Contributor: Ward Brehm
Former Chairman, United States African Development Foundation
“Two defining moments have deeply humbled me and transformed my life.
“The first came at forty years old. I was financially successful beyond my wildest dreams. I thought I had figured everything out. And then I went to Africa where I discovered that, as Stephen Covey said, ‘I was working hard to climb the ladder of success, only to discover the ladder was leaning against the wrong wall.’ I witnessed obscene poverty. It was in Africa I discovered my calling: to be an advocate for people who could not speak for themselves. I will forever be grateful to Africa for humbling me and helping me find meaning and purpose in my work.
“The second defining moment came while sitting in the Mayo Clinic doctor’s office with my wife, Kris, and hearing the news that she had three weeks to a month to live. I talk a lot about Jesus and how I love Him and follow Him but if you asked me, ‘Do you trust Jesus?’ my answer would have been ‘I think so, but I don’t really know because I’ve never been in a position where I’ve had to.’ Now I had to. My wife was going to die.
“In the weeks that followed, I discovered what it meant to trust Jesus. First, I witnessed unconditional love like I had never before experienced. It was an unexpected combination of deep sadness and wonderful beauty. I watched as my children overflowed with tears and lavished their mom with expressions of love. Jesus was present. There was no anger, no despair, just acceptance. We were surrounded by a presence of peace unlike anything I’ve ever understood or experienced.
“Shortly after, we received a miracle. We found a surgeon who was willing to perform an extremely dangerous surgery to remove the cancerous tumor from Kris’s fallopian tube . . . and he nailed it. Kris’s medical team called this a medical miracle, but stated there was a 70 percent chance the cancer would return. It’s been four years and she is still cancer-free. I will be forever grateful to God for humbling me to the point of trusting Jesus and finding peace in the midst of my pain. Everything changed. All the petty little crap that creates arguments and worries went away. It was a wonderful side effect.
“We tend to want to get past the challenges and hardships of our present situation. My advice is to live your life intentionally in the present with a better sense of thankfulness. Thankfulness trumps all the other emotions. You can’t be worried, angry, and grumpy and be thankful at the same time. In all your circumstances, good or bad, look for the things to be thankful for.
“And finally, if you could crawl in between the thin lines that are often difficult to discern and even more difficult to stay inside of . . . that’s where you find the sweet spot that represents God’s calling on your life. It might be finding your Africa or confronting your most challenging problems. If you can find that sweet spot, that’s where you find yourself in a place where the Apostle Paul states, ‘I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through Him who gives me strength.’ (Philippians 4:12–13)”
What do you need to do to find your Africa? How have your defining moments helped you find meaning, purpose, peace, and contentment?
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Business leaders face the difficult task of reconciling their personal beliefs with the bottom-line demands of their business obligations. Often, it seems like the conflict between short-term business strategies and their desire to “do the right thing” pull them in opposite directions.
- In God Is My CEO, readers learn how to:Develop their God-given talents and skills, while developing a spiritual center
- Gain ideas and encouragement through real-life stories of successful business leaders who have faced the same challenges
- Learn to apply a practical daily plan to overcome the toughest business issues
- Focus their energies and thoughts on moving forward with a sense of purpose
Many business leaders struggle with the dilemma of being successful and living a life with purpose.God Is My CEO offers a practical and inspirational source of guidance for achieving a balanced and accomplished life.
Larry Julian
