Authors Kevin Myers and John Maxwell have written and designed a true “home run” winner of a resource for those seeking to honor Christ and lead others to the same outcome. Myers and Maxwell met some years back during a time when Myers was a struggling pastor of a smaller church. Myers was so discouraged that he felt like quitting, but now admits that he forgot the vision that God had given him years earlier of leading a large congregation of people to Christ and helping guide them to their own personal “home run” of meaningful service to others.

"Thankfully, for all of Maxwell’s readers and those who will become fans of Myers’s after reading this text, both authors have done their homework, paid their dues, and been refined through the trenches of suffering and hardship."

Thus, to say that the meeting between Myers and Maxwell was a “God thing” is absolutely true. During a few days’ time, God worked in both Myers’s and Maxwell’s heart so that before they parted ways, Maxwell offered to mentor Myers. Needless to say, Myers gladly accepted that generous offer, and the two “met” several times a year as Maxwell made himself available to Myers for open-ended questions and counsel of any and all types. During this time, the two grew close, and Myers’s concept of using a baseball diamond as an analogy for following God’s plan for life developed as well. This text is just that: the blueprint for developing a specific pattern for successful life and leadership training.

The four parts of this formula are:

• Connection with God --- winning dependence
• Character --- winning within
• Community --- winning with others
• Competence --- winning results

In each of these dynamically presented chapters, the authors offer their own words of advice. Myers writes the bulk of the copy, and Maxwell’s suggestions are included in key places throughout the book. Much of this text is a two-for-one, as each writer shares his story both personally and professionally while frequently echoing each other’s comments.

Reading HOME RUN is a real win-win for laypersons and professional leaders alike. As Myers and Maxwell like to point out, every person is a leader to someone. Another key point is that, just like in the real game of baseball, players cannot skip one base to get to another. The authors underscore the foundation of baseball’s similarity to real life through this example: 1) There are always four bases. 2) You score only when you cross home plate. 3) You must touch first, second and third bases before crossing home plate. 4) You must run the bases in order. 5) If you miss a base, you’re out. What many folks fail to do is keep first bases first and master them in order. A person might become competent in business but be a failure at home. Or he might appear to be a Godly person but have deep moral failures that are hidden and eating away at his peace of mind.

Thankfully, for all of Maxwell’s readers and those who will become fans of Myers’s after reading this text, both authors have done their homework, paid their dues, and been refined through the trenches of suffering and hardship. Thus they are qualified to write this excellent playbook on running the bases of life to win.