They look daunting, but curve balls are awesome and I love them. Seriously.

I love curve balls. While I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn when I was thrown one, I love the effect of them. See, the curveball is something that many utilize to try and shake their opponent up. Generally, the speed of the curve ball will get the batter, the more contrast between the fastball and the curve ball the better. Others are looking for the big sweeping action that just give the batter too much to handle and the opportunity to swing over the pitch.

However, good batters can counter curve balls. As a matter of fact, a real effective curve ball can be pretty hard to find because if the action on the ball isn't good enough, any batter can hit a curve ball.

Recently, I've been in a number of conversations where people have been thrown a curve ball or two. These curve balls vary in their distinct characteristics, but they all have some pretty distinct fingerprints on them. 

See what I love so much about curve balls is that you really have to rely on what you have been taught.

"Stay back."
"Pick up the spin."
"Don't swing early."
"Let it come to you."
"Sit on your back leg until it gets there."

All the things that your coach taught you to do when you pick up a curve ball. Every curve ball in batting practice now re-enters the brain and you begin to process how to approach this curve ball.

It's a lot like life. There are situations that are going to come into view, and some we pick up earlier than others, that are total curve balls. They aren't as easy to hit as fastballs and you have to do some adjusting. But every single time, you have to rely on what God has taught you before; you have to rely on what you have learned from past experiences and the lessons that you have gone through before and you are made better because of it.

See, I think God loves curve balls too. Not because they can be tricky and sometimes hard to read. I think God loves curve balls because we have to rely on Him more; we have to rely on what He has taught us from before. We have to trust that inside of His plan for our lives, He has prepared us for this curve ball; we have to trust that He has trained us enough for this exact moment. And the coolest thing of it all, He has; already.

So, have faith that you are gonna smash this curve ball right out into left-center. Two runs are going to score and we're gonna be in position to win the game. Cause the truth of the matter is: We play for a Coach who always wins the game.

GC