Our family moved to Paulding County in December 2004. In February of 2005, my middle son, Will, went out for the Paulding County High School baseball team and made it. At that point, Holli & I began getting to know families of kids on the baseball team. That would extend over a four year period of time. During that time, we enjoyed being a part of the Paulding County High School Baseball family.     

      In 2005, I became chaplain for the baseball team. During the next four years, I did devotionals before most home games. During that time, I developed relationships with the boys on the team. At the time, I enjoyed it but honestly, didn't give much thought to the impact that I could have.

      I first realized the impact in the spring of '06 when I was visiting a local hospital. A kid on the team, (Dano Dixon) had just broken his leg during a collision in the outfield. Dano was at the hospital to have surgery on his leg. I didn't see him; he saw me and called my name. I walked over and we talked a little. I later told the head coach about this and he smiled and said, “That means they feel comfortable with you.” I was understanding the impact my ministry as chaplain was having.

      Now, fast forward a year. It was August, of 06. I received a phone call from one of the players, Cody Driskell. Cody was going to Reinhardt College on a baseball scholarship. He had just accepted Christ and he wanted me to baptize him before he went off to college. That request grew out of the relationship I had formed with him in baseball. Again, I was experiencing the impact.

       A month or two ago, I got a picture message from Cody's dad. The picture was Cody's Bible laying on his night stand in his new house. His Dad said “It's pretty neat to see your kid's Bible on his night stand... You had a hand in this.” Needless to say, the text warmed my heart.

      Saturday, I performed the wedding ceremony for Cody. Some of his former coaches were there today and some former teammates. It was a neat thing to see the coaches and kids.

       As I think about Cody's wedding, my mind goes back to 2005 when I started as chaplain for PC baseball. At the time, I never anticipated being asked to baptize a player and I definitely didn't anticipate being asked to do a wedding ceremony. But all of that happened as I developed relationships with those kids.

      That brings me to the purpose of this blog post.

      The purpose is not for me to brag or boast but to share that I didn't know the blessings that wuld come from the chaplain experience. The opportunity to baptize and do Cody's wedding ceremony was a blessing.. an honor. To think that through doing the baseball devotionals the Lord enabled me to touch a young man inspires me. In short, it's one of the blessings of ministry. Many times when I did devotionals for the team.. honestly... they were just devotionals. But, you never know the impact you are having. The Lord took the simple devotionals I was doing and used them to touch some high school kids. Allow the Lord to use you to make an impact in someone's life this week.