My guest post today is Adam Tucker.  Adam and I “found” each other over two years ago and began commenting on each others’ blogs.  His blogging became somewhat lean as he had some major life changes (one was a major move back to his hometown).  Adam blogs here. Please check his blog for contacting him via Twitter and Facebook.   There is only one bad thing I know about Adam (and it really pains me to say this), he is an Atlanta Braves fan.  🙁 Enjoy Adam’s story. 

From the time I was a young boy I have always loved baseball. Then, and even to this day, no other sports rivals America’s National Pastime.

However great my love of baseball is my parents always taught me to put God above all else. If I did that everything else would fall into place. I cannot remember a Sunday growing up that my brother and I were not at church; and I greatly thank my parents for never wavering in this.

Sunday afternoon was also a day that my dad would come home and eat lunch and head to the ballpark to hit baseball for hours on end, and I loved it.  When not practicing I was playing whenever possible. I played school ball, American Legion in the summer, and in a local fall league traveling team.

When my senior year arrived, with all the hard work, I received several offers from schools throughout the Southeast to come and play baseball.

One of the coaches was different, which will play a major part in my future. His name was Brian Shoop and at the time he was at Birmingham-Southern College in Birmingham, Alabama. It was not normal to go on a visit and have the head coach pray over you before you leave. It was at that point that I knew that place, and that coach, was special.

So I started to Birmingham Southern in the fall and was starting as a freshman. I had a pretty good year and could not be happier for the next year to role around. However, three weeks into my sophomore season I started having shoulder problems that resulted in me needing to undergo season ending shoulder surgery.

After months of rehab and getting ready to come back and play my Junior season, I would have a setback that would require another shoulder surgery just six months after the first one. I was overwhelmed and unsure of my future after a visit to the surgeon, and being told that I would probably never play baseball again. My coach, who was one of the Godliest men I have ever had the opportunity to meet, said he did not believe that and asked me if I still wanted to play baseball. My answer was that I did. My coach then asked if I would come to his church on a Wednesday night service and have him and the elders pray over me. I responded that I would, and went and received prayer over my shoulder.

Then about mid way through my Junior year after much prayer and rehab, I was cleared to play, and stepped to the plate for first time after being told that I would never play again. It was during that plate appearance that everyone on that team and everyone that would hear this story know that we still serve a God that heals. It was at that plate appearance that I hit a home run in my first at bat in over a year.

I went on to finish out the season with a great year and could not wait to see what my senior season held.

My senior season would solidify that God is all-powerful and still capable at working miracles through the healing power of prayer.

In my senior season, my first full season in over two years, I would play in every game with no shoulder problems at all. It is in that season that I lead the team in nearly every offensive category, hitting .354 with 52 runs scored, 81 hits, 11 doubles, 25 home runs, 73 RBI, and a .729 slugging percentage. I received numerous accolades including: Second Team All Big South Conference, SEbaseball.com All-Big South, ABCA All-South Region, and NCBWA Second-Team All-American Honors, and was named a Dick Howser Trophy Semifinalist.

None of that even compares to the story that I have and can tell for the rest of my life: the story of an awesome God that still performs miracles and heals. A God that heals with enough power that I now eight years later have not had any problems with my shoulder and play church league softball regularly.

God is good and when we believe anything is possible through him the impossible becomes possible; even when a world-renowned surgeon says otherwise.

For a video look at what Adam is writing about check out this YouTube video:

Feel free to comment.  Adam’s work schedule might not allow him to comment immediately, but he will do so.  Thanks Adam for taking the time to give us a vivid picture of the power of prayer.