By Leon Lewis
October, 2016, on a hot sunny day, my eight-month-old son was having the time of his life. Speeding on his hands and knees from one end of the Livingroom to the next, while my wife prepared fish in the kitchen. Because of the heat, we would typically open the windows and the front door to allow the breeze to fill the rooms as we had no AC unit in our upstairs one-bedroom apartment. However, what seemed like an amazing day quickly turned into terror withing seconds.
A guy walks in with a bandana covering his face and a gun in his hand, pointing it at my wife before swiftly turning his aim to me. At first, I thought it was a prank. None of our friends would prank us that way but my brain refused to believe it was real. At the heels of the first gunman was a second gunman, then a third followed. He didn’t have a gun, rather he shuffled through the house looking for money or any valuables he could find. They didn’t find much as we were a young family with financial challenges.
During the robbery, my baby-boy cried and screamed as if he knew that we were in great danger. One of the guys quickly told my wife to pick up the baby so that he would stop screaming, while the other guy shouted at me to turn face down on the floor. That moment felt like years, it just wouldn’t end. The gunman over me sounded angry as he cursed and said, “It’s Russian roulette today.” I remembered squeezing my eyes, wondering why I wasn’t waking up because this has to be a dream.
After what felt like forever, face down on the floor, they left. Immediately I leapt to the door, turned the lock, took my family into the bathroom (locked that door too), and there we stayed for the next hour traumatized, confused, and scared.
However, this moment of terror did something to me that altered my life forever. I looked at myself in the mirror and said, “why am I still alive?” Then I made a vow to God and myself. I decided in that moment that this is a bonus life granted to me by God, therefore, I’m no longer going to live timid and fearful of what others may say but rather I chose to commit to serving others and contribute in a meaningful way to this world. This is the moment I call, “My death and resurrection!”
In my mind, I have already died so why not try new things and push myself to the limit? And so, I did. I spent years researching the human mind, learning how the brain works, and exploring ways I could build a whole new life. After spending much time searching for answers, I found something striking. Transformation doesn’t start with what a person does, but who he is, and that unlocked a whole new path for my growth.
I got out of bed at 5 a.m. every morning, before my family and the sun would rise to begin my day. There, in the quietness of the dark, I started with prayer; which naturally flowed into the practice of gratitude. Then I would sit for an hour in meditation, reflecting on scripture, and accepting the reality that I was created by the most powerful entity ever known. These are a taste of some actions I took in my transformation, and I all started with learning who I am. Recovering my Identity propelled my faith, relationships, and confidence to a whole other level.
My relationship with God evolved, I tried things that scared me in the past and excelled at them. I was helping people all over the Caribbean and as far as the Philippines, and even started my own company. On three different occasions, I sat and cried when I saw the impact I had on others and how much appreciation they showed. The vow I made came alive!
Most if not, everyone would agree that trauma can absolutely shatter a person’s life, but it doesn’t have to end that way! I’ve spent time picking up the pieces and I’ve learned how to hand them over to God for him to put them back together. People don’t realize that as human beings, we are built to withstand hardship. That doesn’t mean we won’t get beaten and battered by life, it simply means that we can take the blows and become better in the end.
After years of study, I came to realize that central to every person’s identity is adaptability, scalability, and relationships; we are born with the capacity to adapt in almost, if not every situation of life, built to grow and improve, and designed for connecting with other human beings. When one understands and accepts this trio as foundational to his/her identity, then confidence, success, and transformation naturally follows.
Why settle for your current position, when you can explore the limits of the potential God has placed in you?
Leon Lewis is the campus minister at York University. He loves helping others discover their purpose, build confidence, and take meaningful action toward a fulfilling life through public speaking and life coaching. He does keynotes, conferences, workshops, and more in his quest to add value to this world. He is a man of God and a family man who always looks for the next step toward growth. To contact him, email lplewis@york.edu.