We all face them, it’s a fact of life. But every challenge we face is in some way equipping us for God’s plan in our lives. Challenges are set in our path to tear us down (yes, you read that right), and then build us back up stronger than before. As we go through these challenges, we learn life lessons, and (eventually) come out the other end even stronger. What challenges have I faced? Honestly, that is something that is hard for me to talk about, but here it goes (I think we will go with bullet points and brief details):
- Emotional abuse. Growing up, it was constantly a comparison between my sister and me. “She did good in this class, why didn’t you?” is the best example. Then there was the bullies…everyone’s favorite people in school. I’ve always had trouble pronouncing the letter R, and I’ve never really been the best looking guy in the world (according to Hollywood), and the bullies loved pointing that kind of stuff out.
- Low self esteem/self worth. This spawned off of the emotional abuse. It got to the point where I felt like I wasnt really good at anything, that I didn’t really fit in anywhere.
- Depression. I constantly felt alone, like nobody cared, like I wouldn’t be missed by anyone. It got so bad that I was considering suicide as a way out. (Side note: if you are reading this and you are at this point right now, please message me! Let’s talk! And if not me, then find someone to talk to…you may be surprised who does care!)
- Porn…yes, I’ve dealt with it. I’ve had the magazines, DVDs, online stuff, all of it. Am I proud of it? No. Do I still struggle with the temptation to look at it? Yes. How do I fight the temptation? I have a Bible where I used to stash it, and on my electronics I have restrictions that require a password for anything potentially adult oriented…that password is a Bible verse. That forces me to think twice.
- Raising money for the World Race. Yes, it’s a HUGE challenge. I don’t like asking people for things, and for me to go on the World Race, it requires me doing just that. (Keep an eye in your mailboxes, emails, and phone calls. I need the support of friends, family, and strangers to be able to do this!)
That fairly well sums up my biggest challenges in life thus far, as well as my next big one. More details (as well as how I feel these past experiences have equipped me for God’s plan for my life) will come up in future blogs, so if you want to know those details be sure to follow me! Or you can just do it the hard way and keep checking back. If you feel lead to partner with me financially, you can do so by clicking the “Become a financial partner!” tab to the left or at the bottom right of your screen (the floating orange “support me” box). Remember, every little bit helps!
