“Let us not become weary in doing good,
for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”--Galatians
6:9 (NIV)
Okay. So,
you’re constantly fighting battles of some kind. These categories may describe
you:
A. Bullied
B. Poor
C. Living in a
dangerous situation
D. Victim of a
recent natural disaster
E. Facing huge
medical obstacles
F. All, or
most, of the above
Maybe you’ve
lost everything due to circumstances beyond your control. Do you give up? Not
on my watch! If any of us give up too soon, we don’t receive the prize,
whatever that may be.
This is the
third article in a series. I have been highlighting people who have refused to
accept negative labels and circumstances. These aren’t only negative
situations, but huge setbacks that would have held timid people back from
making any kind of progress at all. Please see the first two posts in the group
here
and here.
This reality series
features amateur performers hoping to win $1,000,000 and a headline show in Las
Vegas, Nevada. It is not only
entertaining, but inspiring. Numerous performers share stories of overcoming
financial, social, or medical limitations. I will focus on six of this reality
show’s semi-finalists today:
- Johnny Manuel—sang with some famous groups when he was a teenager. He was even signed to a recording contract at the age of 14. He was dropped at the age of 17. As a consequence, he fell into a deep pit of depression. At 32 years old, he is finally making a comeback.
- Keche Okwuchi—is also a singer. She is the sole survivor of a plane crash in which her classmates all died. She has had multiple surgeries. Much of her body is still covered by burn scars.
- Light Balance—comes from the war-torn country, Ukraine. They can’t even describe the plentiful atrocities they’ve witnessed. Their unique combination of dance and electronics lifts them out of their tough environment. They’re also building a better life for their families, who still live in the Ukraine.
- Mandy Harvey—has a beautiful jazz voice. The catch is that she’s deaf. She’s had hearing issues since birth, and she completely lost her hearing in her late teens. She sings by feeling the vibrations of the notes in her mouth.
- Merrick Hanna (a.k.a. “Robot Boy”)—finds his voice through a unique style of dance coupled with electronics. As a child, he was reserved and socially awkward. He didn’t really have many friends. Playing with robots, and creating a dance style around them, broke him out of his shell.
- Diavolo—combines acrobatics with huge props. They remind me of the wildly popular Cirque du Soleil troops. They’re that good. The founder says plenty of people in his life told him he was a failure. He refused to accept that label. I’m sure he can only be called a success from now on.
My Conclusion
“Hope must never be lost. In it we
find strength. And it is our duty to show and give it to others. Hope ‘keeps
life moving’ because it pulls us out of any dark situation. Continue to hope
and make your dreams a reality.”—Mandy Harvey
Life is a
process, which means it can be difficult and frustrating at times. In fact, my
situation usually goes way beyond those classifications. Still, if we have faith,
patience, and persistence, we may find ourselves at the summit of whatever
mountain we choose to climb.
Related Posts
What limitations do you refuse to accept?
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