“Still Standing?” Blog #188
Why can’t I figure out how to stick with my own “self care”?
How come it’s so difficult to build lasting good habits for me?
Can I give up a life of fast food, toxins and negative people around me?
I know deep inside, I truly want inner balance, spiritual growth and a healthy body. Yet,
sometimes I feel overwhelmed and suddenly it all comes crashing down around me.
What keeps me from giving up, throwing in the towel, falling down?
It’s miraculous how horrible tragedies and setbacks can turn one persons life from staying
stuck to standing tall. Justin Bieber, a very famous celebrity states that, “God has
redeemed me from a past life of an almost inevitable road of emptiness. I was
surrounded by people who were all kind of just escaping from real life….” He went on to
state, “I feel comforted now. I feel my relationship with God is wonderful. I feel safe.”
Thomas Edison failed over 1000 times and closer to 10,000 attempts were made before he
actually created a beacon of light called the Light Bulb. He stated, “I have not failed, just
found 10,000 ways to show it has not worked yet….”
In 2003 a woman named Kris Karr was just thirty two years old and living in New York. She
thought she was enjoying her life, yet after a routine checkup at her doctors office she was
told she had a rare and incurable stage IV cancer existing in her liver and lungs. Instead
of giving in to the disease, she decided to challenge her diagnosis head on. She attacked
the cancer with a brand new nutritional life style. She turned her experience into a series
of successful self-help books and documentaries. She launched her own wellness
website. Today she is celebrating years and years without cancer and is now revered as
one of the most prominent experts on healthy living.
She believes, “we are not alone. Unseen forces work on our behalf. We must start by
having faith. There is a much bigger love always available to us. Call it God.”
Another famous woman whose net worth is close to three billion dollars is Oprah Winfrey.
She gave birth at age fourteen and lost the child. She was reported to have been
molested by a cousin, an uncle and a family friend. Yet, she went on to excel as an Honors
student and get a full scholarship to college. Oprah Winfrey is not only a devout Christian
but volunteers her favorite verse in the Bible is Acts 17:28,
“For in HIM we live, and move, and have our being. For as certain as your own poets
have said, for we are also HIS offspring.”
Then there is the young girl named Bethany Hamilton. Bethany loved surfing and at the
young age of just thirteen, she lost her left arm in a deadly shark attack. However, just one
month later, and with one arm left, Bethany was back out surfing. Two years after that she
won first place in the Explorer Women’s Division of the NSSA National Championships. She
refused to fall down and give in and give up. Bethany attributes all her strength to being a
Christian. Bethany went on to state that she could not have done anything in her life if it
were not because of her complete faith in Jesus Christ.
By the time Jim Carrey was fifteen years old, he had to drop out of school to support his
family. His father was unemployed and the family went from lower middle class to living in
a van. However, that never stopped Jim Carrey from achieving his dream of being a
famous comedian. He now stars in mega-blockbusters and is known as one of the best
comedians of his time. Jim Carrey believes that in our hard times of suffering we can
“either become vengeful and fall down or we can forgive just as Jesus did on the cross,
and go on…”
These incredible stories are but a few of the famous and not-so famous people who not
only embrace the positive side of life but have learned the biggest lesson of all,
“NEVER GIVE UP. NEVER, EVER, EVER GIVE UP”
I know each and every one of us have all made mistakes. Each and every one of us have
gone the wrong way one time or another. Now, even in the midst of complete darkness, I
believe Jesus wants to have a deep conversation with me. I know this is true. So every day
I will try to stand taller, try just a little bit harder knowing Jesus has my back, I’m still
standing tall insulated by HIS Holy Spirit 24/7.
Can I find Jesus today and keep standing tall?
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