Saturday, May 12, 2012

God Gave Me You...


Dear Boston & Braxton,

Today, I was shown a beautiful video that I felt inspired to share with you. Someday, I hope we are able to watch it together. It is a reminder of a couple of things that are important to me.

First, we must remember just how blessed we are. We are incredibly blessed for so many reasons. We are blessed with an incredible family. We are blessed with awesome friends. We are blessed with freedoms and people who will sacrifice for those freedoms. I could go on and on. But, first and foremost, we are blessed and we must never forget that. I am so thankful for the blessings in my life. And, your mother and you guys are God's greatest blessings.

Second, we must remember to ALWAYS look for inspiration. We live in a beautiful world full of magnificent people if we just look in the proper places. Miracles happen everyday. Simple acts of kindness and love can always be found. This world can be "heaven" on Earth in many ways if we make it that way. But, it can also be "hell" if we let it. Look for the good things. Be one that inspires others. Be the change you want to see.

Third, challenges will come into our lives. Throughout our lives, we will ALL face challenges. And, we will all face different ones. Some will be small, seemingly insignificant issues. But, still...others will be large, seemingly impossible challenges to overcome. We will experience challenges that test our resolve, our faith, and our character.

"ADVERSITY DOES NOT BUILD CHARACTER, IT REVEALS IT."
-James Lane Allen

Adversity can break us if we let it. I have let it run me down before, but your true character is revealed when you rise up and overcome it. No matter how difficult it is; it can be overcome.

We will all face different tests and challenges throughout our lives. These challenges are specifically meant for us to grow. I know that is a difficult thing to hear. It is hard to accept, but it is true.

In the words of Nana Barrow, "Every thing happens for a reason".

This was always hard for me to accept. To be honest, I didn't believe it for a very long time. I disagreed adamantly with her on it. I struggled to understand why God tested some people so much harder than others. I couldn't understand how some people go through life in a breeze. They don't "seem" to have many issues, etc. But, in reality, everyone is different. We all handle situations differently. What is hard for some is easy for others and vice versa. Is is more than just a game of pick and choose.

As I look back, my challenges and struggles were not always that difficult...but, at some points, those challenges were needed and seemed very difficult for me. A couple of them almost broke me. One thing we must always remember is that our challenges are specifically designed for us. Every one's challenges are necessary.
 
God will only give us challenges that we can handle. As a child, I was very ill and almost died. It was a challenge for me everyday. Although I do not remember much of it now, Nana reminds me of just how sick I was and how hard it was. It was a challenge for Nana and Papi too. As I got older, health was always an issue. When I was in high school, I was extremely sick multiple times and spent quite a bit of my Senior year in the hospital. Due to my health problems, I was not able to serve a mission when I was 19. I had received my call to Atlanta, Georgia but I was deemed unable to serve at that time.
 
That led to one of the biggest challenges of my life. I had a very difficult time accepting the fact that it was not my time to serve. I had prepared my entire life to serve a mission and now it was taken from me. This challenge was a huge struggle for me and it led to a deep, serious depression. I was lucky enough with the help of family, friends, and Ziggy to get through it.
 
During this time, I blew out both my knees playing basketball. This was another challenge for me. Two of my favorite things to do to relieve stress were running and basketball. They brought me a lot of happiness. But, with two knee surgeries, these things became extremely painful and difficult. I am on the mend now and able to do them a little bit, but I am not able to do them at the level I was once. It was difficult for me not to be able to compete. It was hard to accept that I will never run sub five minutes miles again. The days of sixteen minute 5ks are done. My knees simply won't allow it. I will never feel like I am one of the best guys in the basketball gym again...well unless it is a gym full of fourth graders...but even that might be a stretch.
 
Although some of these challenges may seem easy to some, they were difficult for me. The other night I was talking with mommy and I said "Sometimes I wonder why me? Why did I have to blow out both knees, struggle with my appendix, depression. I know people have it a lot worse, but I am struggling."
 
Lovingly she replied, "God chose you because he knew you could handle it." 
 
Quickly, I was put in my place and it was a good thing. God gave me challenges that I could face.
 
Remember your challenges will come and they will be difficult, but you can overcome them.
 
I was inspired by the video below. This young mother and her child have faced incredible challenges thus far, but they are overcoming them. They are inspiration to me for me to face my small challenges as they are facing their much bigger ones.


 
People are amazing. And, they can overcome much if they don't let their heads get in the way of their hearts.  Below a young boy with cerebral palsy shows his dad that he learned to walk while he was away serving our country. It is quite an amazing thing to see.


Challenges will come. We will be forced to face difficult things, but we can overcome them all.
 
One of my favorite quotes of all time comes from Evan Almighty. In the movie, God says, "Let me ask you something. If someone prays for patience, you think God gives them patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient? If he prayed for courage, does God give him courage, or does he give him opportunities to be courageous? If someone prayed for the family to be closer, do you think God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings, or does he give them opportunities to love each other."
 
I prayed for love, and God gave me the opportunity to meet your mom. I prayed for happiness, and God has given me the opportunity to have a family. I prayed for a little excitement, and God laughed and gave us twins! He has a sense of humor, and he knows what we need.
 
Challenges will come in all shapes and size, but we can overcome them all with faith, perseverance, and love.
 
And, in the end, God gave me you.
 
 
  
I love you guys! 
 
Love,
Dad

1 comment:

  1. Dear Boys,

    I believe, everything in our lives happen for a reason. Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have a plan. They don't give us anything we can't handle. We can lay our burdens at their feet and They take them from us. In the New Testament, Matthew 11:30 it says, "For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light." I know that if you pray and ask them to remove your burdens from you that is exactly what will happen. You will still have the trials but they will be so much easier to bear with the help of Heavenly Father and Jesus. I have put this to the test so many times in my life and I know it works.

    I watched your daddy struggle with all of these things and he is a better man for it. The Lord knew he needed to have these particular struggles in his life for a reason. Some of those reasons have already been manifested, some have not. Sometimes it doesn't seem fair but always remember that we all have trials in our lives and they are for us to grow and learn.

    As much as I love your daddy, his Heavenly Father and Jesus love him more. Jesus loves all of us so much He was willing to die for us. Heavenly Father loves us so much He allowed His son to suffer and die for us so we could return to Him. Trials are hard in our lives but they make us stronger, better and more humble people.

    I understand your daddy because I have had health trials as well. However, there are so many people that have far worse things than me. I am thankful for people who have loved and cared for me through the trials. Your Papi has been an amazing support for me. Many times the people around us, who love us, suffer as much as the person with the trial.

    Always remember that you have a family to love and support you as well as your Heavenly Father and His Son, Jesus Christ.

    I love what Joseph Wirthlin's (an Apostle) mom told him "Come what may and learn to love it."

    Mom's have great advice to give, don't they?

    Learn to love life and all it has to offer. Choose the Right, always.

    I love you both and only want what is best for you.

    Nana

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