This post will be a difficult one for me to write because writing about failures and overcoming them is not easy to talk about, but I felt like this side of the story should be told and to encourage other people that no matter what your going through there is a reason and plan behind it all.  It is a plan much bigger than we can imagine for followers of Christ.  My favorite verse is Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future.”  It was this mantra that got me past our most recent MLB stint with the Blue Jays.

After S got his first MLB win, he got optioned back down to AAA Buffalo.  We had so many fans, friends and family that could not believe he got sent back down but thats the part where nobody really understands how “baseball” truly works.  We knew we would be optioned back down thats just how it works.  Sanchez was hurt needed some rest, S goes up does his thing and just waits for another opportunity.  S received his first MLB win on Wednesday, June 10th.  On Saturday, his manager told him after the game that he would be going back up to pitch against the Mets in NYC on Monday.  His flight was set for around 11:30am on Sunday, and he would have plenty of time to make the game, rest and get ready for his start.  Wishful thinking!  His flight was delayed so many times into LaGuardia that they were canceling flights left and right because apparently it was underwater.  So, after spending 6 hours in the Buffalo International Airport, he had to get a car service to drive him to NYC which is 6 hours from Buffalo to arrive at 2:00 am to start against Matt Harvey the next day.  So, basically he spent 12 hours that day of just sitting around playing the waiting game…. poor guy. (Remember this is the second time he has had to deal with layovers on call ups )  I just kept praying that the Lord would give him rest and be able to concentrate and do what he does best.  He gave up for 3 runs in 4IP but considering they were playing an NL team they took S out due to the fact they needed an actual hitter with 2 men on base.  He was just getting into his groove too but AL vs. NL is just different in the way you play the game.  (NL pitcher has to bat and the AL there is a DH… which is awesome in my opinion).

They gave him another chance at the rotation against the Orioles 5 days later.  S was so excited to face his former team and to go out there and give his team a chance to win.  It was a beautiful day at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, and I was so ready to see S pitch.  He had an awesome first inning only faced 3 batters and then the next inning it was just like it wasn’t meant to be.  He had every batter down in the count, and they just hit him and kept scoring.  I did my best to stay brave in the stands and not let it get to me, but I could not help it.  The fans were yelling and obviously not happy.  I just didn’t understand how all of a sudden things just went south when he had every batter down in the count.  After it all settled in and we were back in Buffalo, I started to get mad at God.  I said things like “Why did this have to happen? You know how hard he has worked and as soon as he gets there you just took it away just like that.”  We went from so excited on top of the world to having to work our way back all within 2 weeks. (I saw “we” because we are a team and in this together)

God really started working on me and in my life through this time of adversity.  S, on the other hand, seems to just always have it together.  I wish I could be more like him when it comes to overcoming adversity and building character.  He told me he tried the best he could, it happens to everybody but all he could do was not look back and keep proving himself in Buffalo.  I started a devotional book called, Life Is ______. by Judah Smith.  One of the chapters is called “Life is to be at peace with God.”  It had this particular Bible verse that really touched my heart during this trying time.  “We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.  And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.  And this hope will not lead to disappointment.  For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love (Romans 5:1-5).  Peace doesn’t mean freedom from all pain or problems, but it does mean pain and problems can’t take us down.  I asked God to forgive me for my anger against him and to be thankful for the trial and to learn from it.  If we don’t go through trials and adversity how do we build character?  We grew as a couple, and S has been more determined than ever to get back up to the big leagues.  He does not accept failure and will rise to the challenge.  I have learned so much through this experience in just letting go and let God take the wheel.  In baseball, you cannot control ANYTHING!!  You have no say over what happens but to perform to the best of your ability and hope it’s enough.  As I have met so many ladies in the game over the years, we learned that we are “control freaks,” but leaning on each other and sending encouraging words gets you through this crazy, nomadic lifestyle that we call “our lives” 6 to 7 months out of the year.

Just a little fun on Canalside Buffalo after a much needed off day!

Thanks for reading!

xoxo,

HC