Monday, July 29, 2013

Encouraging Updates & Setbacks

I'll go back to the spring of 2012, I was filled with energy, ready to take action. While my nose is always buried in a book I was only half way thru Crush It by Gary Vaynerchuk, my willingness to take action in pursuing a little idea that I believe could change the world in a small way...look out!!!

For those who have heard the message in the last year, I've been sharing an idea backed by practical action regarding persistence and a new perspective on the problems and challenges we face in our lives. Two friends were going through their own challenges at this time, one battling cancer and the other battling multiple addictions. I observed and listened to these guys while I launched my ideas on persistence and how we view challenges. As their stories unfolded I found my beliefs being challenged, I questioned what I believe about my program. My friend with cancer battled for a couple years. At times there was a hope and good news, sometimes then followed up by devastating bad news. The roller coaster went up and down. For him and those who love him, we went up and down with him until the end.

He passed away last year, on July 17, 2012. In his last few months we talked. It taught me a few things. I learned about a side of cancer that I didn't know, horrific stuff! Those who have gone thru it themselves or with loved ones know this, but they don't always share it. But equally horrific is the untold stories of broken relationships. As he went through this, battling for his life, another battle was taking place around him. At a time when love and support should have been a sure thing, it wasn't. The broken relationships rotted away on one side while the cancer devastated his body on the other. He felt and communicated the indescribable pain of both of these.

And the friend with multiple addictions..don't judge another man until you walk in their shoes. The silent battles that we wage. I guess we all  face our demons, at different times and at different levels. For those battling addictions you've seen a different kind of darkness,  it's dark and scary.

I'm naive. Hope? Persistence? A different perspective on problems? These two stories have made me ask if I really believe in hope? Do I really believe in what I say about persistence? These two stories have made me ask a lot of questions.

But wait..

For the last two years Journey4YOUth has been committed to providing lunch for 36 of the neediest children in Kaswanga Village, Kenya.  Journey4YOUth now provides food directly to the families, giving 174 people and 11 babies enough food to eat once a day.


Journey4YOUth aims to invest specifically into each family so they can have what they need to be able to take a step out of poverty, provide for their families and improve the local economy of their village.

Journey4YOUth has met with each family along with 4 widows.  The families shared with us their needs, hopes, struggles and ideas.

But wait..I'm filled with a little hope. A little hope hearing about what other people are doing to make a difference.

I read on...my hope grows    http://bit.ly/14dD31W

Check out what Brian and Katie Ernst are doing if you can.