June 27, 2011 – Fight or Flight?

Amy and I are both trying to make this blog authentic and sharing our journey with no filters as hopefully our thoughts can help others in some possible way with God’s guidance and grace!  Some days will be encouraging, some days very negative, some days happy and some days sad.  Real life isn’t all smiley and perfect!  

So as I drove home today during the overall “beat down” drive of Tollway to George Bush to Central, I thought of all the struggles we’ve had since Hannah’s illness and death!  Some were related to her death and some were just struggles.  But as I was deep in a whirlwind of thoughts, one consistent theme popped into my head – “Flight or Fight and what does that exactly mean? 

I thought back of the CEO of a former company I worked for who use to bring the topic up in his regular company meetings of the need for all leaders in the company to be street fighters!  He compared retail to a street fight and he wanted all of his leaders to have this scrappy street fighter attitude against the competition! To me it was motivating and it fit my work personality quite well which was reinforced recently as highlighted on my new job’s DISC profile.  Have Mercy on me Jesus!!  Flight or Fight?  I choose FIGHT! 

The next thought that came to mind was one of the best sermons I’ve ever heard!  This sermon was by Gordon McDaniel, Family Pastor at Allen Bible Church preaching at my daughter’s funeral.  My hope is someday to post it on this website as an audio file for everyone’s encouragement as it was both beautiful and powerful!  The entire message was a blur just like the overall day of burying my sweet precious baby girl Hannah but the summary of the message I took away was this – in times of trouble & grief, do we run away from God or run to God!  Flight or Fight?  I choose FIGHT – RUN to GOD! 

I then had several thoughts hitting me rapid fire: 

–          We’ve had all sorts of health issues since Hannah’s illness.  Are we going to give up or fight them?  We choose to FIGHT!

–          As  parents, are we going to give in to this society’s way of raising children or are we going to fight it to raise Jacob according to God’s Word –We choose to FIGHT!

–          As a husband, am I going to fall into the traps of this world putting my wife down the list of priorities or am I going to fight to be the best husband possible!  I choose to FIGHT!

–          As a business person, am I going to take the easy way out & go with the status quo or am I going to push to be innovative and work smarter than others!  I choose to FIGHT!

–          With friends and family, am I going to bury my head & thoughts or am I going to provide my honest feelings and speak freely?  I choose to FIGHT!

–          When Amy, Jacob and I are under obvious spiritual attacks that can only be explained as such, do we choose to ignore and pretend that they don’t  exist or do we choose to acknowledge it and focus our eyes entirely on Jesus?  We choose to FIGHT!

–          In helping others particularly with grief, am I going to turn my head and not get involved or am I going to be there for them regardless?  I choose to FIGHT! 

I had several other thoughts but they flew out of my brain so fast that I couldn’t keep up!  What’s the real reason for choosing to FIGHT rather than FLIGHT?  

JESUS!  My Lord & My Savior, who choose me for whatever reason before the beginning of time, came to this Earth and choose to conquer sin and provide eternal life by taking on all of our sins, was tortured, suffered, crucified and rose again!    And it is my hope & our purpose of the Hope of Hannah that when our time is over, that we will be able to say as highlighted in 2 Timothy 4:7 “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith!”   

What are you fighting for? 

In Hope,

Street Fighter Bill