Trials And Tribulations

No matter who you are and how tough the last couple of years have been for you, I want you to know that you don’t have to let what folks call “trial and tribulations” derail your dreams.

Yes, you might have to change the way you were doing some things, and you might be struggling to figure out how. And yes, you might struggle some while making whatever changes you need to make.

But here’s what I know: You have to feel inside yourself that you can do it, and you are worth it, and then you can have a great life.

You might wonder why a security guy is talking about this. It’s because I’ve been where you are, so I know what it takes. Plus, mentally-stable people who feel secure with who they are don’t do things that make other people unsafe. I never stopped a bar fight that was started by someone who felt good about their life.

I didn’t feel good about the life I started out with. My father wasn’t really present, even when he was in the household while I was young. Thank God my mother got to the point where she could no longer take his violence, and she got us out of that so-called home.

That situation sparked my dream of living to keep people safe. I talk about this in this week's video.

I didn’t feel good about the slow start of my security career, but I kept fueling my dream. I eventually got the dream job that I’ve been building from ever since.

My dream of having a security business and, most importantly, a family of my own, came true. Getting there was definitely not easy but every challenge was worth facing. Then … more trials and tribulations.

Just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, I lost 4 family members back-to-back. I lost 2 more during the pandemic.

I didn’t get COVID, but I was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer. I moved to another state to go through treatment (the picture above is from one of my chemo treatments), which included having part of my colon removed, liver surgery, and having a pump implanted into my stomach. The pump’s got to stay there for 10 years. And I was accidentally overdosed by a doctor.

I’m still here. I’m still standing, and I still know that whether you crawl, walk, or run toward your goal you can make it. Just keep moving toward it. Stay focused.

Yes, it might hurt, you might want to give up, but giving up is the easiest thing to do. Don’t be afraid to let your emotions out. Cry if you have to. Talk to someone who can help you through this tough time. Pray.

Scripture says troubles don’t last always. They don’t. Live the life you were created to have. “What if” just isn’t good enough. Use your pain as fuel to breakthrough to the next level in your life. Second chances rarely come. Second lives certainly don’t.

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I talk more about what I’ve been through as an individual and professional, and what I learned from those experiences, in my book Rent-A-Cop Reboot, and videos on the Leumas Publishing YouTube channel. Check them out.