Recently, I felt myself being attacked subliminally for being a Christian on Facebook by an actual Facebook friend. I will not name names or post his Facebook status that was offensive but it basically addressed the notion that he has to accept his demons and that he is being real while Christians who pretend to be pious are hiding their demons. Here is my response:
As a very transparent person, blogger, writer, underground hip-hop artist, etc., I incorporate my faith in God in everything that I do. I am a bibliophile, a majority of the books I read are based in business and/or spirituality. Nonetheless, I desired to share my reasons for believing in God with my audience. I do this with the claim that in order to fully maximize one's potential; you need to believe in a higher power regardless of specific religion in order to accomplish great things.
- One of the biggest demons I have had to deal with my entire life is anger. I was blessed with a great childhood and upbringing. I never felt poverity as a child or adolescent. So why was I so angry? I earned multiple degrees, earned a lot of profits over the years, so why was I so angry? Only by seeking counsel through church, consistent praying, creating music, exercising, seeing a psychiatrist, and being open with my loved ones did I learn how to control my anger. Rather than being a pesstimatic _________ (you fill in the blank), I worked through my personal issues towards being a better person. The strength of God enabled me to make that change. It wasn't a mysterious, super-natural power, just a simple belief in God's words and power that gave me the power to change something in my life. The best advice I ever received was from a communications professor at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside.
"Class, let me share with you the truest realization of your existence. If there is something in your life you do not like, something that you hate, something that bothers you sincerely, change it. That is all you have to do, change it. Remove yourself from that problem by any means necessary."Those words stick with me today as I have removed myself from negative environments, jobs, relationships, etc. I know my worth. I want you to realize yours. Here a few obstacles I overcame over the years:
- In 7th grade, my relationship with my mother had reached an all-time low as I deeply desired to move out of her household into my father's household. I never got along with any of her former boyfriends, two to be specific. As much as I loved my mother, I needed my father's love and guidance to guide me into adulthood. During this time, we got into a few altercations that lead to me having suicidal thoughts. If it wasn't for my faith, I might have done something stupid. It actually was the words of my grandmother, Mildred, that convinced my mother to allow me to move in with my father. Not only did I successfully grow into adulthood, I acquired several degrees, got married, and birthed a beautiful daughter. I am a writer, consultant, MBA graduate student, and most importantly, a God-fearing man. I owe that to my faith in God. It gave me power when I felt society and the world crashing in on me.
- In 2003, as a student at the University of Wisconsin-Parkside and supervisor at Wells Fargo Bank in Milwaukee, I needed a break. I decided to help my cousin move his things out of his dorm room at Jackson State University in Jackson, Mississippi. After taking a long Greyhound bus there, on our way back, speeding over 80 miles per hour, his small car skidded off the road as we flipped multiple times over a hill. I balled us together in the form of a turtle's shell to prevent his head from going through the windshield. We survived that crash without any serious injuries. Ever since that day, I knew my God existed. There was no luck involved. We were suppose to be dead.
- Lastly from the financial blessings to business opportunities to meeting my wife to the birth of my child and more, God has done wonderful, impossible things. By believing in him, I believe in myself. It gives me the self-confidence and self-efficacy to continue to grasp high goals and amazing opportunities. My spirituality lead me to great thinkers of our times like Dan Miller, Joel Osteen, Dave Ramsey, and more. These highly spirituality thinkers have positively influenced my life for the better.
How has your faith in God changed your life? Please share.
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