You were meant for more

Embracing your scars is the key to unlocking yourself

My Brain MRI from 2018

This past week was a milestone for me and my family. On a Wednesday night, September 26, 2018, to be exact, I found myself in a hospital in Fayetteville, Arkansas fighting for my life. I had surgery to remove a bacterial infection that had traveled from my lungs to my brain. Prior to that day, I’d been in the best shape of my life. I was focused on growing my career and making something of myself. It is a miracle of God that I’m able to read, write, walk, and talk let alone go about my life in a normal fashion.

You see, brain surgery wasn’t in my plan. But five years later, I can say that I am thankful for this experience. I wouldn’t be who I am today if this had not happened. I had bought into the idea that achieving outward success would bring internal fulfillment. Yet as I was recovering at home for 3 months after the surgery, I had nothing but time to think about what my life truly meant and what I was put on this earth to do. God spoke to me through prayer, family, friends, music, and many tears. Over time, I realized that I’d gotten it all wrong.

Concentration camp survivor and Austrian Psychiatrist Viktor Frankl said:

“If there is a meaning in life at all, then there must be a meaning in suffering. Suffering is an ineradicable part of life, even as fate and death. “

I was determined to extract meaning from my experience. Here are some of the things I learned:

1. A life worth living must point toward others. I was too focused on myself prior to this event. John Maxwell said, “Success comes when we add value to ourselves, but significance comes when we add value to others.”

2. We are only here for a short time and I want my life to count. You may die with a huge, medium, or small pile of money, but one thing is for sure - we all die. I want to live for something greater than my own comfort. I want to live a life of significance.

3. We all have scars. I have one on the right sight of my head that reminds me that God kept me here for a reason bigger than myself. You have scars too. Some are visible like mine while others are on the inside. They don’t disqualify you. In fact, you are now standing on the foundation of all your life experiences and you have something of value to share with the world. Your time is now!

There’s much more to my story. I’ll publish it in a book one day. Did any of this resonate with you? If so, I’d love to hear from you. Make it a significant week!

3 months post-surgery at Sarah’s college graduation