Next month will mark a year since this site was launched. Since then, there have been countless trials I’ve had to face with operating this company. I’ve had to learn many lessons; mainly revolving around humility, work ethic, fearlessness, and above all – the all-encompassing lesson of persistence. Persistence has been the key to all of the doors that were opened since last August. Persistence in positive thinking, persistence in humility, persistence in hard work, persistence in fearlessness – each of my lessons revolved around the theme of persistence in one way or the other. I notice that it doesn’t take much to make someone humble, a hard worker, or fearless for a moment – the true battle comes when we try to remain vigilant as these things. The true battles come after we have been fed with the pep talk – after we hear the inspirational sermon. The hardest part for me has been staying patient, consistent – staying persistent – dedicating every Saturday evening to updating the site, spending every dime I get on this company, being persistent in actually thinking this vision is possible, and will actually come to fruition.
What’s going to happen so we can be able to get content out more frequently? What’s going to happen to make sure people around the world hear about this movement? What if people get tired of it all and leave Un-Associated behind because they see this whole thing as a phase? These thoughts love to rock me to sleep at night. And I realize that the only way to combat this apprehension is with the things that remind me why I committed to this vision in the first place.
And then it happens – amidst being drowned in my insecurities, God does something to pull me out of the deep end.
Friday, I got to go back to the place where it all started. The place where I received the word from God that would shape into the company you see today. As I listened to the pastor preach at chapel in the Fellowship with Christian Athletes camp, I was both reminded of God’s faithfulness and challenged to continue to trust Him in all of this. When sober in thought, apart of me loves the fact that I one day will be able to say that I went through all of this to get to where I am – global. Apart of me likes the fact that God is taking me down this path – molding me, shaping me, keeping me sane. Moments like the one I had on Friday remind me that everything is worth it. Whenever I give praise to God, I’m not reading off a script, or saying it just because it’s the right thing to say. I’m saying it because if it weren’t for Him, the occasional moments where I’ve felt helpless would have turned into the moment where I let this all go. However, God had other plans.
