Intentional Walk: An Inside Look at the Faith That Drives the St. Louis Cardinals Author: Visit Amazon's Rob Rains Page | Language: English | ISBN:
084996458X | Format: PDF
Intentional Walk: An Inside Look at the Faith That Drives the St. Louis Cardinals Description
About the Author
Rob Rains is the author of 31 books, mostly on baseball and many about the St. Louis Cardinals. His list of biographies or autobiographies of Cardinals includes Tony La Russa, Albert Pujols, Mark McGwire, Jack Buck, Red Schoendienst, and Ozzie Smith. He is a lifetime member of the Baseball Hall of Fame and a lifetime member of the Baseball Writers Association of America. He also is the cohost of a daily radio talk show in St. Louis and an adjunct professor at Webster University.
- Paperback: 240 pages
- Publisher: Thomas Nelson (April 30, 2013)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 084996458X
- ISBN-13: 978-0849964589
- Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.4 x 0.8 inches
- Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
I have had the pleasure of reading a wonderful book about faith and commitment where one may not expect to find it. "Intentional Walk", by Rob Rains, is a look inside the St. Louis Cardinals organization.
You will find testimonies, and life experiences related trough the written word from some of the most successful major league baseball players in the National League, as well as from management and support staff alike. I must say that when I started reading this book, I wasn't sure what to expect. What I found was a book I could use as a devotional, as Scripture was also utilized in each chapter. The experiences and testimonies presented allowed me to get a better understanding of what God has in mind for each and every one of us, if only we listen.
Prayer Meetings, Bible Study and Chapel for the St. Louis Cardinals are normal functions of the team, not just a once and a while occurance.
As you read this book, you will hear from players like, 3rd Baseman David Freese and manager Mike Matheny, just to mention a couple, but there are many more team members and organization members from upper management all the way to support staff, and commentators.
This book is quite different from what we are currently seeing in the news and major league steriod use. It will bring faith and God into the forefront of our thinking and lives. At least this is my prayer. As you read on you will also hear the testimonies of others such as Adam Wainwright, Lance Berkman, Matt Holliday and many more.
I'd like to thank Thomas Nelson/Booksneeze for the opportunity to both read and review this timely selection. It is a wonderful read and I would strongly suggest it for any and all. What we need is get closer to God, and this book just may be the catalyst to get us there.
First off... I am a hard-core, lifelong Cardinals fan. I am also a follower of Jesus Christ. Put those two facts together and I was thrilled to get a copy of this book. But my expectations were too high. I picked this book with 5-star enthusiasm and 5-star expectations but could only give it a 3-star rating. (In all honesty, I put a lot of thought into this rating, and to be most accurate, I would give it 3.5 stars, or 7 on a scale of 10).
Now, as for what I liked... really enjoyed about the many Christians affiliated with the Cardinals, but two of the testimonies that stood out most to me were from Kyle McClellan and Skip Schumaker. McClellan because of an analogy he shares about his dog greeting him at the door and Schumaker because of his conversion story and his involvement with raising money for a rare children's disease (a genetic disorder). He became involved in this cause while watching some friends lose their child to the disorder.
As for how it could have been better? It seems like most chapters had a familiar feel or pattern to it: guy plays baseball, guy commits to follow Christ fully, guy faces challenges like (a) being called up to the big leagues and/or (b) dealing with injuries, guy leans on his faith to make it. The stories start to run together. After finishing the book, I watched a Cardinals game. Of course, many of the players written about were in the game and yet I found myself frustrated in not remembering their testimonies. Digging deeper to find more heart-touching faith stories would have helped take it to another level.
Also, "Intentional Walk" tends to focus on the benefits of how Christ can help a ballplayer deal with the challenges of his profession and lifestyle.
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