IMPACT OKC
VOL 4. ISSUE 1
ROY WILLIAMS
All-American “SUPERMAN”
Oklahoma City Give life to your story. okc.yfc.net
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impact CONTENTS PROS FOR AFRICA 6 ROY WILLIAMS 8 CHAD STEVENS 15 $54,308,575 17 BRACES AT 40 18 IGNITION TO IMPACT: Together 21 IMPACT PARENTING: Attitude 22 Thriving in the Madness 23 INFLUENCE 26 Don’t Quit 28 ON THE COVER Photography Suit Designer
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Roy Williams Mitzi Aylor of Aylor Photography Jacqueline Bao of Nami, LLC
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IMPACT COMMUNITY PROS for AFRICA
Pros for Africa was started by Reggie Whitten after he visited Gulu, Uganda in 2002. After returning, Reggie connected with a group of Oklahoma Professional athletes made up of Roy Williams, Adrian Peterson, Mark Clayton and Tommie Harris, all of whom had played college ball at the University of Oklahoma prior to playing in the NFL. In recent years, other professional athletes, such as Serge Ibaka, the star power forward of the NBA’s OKC Thunder, have joined the efforts of PFA in their mission to support Sister Rosemary and Saint Monica’s School in Uganda. The following is an excerpt of the interview with Roy Williams as he shared his heart for the individuals that have been served by the work of Pros for Africa.
My work with Pros for Africa
began when the guys and I started supporting a school called Saint Monica’s School in Gulu, Uganda led by Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe. Sister Rosemary is a nun that protected young women that were being brutally attacked in the name of Joseph Kony and the LRA (Lord’s Resistance Army). These teenage girls were turned into slaves and forced to mother children for the LRA soldiers. So Sister Rosemary began fighting the LRA with sewing machines by creating a safe haven for these women at the Saint Monica’s School. She began teaching these young women how to become self-sufficient by teaching them how to sew, cook and clean so once they could leave the school, they could go out and have a job. Throughout the existence of Pros for Africa, we’ve fed over 10,000 people
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in Africa. We’ve dug wells through Water4 (www. water4.org), an Oklahoma based company, that helped us dig water wells. It’s not with power tools either. It’s all hard labor. I know it is hard labor because I did it and it’s not easy! (laughing) Drilling a hole with just some iron tools to break through the soil, it’s hard. And I commend people that do hard labor because that is not easy. I’d rather go heads up with a 350 pound person for 50 plays! (laughing) But just something like clean water… We’re spoiled. I mean, we can go right now and get some clean water from the faucet. They have to walk from 10 to 20 miles just to go get some dirty water to take to their mom to boil it, to sterilize it
and clean it. Each one of the wells that we helped dig will service about 30,000 people. When we left, we left the equipment. We taught the kids how to dig wells also. When we left and came back, they had dug about three or four wells! And now they’re doing a bunch of wells. And then we’re going to take some doctors from Oklahoma out there to Uganda for a week. We will
go to the school and the doctors will be setting up routine checkups for women, checking the ears,
cleaning out the ears and I mean, it’s . . . it’s a big deal. We partnered with a company called Starkey’s Hearing Aides (www.Starkey.com) which is headquartered out of Minnesota. I’m so happy we were able to partner with them because they provide the hearing aids and when you are putting a hearing aide in a young child, man or woman’s ear and, first off, before you get to that stage, you have to clean out the ears. And to understand what’s coming out their ears you would have to just see it in person. Because I can say, I mean, they had a tree branch in their ear…. but getting it out was just unbelievable! We were pulling twigs out of people’s ears because their ears must have been itching so bad. And then pulling bugs out of kids ears. I mean… it’s just extreme. Very extreme. But then once you pull all of that stuff out of their ears, you clean their ears and they get fitted for an ear mold. Then you plug up that hearing aid to their ear, you change the settings until they get the right setting and it turns into a smile…. then
into tears. I mean, it’s just… life-changing. Because the first time this kid or man or woman ever heard anything, they heard my voice. And that’s just amazing. You know, being able to provide the gift of hearing, it’s a blessing. Pros for Africa (PFA) is a 501(C)(3) non-profit organization based in Oklahoma City that encourages and assists universities, colleges, students and professors of all fields to provide support to Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe and her work in Northern Uganda and the South Sudan as she fights to educate and support the women and children who were victimized by Joseph Kony and the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA). PFA is a proud development partner of the Saint Monica Girls Schools led by Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe. Sister Rosemary has two schools currently, one in Gulu, Uganda and one in Atiak, Uganda, with a third under construction in Torit, South Sudan. PFA exists because of the generosity of working professionals, including physicians, nurses, attorneys, engineers, designers, carpenters, entrepreneurs, educators and even pre-professionals: college, medical and law students! Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe, a native of Paidha, Uganda, began serving the people of her country after joining the Catholic order of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in 1976. As director of St. Monica’s since 2001, Sister Rosemary has given hope to more 2,000 young women, many of whom were abducted, raped, tortured and forced to kill their own family members as soldiers in Kony’s army. In addition to providing a safe harbor for the former abductees, who are often shunned and persecuted by the people of their own villages, she has given them a way to support themselves through job training in tailoring, catering and other skills. Currently, approximately 250 girls and 250 children live at St. Monica’s. On January 16th at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum, Serge Ibaka will be hosting a gala with Sister Rosemary Nyirumbe (a TIME magazine 100 most Influential People honoree) benefiting St. Monica’s School. To learn more or purchase tickets, visit www.prosforafrica.com or www.sewinghopefoundation.com.
by Samuel Brian Hill Vol 4 Issue 1 | 7
ROY WILLIAMS ALL-AMERICAN “SUPERMAN”
interview by Samuel Brian Hill Roy Williams. You might know him from his days at the University of Oklahoma (#38) where he was recognized as a unanimous All-American and popularly remembered for his “Superman” acrobatic tackle of Chris Simms that produced a TD in the 2001 OU/Texas game. Possibly you are a fan from his time with the Dallas Cowboys (#31) and the Cincinnati Bengals, during which he received five straight Pro Bowl selections. The following excerpts are from an interview of Roy from his office in Edmond, Oklahoma at Global Security Corporation, which he co-founded in 2012 and serves as the President. GSC is a rapidly growing leader in the in the security field ranging from job site guards to international security/protection. From his past experience as a collegiate and professional athlete to his current experience as a successful entrepreneur in business startup, Roy shares a compelling story of determination, work ethic, faith and God’s provision amidst astonishing experiences. Your Football days with the University of Oklahoma, the Dallas Cowboys and with the Cincinnati Bengals, it’s what everybody knows you from. OU’s Superman. The NFL’s Mr. Horse Collar. What’s that like? It just depends on how you look at it. You know, when I was a young kid, I always imagined myself playing for the Dallas Cowboys and playing in professional stadiums. And, yes, I’ve impacted football from the professional arena all the way down to the rules in Little League. That’s pretty cool just to think about it. But, actually, when I was doing it, every time I got fired and I got a penalty flag, I would lose money. That wasn’t fun. (laughing) So it just depends on how you look at it. But I impacted football forever, so I will always be remembered for the horse collar tackle. How would you describe your time with the Dallas Cowboys? Amazing. Literally, I got to do something that I’ve loved ever since I was 8-years-old – organized football. And then I got to really live my dream of being a professional athlete. To be able to do something that you love and have no cares and no worries in the world but just go out there and play… it was amazing. It was fun. I wouldn’t
trade it for anything in the world. And people ask me how did I like Jerry Jones? I love Jerry Jones. I mean, he provided me an opportunity to be able to experience so many things. My family and I had an amazing time experiencing vacation spots we had never even dreamed of going in our lives. And then being able to fly my mom, dad and my pastor out to Hawaii to see me in the Pro Bowl... I mean I got to do some cool and amazing things. A kid in my position, from where I came from never imagined doing something on that level. What’s the number one misconception people have about guys in the NFL and in professional sports in general? Everybody’s not a millionaire. Everybody thinks that athletes are just . . . granted the guys who go in the first 10 or 15 in the draft, they’re doing pretty well for themselves, (laughing) but everybody that makes it into the pros isn’t. I would also say that people start expecting you to do things for them. You get a lot of people that come out of the woodwork and just put their hands out. I say it all the time, people sit around and they fantasize about being somebody else. What they should ask themselves is, “Am I willing to go through what that person had to go through to get to where they are at?” A lot of people would say “No”, but they still want to reap the benefits off of someone else’s hard work, blood, sweat and tears. But they did not do anything to earn it. So, I mean, that’s the expectations. Also people expect you to take care of them. I have seen people begin to think or assume that when someone comes into a position of power or wealth, that the person “has changed”. And, actually, often it is not the person who changed, but rather their expectations of the person have changed. They put the “successful individual” on a pedestal that he or she has no business being on and so they feel now that he or she is untouchable. And a lot of people from my neighborhood, back in Union City, seemed to feel that way. And I’m like, don’t make me something that I’m not. I’m still Roy. I’m still goofy. I still like to have fun. I’m still loving. I’m still the same person. I don’t like to see people hurt. I want everybody to have Vol 4 Issue 1 | 9
a good time. That’s just me. I realize you have two daughters, but if you had a son, would you support or encourage him to pursue becoming a professional athlete? If I had a son, I would definitely support him. Hopefully, one day I will have one. (Smiling) If I had a son and he wanted to play football, yes, I would say go for it. But I would most definitely want him to at least try basketball and baseball also. I would try to swing him or push him towards those two sports instead of football. Why? I think I paid enough for my family. Instead of my son having to go through what I had to go through... my son shouldn’t have to wake up in the morning with aches and pains or when it’s getting ready to storm, for his joints to start aching. I mean, even though it might happen in basketball or baseball… the tackles in football, I compare them with being in a car accident every tackle. So I don’t need my son to go through that. I did that. I did enough of that. So I would most definitely support him. I would never be a dream killer and say, “no you can’t do that.” I would support him, but I would give him the facts and knowledge of the pros and cons of playing in the NFL versus NBA or MLB. And heck, who knows if he would even make it. I would most definitely push education for him. Let’s talk about Roy Williams now. When did you leave the league and what have you been up to since then? I left the Dallas Cowboys in 2008 and then I went to the Cincinnati Bengals for two more years. 2010 was my last year in the NFL, so I retired from the league in 2011. What since then? Wow. I am an entrepreneur now but I wasn’t in 2010. I was lost. I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I didn’t know what was next for me. Was it scary coming out of the league? I mean, your whole focus for over a decade, between college and the pros, was football. It was….. I don’t want to say scary, but you can say scary. It’s like you’re on a schedule from…. I’d dare say high school through college and then through 10 | IMPACT OKC
professional sports. You’re in a classroom, you’re doing this, at 7:00 a.m. you’re doing this, 8, 9, 10, 11 12, you’re on a schedule. Then 2011 comes, you wake up like, “what am I going to do today?” Retired and extremely young. I mean, you were in your early 30’s. I was 30 and Yes, I was retired. I had a home in Texas. But I felt that I needed to get out of Texas, so I moved back to Oklahoma. But I mean, I woke up not knowing what I was going to do. I actually went into a venture with a former quarterback from back in our days who married a friend of mine and wanted to do football camps. So, I thought that would be something fun to do. Be around kids…. I’m very passionate about kids. I always want to give them a hand up. So we hosted some football camps. I met somebody. I invested some money. He deposited the check and turns around the same day to pay his mortgage, a car note and some other things…. so pretty much, I lost a lot of money. You know, sometimes you should just take your time. So if I was to give some younger kids my advice it would be to just take your time, really pray on it and just wait until you have an answer. When I was in the league, I got burnt on some investment properties. When the whole market crashed, these guys put me through the ringer. Honestly, I really would have helped myself out if I would have just stepped back and just waited. Sometimes you’re just in so much of a rush to succeed and be successful that you miss it. Often we have the mentality to just work and get it done, but in real business decisions, you have to take the time to evaluate and see how everything’s going to go, then you can make the proper decision. I didn’t have that mindset. I took some big losses while playing in the league and then afterwards. When I was playing, I always heard and saw guys move back to the cities that they played college ball, but I never understood that until 2012. That’s when I met my business partner. A lot of doors had opened through different professional sponsors and university donors, because that’s all about making relationships. Sometimes you go to college to figure out what you want to
do in life and sometimes you just have to go back again. You meet some people and sometimes, they just drop a seed or a nugget that inspires you. It makes you want to do something. But I knew that once I got back. I was actually looking to get into investment properties. I was telling my cousin that I wanted to do some investment properties. He was very adamant that I needed to meet one of his clients. So I met his client who owns half of a block of property on the side of a college campus. As he showed me these properties, I thought maybe one day I’ll get to this level. But, you know, we started talking and he asked me what I wanted to do. I told him that I had considered getting some investment properties, but then I asked him, “What do you want to do?” He told me that he had owned a security company back in 2000 through 2009 before going to work for Chesapeake and he was thinking about going back to work on his own, owning another security company. I promise you, sometimes, you are just at the right place at the right moment. I asked him, “Hey, would you like a partner?” He said “yes.” So my partner, Bill McClure & I formed Global Security in October 2012 and it’s really been a blessing. You know, sometimes when God opens up a door, it’s not going to be easy. With our company so far, everything hasn’t been as difficult as it could have been. Most companies that start up are in the red for a while. We’ve been very blessed. We billed our first client in January 1, 2013 and we haven’t looked back. We’ve grown a little bit also.
(smiling) We have over 200 employee. We are licensed in eleven states and operate in seventeen states now. We started in Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Florida and expanded from there. It’s been a very fun process. Have you ever felt as though you were not taken serious due to being known as a professional athlete rather than a business man? People have asked my business partner if I am just a face for the company and others have asked him if I have a sense for business. Bill always tells them, “Roy has learned from a playbook his whole Vol 4 Issue 1 | 11
life. Now it’s just a new playbook.” I’m always ready to learn. And it has been a learning experience and at times, it’s been difficult. Do I know every nook and granny about our company? No. I do however know how it runs. But when they started speaking that lingo, sometimes it felt over my head. I’m just truthful like that. Sometimes I know and sometimes I don’t. But I’ll tell you right now, I’ll shoot straight. I know the product of our company, who we are and what we represent. Rule number one, I’m going to represent our client with the utmost professionalism. I’m so grateful to be a part of such a great company. We have a wonderful staff. What do you attribute meeting Bill and the rapid success of Global, especially after the other investments that went bad? Was it just luck? No I don’t believe in luck. If I was to say, I would have to say it was God. Because back in 2000, I rededicated my life to Christ. Let me just paint a picture. Back in 1997, I was asked in the yearbook
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where did I see myself in five years. I said “I’d be playing for the Dallas Cowboys.” Point blank. I was speaking it before I even knew I was speaking it. I mean, just to think about that now. Back in 1997 in the yearbook, somebody asked me where I would be and I said playing for the Dallas Cowboys. Five years later where was I? Playing for the Dallas Cowboys. Fast forward, in 2008, I just got done signing a contract with the Cincinnati Bengals. I signed a new contract probably a year before that. And my pastor preached on tithes. And 10% of that is amazing. But I prayed up and honestly I told my pastor, man, I really idolize Job’s faith in God and what he went through in the Bible. He did not turn his back on God even though he knows that he has lost everything. And literally I felt when I said that, I put it out there. It was then in 2008 that the league made the horse collar tackle rule which changed the game and I watched as stuff started getting stripped from me. That same year the real estate
stuff took a huge hit. Then I got released from the Cowboys and I went to Cincinnati. I enjoyed by time there and I appreciate Coach Mike Zimmer who brought me on, but it just wasn’t right. It was a different game, but just mentally and spiritually it wasn’t right. It didn’t feel right. After two seasons with the Bengals, I retired in 2011. Then fast forward to doing the football camps which I got burnt on that and it was just like everything was going wrong. Then my cousin out of nowhere introduced me to my business partner and now we have Global Security. In hindsight, I tell people that investment I made with Bill, the money that I put in… that was my last investment. It’s so funny because sometimes we think, “I trust in you Lord,” while we are wondering the whole time what’s going to happen next? As an example, I had helped a buddy out and I fronted him some money to open his restaurant. Well, it went under, but I still was there to help him. You know, it’s crazy because at that time I thought, “What the heck?” and it was like I was not worried about making my money back. But then, here in the mail comes a check from my buddy reimbursing me. Suddenly, different opportunities would come out of nowhere. I would be asked to come out and do an autograph signing. Different deals would come up to help supplement some of my income and to just have money coming in. I truly believe I made choices that basically put me in a position to receive my blessing. I mean, it was like God saying “No Roy, I got you. Don’t worry about it. There’s a blessing coming, you just have to be patient and stay faithful.” And that’s been great. What is the advice that you would give to a young student athlete who is focusing on playing college ball and possibly making it into the Pros? What advice would you give him or her? Never take the opportunities you are given for granted. I would really say to enjoy life. Always be respectful because that’s one thing people seem to lack. Common courtesy goes a long, long way. It really does. Yes, sir. No, ma’am. Yes ma’am. No, sir. That goes a long way. Our society lacks some of that. Common courtesy goes a long way. I would tell them don’t lose sight of your upbringing as far as being respectful to others. After
all, you never know who will be the next Bill Gates or Warren Buffett or Aubrie McClendon, but if you are always respectful to people, you won’t have to worry about anything like that. Those individuals will be able to say of you, “I knew him when he was younger and he was an amazing guy who was always very respectful of everyone.” I would also tell them that they need to learn to enjoy life because life is too short to be stressing over little things. A lot of people spend a lot of wasted time with people that don’t even qualify in their life. You shouldn’t be spending that time. You need to just enjoy your life because it goes really fast. I played nine years in the league and I actually felt like I was only in the league for 365 days. I mean, nine years went by that fast. So never take the opportunities you are given for granted And then, if you really want to do something significant, you have to write goals down. You might have goals, but you must write your goals down and if you make easy goals and you accomplish those, I mean, success breeds success. So when you accomplish a goal that just builds up your confidence for the next goal. Success breeds success. When you do that, when you have self-goals and you accomplish those goals, you breed that confidence. And then you become more confident and then you’re like, “why can’t I be even better?” You know, a lot of kids say to me, “I want to be just like you”. But I don’t want them to be like me. I want them to be better than me.
You can learn more about the corporation Roy co-founded, Global Security Corporation, at www. globalsecuritycorporation.com. You can also discover information on page 6 of this issue regarding the humanitarian work Roy does through Pros For Africa (www.prosforafrica. com), an Oklahoma based nonprofit which he very passionately supports. Vol 4 Issue 1 | 13
fected daily by marketing in ways that we are consciously unaware. His response reminded me of the power of brand messaging that is woven into the threads of our daily lives.
CHAD STEVENS by Samuel Brian Hill We live in a Brand obsessed society. Whether it be our cars, shirts, shoes, jeans, suits, jewelry, or even our socks; brand awareness is a key factor in the decisions to purchase that we make as American consumers. This awareness can be created and developed in a multitude of methods, but what if your face was synonymous with a brand? For the Oklahoma based entrepreneur, Chad Stevens, the president and founder of Skyline Media Group, this is a reality. For years, Chad has been the media face of Fowler Auto Group in Oklahoma & Colorado. With his often comical commercials which often are a satire of current events or pop culture, he and the Fowler brand have become household names in their target area. The phrase, “Who loves you Oklahoma?” has evolved from a simple question into an instantly familiar idiom among advertisements across television, radio, print, digital and social media. However, do not allow the whit and jovial nature of the commercials to lead you to believe that “Chad Stevens” is only selling cars. There is a significant amount to be learned from this marketing guru and the personality he has created for the viewers. After graduating from the University of Oklahoma, Chad began his professional journey by working for a radio station in the sales division and then for COX in selling media for over a decade. From his love of writing and creating, with an offer to market for the Fowler Auto Group, Chad founded Skyline Media Group in 2000. From Skyline’s beginning of meeting the needs of one client, the company has grown to over 20 employees and has diversified into serving the marketing needs of multiple clients in the diverse industries of employment, furniture, gaming and automotive dealers. While sitting with Chad, I asked him if we are being af-
“You are hit with Millions of messages per day. The dynamics of marketing has changed so much by the growth of the internet, social media and the phones we hold in our hands. Subconsciously, you are hit from so many angles, that I really believe your mind patterns are effected by all of this. Through TV, your computer, your phone, billboards, online magazines and everything… tied together, there is an underlying message and it has effected all of us in a way. Although we might be unaware of it, it has changed the way we the consumer buy things.” With all of the devices, blogs, social sights and constant media feed, I was curious what impact this multitude of outlets has had in marketing and if it has become more difficult to market or advertise a brand or product over recent years? “Extremely difficult. There are so many outlets. The advertising funds, since the collapse in 2008, everybody has had to rethink on how they market themselves. The dollars that were spent prior to 2008 were astronomical, especially in the auto industry. That has really changed. Our advertising dollars are more limited than they were back then, yet you have so many more outlets than even then. So, yes, it is a challenge every single day to make sure you’re marking smart to the right people. It is a Big challenge. We are looking now at how we can do even more in the digital arena. Traditional advertising, TV & Radio, will all ways be there. But it’s so fragmented now with so many people advertising. Everybody advertises now. Everyone. Before, it was not that way. Prior, you had ten main guys and few furniture stores, but it’s not that way anymore. So, it’s a challenge. The question every day is how are we going to break through the clutter? So, yes, it’s much harder to market these days because there are so many ways to market. What are you going to choose? What will be the most effective and efficient? You must rely on consistency. We’ve been very fortunate to have clients that will not “knee jerk” and allow us to try new things. It’s tough to jump into new advertising arenas that our clients are not familiar. Your convincing your client to spend their hard earned advertising dollars in an outlet they have never advertised in before. There must be a comfort level and a trust. We’ve been real fortunate to have great clients that will allow us to do that.” As obsessed as we remain as a society, we are equal captivated by any and all forms of “celebrity”. From individuals with platinum recording contracts and tours to those who sing for local events, anyone ranging from world-wide celebrity status to local notoriety can enjoy the varying benefits but must also endure the negative effects that follow. I was curious if Chad as the face of a brand, is forced by his career to think
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“We have been working with Chad Stevens and Skyline Media for more than 12 years and appreciate their understanding of our business and our goal to put a million people to work annually. They support us with relevant strategies and creative to help us succeed with advertising and video production that elevate the Express Employment Professionals brand.” —Bob Funk, CEO of Express Employment Professionals of things such as going out to public events differently. Since he is recognizable from the tv and print ads, is he approached and has being recognized ever been an issue? Because his face is a substantial part of his business, are there types of sports that he would not play, activities he would not pursue or even places he would not go because of the potential issues created? “I’m a very positive person. I’ve been very fortunate to have a group that allows me to go out and do things the way I like. It’s really opened a lot of doors for me and I have taken advantage of those opportunities to make a positive impact on people’s lives. I’ve been fortunate to be asked to serve on some charities. It really has been a fun ride. I get recognized around the state but I’m not the kind of guy that buys into the celebrity of it. That’s not me. I am just a normal guy from Enid Oklahoma that had a good opportunity and I took advantage of it. It’s been a good 15 year run.” In a time when many athletes and public figures are paid large sums in endorsements for representing a brand, I asked Chad what he has learned from his experience of representing a brand and what he would say to our young readers regarding how they represent themselves. “I can tell you this. I tell my children this every day, ‘There is a Camera there at all times.’ On every phone there is a camera. You better be careful because at some point it will come back. Whatever your action, there will be a reaction. Also, you need to be careful posting things on the internet, it’s there forever. It never comes down. You might think it is gone, but it’s out there somewhere. You hear these horror stories of kids making mistakes and posting those things on social networks. Those things will follow them forever. My advice is be careful. Just know that were ever you are, if you are in public, there is always a camera present. If you are doing something crazy, someone is going to film it and it can be out there forever. Even as an adult, I have to know that. With social media, words spread fast. My advice is be careful and be aware.”
I’ve tried to be transparent my entire career and it has paid dividends. A lot of times there is dishonest in business to get ahead and that just has never been my principles. I’ve always said from the very beginning (of Skyline), tell the truth and always the truth. They say it will set you free and I’ve found that it does. Sometimes you don’t like the outcome, but at the end of the day be truthful to yourself and everything else will take care of itself. That is the main thing I want to instill in my children. Faith. Trusting God. Leadership. Be a leader. You don’t always have to be out front to be a leader, but Lead. Set good examples. The challenges we have with kids these days, with the internet and the culture that is so negative, how do we protect our kids from that? Well, you can’t. They see it every day. But as long as we do our job at home and instill in them all of these proper principles, that’s all we can do. It is a battle every day to defend those principles.” As I’ve interviewed business leaders, I am always curious if they would like to see their children follow in their path by going into their field of business, especially entrepreneurs who have started a company or own a company. I asked Chad if he would like for his sons to do so with Skyline. I do. I really do. I don’t know if that will happen or not, but I would love for them to come in and do this. We are such a service based industry, so saying that I want my son’s to come in and do this… things change so much in this industry. We don’t have a product that we are selling other than our service, so who knows where the agency will be in 10 to 20 years, but yes, I would love for them to at least get into this industry. I would love it. I would love to put their names on the door. I really would. In business, it’s always about the vision for the next step. The entrepreneur must always be envisioning what the future of his venture will be. In that light, I asked Chad to share what he envisions as the future of Skyline Media Group and what he would see as success in the long term.
Chad is the dad of two teenage sons, one is 17 and the other son is 15. I asked him what principles he wants his children to learn from him as an entrepreneur and as a father.
For Skyline, it would be to land that National account where we are out there in every home in America. We are not too far from that. I truly believe that. We have the talent here in Oklahoma City. We don’t have to be on Madison Avenue or in Hollywood. Everyone in the business seems to think you do, but you just don’t. The state of Oklahoma has more young talent that I would put up against any other state in the nation. Really, truly, I really mean that. The talent here is unbelievable. From the Universities to the great intern program we have here, the amount of talent is unbelievable just right here in our state. We are going to take that talent and take it to the next level by landing a couple of national accounts. That’s our goal, to take care of our current customer base and grow them, plus hit a homerun by adding a couple of national accounts. I don’t believe we are too far off.
“Honesty. Honesty. Honesty. That to me is the most important thing in business is being honest with people.
Outgoing. Caring. Honest.
16 | IMPACT OKC
Chad’s three words:
$54,308,575 by Dan Wolgemuth Moviegoers flocked to theaters to watch the movie, The Martian, on the opening weekend of the show. Thousands and thousands came… spending millions and millions. The film is riveting and the production is compelling… but the story is two thousand years old. In short, the fictional story tells of an astronaut, presumed dead, left on the planet Mars. As those on earth become aware of his plight, nations unite, politics fade, courage is birthed… in an effort to rescue. Crowds crammed into auditoriums and critics raved. The fact is, Hollywood loves what Jesus has already done. “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninetynine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.” (Luke 15:4-5) Last weekend I met a young woman named Destinee. She was an attendee at our Central States Regional Conference; but she was so much more than that. She was a rescued lamb on the shoulders of the Good Shepherd. She was left for dead on Mars. Nineteen foster families, two teen pregnancies, abuse, poverty, exploitation and abandonment; Destinee felt isolated and alone. She was suffocating under the weight of sin, and she was starving for love. Fortunately for all of us, God leaves the ninety-nine in the open country and goes after the one. Destinee. Me. You.Hollywood will never footnote The Martian with a credit to Luke 15, but I know why my soul surged at this story. I know why my heart ached for this rescue. This is the Gospel. Destinee represents what Jesus pointed us to… Her worth is tied to the Shepherd’s
resolve. He will pursue. He does pursue. He did pursue. Until Destinee knew that she was loved. Until Destinee felt the tangible arms of Jesus through those who follow Christ. Until Destinee felt celebrated and safe. $54,308,575 because we all want to be rescued. Because we all want to be valued that much by the Shepherd. Because there’s a bit of Destinee’s story in all of us. Jesus; our rescuing Savior. Our hero. Our friend. Churches unite. Politics fade. Courage is birthed… because there is a lamb that needs a shepherd.
Daniel S. Wolgemuth serves as the President/CEO of Youth for Christ/USA. Before YFC, Dan spent 28 years in corporate work, including eight years with General Electric. He was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters by Huntington University on May 12, 2012. Dan was elected to the Board of Trustees of Taylor University in 2006. In addition, Dan has written extensively. He currently writes a weekly devotional message called “Friday Fragments” that is widely accepted within and without Youth for Christ. It is posted on Dan’s blog site, FridayFragments.com. Dan and his wife, Mary, have three married children and eight wonderful grandchildren. You can learn more about the mission of Youth For Christ/USA at www.yfc.net.
Vol 4 Issue 1 | 17
BRACES AT 40
Four Lessons I’ve Learned as an Adult with Braces on My Teeth by Martha Fouts
Last February I was complaining about my crooked teeth and flabby belly. My normally laidback, kind husband uncharacteristically said, “I’m so sick of you griping about the same things you’ve been griping about for eighteen years. If you’re so annoyed by those things, then change them!” His words struck a chord. I think they made a huge impression on me, because he rarely talks to me like that. He usually says things like, “Aw honey, you look great.” Also, I realized that he was right. I had been griping about these same two things our whole marriage, and they weren’t going to change until I did something about them.
18 | IMPACT OKC
It took me a while to figure out how to fix the flabby belly. After a few months I discovered how I needed to eat and exercise to get in shape. My flabby belly isn’t totally gone yet, but it’s slowly leaving! As for the crooked teeth, I made an appointment with my dentist for the next day, and about a month later I had a set of shiny new braces on my teeth that my dentist said I would need to wear for at least eighteen months. I am a thirty-eight year old woman with braces on my teeth. I have currently had these lovely metal brackets on my teeth for nine months. I knew that this experience would change the appearance of my teeth, but I had no idea that this experience would affect me in deeper ways as well. I have learned so much from wearing these braces. So far, there are four lessons I’ve learned as an adult with braces on my teeth:
It’ss never too late It’ It to start working on the perfect smile.
1. It Doesn’t Matter What Other People Say Here are some things people have said to me since I’ve had braces – “You know you ruined your looks with those things on your teeth.” (I’m not kidding, someone really said that to me.) “Why would you get braces? At your age?” I have had a lot of people say this to me. “I can’t believe you did that. Why would you spend money on that?” As if it’s any of their business. I have learned to flash my braces in a big smile at someone who says something like this to me and walk away. It’s liberating to not care what people say.
2. Don’t Take Yourself So Seriously When your smile looks like a seventh grader’s, when you are wearing colored rubber bands on your teeth, when you discover you’ve had bits of food stuck in your teeth all day, it’s a great reminder not to take yourself so seri-
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ously. Sometimes as a grown-up you can start to forget that you are a CHILD of God. HE is our Father. He is in control. These braces have made me remember what it’s like to be a kid and to recognize that I have no reason to worry, because my Father God has it all under control!
4. A Little Change Makes a Big Difference
3. It’s Never Too Late
Of course these little silly braces are quite unimportant in the light of eternity. Our bodies are temporary. One of these days we will shed these bodies altogether, but I think we can learn something even from something as insignificant as braces. Do you need to make a change? Then do it! Think you can’t? 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away, and new things have come!” I encourage you to seek lasting change in Jesus. It’s never too late to become who you want to be!
To those people who’ve said, “Why would you get braces at your age?” I say, I got braces because I’m not dead yet. I want to make myself better in the time I have. There are so many things I still want to do. I refuse to die before I die!
When you change one thing and prove to yourself that you can make a change, it is addictive. You convince yourself that more change and improvement is possible.
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IGNITION
TO IMPACT! TOGETHER
We all know there are needs in the World. We see them on the News daily. Needs for food, clothing and shoes still remain issues throughout much of our World, but those needs often feel distant from where we live. I find in my day to day busyness that I often forget how close to my house some of those extreme needs really are. Recently I was “blessed” with a reminder. On that Tuesday, I received an email from a school counselor at a local High School concerning the needs of a particular student. The counselor informed me that this young man literally only had one t-shirt & one pair of pants, which he had worn every day since school started. Once she became aware of the need, she reached out to the Youth For Christ of OKC staff, who in turn, shared the need with several supporters and by the following day, multiple sets of clothes were delivered to the young man. Although this story is wonderful in itself, the tail does not end there. While the team members were at the High School delivering the clothes, the office staff mentioned to them a Junior who was in true need of new shoes. This young man wore size 15 shoes which had to be held together by several layers of duct tape in an attempt to protect his feet from the continuing issue of his toes busting through the ends. Astonishingly, on the following day (Thursday), the group was able to put a NEW Pair of NIKEs on his feet. Then on Friday, the following day, something even more miraculous occurred. Through a community partnership and by spreading the word of the young man’s need, another group of individuals through the organization City Reach, purchased ANOTHER pair of NIKEs for him and also a New NIKE Jordan Backpack! For this young man who had so little to receive so much was a truly powerful and moving sight! However, there is still more. When the partnering organiza-
tion showed up to the High School, they also delivered over 40 New pairs of NIKEs and 50 Backpacks to meet the needs of other at-risk students on the campus! All of these needs were identified by the school staff, who then relayed them to the YFC team for prayer & help, who in turn relayed the information throughout a network of Church & Community Partners and the Miraculous happened! The needs of hurting students got met and the Love of Christ was shown to teens in a very real way. All of this happened through “I had no clothes and you a partnership gave Me clothes to wear...” within the Sch o o l , -Jesus, Matthew 25:36 (NLV) Churches, Community organizations, Business Leaders and normal Individuals like you who identified a need and committed to solve it together. Although many needs remain throughout our great City on many school campuses and in neighborhoods alike; I am excited to see how God will use each of us as we partner to meet these needs and share His Gospel to this Young Generation. May GOD bless each of you for your hearts of generosity as you seek ways to share the love of Christ through simple acts of love. Thank you for your commitment to reach your world and to #ImpactYourOKC. by Samuel Brian Hill Vol 4 Issue 1 | 21
THE POWER OF A IMPACT I M P A C T POSITIVE P A R E NATTITUDE TING
PAR E NT I NG “BLESSING” OUR CHILDREN
by Todd Lovelace
b y T ODD LOV ELAC E
Our theme this summer in our children’s minis- ful, in dealing with tough situations? try at church was focused on ago, SuperOklahoma Heroes. More years City focused onDo theyou gift think that it makegiven a difference specifically that Super Heroes standsomething up for what is would experienced that had been to us, I in gift of your uncondiread a Hero classic your kids? I think so! right! We all probably a favorite only comes around once have in a decade or soSuper it seems. It truly discovered sometional love and accepbook called, The There’s story about right? What makes Super Heroes so great? A lot of was Christmas Eve morning, 2009 and our family was thing thata our culture tance. “Blessing Blessing written by Dr. John Trent and Gary a 92-year-old man who on our right? way to Some a partycan that we havehave beenX-ray goingvision, to for seems to skip over our all things, fly, some children” is a way of Smalley. I thought it would be good to remind 17 years. remember particular year powerful! because there too moving easily. Unstructured was into a nurssome canI spin a web,this some are super helping themday. experius, buzz asabout parents and “spiritual leaders” of our ing was a huge going around that dayHave about the snow time, no deadlines, no home one Even Well what their attitude? you ever ence, at the deepest children, of the importance to take the time and storm that was apparently approaching the city. appointments, no phone thought about that? Can you imagine a super hero though he’s legally blind, levelnoofhomework, their hearts, be intentional bless children often. The church where II to serve as aour pastor was prepared no gets ready by himself withThe a bad attitude? can hear superman saying it hecalls, the certainty that they Blessing is based on what we see practiced all to host its traditional Christmas Eve service that evesporting events, no morning by hureight now, “Well I’m just not going to save the world to- every are highly valued and throughout scripture. In Genesis 17, God, in the ning, so I would periodically sneak away to check the rying. For a few days we His wife of 70 years had recently passed day Lois, my coffee was terrible this morning and o’clock. forever treasured by role of “Father,” blesses his “son” Abraham and weather so we could determine if we needed to cancel enjoyed each others company, we created space to love After many hours of waiting patiently the service unacceptable. ” Of coursenations. not! away. someone significant in their life. This blessinginisthe tellswas him just he will be the father of many the service. I remember hearing allto thehave gloom andparties doom each of other our uninterrupted time, we slowed thewith nursing home, got atobig ondown his Super Heroes don’tlater, have time pity especially critical when it he comes oursmile relationSome years Abraham then blesses his son lobby reporters as they guessed just how much snow we were long enough to listen to each other, and we reflected on face when he was told his room was ready. As when they don’t get their way!! They are super beships with our parents. Gaining or missing out he Isaac, who later blesses his sons, Jacob and going to get that day. It seemed to range from just a trace the real meaning of the season, the birth the of our Savior, hisapproval walker to the nursing cause they have theinright attitude. Always looking on parental has a elevator, tremendous effect Esau. Then Genesis 49, Jacob blesses histo12 maneuvered of snow to a couple of feet! In reality it turned out to be Jesus Christ. worker his tiny roomwith where serve and meet on us. Whatdescribed happens to in him our relationships sons. Weneeds. see this continued throughout the Old home just over 10” in the metro area. It was the most snow This Christmas season, would you consider creating our parents can greatly affect all of our present Testament and New Testament and the practice As parents we have the opportunity to model and he would now be calling home. recorded in a single day in Oklahoma City. With winds this kind of environment for your family? Would you slow and future relationships. is still today in the culture. When the nursery home worker paused, Mr. Jones train that kindrelevant of attitude with ourJewish kids. The kind of blowing forcefully at 40-60 mph the storm quickly turned downMany long enough to listen struggle and learn with from your adults what chilIn the New Testament, we see Jesus take this “I love it!” attitude that says, it’s not always about me and my said with enthusiasm,today into blizzard conditions with littlenew visibility. Snow dren? Would be patientdisorder, and full of grace? Would you experts callyou attachment the fail-you ideawishes of “blessing” to very a whole level!about No lon- But the nursery worker said, “Wellthat’s Mr. Jones, wants and and needs, but it’s really drifts formed as ithigh as 6ft in places blanketing be intentional with your time and creatively ure for children bondsteach withyour was just tosome son, He began to “Bless” haven’t even seen to thecreate roomsignificant yet” seeking ger God first and father what he wants me to do. the hundreds of vehicles that were abandoned all over family about the real meaning of Christmas? Would their parents as they get older. They stumble you all people; whether it was the children that came Mr. Jones replied back saying, “That doesn’t have Matthew 6:33 says, “Seek the Kingdom of God the streets Interstates 35, 40 andwoman 44 were at consider for needs around you that your family down a looking road toward broken relationships. They andand sathighways. on his lap, the Samaritan to do with it.“ Happiness, he said, is someabove all all else (seek God’s ways first), and live righ- anything desolate, shut down, as well as the airport. could help meet? Would you make this Christmas one enter young adulthood, and marriage, with for the well, the blind man, or even his disciples thing you decide onOne ahead of time. Whether I like my teously (not perfectly, but striving to live like Jesus), It was certainly a crazy as fewhedays as thetheir entire city books? for that will not soon be forgotten? a record deep desire connection, but they don’t at the last supper washed feet and the room or not doesn’t depend on how the furniture and he (God) will give you everything you need. closed down. There’s such a sense of joy, anticipation, and mystery understand how to have it because it was never cast aPeople vision were with stuck thematofhome whatwith theyseemingly would do... arranged it’s how I arrange my mind. I already (which give you things you don’t ask for, nothingmeans to do ...he’ll except for spend time with their family. this ... time of year. Embrace it! Allow the “awe” of modeled for them, and they have no confidence remember in John 14:12 Jesus says, “Very truly is during to love it. It’s your ahave decision I make every or not give you things youbelieves do ask for, because he Yes, that’s right, this “blessing in disguise” opened the the season to capture heart and fill you with mornthe love that they can really loving, lasting relationI tell you, whoever in me will do the decided ing when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the knows best, what you need). ships for themselves. So, this idea of “Blessing” works I have been doing, and they will do even door for memory making! Sledding, movies, snowball of the new born King! in children bed pouting about the difficulty I have with Without thinking about it, webooks, as parents, come is critical. greater things than these. Jesus spent most fights, board games, video games, food, and lots of dayour the parts of my body that nooflonger work, had or I 5can home each day from work and display for our kids The biblical examples “Blessing” his time-in-ministry “blessing” people. of laughter. I have never worn pajamas that long in my parts that work closely what exactly ‘The Blessing’? What does getdifferent out of bed and becan thankful for thetogether, ones thatordo. the ofSo, attitude they willisadopt. Do we complain life!kind I didn’t know I had pajamas! That Christmas will althey can be used independently. As parents, we it mean to “Bless” people? John Trent (who’s aways lot? be Are we whiny from something that happened Each day is a gift.” remembered. need to always looking for opportunities been a took champion of frustrated this ancient Biblical tool) Philippians 4:6-9be says, “Don’t worry about to anyduring the day? Didsome we get from the trafOf course it time to stop feeling guilty that bless our children from the day they home gives this definition in The Blessing, Giving the Tell God what at work beingup? “productive, ” but as rude I settled in and fiIcwasn’t that was backed Was someone to you at thing; instead, pray about everything.come work or at the store? How are we dealing with these you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then 19 you3, will God’s peace, which exceeds everyday situations? Sure, we will always yfc 13 12 yfc |have | volume volume 2, issue issueexperience things to gripe about and get frustrated over. But, anything we can understand. His peace will guard what if we did a better job at looking for the good in your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Let’s choose to be SUPER HEROES with our attisituations instead of always looking at the negative. What if we decided to be more grateful, and grace- tudes!
SEVERAL I RECENTLY
22 | IMPACT OKC
Thriving in the
MADNESS
by Martha Fouts
I have a confession to make. My life is not perfect. In fact, sometimes it is downright chaotic. In fact, I’m just going to come clean on a few things right here and right now. Here goes.
1. I left the house this morning with dirty dishes in the kitchen sink. 2. I’m not very good at keeping my laundry done. 3. I never fold socks.
I even have pictures to illustrate these shocking admissions. Exhibit A
Exhibit B
Yikes. Dirty dishes left in the sink all day? Don’t show my mother.
Here is a picture of my overflowing laundry basket. To be completely honest, there is more dirty laundry behind the closet door in this picture, but I didn’t want to burn your retinas with the horror. Vol 4 Issue 1 | 23
Exhibit C
These are my family’s socks, and guess what? They are never folded. I mean, never. My whole family knows, if you want socks, you go and find a matching pair in the basket. I did not take a picture of my husband’s bathroom sink. There are limits to this madness. I mean, why can that man not learn to put the cap on his toothpaste and wipe his sink out? Anyway….. I’ve been thinking a lot about how to not just survive the madness of life, but to actually thrive in it and I’ve come to a few realizations.
Realization 1 – We all have “madness.” I am well aware that the things I am calling Madness in my life are very, very minor. There are people at this moment who are dealing with Madness that I can’t even comprehend. There are people who are battling illness, watching their precious children battle illness, searching for a job, in the middle of a divorce; Christians are being persecuted for their faith – This is all Madness. I have learned that we all have Madness. There may be people who hide their madness better. There may be people whose Madness is not visible, but we all have our own chaos that we are dealing with. You are not the only person who is struggling with Madness right now – I promise.
Realization 2 – We thrive in the madness by knowing the difference between the temporary and the eternal. It gives me great peace of mind when I remember that all of this Madness – whether it is big Madness or small Madness – is just temporary. I have an eternal home in Heaven waiting for me, because I have made Jesus Christ the Lord of my life, so why should I let anything earthly get me down? Remember, the only thing you can take to Heaven with you is OTHER PEOPLE. So, what that means to me, is that I am going to make every effort to express my love to my family and work on my relationships with them tonight, and I am going to try to get the dishes done, but if it doesn’t happen, oh well. The most important job I have is making sure I know Jesus and my children know Jesus. Their homework, meals, baths, laundry, and sports are all temporary. I must remind myself of this often. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t matter if my kids miss their bath tonight, but it DOES matter if I neglect praying with them tonight. 24 | IMPACT OKC
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When this temporary, earthly life makes no sense, offers no stability or peace, or is just stinking frustrating, remind yourself of this powerful scripture –
2 Corinthians 4:16-18 – Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.
In all of the Madness of life, remember, that Jesus is Lord and that true peace is only found when you focus your life on Him.
Vol 4 Issue 1 | 25
Becoming By Ryan Latham
“You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help enough other people get what they want.” - Zig Ziggler In life and business we have all experienced hitting a lid; you know, that invisible ceiling that keeps us from reaching our maximum potential. As a young youth pastor, I became sick following every major event, feeling stressed and frustrated because my plans were not working. I ran around like a chicken with its head cut off and spent most of my time dealing with problematic behaviors. My students did not listen to me and I could not control them. I thought I was trying to be a great leader, but I was really trying to be a superhero.
Ryan Latham Executive Director of Victory School of Leadership, www.VLeadership.tv Business Coach, Speaker and Trainer for the John Maxwell Team, www.RenewedLeadership.org.
After a couple of years feeling discouraged and unsuccessful, I finally figured out the problem: I was doing everything by myself. In order for me to truly care for my students and stay healthy, I needed to get more people involved. Great leaders are always people of great influence. Here is H.O.W. you can become a person of influence.
26 | IMPACT OKC
a Person of Influence Heroes everywhere:
Donald Miller teaches that wise businesses focus on making their customers the hero of their brand. Company executives, church leaders and parents who elevate themselves to heroic standing may impress some, but they also create distance from their most valuable resource. We become people of influence when we make our customers, church members and family members the heroes.
Observant:
We live in an increasingly fast-paced society; emails, phone calls, text messages and social media loudly demand our constant attention. This has led to a life of multi-tasking at the high cost of devaluing people around us. If we turn off the mind clutter, truly give others our attention (no cell phone in hand!) and listen with empathy, we will greatly increase our sphere of influence.
Work on it:
We can easily busy ourselves with daily tasks and unknowingly spend days, weeks and even months without reflecting or evaluating. We need to intentionally look at our family, ministry and business to see how we can improve the people, systems and future of those in our charge. Once I learned H.O.W. to increase my influence, I began to see explosive growth in my students and youth leaders. Becoming a person of influence happens day by day, when you choose to add value to those around you. May your leadership be renewed today.
Vol 4 Issue 1 | 27
DON’T QUIT by Samuel Brian Hill
Today as I was reading and editing articles for an upcoming issue of IMPACT OKC Magazine, I read the phrase “I refuse to die before I die” in an article by Martha Fouts called “Four lessons I’ve learned as an adult with Braces on my teeth” and it sparked an ongoing thought in me that I’ve been unable to shake... Have I surrendered? Have I simply “Quit” in striving to accomplish all that I was created for? Now if you know me very well beyond the witty banter and vague shadow I cast on social media, you know that I am a “busy guy”. I believe I portray the persona of a man who surrenders little and wrestles for much. I stay busy and fill any down time I have with ideas of opportunities to make my life busier. Although I have not yet accomplished MANY of my goals, I am constantly working on multiple endeavors and pursuits. However, I found myself asking today if I have been playing it safe? Have I pulled punches instead of committing ALL to the cause(s) for which I was born? Yes, I am an ambitious man who desires to leave a lasting impact on the world when I leave 28 | IMPACT OKC
this life, but have I become comfortable and somewhat relaxed in the pursuit of God’s purpose for my existence? Have I, because I have more to lose now, become a little too careful in the way I live my life? I barely resemble a boy who dreamed of funding oversees missions through microbusinesses or the mid-twenties guy who committed himself to a group of kids off 10th street because the “need was the call” or the kid who almost died in a car wreck at 18 which knew he must live every day thereafter as a gift with no room for anything less than “full surrender to the call”. All of these thoughts have made me ask, have I surrendered? Have I surrendered to mediocrity, comfort and normality? Have I surrendered to only striving to succeed in my areas of previous success and hidden from any remote opportunities that might resemble previous failures?? If such a divine moment was afforded me tomorrow, would I entertain it and even run after it? Have I already conceded a greater victory to merely hold onto this present success? Is there still more and am I willing to pursue the possibilities at the risk of current comforts??
Have I surrendered and become the guy that I detested in my years of youth? Am I done and just do not realize it? Have I accepted death before my time? In this “deep” (as I laugh at myself) time of introspection I came to the answer… I’m not Done and God is not Done with me. I still have breath. I still have a pulse and thus, I am not complete. I am actually in the process of becoming all that God created me to be. In that truth, there is still hope and in it, a possibility that I can accomplish more in the rest of my simple life than anything I ever hoped or imagined. I still can. I am not complete and there is beauty in that process if I will only embrace it. But if we are honest, this article is not about me. Rather, it is about you, the reader and therefore, I must pose the question(s) to you, what have you conceded victory on? What areas of your life have you laid down in surrender before you even lost the battle? Have you quit before your time? If your answer is yes, do not fear! There is hope. Much like myself, if you still have breath, you still have Hope in the knowl-
edge that you are not complete. Just don’t quit! Pick back up your sword of opportunity and go to work. Yes, it is scary and ugly and intimidating, but what giant that should be defeated isn’t? And here is the key principle that I forgot and most individuals in your life will not tell you..... You were made to conquer Giants! You, yes you. You are that one that the Creator crafted to produce such a work or write such a word or teach such a thought or build such a structure that mammoth giants would fall, evil empires would crumble and lives would be eternally changed. You. Yes, You. And every single stingingw scar and painful defeat have compiled into the knowledge and wisdom you now need to accomplish this great story that will be your life. There is still time for you to pen this great tale because your story is not yet complete. Your Creator is not done with you yet, nor is His work complete in you. There is still time and hope if only you will simply choose to refuse to die before you die. Now take courage, take heart and declare in your life, “I am not done. I will not surrender. I will not quit.” Just a thought...
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