God's Faithfulness Throughout My Life

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The following is a glimpse into some of the extraordinary circumstances God has used to shape my life and deepen my faith in Jesus Christ.

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My parents divorced when I was five years old, and my childhood was marked by instability. My father lived in St. Louis, while my mother moved to Chicago. Between the ages of eight and twelve, I moved between those cities six times, attending a total of twenty-one schools before graduating high school. In addition living with a stepmother who openly resented me only added to my difficulties. Looking back, I now clearly see and understand that God allowed those circumstances to develop perseverance with my character and providing a dependence upon Him.

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One of the defining moments of my childhood came in September 1963 when I attended my first Major League Baseball game and witnessed one of Stan Musial's final appearances with the St. Louis Cardinals. That day ignited a lifelong passion for baseball. What I did not realize at that time was that God used the game as a platform and pathway throughout much of my life and ministry.

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At the age of twelve, I met the Chicago Cubs Hall of Famer Ernie Banks. Over the years we developed a lifelong friendship. Through Ernie, God opened doors I could never have imagined.

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My mother and I in 1968 moved to Hollywood, California. Two years later, a friend invited me to church for the first time. Under the ministry of Jim Ferguson and Louis Zamperini at First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior during a youth outing in the spring of 1970. That decision forever changed the direction of my life.

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Later that year, Ernie Banks helped me fulfill my dream of becoming a batboy for the 1971 Los Angeles Dodgers. Yet during that same season, I unexpectedly became homeless, living on the streets of Hollywood as a teenager. Baseball remained my refuge, but Christ became my genuine source of hope as I began learning what it meant to follow Him.

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During that season, God arranged another life-changing friendship. Before a Dodgers-Giants game, I met San Francisco Giants star Bobby Bonds. After boldly asking him where he would spend eternity, I learned he was already a committed Christian. That conversation began a friendship that lasted more than thirty years, with Bobby becoming like a big brother and faithful encouragement in my walk with Christ.

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In 1972, Bobby arranged for me to become a batboy for the San Francisco Giants during my senior year of high school. Those years provided countless opportunities to openly share my faith throughout Major League Baseball. I also became close to the Bonds family, including Bobby's young son Barry, and by God's grace those friendships have continued for more than five decades.

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My wife, Phyllis, and I were married in 1984 at Las Vegas Bible Church. Throughout our marriage, we have sought to keep Jesus Christ at the center of our lives.

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God has also blessed me with many unexpected opportunities, including attending President Jimmy Carter's 75th birthday celebration and Sunday School class through my friendship with David Osborne. President Carter also graciously arranged a private tour of his Presidential Library, an experience I will always treasure.

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After graduating from the Western College of Auctioneering in 1986, God opened doors for me to serve numerous Christian ministries through fundraising events and by sharing my testimony. Later, under the encouragement of Pastor Miles McMahon at Calvary Chapel Sonora, I participated in mission trips to Uganda, Kenya, and Turkey. Baseball became a bridge to introduce children not only to the game but, more importantly, to the saving message of Jesus Christ.

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Following Hurricane Katrina, I felt the Lord's call to travel to Louisiana with little more than faith and a willingness to serve. God faithfully provided every need as He opened doors to share the Gospel, distribute Bibles, meet practical needs, and encourage those devastated by the storm. It remains one of the clearest demonstrations of God's provision that I have ever experienced.

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In 2010, I authored Baseball Legends & Legacies as a tribute to my dear friend Bobby Bonds and as an extension of the ministry God has entrusted to me. Looking back, I clearly see God's sovereign hand directing every chapter of my life, using both adversity and extraordinary opportunities to draw me closer to Himself.

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These experiences represent only a small portion of God's faithfulness throughout my journey. Since giving my life to Christ in 1970, my greatest desire has remained the same: to know Jesus more intimately, to make Him more widely known, and to faithfully use every opportunity He provides to encourage others to place their trust in Him.