- Leap of Faith
Will you take the Leap of Faith in 2010 ? This doesn’t mean faith in your religion but this is exactly what brought this topic to my attention. In the past few weeks I have attended, and will be participating in, several services at local churches in the Atlanta area. One service in particular was truly amazing.
This candle light service was at my father in law’s Methodist church in west Atlanta. His name is Ken Brown and he has lived a rather eventful life. Ken was born in 1936 in New York city from immigrant parents from Hungary. Ken’s father had abandoned him and his mother at the very early age of 7. Since the main bread winner was gone Ken was forced to work at the age of 7 with his mother cleaning apartment buildings in the city to make ends meet so there would be food on the table.
Instead of being bitter for the rest of his life, Ken took advantage of the adverse conditions and turned it into a positive motivational influence. Ken went on in life to become very successful as an Entrepreneur. He started the very first zip code directory in New York and actually sold them by climbing up every floor in every office building in New York City and pitching his product to all of the secretaries.
Ken had a belief that he could be successful at anything after rising above the conditions he was born into. He took that “Leap of Faith” and put his neck on the line producing all of these zip code directories upfront before he had sold a single copy. There was no question in his mind that he was going to be successful. But this is not the story that has brought me to writing this article.
Back to the candle light service.
Ken is now 73 years of age and has been down on his luck for the past few years. Ken was a millionaire at one point in his life but he made several bad decisions and lost everything he had. Living alone surviving off of his social security check. One thing is and always will be very apparent to everyone that meets Ken. He has a incredible drive to succeed.
Ken had contacted my wife Kim and her twin brothers about attending this candle light service this past Sunday. He wanted to make sure that everyone was there including all of the grandchildren. He told us that he had a major role in the service and would like everyone to be there. He said he was actually going to be singing a solo piece in the performance.
When I heard this I was astonished. If there is one thing that I know it is Music. I have a B.S. in Music Education and toured for several years playing in some really great bands.
One thing I know for sure is that Ken Cannot Sing!
The service started at 6:00 p.m. and in usual fashion we all were running behind schedule. Gary, one of the twins, arrived at the church first about 8 minutes before 6:00 o’clock. Ken was standing out front wondering where the hell everyone was. Gary assured him that everyone was on the way and to go into the church to get ready for the performance. He was HOT! Ken also inherited the notorious Hungarian temper.
Everyone arrived just in time to get a seat in the back of church. At this time I don’t think Ken knew that we had arrived. The lights went dim and the magnificent pipe organ began to play filling the church with a glorious vibrant hymnal of Christmas. We all noticed that Ken was on the back row of the Choir dressed in his navy blue dress jacket which bears his family coat of arms underneath the jacket pocket. All the other choir members were dressed in the usual choir robes.
As the organ continued to play with the choir singing in the back ground Ken began to make his way down front to a microphone that was standing alone in front of a massive, beautifully decorated Christmas tree. The music faded and the spot light brightened directly on Ken front and center.
You won’t believe what happened next.
A young girl about the age of 9 came along side Ken and they began a dialog:
Ken: Hi Casey! Wasn’t that a beautiful Hymn
Casey: Yes Mr.Ken it was really beautiful
Ken: Casey, would you like to sing the next Christmas Carol with me?
Casey: Well Mr. Ken I’m not sure I can sing
Ken: You know Casey, I thought the same thing. When the Pastor ask me if I would be a part of this service I told him I could not sing. Do you know what he said? Pastor told me that anyone can sing if they really try. All you have to do is take that “Leap of Faith.”
Would you like to give it a try Casey?
Casey: Sure Mr. Ken
Ken began to sing the first verse of “Silent Night” by himself and I was absolutely amazed at the confidence that he had in himself. The entire time his gruff voice was cracking and popping from years of smoking, missing notes and singing slightly out of tune while harmonizing with the young Casey who had a truly incredible voice. But the amazing thing was that it was probably one of the most inspiring renditions of that carol I have ever heard.
Ken had made the “Leap of Faith” throwing himself head first in front of hundreds of people with absolutely no fear. The real key is understanding Ken’s mental mindset. Why would he do such a thing knowing that he couldn’t carry a tune in a bucket or even sing as well as a nine year old girl?
The real truth is that Ken was more afraid of not following through to do what was asked of him by his church, than he was of failing to sing the Christmas carol correctly. This was the force that enabled him to succeed and deliver the performance that brought the church members to their feet at the end of the ceremony.
When you are able to make that break through and develop the mental mindset that everything and anything is possible you can literally write your own paycheck. Ken’s break through years ago at a very early age was that he was never going to live in the conditions of poverty again and anything he set his mind to was achievable.
Even though Ken had lost his way for a short while he has re-gained his belief in himself and his abilities which proves that a break through in mental mindset is achievable at anytime in ones life.
Will you be one of the 3% to make that Leap of Faith?
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