C28.com Blog Post

 

Today is a great day.  Every day is a great day… at least that is since I changed my attitude, changed my job, changed my life and realized I am “Not of This World”

 

I have to admit it wasn’t always that way.  I was broken and lonely with what many would call “friends”.  Sure I was the good times guy, the jock and the guy that liked to date.  But I was also the guy always striving for the glory, attention and self gratification.  This is obvious with the amount of high level competitive sports I played (semi-pro hockey, semi-pro football and competitive bodybuilding).

 

I was good at all sports, especially hockey, football and bodybuilding.  I have the trophies, medals, rings and scars to prove it.  I also was good at the post game and post event celebrations and activities.  I have the scars and mental baggage to prove that.

 

Everything started to change when working in a bar.  This was not some ordinary bar.  This was a biker bar.  I was one of two very large security guys taking care of the bar and its patrons.  When I say large I was between 230-263 pounds working alongside a guy that made me look like little person; he was 320-343 pounds during those years.  Yeah I said years, way too long.  We worked there and had a great deal of fun working 5-7 nights a week for 3 years.

Back to what makes this bar special.  This biker bar was owned by some great Greek guys (Peter Z and John T).  However this bar was essentially the primary party spot for a biker group known as the Satan’s Choice.

 

In a weird roundabout way that is the bar that helped change my life.  Not without my wife, her family, a few life threatening incidences and a renewed relationship with Him.

 

Before I go any further I want to say, that not all bikers and not all Satan’s Choice members are bad people.  In fact some of them are complete stand up guys that I still think about and wonder how they are doing many times a year (Eddie, Dougie and others, you know who you are crusin’ in and around Toronto, ON, Canada, look me up on facebook and let me know your still rolling).

 

It was this place that we had live rock concerts, rappers and wrestlers, dance crews and hardcore bikers drinking and doing other stuff all in a tight and slightly hostile environment.  YES, this is the place the helped me to change my life.

 

Easter Sunday.  It happened to be the same Saturday night that the clocks were to flip and make me lose an hour.  I promised to go with my wife to her Church the next morning.  We had a pretty serious knife fight.  I was one of the one’s who was attacked at knife point.  I saw my life flash before my eyes, then my adrenalin, military training and instinct kicked in and let’s just say the guy was disarmed and the ambulance had to come to tend to his “accidental” injuries.  Once we settled everything and dealt with the police reports and ambulances to remove the instigators I had little more than an couple of hours to get home, get sleep and get to my wife’s to head to Church.  I made it… then crashed that afternoon for a few hours.

 

That was STEP ONE – Gaining A New Life

 

The next step was at a business conference.  Weird I know, but it was there that I took the leap of Faith.  We worked Friday evening to Sunday evening at Cops Coliseum in Hamilton ON and it was packed from top to bottom with like minded entrepreneurs.

 

Sunday morning they offered a non-denominational service, led by Pastor Tony Scott.  It was more of a rock concert than a Church service.  It was pretty cool.  There was an alter call… I made the journey and repeated the prayer led by Pastor Scott.

 

Step Two – Completed

 

Well the next phase was the worst one to experience, but as one friend told me “He will stretch you.  He will NOT break you”.  I get it now, but seriously before the, since then and I am certain for years to come it felt like the breaking point was already past and I was merely refusing to give in… I won’t say it did not cross my mind to give up many times… but I didn’t and I won’t.

 

2 of my three dads (dad and soon to be father-in-law) were very, very sick and dying to be honest.

 

Sidenote: I have 3 dads.  Dad, Step Dad and Father-in-law.  I have one more dad and that is God, but I don’t need to reminding, I just know he is there always ready to help in times of need like my earthly dads.

 

My dad was in serious condition with multiple heart failures in one weekend.

 

My soon to be father-in-law was dying from cancer that started in a mole, then lymph glands, then the brain.

 

It is here that I learned to pray and trust in God with all my heart.

 

My dad’s heart was fixed… miraculously.

 

My father-in-law was SAVED and his pain ended.  I miss him.  He was a great influence in my life and integral to showing me a better way with God.

 

I am grateful that my dad is here today.  I am said that I am without my wife’s father, but thankful that I will see him again.

 

STEP THREE – Trial by fire passed

 

My wife has been a rock like none other.  I have had many trials and tribulations in my life and in business and thru it all there are three constants; me, my wife and God.

 

I have no idea how I found C28.com, but I did.  The clothing and the story of a lost and lonely business owner who started the C28 ministry rang in my ears over and over again.  This was too close to my heart to ignore.  I have since become bold and proud to wear the many pieces of clothing that represent what I believe in and I use them often times as conversation starters.

 

Never before did I ever see such cool clothes with a more powerful message than the ones I got from C28.  Everything I saw before that was too plain Jane and boring.  Why is it that most “cool” clothes seem downright evil and dirty?

 

My journey is never ending and neither will my many visits to C28.  For my three steps of confirmation in God and the ability to share my beliefs thru cool clothing has been the foundation of my ministry and the complete realization that I am “Not of This World“ and it is in knowing this that I am able to forge ahead everyday no matter the trials and tribulations I may face.

 

I said I was “Broken and Lonely with Friends” well today I am “God’s Warrior, Faith, Family and Friends”

 

Discover some cool Christian apparel like I did www.c28.com

 

Bold Christian Shirts Company C28

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