Your New FAVORITE BASEBALL PLAYER

...is Chris Sampson! Sampson is a relief pitcher for the Houston Astros. He actually was a very good shortstop, was drafted to play the position, but retired when he saw that he didn't see himself playing at the highest level. So he retired and started coaching at a local community college.

As he pitched batting practice for the college, he began to realize he had some real gifts as a pitcher. The more he practiced, the better he got. So he contacted his old team-the Astros-and told them he'd like to try out as a pitcher. And...bang! They hired him and he's pitching for them.

Pretty great story, huh? It gets better.

Chris met Heather and they fell in love. They were married at home plate on the Astros field. Aww. great story, huh? Wait.

Heather is great friends with Brooke, my co-worker at Avicom. Brooke told Heather about Zoe, about us, how Robbie Seay had mentioned his hometown ball team, the Astros. And I met with Heather, and she's a dear. A real sweetie and a very nice lady.

Heather went back home to Houston and talked to the Astros about doing something special for Robbie Seay. Robbie is a guy who notched a top-5 hit in Christian radio last year and thought it'd be cool to come up and do a show to benefit Zoe. That's how he rolls.

Heather contacted us and said she had 20 ground level seats for Robbie and a chance to meet some of the team. So I contacted Robbie and told him. Robbie was excited. He said he's going to take his neighbors, who have adopted many -10!- disabled kids and he knows they'd love to meet the players.

Great story, right? Hold on...

Today, Heather let us know the other big deal: Fox Sports Net is going to do an interview with Robbie at the game. And they're also going to talk about Zoe, the little 138 day old baby who somehow has rock stars, major league pitchers and their teams, and you following her life. And Fox Sports Net is going to make sure to mention Zoemeanslifefor.us in case people want to help out Zoe's family.

I wasn't going to even talk about the thank you because it's a gift from the wonderful people at Avicom to a wonderful giving man. But I have to, because it's God at work.

Who do you thank? What do you think? Listen, I love the Brewers, but I'm so cheering for this man when he's on the mound. And I'm still listening to Robbie. And I gave Brooke a hug. And I'm so grateful that today, when I was a lot low, a lot low, God again will not let me go to the darkest places. This isn't about you, He says. This is about me in you, and in Zoe. And in Heather. And Brooke. And Chris. And Robbie. And Fox Sports Net. Fox Sports Net? Yep.