Restoring Kingdom Builders

Albert Pujols is considered to be one of the best players in baseball today … and some believe he’s the greatest hitter of all time.

Pujols is also a believer in Jesus Christ.

Last winter, when Pujols was trying to decide which team he should sign with as a free agent, he and his wife did something unusual.

He and his wife got down on their knees and asked the Lord to help them make their decision.

And Pujols signed with the Los Angeles Angels (from Anaheim!).

It’s amazing how the Lord guides us when we ask for His help.

My wife and I recently moved back to Southern California.  As I was putting my new study together, I noticed that I was missing several items: some magnets that I’ve purchased in other countries and a set of DVDs.

I have torn this place apart looking for them.

In fact, one night last week, I went through every box in the garage … and there were a lot of boxes there!

While I categorized all the boxes, I never did find the magnets or the DVDs.

Yesterday morning, I did something I should have done earlier.

I asked the Lord to show me where the magnets were.

Immediately, the Lord led me to look in a certain area of the garage.

I opened boxes I had opened several times already … only this time, I spotted a small box that I hadn’t remembered seeing.

The magnets were in that box.

But I still couldn’t find the DVDs.

A few hours ago, I asked the Lord to guide me to them so I could stop obsessing about where they were.

He led me to a stack of boxes in the garage.

A couple minutes later, I found the DVDs … in a box underneath another box that I had thought I had opened.

Have you ever had this happen to you?

You’ve lost something: your ATM card, your keys, your wallet, or your glasses.

You’ve looked everywhere and can’t find them anywhere.

And then you stop looking around you and start looking up.  You ask the Lord to show you where they are.

And He does … miraculously.

That’s a very small use of the power of prayer.  There are much bigger issues to pray about than lost magnets and DVDs.

But if the Lord can guide us to those items, can’t He answer our larger requests as well?

James 4:2 puts it simply: “You do not have because you do not ask God.”

If you want the Lord’s guidance, may I encourage you …

Ask.

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The day after Christmas in 2009, Kim and I left California and moved to the Phoenix, Arizona area.

We had been invited by a friend to stay in a house he and his wife owned in the Phoenix suburb of Surprise.

Surprise was a great refuge.  Several months later, we rented our own place in a quiet community.  When Kim later got a job in Phoenix, we moved there to be closer to her workplace.

There are four things I like about Phoenix:

First, my family is there: my step-father, mother, sister, step-sister, and two step-brothers and their families.  I greatly enjoyed gathering together with family for major holidays.  I miss them all very much.

Second, we found a great church: Christ’s Church of the Valley in Peoria.  The church celebrated its 30th anniversary yesterday, and I so much wanted to be there.  I’m sure the church has its share of problems – all churches do – but I rarely saw anything amiss.  I learned so much at CCV about how to minister to a secular culture.  And on our last Sunday, the service began with a spirited rendition of one of my favorite songs: “I Won’t Back Down” by Tom Petty.  Gotta love a church like that!

Third, I enjoyed spring training.  Several weeks ago, my friend Dave came to nearby Glendale to see the Dodgers play at Camelback Ranch, and we had a lot of fun watching the Blue Crew together.  The following week, my friend Russ and I sat in that same stadium behind home plate with major league scouts.  (Many of them had radar guns to time the velocity of pitchers’ fastballs.)  I’ll miss the ease of driving to a stadium for a quick game.

Fourth, Phoenix was perfect for writing.  I’m not sure I ever would have written a book in California.  As difficult as it was at times, I needed solitude to complete my divine assignment.  Moses, Elijah, Jesus, and Paul all needed wilderness experiences to prepare them for greater ministry, and Phoenix fit that role in my life.  But to be honest, I’m weary of looking at the brownness of the desert.  I need more green in my life.

Throughout my life, God has always called me to my next assignment through an invitation to serve in a church.  This time, the call to move came through our minds and circumstances.  There was no way I could pursue my ministry in Phoenix.  For various reasons, Kim and I sensed that we needed to be in Southern California.

Reasons:

First, our kids are here.  Ryan and Vanessa live less than 90 minutes away, making it possible to see them more often.  And Sarah, who lives in the Bay Area, now lives 280 miles closer to us than when we lived in Phoenix.  Hopefully that gap will decrease further in the days ahead.

Second, my network is here.  The regional chapter of the Society for Church Consulting is having its initial meeting this week, and I want to be there.  I may have another ministry opportunity nearby as well.  Talbot School of Thelogy – my seminary – holds a variety of interesting events year round.  And Southern California offers many more opportunities for my RKB ministry … like the workshops I’ll soon be leading at a major convention.

Third, many of my best friends are here.  When I was in high school, I was a member of the Bomb Squad.  Four of my friends and I viewed ourselves as guys who had “bombed out” in love … and that bond united us for a long time.  Three of those friends still live in SoCal … while a fourth lives in Kingman, Arizona.  Kim’s two brothers live in SoCal as well, as do various ministry colleagues.  It wasn’t easy making friends in Phoenix, so it will be nice to see people once more who mean so much to me.

Finally, there’s a lot to do here.  Seven days ago, we moved to Sun City, 20 miles south of Riverside.  This is a beautiful area, a mix of rural and suburban, and a place of great beauty.  (There are canyons and valleys everywhere.)  We’re one hour from San Diego, Palm Springs, and the local mountains, and less than 90 minutes from the ocean.  While the traffic in the LA area can be brutal at times, it’s because people love to live here.  Phoenix is great if you like to hike, swim, or play golf, but those aren’t my favorite pastimes.  Being closer to the ocean is more my style.

I haven’t written anything for two weeks because of the move – my computer was offline for ten days – but I’m all set up and ready to go, so thanks for reading.

And it feels great to be back home.

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Spring training.  Those two words used together have often caused me great joy.

I became a baseball fan at the age of six.  Growing up in Anaheim – 25 miles or so from Los Angeles – my first baseball memory was hearing Vin Scully on the radio calling the Opening Night game between the Phillies and Dodgers … in 1960!

My dad took me to my first ballgame that year.  The Pirates – and Roberto Clemente – beat the Dodgers 5-2 at the Coliseum behind Bob Friend.  I can still see big Frank Howard of the Dodgers, quite an imposing figure, in right field.

The only option I had for going to spring training was Palm Springs, where the California Angels played.  (The Angels trained in California and the other Cactus League teams trained in Arizona.)  My mother took me to a game there in 1969 … but I remember another game in 1972 much better.

Nolan Ryan had been traded from the Mets to the Angels.  While facing the Giants in Palm Springs, Ryan hit three batters in the first two innings … and he threw hard.  Many of us in attendance that day wondered if the Angels had made a mistake trading their most popular player – Jim Fregosi – to the Mets for Ryan (and several other players).

But spring training really came alive for me when my mother and step-father moved to Phoenix.  I was able to stay at their place and visit the eight major league camps with full access to all the players.

Some of my most vivid spring training memories:

*One day in Palm Springs in 1977, Nolan Ryan pitched for the Angels, went into the clubhouse and showered, and then walked around the stands for a few minutes.  (Nobody recognized him).  When he left the ballpark, I followed him outside and asked him to pose for a picture for me.  (I’ll post it if I can ever learn how to work my scanner.)

*Danny Kaye, the entertainer, used to sit in the stands in Palm Springs when the Mariners were playing the Angels.  One time, he sat in the stands right by me, trying to hide from the public.  Didn’t work.

*In 1978, Rod Carew was traded from the Twins to the Angels for 4 players.  When the Angels visited Sun City to play the Brewers, I waited by the Angels’ bus for Carew.  He was carrying a Pepsi in a six-pack holder.  While he signed three cards for me, I took the plastic holder off his hands … and kept it for years.  (If I still had it, could I put it on ebay?)

*I once spotted Angel owner Gene Autry outside the Cubs’ ballpark in Mesa … and Leo Durocher walked right up to him.  I got a great picture of the two of them.

*Speaking of Mesa, Yankee Hall of Fame pitcher Lefty Gomez once worked for a sporting goods company and showed up at Hohokam Park where the Cubs played.  He posed for me, too.

*In the early 1980s, Greg Minton was the closer for the Giants.  One day, my son Ryan crept underneath the stands and found Minton waiting to take batting practice in the cage.  When I asked to take a photo, Minton put Ryan on his lap and embraced him.  Minton signed the photo the following year and wrote, “To Ryan, Take My Job, Greg Minton.”  Priceless.

*Ryan approached Reggie Jackson for his autograph one spring.  Although Reggie can be a first-class jerk, he signed two cards for Ryan … because NBC was filming the encounter.

*In 1984, future Hall of Famer Goose Gossage signed with the San Diego Padres.  At his first press conference at Scottsdale Stadium, Gossage stood against a wall below the upper stands and answered reporter’s questions … while Ryan stood in the stands and tried to take Goose’s hat off his head.  (Another great photo.)

*Jose Canseco of the A’s had a monster season his rookie year in 1986.  The following spring, Ryan got Canseco’s autograph at Scottsdale Community College where the A’s trained at the time … and there was nobody around.  (I took their picture, and although Canseco has turned out to be a jerk, it’s still one of my favorite photos.)

*In 1988, Ryan and I visited the Mariners’ stadium in Tempe.  (The Angels are there now.)  A gangly 18-year-old kid appeared and happily signed autographs for the ten or so of us who were gathered.  His name?  Ken Griffey Jr.

*That same day, the Mariners played an intrasquad game.  When the players were done on the field, they showered, changed clothes, and then sat in the stands.  Ryan and I walked up to players and got everyone’s autograph as many times as we wanted.

*Back in 1999, my daughter Sarah and I went to a workout at the Giants’ ballpark in Scottsdale … and we were the only two people getting autographs afterwards.  When Barry Bonds came out, he asked Sarah before signing, “Why aren’t you in school?”  When I asked him to sign a card, he bent the corner (telling me, “Now you can’t sell it”) and then signed it … and after he left, I just bent it back.

*That same year, Sarah and I drove to Mesa where the Angels once had their minor league complex.  Carney Lansford, former third baseman for the Angels and A’s, was the manager of an Angels’ farm team.  Because Sarah went to the same high school as Lansford (Wilcox High in Santa Clara), they had a great conversation about teachers they had in common.

For years, the great thing about spring training in Arizona is that you had full access to the players.  When they drove into the parking lot, you could meet them as they went into the clubhouse.  After they got dressed, you could meet them going to the practice field.  After practice, most of them would stop for photos or an autograph, and after they got dressed, you could try and catch the ones you missed going to their cars.

That’s all changed now.  The players drive into guarded parking lots.  You can’t get near them when they walk toward the field.  They’re all millionaires … and they act that way.

But I remember a better time … a simpler time … and I will always celebrate the beauty of spring training.

Here are some more current photos of spring training in Arizona:

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Ever wonder what’s it like to be a pastor’s kid?

You grow up sensing that you’re very different from your peers.

You attend Sunday School, Sunday morning worship, the Sunday evening service, and midweek prayer meeting every single week for years.

You aren’t allowed to play in front of your house on Sunday afternoons (and can only play in the backyard quietly).

You’re the only kid you know who doesn’t go to the movies (except for the pastor’s kids two houses down who can’t even watch Shirley Temple movies on television).

You grow up without a color TV – and only obtain one after you get married.

And you don’t play cards, dance, or swear … and learn that smoking and drinking are the top sins that God hates.

While you love your parents and your church, you constantly feel like you don’t belong … and you don’t know anybody famous who is like you.

Until a Yankee named Bobby Richardson came along.

Bobby Richardson was the second baseman for the New York Yankees from 1955-1966.  As a kid, I learned he was also a Christian, just like me.  I first heard his name while collecting baseball cards.

When I was six years old, my parents were visiting friends in Orange, California.  Game 3 of the 1960 World Series was on TV.  I was drawn to baseball even then.

Bobby Richardson came up and hit a grand slam home run down the left field line.  While I was rooting for the Pirates (I have never rooted for the Yankees), I had to admire the little guy with the big bat.  He was named the Most Valuable Player for the Series even though the Yankees lost (thank you, Bill Mazeroski) – the only player ever named MVP for a losing team.

Richardson then played in the World Series for the next four years – winning in 1961 and 1962 – and catching the final out in the seventh game of the ’62 Series off the bat of the Giants’ Willie McCovey.

The second baseman became an All-Star and was known for his fielding prowess and his skill in not striking out.  He only struck out three times in a game once in his whole career – and Sandy Koufax accomplished that feat in the 1963 World Series.

Richardson retired at age 30, the same age as Koufax when he retired.

In 1965, my parents bought me Richardson’s book The Bobby Richardson Story at the Inspiration House at Knott’s Berry Farm.  (They had a Christian bookstore there at the time!)

Richardson infused courage into me when he said, “If you take a stand early, people respect you.”

And his Yankee teammates all did.

Several months ago, my friend Russ told me that Bobby Richardson was going to be speaking at a prayer breakfast in Prescott on January 31.  Did I want to go?  Unsure of my schedule, I finally said yes – and I’m so glad I did.

Bobby Richardson at Prayer Breakfast in Prescott, AZ

Richardson’s stories were great.

He roomed with Tony Kubek (later a famous broadcaster), once singing hymns with him into the night.

His batting average was .299 going into his last game in 1959, and he needed one hit to hit .300 (the mark of a really good hitter).  The pitcher, catcher, and third baseman all sent him word they would help him get that last hit … but he lined a single to right without their help and ended the season at .301.

He told us the inside story of Phil Linz and the famous harmonica incident on the Yankee bus in 1964.  Loved it!

But best of all, he told us about the impact that he had on Mickey Mantle’s life – especially during his last days.

A few days before Mantle’s death in 1995, Bobby Richardson and his wife visited The Mick in the hospital.  Through a series of events, Mantle received Jesus and quoted John 3:16 to Richardson as evidence of his new faith.

Mickey Mantle also asked Bobby Richardson to conduct his funeral service.

After the prayer breakfast was over, people wanted to meet the speaker and get his autograph.

Richardson After the Prayer Breakfast

Richardson wisely set up a table in the lobby.  There was no charge for his signature.  My friend Russ, who invited me, asked Richardson to sign a copy of his book …

Russ and Bobby Richardson

… along with a baseball card I brought along for the occasion.

Richardson Signing a Baseball Card

When it was my turn, I just wanted a photo with Bobby.  Afterwards, I told him how much he meant to me as a kid because he was a Christian … and very few players acknowledged their faith publicly back then.

He told me that things had changed so much that when the Yankees won the pennant in the late 1990s, 18 of the 25 players were believers.  (Makes it harder to hate the Yankees!)

When I told him that I’d seen his grand slam on TV in the 1960 Series, Richardson held out his hand and shook mine.  He told me that he was supposed to bunt in that situation.  After he hit the homer, manager Casey Stengel told him in the dugout, “Nice bunt!”

Richardson played a big role in Baseball Chapel, so I asked him about Gary Carter, the believer and Hall of Fame catcher who is battling multiple brain tumors.  (Carter played a leadership role in Baseball Chapel years ago).  Richardson said he wasn’t doing too well and needed our prayers.

I’ve met players like Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio, Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, Hank Aaron, Roberto Clemente, Sandy Koufax, and Nolan Ryan.  I’ve had conversations with guys like Duke Snider, Don Sutton, and Richie Allen, and had the privilege of sitting next to Alvin Dark at a banquet years ago.

But I’ve never met a kinder ex-player than Bobby Richardson.  He was everything I hoped he’d be and more.

Thank you, Bobby, for giving this kid a Christian role model decades before Tim Tebow came along.

Bobby Richardson and a Longtime Fan

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