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Focus on the Family with Jim Daly

John Smoltz: A Story of Triumph and Unexpected Turns (Part 2 of 2)

Focus on the Family with Jim Daly

Focus on the Family

Kids & Family, Relationships, Society & Culture, Parenting

4.84.2K Ratings

🗓️ 24 October 2025

⏱️ 28 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

John Smoltz is a World Series champion, former Cy Young award-winner and hall of fame pitcher. He shares his inspiring story about the twists and turns in his career, finding faith in Christ, and rebuilding his life after experiencing hardship. He reveals how God taught him to surrender control and trust Him, while growing in grace in this one-on-one conversation with Jim Daly.

 

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Transcript

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0:00.0

God is at work and he's calling his people to rise in truth. Truth Rising is a powerful new documentary from Focus on the Family and the Colson Center. See how ordinary Christians choose courage in a culture that needs truth. Watch Truth Rising today and find out how you can become an agent of restoration and hope.

0:24.1

Visit truthrising.com today.

0:26.9

That's truthrising.com.

0:32.2

I've just learned.

0:34.0

My journey is an incredible journey.

0:36.0

I've learned a lot.

0:39.3

And I'm glad that I've learned grace through my children, grace through other things. I'm glad that I can have a better balance

0:45.8

and not be stuck in my knee-jerk reaction to go right to truth. And I'm still learning. Like,

0:52.1

I don't think we ever arrive. And I think that's a good thing because he wants us to stay dependent upon him.

0:59.5

Insights from Hall of Fame pitcher John Smolz, as he shares about his need to balance grace and truth in his life as he continued maturing in his walk with Christ.

1:10.4

We're coming back for a second day of conversation

1:12.8

with John and more of his inspiring story on Focus on the Family with Jim Daly, and I'm John

1:18.7

Fuller. Last time John Smolz gave us a look into his childhood and how he set out to become a

1:24.8

professional baseball player. I thought it was funny last time he said he, you know, sized up the positions and realized

1:31.3

if he became a pitcher, he only had to work every four or five days.

1:34.8

And that's it.

1:35.7

That's a great young man's thought, right?

1:37.6

Wow.

1:38.2

How little can I do?

1:39.8

But also that drive with perfection.

1:42.5

I mean, I saw it when I played golf with him.

1:44.5

I mean, he works hard at the art of doing athletics.

...

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