I once heard a quote that, “Many people die with their story still inside of them.” This resonated with me because that is precisely what almost happened to me in September of 2015. (I will share that story in an upcoming post). For 46 years I let the fear of failure outweigh my desire to succeed. Haunted by thoughts of what if people laugh, criticize, or reject my story. But I finally came to the realization that my story could never be wrong because it’s mine. It’s unique to me and me alone.
All along I had the wrong definition of success. I was following the world’s definition of success seeking fame, fortune, and recognition. However, once I changed my perspective and redefined my definition of success I realized that while these things may be a byproduct of sharing my experiences with the world, they are not the main purpose of the path God chose for me that has created my story.
I firmly believe that the things we go through in life are to help us grow spiritually. If we are fortunate this series of orchestrated events brings us to the end of ourselves and moves us into an understanding that we need a Savior in order, to make it in this world.
More than the money, fame, and fortune is the numbers of lives that can be changed by sharing my testimony and experiences with a hurting world. Sunday after Sunday I sit in church and small group telling Believers how good God is. Ironically, they already know about God’s goodness. The people who need the good news of His loving grace and mercy are the lost and hurting, not the Believers.
As a brother in my small group so eloquently stated, “There are thousands of people that we will meet and or encounter only once in our lifetime. Our sharing Christ with them may be the only opportunity these people may be afforded to keep their lives from spiraling away into the pit of destruction which ultimately leads to death.”
I don’t want to be remembered for a false image of a person who achieved great success, but neglected the most important thing which is building lasting relationships with friends and family. It is more important for people to know the real me, the good, the bad, and the ugly. The Truth.
I want to leave a legacy of faith for my children that can be passed down for generations to come. Life is not about how you start, but more about how you finish. I’ve made a lot of mistakes along the way and I’m certain I’ll make some more before I go. Nevertheless, my goal now is to finish well.
My goal is to share the good news of Christ through inspirational and motivational writings in an effort to win lost souls for the kingdom. My focus has changed from my future to His purpose for my life. To seek and save the lost is the gospel in a nutshell. I know I can’t reach everyone in the world, but that doesn’t exempt me from doing my part.
To quote another brother from my small group, “As a Christian, this is what I signed up for.” That being said, I will dedicate the rest of my life to keeping my oath to My Heavenly Father and do my very best to share the wonders of His love with all those I encounter.
Because of His love and grace I came to the understanding that I don’t have to go through life as a victim. That everything I’ve been through in my past was preparing me for this moment in time and paving the way into my future.
Instead of accepting defeat I can share what I’ve learned from challenges in the past with others to help them avoid mistakes and being snared by the traps and pitfalls that life is sure to bring. Through sharing my experiences and words I can be an element of change and impact. If my testimony helps only one person escape the snare of the enemy, then nothing I went through has been wasted.
It is my hope and prayer that something I share resonates with others and lets them know that no matter how dim or bleak things seem that there is hope in Christ. Weeping may endure for a night (season), but joy comes in the morning. God is just and faithful. If he brought you to it, He’ll bring you through it. Trust in Him, cast your cares. Do your responsibility and watch Him work things out in your favor and all to His glory
God Bless You!
Whitney J Hamilton