We live in a world where many believe fame and fortune is the answer. If you have enough money, recognition, and influence, then life will be complete, right? Actually, Darryl Strawberry reached the very top of that mountain with World Series-level success and discovered he was still empty and struggling.\u00a0<\/p>\n
He put it this way in our conversation together: I\u2019m very talented [at playing] sports, but that\u2019s not the purpose of my life\u2026<\/p>\n
Darryl Strawberry\u2019s MLB Fame and Success<\/p>\n
Darryl Strawberry enjoyed an 18-year Major League Baseball career, winning four World Series championships and playing for teams like the New York Mets, New York Yankees, and Los Angeles Dodgers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
And he wasn\u2019t just successful, but famous.<\/p>\n
The Reality of Fame<\/p>\n
Many young people today dream of having the fame and success Darryl experienced. But, in his own words: \u201cBe careful what you ask for.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fame not only brought Darryl the spotlight, but expectations and pressure. Darryl talked about learning to handle many things: his career, people disliking him, the media, and more.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Why Celebrities Are Still Empty<\/p>\n
I asked Darryl a question that sits with many of us: Why is it that when people get to the top and have it all (fame, wealth, etc.), they\u2019re still so empty?<\/p>\n
\u201c\u200a\u2026You accumulate all these things that you think will make you well. And they\u2019re just things at the end of the day. You buy a beautiful home, you live behind community gates, you drive the nice car, you have plenty of money\u2026 But what it does is only satisfy the outside\u2026 We don\u2019t realize that the creation for us on the inside was created for God Himself,\u201d Darryl shared with me. \u201c\u200aThat\u2019s why you see so many celebrities struggle so much with life\u2026 we achieve all these earthly things, but at the end of the day, when I take that uniform off and I go home, who am I?\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
No matter who you are, we are all created with a space in our hearts that only God can fill.<\/p>\n
How Darryl Became a Christian<\/p>\n
God used Tracy, who would later become Darryl\u2019s wife, to draw him into redemption after his history of drug\/alcohol addiction and abuse.<\/p>\n
\u201cHer life was a complete example of living for Christ\u2026 God would use her eventually, and it would bring me full circle\u2026 I would go on to get back in church and get discipled and get my life transformed and changed forever.\u201d<\/p>\n
One day, God spoke to him: She knows Me because she spends time with Me. When are you going to spend time with Me? And that moment changed everything.<\/p>\n
He shared how people can get into a strong place with God: \u201cYou have to be persistent to go after God. And you have to surrender yourself daily\u2026 I learned to surrender myself daily\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n
And he pointed out that we have a role to play in our restoration: \u201c\u200aIf you don\u2019t do the work, you don\u2019t get restored\u2026 You have to participate in God changing you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Darryl Strawberry\u2019s Greatest Chapter<\/p>\n
Today, Darryl says this is the greatest chapter of his life\u2014not baseball, not championships, not fame, but working for the Lord.<\/p>\n
He said, \u201c\u200aI think so many people are impressed with your success, but they can be impacted by your failures.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
While plenty of people have been impressed by Darryl Strawberry\u2019s success, they\u2019re now being impacted by his failures\u2014because those failures led to his testimony, his ultimate redemption through Jesus Christ.<\/p>\n