Today’s kind of a big day for me.
Thirty years ago…December 5, 1987…I was installing some Christmas lights. I fell about nine feet from a roof and shattered three cervical vertebrae. In the blink of an eye, everything changed.
I love this picture.
It’s a lot more than just an old bald guy, his dog, and a handcycle. For me, this picture signifies everything about the crazy journey I’ve taken since my injury.
It’s the culmination (so far) of the story of Relentless Grace. It began in a rehab unit, wandered through more than a decade of anger, depression, and loneliness, and now…this.
A while back I used this slide to summarize a talk at Harvest Farm. I said, “Your experiences are either an excuse to feel sorry for yourself…or an opportunity to write a remarkable story.
“My prayer for you is that you guys see your lives up to this point as the opening chapters in a book. You get to write the rest of the story. Write something remarkable!”
One of the guys made a cool observation. “In a book, it’s mostly the ending you remember.”
Another guy said, “And the story wouldn’t be very interesting if the first part didn’t have some bad stuff.”
I laughed. “See? You guys have an unfair advantage. You spent the first part of your lives getting a head start on a good story. Now you’re preparing to write a great ending.
“The greater the obstacles, the sweeter the success.”
I guess that’s why I love the picture. I reminds me of the challenge and God’s promise that no struggle will ever be wasted.
For a long time I wouldn’t have believed that picture was possible.
Hope…changes what’s possible.
PS. I also love the picture!!
30 years ago, our kids were students at Boltz Junior High—we had a Moms in Touch prayer group for the school and prayed each week. We were horrified to hear that you had fallen from a ladder and became paraplegic….and the tough tough journey ensued. How we prayed for you, Rich. I have been so blessed to be seeing Becky regularly in my exercise class and to hear how Hope has carried you to this place of being such an inspiration to so many! Today we shed a few tears together when I asked about you and Becky told me that today marked 30 years—wow. We are so thankful for you, Rich and proud of you for choosing and sharing HOPE!
you continue to inspire me, my family, and the entire Venture Community
You’re an inspiration to lots of us Rich Dixon!! You have done wonders for people around the world and I’m so thankful for you & Becky for the lives you have changed. God Bless you & thanks so much for being YOU!!!!! God Bless!
Excellent blog this morning, Rich. Hope DOES change what’s possible.