The Redemption Story of Josh Hamilton

By now, most people have heard the story of Josh Hamilton. I wish I had this blog a year ago because I would have definitely talked about him then. It is a story that is compelling to hear.

For those that don't know, Josh was a bright major league prospect. He was drafted in the first round by the then Tampa Bay Devil Rays in 1999. He was expected to be one of their marquee guys in the organization. However, he made some bad choices and got caught up in drug use which robbed him of his abilites and opportunities. He was suspended for three seasons and it seemed like he would be a washout. However, after accepting Christ and following after Him, he got clean. He then got back into baseball and made the majors last year with the Cincinnati Reds. That was when I heard about the story.

After a pretty good season last year, he was traded to the Texas Rangers. And this year has topped even last year. He is among the American League Leaders in Home Runs and RBI and was selected as an All-Star by the fans. He even finished second in the Home Run Contest putting up a record hitting 28 in one round. Right now he is on pace to be considered the American League MVP.

And the thing is, he's honest about the struggles that he still goes through. With all the success and such, he still knows that he's human and that alone he can't deal with it. He has the support of his family along with a coach within the Rangers organization who is an accountability partner, friend and family all rolled into one while Josh is on the road. That part of the story is important to why this is year two of the story. It shows again why believers of Christ need to be there for each other, to help bear one another's burdens. That is why we are called the body of Christ. We all work together.

Josh Hamilton's story is one that isn't finished being told. But what has been told so far is yet another story of how God moves in people's lives. I really love the quote Rick Reilly said on ESPN Monday after hearing Josh speak about God's work in his life, "It's a bad night to be an atheist."