Matt Holliday spent 15 seasons roaming MLB outfields and striking fear into opposing pitchers before his retirement in 2018. Now, he and his wife, Leslee, are venturing into the world of podcast creation with the launch of “Table Forty,” a faith-based podcast under the new Sports Spectrum Podcast Network.
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“We just feel like this will be a cool way for us to bring our last 20 years, and all the people that we’ve gotten to know and learn from and have interaction with, to you,” Matt said on the podcast’s first episode, adding, “We enjoy talking about Jesus. We enjoy talking to our friends and spending time with our friends.”
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The first episode released Wednesday, and the first topic covers what the Great Commission is, as well as how it impacts the lives of believers.
The Hollidays chose the title “Table Forty” because they have spent a lot of time in their lives talking with people around various tables, and because Psalm 40 holds a special place in their hearts.
“Psalm 40 is one of our favorite passages of Scripture,” Leslee said. “We believe that everyone can relate to Psalm 40.”
Matt and Leslee encountered a lot of people during Matt’s baseball career, which included seven All-Star appearances, a World Series title and five stints with four different teams. He accumulated 316 career home runs with a .299 average.
Matt made his debut with the Colorado Rockies in 2004 and played there until 2008. He spent half a season with the Oakland Athletics before heading to the St. Louis Cardinals in 2009. He left the Cardinals after the 2016 season to spend a year with the New York Yankees in 2017. Matt last appeared with the Rockies for a 25-game stretch in 2018.
Each of those stops provided the couple with an opportunity to meet interesting people that have all impacted their lives in unique ways. On “Table Forty,” the Hollidays want to share those stories and how each of them ultimately points back to Jesus.
In the first episode, Matt gives listeners a glimpse into his own story of faith and the way God took hold of his heart during his time in baseball’s minor leagues.
“My story is one of always wondering what my purpose was and, even before I knew much about Jesus, always had that hole in my spirit and I couldn’t quite fill it with anything of this world,” he said.
Leslee, who is pursuing a degree in Biblical Studies, shared her thoughts on Psalm 40 during the initial episode and the promises of God revealed in it.
“We believe that we’re seen, and we believe that we’re loved, and we believe that we’re called,” she said. “I think that’s the heart of the podcast. It’s that, yeah we want to sit around the table and we want to bring some really neat friends to you guys and some fun conversations, but we want those conversations to be about who Jesus is. And who He is, is that He’s our rescuer and our redeemer. He pulls us from our pits and He sets our feet on the Rock. He makes our steps secure and He gives us a new song to sing.”
You can hear more about Matt’s story here:
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