As a recent Stroke Survivor and Author of You Will See God’s Miracles If Only You Believe (available for purchase on Amazon.com), I am here to share some crucial life-lessons I learned in recent years concerning well-balanced lifestyles, how to divert personal disasters, and the art of listening to what your body and mind is trying to tell you. As an executive, my plate was filled to overflowing. I basically worked from sun up to sun down, so to speak. Prior to my stroke, I thrived in my role as CEO of a successful chamber of commerce. To balance the stress, I would work out at the gym a minimum of two hours a day, seven days a week. There were even days, when I would go to the gym twice in one day. What I did not realize, was that stress in my work life and excessive workout regimen was taking a toll on my health.

Friday December 20, 2013 will be forever etched in my memory. That fateful morning, I was exhausted, and my spirit told me to stay home and get some much-needed rest, but I didn’t listen. Driven by my ambition, I jumped out of bed and drove to the gym for a vigorous work-out. As a result, I suffered a severe hemorrhaging stroke induced by a rigorous work load and around-the-clock schedule. During my time in the hospital, the neurologist told me something very startling,” It was your drive that got you in here, and your drive will get you out.” Then, he said something that stunned me. I asked him if I had stayed in bed that morning, would I have had the stroke? He said a resounding…” No.”

My message is simple, but powerful…

Take nothing for granted!

DARE! To believe God for miracles!

And face adversity…with an attitude!