Christian baseball player of New York Yankees Clay Holmes shared the freedom he found in being a living sacrifice for God.
Clay Holmes
The 31-year-old Major League Baseball professional player, Clay Holmes, is one of the well-known athletes outspoken in his Christian faith. He is also one of the best baseball professionals and the New York Yankees’ best pitcher.
Clay Holmes [@clayholmes21]. MLB Player Yankees. Instagram, 23 July. 2022,
In an interview with Sports Spectrum last year, Clay opened up about his childhood life. He grew up in church. So, he knew Jesus even as a young boy. But later in life, the sport he loved shook his faith. Clay’s baseball career started when he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2011. Then, he made his debut in 2018. Soon after, the Christian athlete faced an identity crisis because of his sports.
“I just remember that as kind of when I started to wrestle with just the whole identity thing,” he shared in a podcast. “Baseball and God, and this relationship of, like, I know I say I believe these things. But what actually is going on with my … desires? What do I seek with all this?”
Leaning Upon Jesus
God’s nudging in his heart opened Clay’s heart to God’s wisdom and since then, it strengthened his identity in Christ. As a player, he leans upon his faith in the Lord all the time. Additionally, Clay once again contemplated his purpose two years later. He then realized that he just wanted God’s power at work in his life.
“There’s gotta be more to life than just hanging my hat on the identity of this baseball thing…” he said. “When I think back on that time, it’s almost like Romans 12:1-2 comes to mind, just being a living sacrifice.”
Later, when Clay left the Giants and became one of the Yankees, he also shared how God gave him peace with the decisions he made.
“I just felt like God was preparing me for some things that were about to happen…” he said. “I just had this sense of peace, like, God’s kind of at work here and wherever I’m at. Whether it’s Pittsburgh or baseball or not, I had this peace.”
Soon, Clay made it to the “All-Star team in 2022.” In a podcast, he shared that it happened after he found freedom in being a living sacrifice for God.
“You just realize that freedom of when you become that living sacrifice,” he explained. “There’s a freedom that comes with it that allows you to just display the talents and the uniqueness that God’s given you. And the identity you have in Him, in a way that’s much greater than you can do on your own.”
Reference | Sports Spectrum
Header Image: Clay Holmes [@clayholmes21]. MLB Player Yankees. Instagram, 23 July. 2022, https://www.instagram.com/p/CgUz5VWOexK/?img_index=1
