St. Louis Cardinals’ Golden Glove winner and shortstop for Major League Baseball, Tommy Edman, recently discussed how he had “one eye set on the world and one eye set on God.” After he finished his time at Stanford University, Edman was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals.

During his time in St. Louis, Edman saw what it meant to live for God. He noticed that other men lived with integrity on and off the field, and “the one thing that was different with them was that they all had their eyes fully set on God.” After that, he realized he had to make changes if he wanted to live up to God’s potential for him.

Edman looked up to men like Paul Goldschmidt and Adam Wainwright his entire life playing baseball. He admired the way they played and their success on the baseball diamond, and he admired who they were as God’s children once he got to know them off the baseball field.

In a recent Sports Spectrum ‘I Once Was’ video, Edman said, “As soon as I got to be in a clubhouse with them and saw that they lived out that light, not just on TV and on cameras, but also behind the scenes as well. They were men of integrity. Seeing how those guys conducted themselves at all times throughout the day really made a huge impact on myself and inspired me to turn both eyes to God.”

Edman recently posted on his Instagram when he sat with Sports Spectrum to discuss his growing faith. “It helps to rely on my faith and to rely on Jesus,” the post captioned. From California and a graduate of Stanford University, Tommy Edman has always been a hard worker as he strives to attain his goals. Being the son of a baseball coach, Edman’s love for the game was instilled in him from a young age.

His father, John Edman, didn’t allow baseball to be the only thing for Tommy. He made sure to instill faith into Tommy’s Heart. Edman said, “We have always prioritized attending church each week, and my wife and I have tried to be in small group Bible studies whenever possible.  We try to practice what we preach; being kind to others, offering help when others need it, praying for and with others who could use some, treating others with respect.”

Being a part of the Cardinals has played a significant role in strengthening his faith. Throughout his time in St. Louis, being around guys like Matt Wieters, Matt Carpenter, and former manager Mike Shildt helped Edman stay grounded and focused throughout the long 162-game baseball season. The atmosphere of faith and community built in St. Louis laid the groundwork for many men on the team to perform at the highest level and prioritize who they are off the field as well.

Tommy says that he is always looking to use his platform as an opportunity to lead others to Jesus. He emphasizes how he constantly seeks to encourage and inspire all he interacts with. “All we can do is plant the seed and trust that God will do the rest in leading them towards Him.”