Why this MLB player trusts God's purpose in his testimony

Published: September 20, 2024

Why this MLB player trusts God's purpose in his testimony

By Movieguide® Contributor

Detroit Lions right fielder Kerry Carpenter is committed to helping his team win the World Series and sharing the love of Jesus.

But faith wasn't always his first priority. In the midst of the chaos of the pandemic in 2020, Carpenter's father died. The tragedy inspired the athlete to turn his grief and questions over to God, and he dedicated his life to Christ for the first time.

“It's kind of manifested itself in the freedom and peace that Christ has given me on the field, because that's something I never had before I knew Christ,” he told Sports Spectrum about how his faith changed his perspective. “Never. Never played a baseball game in freedom or peace.”

Carpenter returned to the Sports Spectrum podcast in January and shared how God is using his experiences as a testimony to others.

“One of my purposes, I believe, is that God put me here to experience these ups and downs and to show that my ups and downs don't affect my identity,” he revealed. “That's something I always think about, I always want to be a witness. I always want to be a messenger.”

“That's really my goal, to play freely,” he added. “My goal is to reach my full potential, and I believe that you can only reach your full potential in Christ.”

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For the athlete, playing in the big league is truly a “blessing”.

Carpenter is rarely shy about showing people his faith and often adds Bible verses to his Instagram posts.

In a post, Carpenter shared several photos of the sunset. He wrote: “Beauty, joy and freedom in the mighty name of Jesus.”

He also added Nehemiah 8:10, which says, “Go and enjoy delicious food and sweet drink, and send some to those who have not prepared anything. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not be sad, for the joy of Mister is your strength.”