How the faith founds the Lexi and JT Realmuto of the Phillies through the Hauts and the Baseball Bas – Philly Sports

At the end of the final song, JT Realmuto and his wife, Lexi, stood there in the grass on Citizens Bank Park with smiles on their faces. Juan and Melodee Devevo from The Christian Music Group Casting Crowns finished a whole of worship, including contemporary songs, such as “Great Are You Lord” and “Trust in God”, alongside the keyboardist Brian Fratto and guitarist / singer Stanley Pierre. Behind the Realmuto, taking articles 114-118 along the first base line, there were mass of fans of Philadelphia Phillies who had gathered in the cult.

What had just concluded was an “evening of faith and baseball” at the Citizens Bank Park, organized by JT and Lexi Realmuto alongside the chaplain of the Phillies team, Jeff Boettcher. During the program, Boettcher interviewed the Realmuto, guiding them through their Christian trips of faith and how they intertwine with baseball. Boettcher then asked a series of questions asked by fans via social media.

The event concluded what had become a long day at the Citizens Bank Park for the Phillies. A 41 -minute rain period had already started the day on a sour note. Follow this with a disappointing defeat of 8-2 against the Los Angeles Angels, giving the fans of Phillies all the excuses to go in a hurry, putting the day at the bank behind them. However, many fans have chosen to stay to hear JT and Lexi talk about their faith. It is for this reason that JT Realmuto, a man known for a very stoic expression at any time on the match, had a big smile on his face.

“There were all the reasons in the world not to drag today”, “ said JT Realmuto after the event. “The late rain, the warm weather, the game did not go so well. It was cool to see people show up for Jesus.”

Build a life rooted in faith through the ups and downs

On stage, the Realmuto discussed their history and the beginning of their trips of faith. Lexi Realmuto described his faith as really starting through the family of an old fiancé. For JT, he underlined his first interactions with his wife as a catalyst.

“When I met Lexi at the age of 25,” JT Realmuto described. “It was just on fire for God as if no one had ever seen before. It was like a little bulb in my head. And I was like, wow, there was so much more than I realized here. For me, God went to church, until I meet her, I did not necessarily do it. I wanted to continue this same thing.

At the time, JT Realmuto was a budding receiver in his second season with the Miami Marlins. The couple got married later in November 2017. Eight years, the couple now have four children together, the oldest of whom could run on the field after the end of the Faith & Baseball evening.

“We try to be honest with our children about everything”, Lexi Realmuto said about their children. “”We are imperfect, so we try to remind them daily that mom and dad are not perfect. We do our best. And we pray with them daily. Just before going out here, our two girls prayed for us, so it was quite special. We try to make them use what God has also given them, the gifts he gave them and get out of it. We try to defend them in everything they want. However, our eldest daughter, she is passionate to tell people that Jesus loves them. So we try to defend this. All that our family does, it flows through Jesus. So pray with them, worship with them, talk to them daily about the reason why we are here today, why it is so important for us. »»

Throughout the night, JT and Lexi Realmuto continued to reference to their faith in Christ as a firm base, a concept presented in the Bible in Matthew 7: 24-27. Using personal family loss stories and daily arguments between them, the couple clearly indicates that, in the changing sands of life, especially in the major baseball league, they trust their roots in something larger.

“Being absent, having good games, having bad games, life is so much from top to bottom”, “ JT Realmuto later described. “”The only constant we have is Jesus. And with the family, we focus on this. And we make our fundamental value system, and that prevents us from getting on the waves of life. »»

Especially at a time when social media reign supreme, there are an immeasurable number of votes with opinions on each movement that the receiver of the Phillies makes on and out of the field. Realmutos have however described that they do everything they can to stay disconnected from the noise of the world and connected to the word instead. They only allow a handful of people to speak in their lives and, although they can be separated during the season, do everything they can to read the Bible together and keep their hearts in the right place.

The goal behind night

Since his arrival in Philadelphia in February 2019, the Realmuto have come to call their house Philadelphia. With the platform of the one who plays professional baseball in a big market city, JT Realmuto wanted an opportunity to share his faith with the people to whom they called at home. And so, after a few conversations with Boettcher, the team’s chaplain, the idea of their event “Faith and Baseball” was born.

“It is the heart rate of who we are”, “ said Lexi Realmuto. “”We want you to know. We love you deeply … It’s like I knew a good cheese place, and I wanted to tell all the guys: “I knew this cheese that you would just like. And I want to give you that, I want to give you this location. And that’s sort of why it’s so important because I want to give you guys. And when we came here, it was always our heart. Obviously, we want to win, and win is incredible and we are competitors, but that’s really everything for us and sharing this with you guys, it’s just a part of you know how much we love you. “”

A mission that is close to heart

While their children surrounded and the young fans claimed so that the star of the Phillies came to sign autographs, I ask a question of JT and Lexi Realmuto in the night concerning their involvement in the mission of international justice (IJM). Christian organization, IJM works around the world to stop slavery and trafficking. The Realmuto were involved with IJM in the past, making a mission trip with their team freedom last summer.

“IJM is very close to our heart”, “ Lexi Realmuto describes. “We both feel very passionate about sexual traffic. And that’s where we are. And we are trying to make it happen and it’s real.”

“I think that to have our children and see how innocent they are and to what extent our children are lucky to be in the situation they are”, “,” JT Realmuto continued, “Not all children are lucky. So there is a ton of slavery of children, not only sexual slavery, but work, there is just a lot of slavery, the trafficking of children and so that we can do it, it is obviously close and dear to our children. So we are passionate about it and try to change in the world for that.”

A big bonus

While JT fled, thanking Juan and Melodee Devevo in the process, to sign autographs for fans who had probably been at the stadium all day, it has become obvious that there was no realmuto place prefers to be. He was there, sharing his heart with many of his favorite people on Earth. The same people who come to see him play day on the day and day, through each up and down.

“My foundation is in Christ”, said Realmuto. “It’s not in whom I am on the baseball field. So, baseball, as you all know, is from top to bottom. You are the highest high. Everyone is applauding us. So for me, my foundation is Jesus.