Lessons From The Sandbox

As most weekends go, I found myself at the church park down the street from our house with my boys. 

It was Saturday in the fall, which means prime time college football was on. As I sighed to myself and lamented missing the first half of another meaningless football game in the Big 12, the boys raced over to the infamous sandbox.

If you have kids, you know why the word infamous comes to mind. Sand does not simply get on their clothes, it gets everywhere! Sand seems to find itself in places you didn't know existed until after you visited the sandbox.

So of course my sons James and Will invited me into this sandy square and wanted me to play along with them. But that's not what I wanted to do; all I wanted to do was to look at my phone and not miss out on the football action that all the other dad's in the world seemed to be clued in on.

It was there, in a split millisecond, that the Lord put a deep conviction on my heart. 

What could be so possibly special that it would have precedence over spending time with my sons?

Answer: Nothing

As I jumped into the sandbox to inevitably await my sandy fortune, I realized a few simple lessons worth sharing.

1) The thing my boys want most from me is my presence. 

Being a Dad isn't a part-time role, it's a hands on full time duty and honor that we receive from the Lord. 

Psalm 127:3-5 says, "Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them!

The convicting part for me is that James and Will don't me to just be present, they want all of me. 

Let's me put it bluntly... I have a phone addiction. It's tied to me at all times. I find myself wanting to spend time looking at phone after work instead of cherishing the joy of having kids. What a blessing my sons are! 

May we cherish every moment with them.

2) Embrace the messy

Yes, the sandbox did cover me in sand, forcing me to take multiple showers after entry.

But it was worth it. 

Almost all parenting involves messy situations, both literally and figuratively. Dinnertime tends to prove itself as the worst offender. Food flying everywhere, water spilling for the 3rd time, you name it.

Part of that messiness is discipline. Discipline is hard...I hate watching my kids disobey. But with that, comes to opportunity to give them physical and verbal reminders to point them back to Jesus. And that is a beautiful thing.

What did Jesus do? He jumped headfirst into the sandbox of life. He engaged with the messy, sitting with those with messy lives and bad habits. He didn't mind, he seemed to thrive in these settings.

In Luke 5, we see Jesus engaging with tax collectors, joining them to eat and drink in Levi's house. But the Pharisees were concerned about his actions. 

"And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples saying, "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners" And Jesus answered them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

This is radical. Jesus embraces the messy because he believes that is his calling. He embraces sinners and folks who don't have it all together. 

Similarly to parenting, our kids don't have it all together. But neither do we. Our Father embraces us where we are, and we should be doing the same thing with our kids.

What a glorious opportunity and mission we are on as parents. Praying we would make the most of every minute and love our kids the way Christ loves us!

Jump in the sandbox the next time you get the chance! 

Tis So Sweet

 Do you ever think to yourself, “Wow, my life is a struggle right now!” As we experience these seasons of despair or doubt, we can relate to David’s journey, and the battles he faced every day.

Have you considered the hardships David experienced? 2^nd Samuel 21 outlines how he endured famine, Israel’s atonement to the Gideonites, war, and Saul chasing after David trying kill him.

David is a man who hasn’t been perfect by any means, screwing up in big ways consistently throughout his life. But the Lord doesn’t call out David’s sin or mistakes, instead He delights in David according to his righteousness (2^nd Samuel 22:20-26, Psalm 103:8-10).

As we read 2^nd Samuel 22, we see two different things: 

1) We see David’s response to the Lord’s deliverance

2) We see God’s faithfulness and character on full display

The very first thing David does after the war at Gath, is respond with a song to the Lord, praising Him for deliverance. (Verses 2-3). I love that a song to the Lord is David’s first response!

In July of 2022, my wife Catherine and I found out we were pregnant with our third child. We rejoiced in this news, only to find out a few weeks later that our precious child had passed away due to a miscarriage. We grieved a child that we will never meet here on earth, but we rejoice that our child will live with our heavenly Father.

Because of the miscarriage, I was frustrated with God, but the Lord sought me and cared for me, in the middle of my pain. The following morning after hearing the news of our miscarriage, I went for a run. As I wandered through the trails, the Lord put in me a song that I held fast to, “TisSo Sweet” by Shane and Shane. These words rang true:

 

Jesus Jesus how I trust Him!

How I proved him O’er and O’er

Jesus Jesus precious Jesus

O for grace, to trust Him more!

 

Just like David in this passage, when we sing, we are reminded of the Lord’s faithfulness time and time again. The Lord delights in his children! Despite the pains that this life can bring, we can trust God and have full assurance that He will see us through to the end. Who is our God? Our God is a God who delivers and saves us. Verses 33-37 remind us that He makes our way blameless, secures us, trains us, and gives us a place to step so that we do not slip.

 

One day Catherine and I will meet our child that we named Sam, as a tribute to Hannah’s offering of Samuel to the Lord, and we will continue to rejoice and sing as we do today.

 

My prayer is that your hearts would be strengthened, and your song be bold.

 

Tis So Sweet!

Things I Wish I Knew Part 2- High School

 This morning at church was "Promotion Sunday," the Sunday service where all the kid and student ministries officially moved up a grade. It was a big day in the Galvin household... my oldest son, Will, became apart of the "green" class, and my youngest James, joined the mighty "orange" horde. 

Another big milestone that happened was the students that I get to hang out with on Wednesday's and Sunday's known as the "Dream Team," moved from the junior high ministry Wake, over to the high school ministry, Shoreline. They sat together at "big church," and it got me excited for what's ahead in their lives.

As I reflected back to my own high school years, I began thinking about the question... If I could go back and do high school again, what would I hone in on?

Though I can't go back to school myself, what I can do is impart my some advice upon these amazing freshmen men so they can "do high school well." Many of the things on this list come from lessons I learned doing things the wrong way.

Before I can say Jackie Robinson, these freshman guys will be done with high school and off to college. Even my own boys (age 3 and 1.5) will be 18 in a blink of an eye. All the more reason to think through this wisely.

Here are some thoughts and pieces of God's word that I hope will encourage and sharpen you, Dream Team men! Consider this a note of encouragement from me to you...

1) Who you are in high school lays the foundation for the rest of your life. Your choices matter. Joshua 24:14-15 tell us to "choose this day whom you will serve." Think through who you want to be for the rest of your life. That journey starts now.

2) There is never a better time in your life to fill your heart with God's word. Proverbs 2:1-5 calls us to "seek His word like silver and treasure up his commandments within you." Your high school years are an amazing time to grow in your walk and seek out the Lord. The Bible is filled with truth and wisdom; and my prayer is that you would seek it with all your heart like Jeremiah 29:13 says. 

3) Your friends will change- My high school "clique" was a group of guys that I hung out with in high school, but as soon as we graduated, I never spoke to them again. Why that was the case, I'm not sure.

What I do know is that the guys who stuck around in my life were the guys I pursued the Lord with; those guys were in my Watermark small group from 6th-12th grade, teammates in college at Baylor who sought God's word, and faithful men who are now apart of my community group back at Watermark.

1st Thessalonians 5:9-11 talks about men who encourage one another, build each other up. Find these guys and dig in! Find men like Proverbs 27:17 who aren't afraid to speak hard truth into your life so that you grow into a stronger man. Oh and have some good clean fun along the way!

4) The friends you surround yourself with will help determine who you are. Proverbs 13:20 reminds us how if we surround ourselves with wise men, we will become wise. Think about who you become friends with carefully. It can be easy to associate with people just because they like the same sports teams, look like us, talk like us...but if they aren't wise or seeking the Lord, you are heading down a road that won't end well. There is an old adage that says you are the average of your 5 closest friends. Think about that and choose wisely.

5) You still live under your parents roof. This one stings a little because I for one struggled to listen to my parents often in high school. Most of the time I thought they were trying to rip me off from having some fun. But you know what? Turns out 99.9% of the time, they were right! 

Proverbs 1:8-9 tells us to hear our parents instruction and bind it around our neck. Ephesians 6:1-3 says that if we follow our parents way, it will go well for us. Following them is another way of honoring the Lord. 

6) Sports are a great investment of time, but don't make it your identity. My high school story is this in a nutshell: Putting my identity in sports, watching it slowly fail me, rinse and repeat. I continued down this path until my sophomore year at Baylor and one day wondered, "Lord is this all you have for me? Is this it?"

But the Lord continued to show me that putting my identity in Christ was the only way to find satisfaction in this life. Psalm 103 has become a foundation in my life, reminding me where I was and that ultimately, Christ will renew our hearts. If you are looking to memorize a verse, memorize Psalms 103:1-5.

7) Prepare yourself now to be the husband you want to be down the road. Pursue purity at all costs. Pursue righteousness like your life depended on it. Proverbs 4:23-27 uses a great phrase...vigilance. The dictionary says that being vigilant means to "keep careful watch." I pray that you guys would be vigilant in all things so that you can stand next to your bride one day and say, "honey, I fought for you." And boy will it will be a sweet sweet joy when that day comes. And I will be hollering for you in the back!

8) You are a leader right now- Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. I am so encouraged by some of the actions of the guys in my small group on a weekly basis. This morning I saw one of our guys with a Kaleidoscope T Shirt on, faithfully serving our special needs body in the Church. What a great way to lead out as a freshman! 

You guys can encourage and lead other people right now as freshman in high school and make a HUGE impact for Christ! 1st Timothy 4:12 challenges the modern day thinking that you are too young, and urges young leaders to get after it! Today is the day!

9) Relationships with girls are temporary, but a relationship with Christ is forever. One of the biggest struggles in my life came from not leading girls well in relationships. I would date a girl for 6 months, and dump her after I got bored. It was terrible! I wish I could go back and tell each girl that high school Matt was an absolute idiot and ask for their forgiveness. Given another opportunity, I would not date in high school. Sounds crazy, right? I was not mature enough to recognize that there was still a work to be done in me before I was ready to date.

Following Christ is crazy in the world's eyes. I would advise you to not start dating until you are ready to marry. It will eliminate the baggage and burden that I have to carry the rest of my life. Matthew 6 tells us to "seek the Kingdom first and His righteousness". That's my prayer for you, that you would seek the Lord over everything else, including relationships. 

10) You can find freedom from pornography, today. As young men, you will struggle with sexual sin. Don't try to pretend like you are an exception to the rule. So what should you do? 1st John 1:8-9 tells us that no one is perfect, and as believers we are called to confess our sins. That's why we have small group, so that sinful men can hold each other accountable and find freedom in our addictions. 

I had a porn addiction that I didn't want to admit to during all of my high school and most of my college years. It wasn't until I was honest with myself and honest with other men that I found freedom. 

11) Don't say yes to everything, be impactful in a few key areas. One of the biggest mistakes I made in high school was trying to do everything. Church, sports, student council, ministries, you name it and I was there! I remember walking out of the parking lot my Senior year just drained. I had nothing left because I was too stretched thin. 

My challenge- find a few things and do them well instead of a lot of things half well. Colossians 3:23 reminds us to do everything for the Lord and not for us. So instead of building your resume, do a few things really well to serve the King!

12) Look up to the people who have done life well and follow in their example. Don't be afraid to come up to them and ask for their wisdom and insight. Hebrews 13:7 calls for us to remember our leaders and imitate their lives. One of the reasons why I am serving as a youth leader is because of 2 faithful leaders who showed me what doing life well looked like. Imitating their life has blessed me beyond my years. Find a teacher, coach, parent, or someone you look up to and follow what they do. 

13) No one will remember your accomplishments, but they will remember your character. High School can be so wrapped up in trivial things. Here's a challenge: Go ask your parents or friends parents who their high school homecoming king/queen or prom queen/king was. 99/100 times, they will have no idea! What will people remember? They remember men and women who treated others well, who lived out their faith, and set an example for others. 

Micah 6:8 is a great starting place to think about how to do that. Live humbly and serve others! There was a guy in college named Jake that I didn't know well, but I do know he treated others with respect and kindness. And Jake's impact has never left me. I urge you to live the same way as my friend Jake!

14) You are not alone. Isaiah 41:10 promises this to us, that the Lord is with us, strengthens us, and upholds us with His righteous right hand. Remember this when you are struggling, and remember that you have family, friends, and a small group who wants to walk through life with you. Life is not meant to be lived alone, it is meant for community. 

15) God's not trying to rip you off, He's trying to set you free. This is the hardest lesson I had to learn. Especially with relationships with girls and pornography. I remember telling God, "If I can't experience the sexual pleasures you created, are you really a good God?" I wrestled with that. 

But God in his kindness and several faithful men kept reminding me, Hold Fast, and Stay True as Navy Seal Clint Bruce reminds us in this video. John 8:36 proclaims that we are free if we are in Christ. The only way to find true freedom, is to commit yourself to the Lord and seek Him daily.

A true abundant relationship with God is way more satisfying that anything in this world. As I have continued to walk with the Lord, I have found this lesson to be even more true as the years pass. If you can set this thought deep down in your heart, brother it will go well with you! 

I am praying for you freshman men and all young men, that you would be men who step up, speak out, stand firm, stay humble, and serve the King. Would you pray with me?

Let's GO, church!

Matt

Legends of the Faith Part 2- Eric Liddell

"Are you glad you gave your life to missionary work?" he was asked. "Don't you miss the limelight, the rush, the frenzy, the cheers, the rich red wine of victory"? He told his inquisitor, "A fellow's life counts for far more at this than the other."

Despite never knowing him personally, the character and story of Eric Liddell has touched my heart and changed my life.

Eric, known as "The Flying Scotsman" is best remembered for standing by his convictions to honor the Sabbath during the 1924 Olympic Games. He turned down an opportunity to run in the 100 meter heats that fell on a Sunday, and lost a chance at a gold medal. Instead, Liddell chose to run the 400 meters (a race he had only raced 3 times previously) and ended up winning the gold medal. The Hollywood classic, "Chariots of Fire," is built around his Olympic journey.

Liddell's story reaches far beyond a medal, the message lies within his entire life. Eric chose a missionary life in China after the Games, and his steadfastness during his life in Weihsien cemented his legacy as a true legend of the faith. 

Here are 9 reasons why Liddell's story should always be remembered for centuries to come:

1) Liddell's identity was in Christ, not his accomplishments-

For a man who won a Olympic Gold, he would be the last one to tell you he was an Olympic Champion. Everything in his life pointed back to Christ instead of himself. When you win a gold medal, you have achieved the pinnacle of athletic accomplishment. But Eric? His joy came from serving others and sharing about the hope that comes from the Lord.

When Liddell won gold, he had the opportunity to give himself a comfy and pleasurable life. Eric turned down every sponsorship except for one; His friend DP Thompson used Eric's platform to get him more speaking and preaching engagements throughout Scotland, Ireland, and England. Instead of using his accomplish for personal gain, he used it for the glory of God.

 To quote Duncan Hamilton, "Eric considered his running as an addendum to his life, rather than his sole reason for living it"

2) Eric cared for and had time for anyone-

After the Olympics Eric went to China to be a missionary and was sent to an internment camp by the Japanese for civilians of Allied countries. While he was there, Eric poured his heart and soul out to the people in the camp. He was so busy caring for the needs of others that his roommate put a sign over his door that would slide in or out depending on whether Eric was available or not. A large part of his early death at 43 stemmed from pouring out everything he had to kids, teenagers, adults, or anyone he encountered.

Langdon Gillkey, a fellow inmate who survived the camp wrote of Liddell: "Often in an evening I would see him bent over a chessboard or a model boat, or directing some sort of square dance – absorbed, weary and interested, pouring all of himself into this effort to capture the imagination of these penned-up youths."

Liddell used everything he had in the tank as an outpouring to the community around him.

3) Christ was in his heart- 

One of Liddell's favorite song was "Be Still My Heart," an old Finnish song by composer Jean Sibelius which was turned into a hymn. Eric sang this song everywhere he went, and his heart resonated his love for Jesus through song. The lyrics have strengthened my heart. It was said the day he passed away in the internment camp, a sheet of ice layered the camp to mark the void he left. As souls were heavy, the first thing they could think of, was to sing this song.. Eric's song.

Be still, my soul

The Lord is on thy side!

Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;

Leave to thy God to order and provide

Be still my soul- Thy best, thy heav'nly Friend

Through thorny ways lead to a joyful end

 

4) Eric's sense of duty to God was above everything in his life- 

Eric truly believed that God reigned over his life and he gave the Lord full control to use him however He wished. Eric Liddell did not say, "When I run, I feel God's pleasure." What he actually said was, "I believed God has called me to China"

Liddell felt so strongly about his calling that he willingly put his wife and children on a boat to Canada, to safety while he stayed the course in China during the hostile Chinese Japanese war. He would never see his wife or children again. While his heart was longing and pained for reunion, he lived out Luke 12:48 and lived faithfully to what the Lord had called him to.

5) He spread joy and positivity everywhere he went

Eric had two rules for himself that he lived vigorously by while in China:

Rule #1- Take it all with a smile

Rule #2- However troublesome, don't get annoyed

These rules apply to all areas of life. Jesus walked in a similar manner. I have caught myself practicing these principles, and it has blessed me day after day.

6) Liddell was humble-

It was said that no matter how many times people tried to get information out of him after the Olympics, Eric would give them two or three sentences at best and quickly return to asking questions about the questioner. 

As a competitor, he was the first to shake his fellow competitors hands, congratulate them on a great race, even if he had beaten them. He underplayed his own victories, and highlighted the triumphs of others. That, my friends is character at it's finest!

7) He stood by his convictions- not for a moment, but for a lifetime-

While the world saw Eric in Chariots of Fire, they caught a mere glimpse of a man who walked faithfully and well beyond a single decision to not run on the Sabbath. Liddell lived out Colossians 1:9-14 and pleased the Lord with his conduct, faithfulness, and endurance.

8) Lidell prayed-

It was said that during Weihsien he would spend an hour every morning to sit, be still, and pray. Not only that, but Eric spurred the other Christian families in the camp to pray for the Japanese guards, the people they hated the most. 

9) Eric was all in for Christ-

As Eric was dying in the camp hospital at the young age of 43 from a brain tumor, his final words were, "total surrender." Eric surrendered his life to Christ and gave him everything he had in this life. That is a legacy worth following. 

Eric Liddell is a Legend of the Faith and his life is one worth trying to replicate. But if I'm a guessing man, I would imagine that Eric would simply smile and say, "Don't follow me, follow Christ."

And so we press on friends, chasing Christ with more vigor and zeal than yesterday. God is good, faithful, and loves us than we could ever know!

Through thorny ways lead to a joyful end

Things I wish I knew Part 1- Middle School

 Friends,

The Lord has increasingly put middle school guys on my heart. Every Wednesday I get to lead twenty 8th grade knuckleheads in a bible study each week that we call the Dream Team. It is an honor and a blessing to get to serve them in this capacity. 

One of the reasons why I am so passionate about these guys is because of the faithful men who stood in the gap for me during those trying years. Keith Shepelwich and Stacey Smith will always be heroes to me; not because of any special words they said, but because they showed up every week. Sometimes faithfulness and leadership just means showing up. And that's what they did.

I was telling a co-worker this week that I don't envy these 8th graders. They have so many battles to face that I didn't face to encounter as a middle schooler. It's made me re-think through the question, "If I could go back in time as a middle schooler, what are the things I would change in my life?" 

Here are the top 10 things I would have told a young middle school Matt looking back:

1) It is never too early to pursue the Lord. Now is the time to hide God's Word in your heart, to soak it up and let it transform your heart. 

2) Listen to your parents, teachers, and coaches. These men and women are incredible role models to look up to as examples of how to live well. Don't be afraid to ask hard questions.

3) You will come to a crossroads where you will need to decide who is lord over your life. Joshua 24:14-15 says, "Choose this day whom you will serve." The question is, who or what will you follow? Choosing to follow Christ will be the best decision you can ever make. 

4) Video games, girls, and sports won't provide you ultimate satisfaction. Only Christ can fill the void that we desire. After a fourteen year addiction to video games, many failed relationships, and disappointments on the sports fields, I kept coming back to the Lord. I wasted so much time looking for hope in the wrong places. But God was waiting for me with open arms, welcoming me back each time. Putting your identity in Christ is worth it.

5) Don't miss small group. Am I biased? Of course. 

The men in that group will become your lifelong friends, brothers, and fellow warriors for Christ. They will be with you in both the hard and joyful seasons of your life. They will stand by you in your wedding, spend time with your kids, and truly change your life forever.

6) Comb-overs are not cool. There is little to speak into here... I just missed this one 😂. Don't be like middle school Matt!

7) You are about to walk into the fight for your life, a daily battle fighting against lust of the heart. The only way to find freedom is to rely on the Lord and trust that he is better than temporary satisfaction. Lean on your small group and your brothers for accountability. It will be insanely hard, but you will never regret fighting your "flesh".

By the way, wait for your wife. She is worth waiting for and better than your wildest dreams. 

8) You will never regret a single minute that you spend with the Lord. 

Proverbs 37:25-29 says, "For I have been young, and now am old, yet I have never seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread. He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing. Turn away from evil and do good; so shall you dwell forever. For the Lord loves justice; he will not forsake his saints. They are preserved forever, but the children of the wicked shall be cut off. The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell upon it forever"

The more I have spent time with the Lord, the more I have fallen in love with Him. 

9) Surround yourself with godly friends. Proverbs 13:20 says, "Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm." It has been said that you are the average of your five closest friends. Your friends will either bring you life or bring you down. Choose wisely my friend and FLEE those who are not walking faithfully with the Lord. It's better to have no friends than friends who are foolish. And if you don't have any friends, fear not, the Lord is with you! (Isaiah 41:10). He is the best friend we could ever have.

10) Strong men speak up. I am still learning this one. 1st Corinthians 16:13 says, "Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love". What would it look like for you to stand up to friends who are not acting in the way that the Lord has called us to? It would be radical- even as a grown man it would be radical! Calling them out will not gain you any friends in the temporary, but it will bless you tenfold to do so.

I am praying that these 8th graders would be men who step up, speak out, stand firm, stay humble, and serve the King. Would you pray with me?

Let's go! 

Legends of the Faith Part One- Christy Mathewson

After a short 7 year hiatus, The Straight Race is back!

I wanted to take time to write more about themes I am passionate about that the Lord has put on my heart. Over the next few months I am going to highlight athletes who stood in the gap for their faith, men whose faith meant more than anything else. While these athletes have every right to stand on their athletic ability, they chose to put their identity in Christ. These men are true "Legends of the Faith."

Around six months ago while I was sitting in bed late one evening, I wondered, "Where are all my baseball cards?" After turning the whole house inside and out, I found my childhood collection and spent the early hours of the morning combing through old cards and reminiscing on the days of youth... reminding me of my love for baseball and Pudge Rodriguez. It flooded me with fond memories of going to the Ballpark in Arlington to spend time with my mom & dad watching games. 

Those hours of sorting through baseball cards left me with a taste of something more. I knew I didn't want to get into modern day cards...there was too much to learn and frankly, overwhelming. Fast forward a few months later and I stumbled across the granddaddy of all sports cards...

The T06 collection

Nicknamed "The Monster" for short- and it is aptly named. This is of the oldest baseball card sets that ran from 1909-1911 that includes 524 cards and 38 hall of famers within the set. These cards were lithographs created by American tobacco companies as a way to hold cigarettes in cartons, and were collected by young boys of that era.

While it is quite an undertaking, it's been the perfect balance of history, nostalgia, and true baseball goodness. I hope to slowly accumulate the set while learning cards, baseball history, with the idea to one day pass these cards down to my sons. 

Here are a few that I have collected for starters

As I have been learning about the players in the set, there was one name that kept coming back to me. Christy Mathewson, aka "Matty"

Mathewson was one of the inaugural five players to be elected to the Baseball Hall of fame, along with the likes of Babe Ruth, Walter Johnson, Ty Cobb, and Honus Wagner. Quite the brotherhood there.

While we could spend the rest of our time talking about Mathewson's baseball legacy and prowess on the mound, what stood out to me was how Christy stuck to his principles in a baseball world filled with debauchery, alcoholism, scandals, and cheating. Mathewson, similar to Eric Liddell, refused to pitch games on Sunday's in order to keep the Sabbath. Matty stood for his faith even when it wasn't popular.

Here's are some thoughts on Mathewson that strike me:

Mathewson was coachable- His manager John McGraw said, "Mathewson proved to be an eager and intelligent pupil. I never had to tell Mathewson anything a second time. He worked and studied all the time"

Mathewson was faithful to his wife- Christy faithfully loved his wife Jane until he passed away. While his teammates were quick to turn to worldly pleasures, Matty knew his love for his wife was more important than any temporary satisfaction.

Mathewson was a competitor- As Christians, we are often thought as a group of people who willingly let others "run them over". Christy singlehandedly defied that over his 17 year career, with 13 of those seasons having 20 or more wins. The man was a competitor from day one.

One of my favorite stories comes from his childhood days in Factoryville, PA. He was called in as a 14 year old kid to pitch against a rival town of men...He gave up 17 runs, but managed to hit the winning home run and win 19-17. Unreal!

Mathewson was humble- Unlike his celebrity baseball counterpart Ty Cobb, Mathewson did not seek out the fame or glory that naturally comes with being one of the best baseball players of all time. He quietly went about his business and kept his head down away from the New York City hustle and bustle. 

Even though he had a tenacious baseball appetite, Mathewson would not get worked up over bad calls and had an even temperament. One of his nicknames was the, "Christian Gentleman," a tribute to his humility.

Mathewson exemplified living out his faith on the sports field and in his personal life. The two were one in the same. He could have promoted himself, but instead he chose to promote his faith.

Friends, that is a legacy that all of us should strive for. While Matty was a tremendous baseball player, his identity in Christ was the ultimate thing that mattered most. Christy Mathewson was a true legend of the faith! 

My prayer is that we would strive for a similar legacy and be men & women who stand in the gap for our faith in world that is going quickly in a different direction. 

Hold fast and stay true! Proverbs 4:23-27

Matt 

P.S. - If you have a T206 Mathewson laying around, feel free to send it my way!