You gotta have faith

Insert George Michael song here, because you know how this girl loves a good tune to kick off her blog posts! And I couldn’t agree more with Mr. Michael, before this river becomes an ocean, you gotta have faith! But why faith? When George was asked precisely that question, his response sums up exactly how Kristen and I feel about faith:

It represents the way I feel at the moment. It's kind of another word for my hope and optimism.

Having faith in something gives you hope. It keeps you going when it feels impossible. If you have faith that you can handle anything life throws your way, what could you possibly fear?

Kristen is a stroke survivor. I survived a mental breakdown after my divorce. We both know what it’s like to lose trust and confidence in ourselves, but we had faith.

When Kristen and I were developing our mission and vision for the OWL Podcast, we both knew that faith was important to us. Faith gave us hope when life seemed hopeless. Faith gave us purpose.

Kristen’s unwavering faith in God’s plan for her, is why she got up every morning determined to walk again, even though the doctors didn’t think it was possible. Kristen walked her ass outta the hospital after her stroke, and since then has given hope and inspiration to hundreds of young stroke survivors across the country. Kristen’s faith is her higher purpose. It’s why she believes surviving her stroke is a privilege and her motivation to wake up everyday. In the words of R.S. Grey:

She believed she could, and so she did.

The dictionary defines faith as: complete trust and confidence in someone or something. After my divorce, I lost the ability to trust myself; I lost faith in my ability to handle anything life throws my way. Paranoia, delusions, anxiety, panic attacks, and suicidal thoughts consumed me. But I had faith. If God is for me, whoo could be against me? Faith is why I packed up everything I owned, and drove halfway across the country with a job resume, a sublet, and faith that it would all work out, just the way the universe intended.

She took a leap of faith, and built her wings on the way down.

So what does faith give us? Well, in words of George Michael, Freedom. Freedom to be whooo you are; the writer, singer, and producer of your own life. (Insert song below).

I won’t let you down. I will not give you up. Gotta have some faith in the sound. It’s the one good thing that I’ve got. I won’t let you down. So please don’t give me up, cause I would really , really love you to stick around.

Heaven only knows I was just a young boy, didn’t know what I wanted to beeeee. Think I’m gonna get myself happy.

But today the way I play the game is not the same, no way! Think I’m gonna get myself happy. I think there’s something you should know. I think it’s time I told you so. There’s something deep inside of me. There’s someone else I’ve got to be….

I think there’s something you should know. I think it’s time we stopped the show. There’s something deep inside of me. There’s someone I forgot to beeee.

Freeeedooommmm!