.

He was there through the struggles of the minors when I was asked to become a switch hitter. He was there when I broke my hand and had doubters wondering if I’d ever recover from the injury. He was there during surgery and rehab, and He was there on the flip side in 2008, when I was invited to play in both the All-Star Futures Game and for Team USA at the Beijing Summer Olympics. And He was there in my joy on Sept. 2, 2008, when I was called up to the Rockies to make my Major League debut.

For five years, I was blessed to play in Colorado with teammates who supported and believed in me. As a young guy, it could’ve been intimidating walking into that situation, but there were faith-filled guys in the clubhouse who I looked up to and who helped strengthen my faith by pouring God’s love into me.

I used to tell my wife that it was difficult and challenging for me to teach people. But being on new teams and having a young daughter have been His way of showing that I’m capable of being a leader, teacher and nurturer. I lean on Him in every new opportunity both at home and “at the office.”

I know God put me on this platform to spread His Word. The best way I can share my faith is to lead by example and play with the joy He has given me as His child.

Playing this game is just a stepping stone on my journey through life with Him. I pray that I embrace every opportunity that He puts in my path to share His message of salvation. And when I get weary because of the challenges and struggles in this life, I know that He is always there to renew my strength.

Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

--This article originally appeared in the July/August 2014 issue of FCA Magazine. To view the issue in its entirety digitally, click here: http://bit.ly/fcamagvol56issue4

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