Redemptive Power.
This was my place to return. It was my comfort and familiarity. And truth be told, I also needed the money and time to mentally relax. I went back to working as a server at a local seafood and steak restaurant on Chincoteague Island after I completed my Bachelor’s degree. It was my first job, my first love. I knew I could at least bring home $600+ a week, that’d definitely put a dent in the three months rent I owed, outstanding fraternity dues, and small debts to family members. I was so deep into survival mode that I didn’t dare apply for “big boy jobs.” Plus, I could hardly look myself in the mirror. The stress and internal turmoil I felt had manifested on the outside. I was 21 but I felt at least 40. The breakouts and scars on my face were something I could never get past. “Where did I go wrong. Why do I look and feel so ugly?”
I came home one night after midnight with my feet aching. I quickly jumped in the shower and thereafter ate some Royals Farms chicken and potato wedges. After my last potato wedge dip in honey mustard, I realized I was finally caught up on my bills. Out of exhaustion and desperation to move on, I simply asked God, “what’s next? I know this is not all that you have planned, what’s next?” Chiropractic. That was the response. Wait. What is a Chiropractor? Thank goodness for google. I was shocked. I suddenly had the feeling you get the night before the first day of school or Christmas. I had this deep feeling of expectation. Suddenly, it felt like I had received a million dollars. It was the answer I had longed for, but it also brought up confusion. How will I tell my family and friends? How do I explain the way this came to me? What if this is a dumb decision?
What I know for sure…
No matter how big or small, we are all seeking redemption from something. Maybe you’re searching for a way to move on after heartbreak or the loss of a loved one. Maybe you’re suddenly out of a job or in a new job and you are rebuilding relationships and your confidence. Maybe you’re trying to rise from years of oppression as a child or even as an adult. Our day to day life experiences will often bring us to a place were we long for a way out, a route towards victory and freedom.
My redemptive power and healing cost me $250,000+. Today, I live with not one regret. At first, when people asked, “how long had you been thinking about Chiropractic school?” I said, “years!” LIE. I had never met a Chiropractor before that night. My first adjustment came from a student intern. I said that because I wanted things to make sense. Without a shadow of a doubt, I am able to confirm this: often our healing (journey) will exist outside the confines of what makes sense in our mind. The healing and freedom we long for, may require us to quiet our minds and listen to Spirit guiding our hearts.
Be Still.
I completed my Doctorate in Chiropractic and Masters in Positive Psychology degree at Life University. They are known for hosting what they call “LIFE Leadership Weekend” each quarter. I participated in this program 2 weeks before I started school there in 2014. The last day is what the faculty and staff members are most excited about. It’s one of those programs that immediately gives you anxiety because you know you will have to speak and get uncomfortable with strangers. Maybe that’s just me though.
During the final experience, we are in the 14th Century Village. It’s one of the most serene parts of campus. There is a beautiful water fall, overgrown trees, and birds that seem to sing year around. We are each blind folded and tasked to find our way through a maze lined with thin string. We are without our sight, so we are totally reliant on our other senses. I found myself getting frustrated at one point. “This is stupid, I just want to be done now. It’s hot as hell here and I’m ready to go home.” In that moment, I stopped. I took a deep breath and let go of the thoughts. I began to hear the waterfall singing. The birds chirping. The breeze as it kissed my face. It felt like confirmation. It felt like I was where I needed to be, that I was headed in the right direction. After that short pause, after I looked inside my heart and felt peace…Spirit did the rest. I was guided out of the maze towards the safety of the facilitators. Wow I thought: that was powerful.
This is your confirmation: trust yourself. Trust your connection to Source. By the strength of your belief, your Faith will make it so. Your redemption will be your power.