I want to start this article by telling you some true life stories of people:
The first is Bethany Hamilton. At age 13 she was attacked by a shark that took of her right arm. Only six months later she was back on her surfboard and won the competition!
In 2004 she was awarded ‘Comeback athlete of the year.’
The second person is Ray Crock, who being diagnosed with diabetes and his gallbladder removed, founded the world renowned McDonalds franchise at age 52!
The third person is Wilma Rudolph, who as a child had to walk with braces. In her own words: ‘The first thing my momma taught me was to walk without those braces.’
She became the first woman to win 3 gold medals in a single Olympics!
The fourth person is the legendary golf player, Ben Hogan who got almost killed in a car accident although his legs were crushed. They said he would never walk again.
Sixteen months later he would win the US open tournament and 5 other major championships thereafter.
The fifth person is Derek Redmond, who during one of his most important 250m dashes tore his hamstring while running. When the paramedics ran out on the field with their stretchers to carry him off the field, Derek got back up and limping, he crossed the finish line to the applause of 65 000 spectators in the stands with his dad running next to him for support.
EVERYONE HAS A STORY
The sixth and most important true life story and person is . . . well, YOU!! Everyone has a story – what is yours?
What did life take from you?
Do you think life took your youth and that you don’t have time left to fulfill some dream? Let Ray Crock’s story inspire you.
Do you also have a childhood tragedy or deficit like Wilma?
What tore apart in your 2011 life race like with Derek Redmond’s hamstring?
The bottom line of the stories of the 5 people above is that they FINISHED! They never used their tragedy as an excuse, but as fuel and as great motivation.
I encourage you to not to allow your pain or loss to make you bitter – let it make you better!
The decision is yours – how will you finish 2011?
Will you find a way to get up and go again, or will you lie down and take NO for an answer? The choice is yours!
LOSS IS NEVER WHAT IT SEEMS – “dare yourself to win the ‘Comeback christian award 2012”
‘Whatever we loose in life simply means that it was never relevant to the successful completion of our race.’ – Dr Fanie PHS Briel
We sometimes loose things for a reason, and that reason many times is that we didn’t need it! The reason why we retaliate and throw tantrums when we loose certain things is simply because we grew familiar with it being present in our lives.
But we HAVE TO loose some things in order for us to understand the difference between wanting something and really needing something. What I loose may be something that I don’t WANT to loose, but it can be something that I can afford to loose because I don’t NEED it! If you REALLY needed it to successfully finish your race, you wouldn’t have lost it! THINK ABOUT IT!
Even the book Ecclesiastes states that there is a time to gather, and a time to scatter – a time to plant, and a time to pluck out! Plucking out and scattering is a legitimate part of our Christian journey my brothers and sisters. It’s not about what you loose – it’s about the fact that whatever you loose is NEVER a determining factor in the successful completion of your race!
Bethany Hamilton took a championship without one arm;
Ray Crock established the most successful global franchise having lost his youth and his health;
Wilma Rudolp overcame her childhood leg braces, Ben Hogan returned a world champion without strong and healthy legs, and Derek Redmond crossed the finish line without a hamstring in one leg!
LOSS IS NEVER WHAT IT SEEMS!
The race is still on – how will you finish?
Will you dare yourself to win the ‘Comeback Christian award’ in 2012?
WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ABOUT YOUR STORY
For no temptation (no trial regarded as enticing to sin),[no matter how it comes or where it leads] has overtaken you and laid hold on you that is not common to man [that is, no temptation or trial has come to you that is beyond human resistance and that is not adjusted and adapted and belonging to human experience, and such as man can bear].
But God is faithful [to His Word and to His compassionate nature], and He [can be trusted] not to let you be tempted and tried and assayed beyond your ability and strength of resistance and power to endure, but with the temptation He will [always] also provide the way out (the means of escape to a landing place), that you may be capable and strong and powerful to bear up under it patiently. (1 Corinthians 10:13 AMP)
Knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. (James 1:3 NASB)
I want you to read the underlined words and phrases several times, for therein is your message! The word endurance is also the word resilience, and resilience means: the ability to return to your original form after being bent, stretched or compressed. It also means: the ability to recover from illness, depression and adversity. Resilience also means being able to withstand setback, broken hearts and dreams, financial crisis, loos of loved one’s, loss of enterprise and even loss of health.
Family, the testing of our faith produces a quality in us that will take us further than any one of us thought were possible!
The race is set before you – as long as you have breath, run it.
Whatever you loose in it, recover quickly from it and FINISH.
YOU CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHO STRENGTHENS YOU.
Fanie Briel