Jake Peavy, US, Pro Athlete

February 20. Jake Peavy. In June 2002, Jake played his first game with the . During his career, he played for the , the , and the .

When he was seven years old, Jake devoted his life to God. He once said: “[God is] the reason that I believe I’m able to do what I do. There’s no way I can tell you that on my own I can go out and be able to perform in some of these stadiums and some of these atmospheres. But for some reason I believe that I am here, that He has a calling on my life and has allowed me to have the talent.”

Here’s today’s story.

Sometimes a curve ball knocks you down; let it teach you how to get back up.

San Francisco Giants 2016 opened with Jake leading the charge. Jake was the team’s three-time All Star, two-time World Champion, and winner of the 2007 Award for the best in the .

As the smell of newly mown grass and the crack of the bat filled the air, Jake got the news that someone—a friend—had used his retirement account to fund a Ponzi scheme.

He reeled from the broken trust and the loss of the friendship. His 2016 season became an avalanche of depositions, lawyers, and numbers he didn’t fully understand.

Jake had to take part in conference calls, sometimes hours before taking the mound. He frequently had to leave the team between his scheduled pitching days to give depositions and meet with lawyers, FBI agents, and investigators from the Securities and Exchange Commission.

All he could do was compartmentalize things, take his turn on the mound, and focus on the Scripture he had written under the bill of his cap: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

When the baseball season finally ended, Jake headed home to get away from it all, and find divorce papers. Papers that shattered what he treasured most—family life with his four boys. “It rips your soul out,” Jake said.

Jake looked back and made a choice. “The last year of my life presented challenges I didn’t foresee. It’s something I’ve embraced. It’s been refreshing in a lot of ways … it was time to be more involved where I was gonna spend the rest of my life.”

Jake left baseball behind with a new focus on his sons, his family, his love of music, and his generosity to others through the Jake Peavy Foundation, helping underprivileged youngsters and veterans. To the world, Jake may be a two-time champion, but to disadvantaged youths, military veterans, and his family, he’s a world-class hero.

Sitting on a bench with a bunch of kids, he coaches them: “There’s gonna be times when you get hurt and get knocked down, but you got to get back up. There’s gonna be times in life when you’re gonna want to quit. What are we gonna do? We’re gonna keep going.”

Jake knows whereof he speaks—firsthand experience.

“We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8–9 ESV).

What message will you put under the bill of your cap? Sometimes a curve ball knocks you down; let it teach you how to get back up.

Elman, Jake. “Jake Peavy Didn’t Win the With His Talent Alone.” Published August 4, 2020. Sportscasting. https://www.sportscasting.com/jake-peavy-didnt-win-the-cy-young-award-with-his-talent- alone/. “Jake Peavy #44.” Accessed October 6, 2020. MLB. https://www.mlb.com/player/jake-peavy-408241. “Jake Peavy: Biography.” Accessed October 6, 2020. JockBio.com. https://www.jockbio.com/Bios/Peavy/Peavy_ bio.html. Friend, Tom. “Country Rock.” Published June 6, 2005. ESPN. https://www.espn.com/espnmag/story?id=3745264. Miller, Scott. “I Need a Miracle Every Day: Jake Peavy Picks Up Pieces of a Shattered Life.” MLB. Published February 14, 2018. Bleacher Report. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2756799-i-need-a-miracle-every-day-jake- peavy-picks-up-pieces-of-a-shattered-life. “Peavy, Jake.” Last updated May 9, 2019. Player Profiles http://baseball.playerprofiles.com/ sampleplayerprofile.asp? playerid=5502. “Jake Peavy Foundation 2017” Published September 27, 2017. YouTube video. https://www.youtube.com/watch? v=4W_sHo0sOrA&t=41s.

Story read by Nathan Walker Story written by Thomas Mitchell, http://www.walkwithgod.org/