This is just a little insight into my book, and my story that is coming out on October 20th, 2020, yes this is an updated edition to my book from 2016. Though it will have another chapter, better read, and more stories about my life.
“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win.” (1 Corinthians 9:24) ]
Growing up, I was involved in the Olympic games that are held for people with disabilities. I especially liked doing the track events, like the 100m and the 200m, because they reminded me that I also had to continue running the race of life. In addition to track, I did the 50m in swimming and some field events, such as the obstacle course.
There’s something that we need to learn – life is not a sprint, but a marathon. Sometimes, it’s going to be an uphill race, and it’s going to be hard. Your physical body will feel like it’s burning and your legs will get weak until you get to the top of the hill, where you can get some rest. Then you’re not going to have to push as hard anymore. Once you reach the top, you can relax. You’re still going to have to run, but it’s not going to be as hard. That’s how life will feel to you. That’s how life has felt to me at times.
When I was younger, I was able to ride a bicycle. I remember that one time I was riding down a friend’s driveway, and I didn’t realize a car was coming down the street. I had to slide, and I landed pretty close to the car. That was scary. Another time, I was playing baseball in the street, and I got hit in the head with a metal baseball bat. Then, in gym class once, I bounced off one of my classmates, fell, and broke my arm. I injured myself in the same way again in college, though that time I was just clumsy and fell up the stairs while I was walking into a building. My friend Brock told me I would be okay, and I believed him. I didn’t think to get my arm checked. Over the weekend, I was playing different games, and my injury didn’t hurt. However, on Monday, my arm was swollen. I walked into my friend Doug’s room and said, “I don’t think this is normal.” Doug and I went to the hospital, where I found out my arm was so badly broken that I had to get an operation to put it back into place. I stayed on campus and only had to take a little time off from school. It took approximately six weeks for me to get the cast off, but eventually I was able to go back to class.
This is all a part of running the race we call life. When something bad happens, you get back up – even if it requires surgery for a broken arm. Regardless of what I have faced, whether in my physical or spiritual life, I have always known that I need to push forward. I couldn’t allow anything to stop me from doing what God wanted to do in my life. I couldn’t allow what other people said to stop me from doing what I wanted to accomplish. I wanted to show others that I could turn around their insults and say, “Yes, I can.” You can do the same thing. When people tell you that you are not going to be able to do something, you can say, “Yes, I can.”