ReadersMonumental Moments of 2016...
Read on …. from our readers and contributors on what was monumental for them in 2016!
As I prepared for a one week solo trip out of town, a dear friend said“ You have no car in your life right now because God wants you to walk. There is something that He is trying to show you.” He continued to tell me about a walk he’ d taken from downtown Orlando to the University of Central Florida and how it was life-altering. Of course I thought he was crazy. On my trip to Hollywood, Florida I decided to leave my hotel to have an adventure. A failed attempt to find a recommended breakfast spot turned into an opportunity. I just started walking. I crossed paths with a kind old man on the beach who asked if I was hiking and I replied,“ I am now”. That was my most profound moment of 2016. It was the first day of opening myself up totally and trusting in God to keep me safe. With only 30 dollars in my pocket, I walked 12.7 miles. Having that alone time with God and Mother Nature helped me realize that I don’ t need material things to be happy in life. While having material things can be nice it’ s even better to have the total freedom of experiencing the world.
I decided to go to the beach one day with a friend just to meditate and reflect on some things that were happening in my life. During that moment I felt God begin to teach me to sit back and chill. After all the praying and all the hard work that I was doing, I needed to sit back and really enjoy all the fruits of my labor. I realized I needed to sit back and just allow God to do what GOD needed to do. This was my most profound moment of 2016
- Jason TIE WOOLARD
- Alexia Written
In February of 2016, I was diagnosed with cancer. Since then the journey has been rough and expensive, my caregiver and I got to the point where we needed financial support to maintain my treatment regimen. A woman named Wally British, who has a significant social media presence, helped me make my first video on Facebook. We also opened up a“ GoFundMe” page. Since that moment people from all over the world have been sending in money, supplies and prayers. This was my most profound moment of 2016 because God has revealed to me what it’ s like to walk in humility. I also gained a restored faith in humanity because so many people have reach out to help. Finally, I’ ve learned that blessings and opportunities come in ways you would least expect. # letshelpjanine
- Janine Grossett
My most profound moment of 2016 was taking a sculpting class at Valencia Community College. I loved art, but didn’ t know what I would be doing with it. I have drawn most of my life so I figured I would make a career of it, but once I got the opportunity to experience with clay; I found my calling. I literally wanted to learn everything I could about it. Since that first class, I have continued to be a student of the art and I will always appreciate the freedom provided by my first professor.
At the beginning of the class the Professor let us choose what we wanted to do and he simply assisted. This opened up so many closed doors for me, and I got to explore the field in a way that I wanted to. I learned so many methods of creating, and even developed techniques unique to my specific style. My classes exposed me to mold making and even welding. The feeling of knowing that this was what I wanted to do for the rest of my life grew stronger with each project that I worked on. Taking that sculpting class was easily the most profound moment of my life this year.
- Johnathan Gelzer