Shocking Resilience

I was sitting in the bleachers staring at the massive outdoor stage.

I knew that in about 10-minutes, my name would be called and I would be performing my songs for hundreds of strangers.

I was the “no name” opener before the main act of the concert that night.

Sitting next to me was a guy connected to one of the largest Christian record labels in the world. 

He was there to see me.

Him and I made small talk, and a lightning bolt of realization hit him.

“Hey, I know you from somewhere” he said in shock. 

I knew what he was talking about but I played it coy.

“Oh yeah? Where have we met before?” I replied.

He went on to recall that 10 years ago he had met me at my church when I

was 18 years old, and he remembers me rapping for him then. The way I remember it, was that he had said I “was a B-List artist at best and he only considered working with A-Listers” I think were his words of choice back then.

I smiled and said “Yes, that was when we first met.”

He looked like he had seen a ghost he was in shock.

“You’re still rapping?!!?”

He couldn’t believe my resilience that I didn’t give up.

After my performance, he made a point to come up to me and give me some high praise for my immense progress over the years and he encouraged me to keep going.

It was truly an amazing moment and I wasn’t hurt by the memory of his sharp words a decade ago, I was encouraged that I didn’t give up on doing what I love to do. Our journey in life gets difficult. When it comes to faith, what we choose to do for work, the passions we pursue, and the relationships we build, not one area is safe from hard times.

Pressure makes diamonds is the old saying, and yes, I have found that pressure is what reveals your true character. It shows you what you're made of, what you value most and what you’re willing to be resilient for.

Verses To Digest

“And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.”

Galatians 6:9

“My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

James 1:2-4

Your Next Step:

Change your perspective and view rough patches or hard times as training grounds. They are gifts. These difficulties give us the opportunity to grow and gain a great reward.

Anything in life that is worthwhile, will require a fight and sacrifice.

Don’t get frazzled when the heat turns up. Instead, be grateful for the outcome that will be yours to keep and celebrate when you endure, and you realize just how resilient you truly are.

Be so resilient, that the record label execs in your life stand back in awe when they see it 10 years later.

All love,

Lowery