Hi everyone,
If you read my previous post Why "Battling Back"? you'll know that the reason I'm doing the as yet unannounced, but definitely happening, challenge in late October/ early November is to raise funds for two military charities, the second of which is yet to be nominated.
In the last paragraph of that post, I thanked everyone who has and continues to serve and I said that each is my inspiration. But they aren't the only ones I need to thank at this point, nor are they my only inspiration, indeed the two go hand in hand.
I'd like to start by thanking my brother Zane, himself a veteran of the US Marine Corp. Bro, I've said this both publicly and privately and you know I'll keep saying it... You're one of the strongest guys I know, and you and your beautiful wife Jen are such an inspiration to me! You're both heroes to me! Thank you!
Aaron is another of my brothers, he's the one who was called by our Lord last Christmas day to bring me into what is now our shared ministry. Bro, I was so honored and blessed to be called to serve alongside you. You too are such an inspiration. Thank you!
Moving on to another of my brothers, Stephen. Since the moment you heard about the challenge, you've offered so much support, advice on training and encouragement. Thank you!
Last for now, but by no means least is my best friend, who got an anonymous mention in the last post, Spence. We've been through so much together over the years, shared laughter and tears and more recently compared shoulder injuries! It was, ultimately, your determination to overcome yours that gave me the push I need to get things moving regarding my own fitness and this challenge, and I look forward to us inspiring each other towards our goals. Thank you!
I'm so lucky, so blessed to have such wonderful guys and Jen in my life. Each of you are such an inspiration and I love you all so much. THANK YOU!!!!!
God bless
Em
Monday, March 31, 2014
Saturday, March 29, 2014
Why "Battling Back"?
Hi everyone,
In this post I want to explain why I’ve given both the blog and more importantly the charity challenge coming up in October/ November the title of “Battling Back”. There are multiple reasons and so the post will be a long one, but it is by it’s very nature so important.
We begin by going back to my early childhood, to a conversation I heard between two adult relatives. The older relative was talking to the younger about his experiences of serving with the British Army in Africa during the Second World War. Despite being so young, I was transfixed by the conversation and so began my interest in the military.
A few years passed by and then, during my 10th grade, I went to France on a school trip, to the Battlefields of the Somme. During that three day February vacation, the fog, which made visibility almost nil, never lifted. This made what I was already expecting to be an emotional experience, into a life changing event for me.
During those three days, we didn't just visit many of the cemeteries where the thousands upon thousands of heroes where laid to rest. We also walked in the very trenches and across the crater scarred battlefields where they fell, including those at Passchendaele.
On our last evening, we visited the Menin Gate at Ypres, for the sounding of the Last Post. The ceremony takes place every evening to commemorate all those who gave their lives.
Though I was born almost 60 years after the end of the war, those three days brought everything totally to life for me. I was there, amongst the brave boys, for that's all many of them were. I saw what they saw, I felt what they were feeling, the nerves, the dread of what was around the corner or overhead. Those three days have helped shape the person I am today. A PROUD supporter of the military, PROUD of the men and women who risk, and all to often pay, with their lives. Men and women doing a job they love, for their country, fighting for the freedom of others.
In 2007, a British couple started a charity with the aim of “doing their bit” for wounded service personnel. I’ve been a supporter of “Help for Heroes”, (H4H), since the charity was just days old, proudly wearing my turquoise, blue and red wristband constantly, to the point where you can even see it in pics taken moments after my daughter’s birth.
In 2009, a group of friends, who I’d met through Facebook, hiked Hadrian’s Wall in northern England for H4H, a distance of 84 miles in 5 days. I was inspired to join them the following year, but me being me (I’m not the most patient of people), I decided to do something else just as challenging before then, but unfortunately that event had to be postponed for business reasons. I was very disappointed at having to postpone, but as a friend said to me at the time “Sometimes you have to focus on YOU. There are certain things that are important to all of us; things outside of ourselves; good things and worthy things; worthy of attention from ourselves and others; but sometimes we have to focus on ourselves, HAVE to.”
Then that November, indeed the day after Thanksgiving, I received an email from a complete stranger. He’d seen the postponed event for the charity and rather generously invited me to join him on his own and I read the email in a state of disbelief. The offer was to join with him and a group of others in hiking Hadrian’s Wall, the starting date being December 28, 2009, just 31 days later. After thinking about it and talking to my closest friends, I decided to take him up on the offer.
In this post I want to explain why I’ve given both the blog and more importantly the charity challenge coming up in October/ November the title of “Battling Back”. There are multiple reasons and so the post will be a long one, but it is by it’s very nature so important.
We begin by going back to my early childhood, to a conversation I heard between two adult relatives. The older relative was talking to the younger about his experiences of serving with the British Army in Africa during the Second World War. Despite being so young, I was transfixed by the conversation and so began my interest in the military.
A few years passed by and then, during my 10th grade, I went to France on a school trip, to the Battlefields of the Somme. During that three day February vacation, the fog, which made visibility almost nil, never lifted. This made what I was already expecting to be an emotional experience, into a life changing event for me.
During those three days, we didn't just visit many of the cemeteries where the thousands upon thousands of heroes where laid to rest. We also walked in the very trenches and across the crater scarred battlefields where they fell, including those at Passchendaele.
On our last evening, we visited the Menin Gate at Ypres, for the sounding of the Last Post. The ceremony takes place every evening to commemorate all those who gave their lives.
Though I was born almost 60 years after the end of the war, those three days brought everything totally to life for me. I was there, amongst the brave boys, for that's all many of them were. I saw what they saw, I felt what they were feeling, the nerves, the dread of what was around the corner or overhead. Those three days have helped shape the person I am today. A PROUD supporter of the military, PROUD of the men and women who risk, and all to often pay, with their lives. Men and women doing a job they love, for their country, fighting for the freedom of others.
In 2007, a British couple started a charity with the aim of “doing their bit” for wounded service personnel. I’ve been a supporter of “Help for Heroes”, (H4H), since the charity was just days old, proudly wearing my turquoise, blue and red wristband constantly, to the point where you can even see it in pics taken moments after my daughter’s birth.
In 2009, a group of friends, who I’d met through Facebook, hiked Hadrian’s Wall in northern England for H4H, a distance of 84 miles in 5 days. I was inspired to join them the following year, but me being me (I’m not the most patient of people), I decided to do something else just as challenging before then, but unfortunately that event had to be postponed for business reasons. I was very disappointed at having to postpone, but as a friend said to me at the time “Sometimes you have to focus on YOU. There are certain things that are important to all of us; things outside of ourselves; good things and worthy things; worthy of attention from ourselves and others; but sometimes we have to focus on ourselves, HAVE to.”
Then that November, indeed the day after Thanksgiving, I received an email from a complete stranger. He’d seen the postponed event for the charity and rather generously invited me to join him on his own and I read the email in a state of disbelief. The offer was to join with him and a group of others in hiking Hadrian’s Wall, the starting date being December 28, 2009, just 31 days later. After thinking about it and talking to my closest friends, I decided to take him up on the offer.
During each of the days that followed and indeed during the event itself, I kept a detailed journal, which I’ll share with you in a number of future posts here on the blog. It was another life changing event for me. When it ended, though weakened in body, I was strengthened in spirit and determination.
In the days that followed even as I recovered, I resolved to work towards another challenge, which would this time not only raise funds for H4H, but because by that point I’d adopted America as my home, also for a US based military charity.
The resolve to share the funds was strengthened when, in May 2010, the son of a childhood friend of one of my best friends was critically injured and lost his leg while serving with the US Marines in Afghanistan. I didn’t know either of them then, but in the weeks that followed, I got to know Margaret and learned that not only had her youngest son, Eli, been recently injured, but her eldest, Alex, had also been less severely so while also serving with the Marines in Iraq. I knew then that I wanted Margaret to be the one to nominate the US charity.
Unfortunately, as the months passed and I watched with so much admiration as Eli got stronger, my own health, both mental and physical, deteriorated to the point where the challenge had to be postponed indefinitely.
Now though, having recovered my mental strength to the point where I feel stronger than I truly have ever felt, I’m as determined as ever, if not more so, that the charity challenge will DEFINITELY be going ahead this year. However I won’t, for now, reveal the exact nature of the challenge, instead you’ll have to wait for another post for that. SORRY, but I will say this...
I’ve today written to Margaret asking her to nominate the US charity, as I always promised I would.
The challenge will conclude on November 11, 2014, Veteran’s Day, by way of a tribute to all who have served in the military and who are themselves BATTLING BACK.
In training for the challenge, having regained my mental strength, I’ll be BATTLING BACK to peak physical health.
Before concluding this very long post, I’d like to say a HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who has served and continues to serve and protect. Each one of you, together with others, are my inspiration.
God bless
Em
In the days that followed even as I recovered, I resolved to work towards another challenge, which would this time not only raise funds for H4H, but because by that point I’d adopted America as my home, also for a US based military charity.
The resolve to share the funds was strengthened when, in May 2010, the son of a childhood friend of one of my best friends was critically injured and lost his leg while serving with the US Marines in Afghanistan. I didn’t know either of them then, but in the weeks that followed, I got to know Margaret and learned that not only had her youngest son, Eli, been recently injured, but her eldest, Alex, had also been less severely so while also serving with the Marines in Iraq. I knew then that I wanted Margaret to be the one to nominate the US charity.
Unfortunately, as the months passed and I watched with so much admiration as Eli got stronger, my own health, both mental and physical, deteriorated to the point where the challenge had to be postponed indefinitely.
Now though, having recovered my mental strength to the point where I feel stronger than I truly have ever felt, I’m as determined as ever, if not more so, that the charity challenge will DEFINITELY be going ahead this year. However I won’t, for now, reveal the exact nature of the challenge, instead you’ll have to wait for another post for that. SORRY, but I will say this...
I’ve today written to Margaret asking her to nominate the US charity, as I always promised I would.
The challenge will conclude on November 11, 2014, Veteran’s Day, by way of a tribute to all who have served in the military and who are themselves BATTLING BACK.
In training for the challenge, having regained my mental strength, I’ll be BATTLING BACK to peak physical health.
Before concluding this very long post, I’d like to say a HUGE THANK YOU to everyone who has served and continues to serve and protect. Each one of you, together with others, are my inspiration.
God bless
Em
Sat. March 29, 2014
Hi everyone,
At the time of writing this first post on the new blog, I've only just created it and it's still a work in progress, but I wanted to mark the creation with a quick post. I'll explain more about my reasons for creating the blog and the charity challenge that's mentioned in the description, in the next post, so please do stop back then to find out more.
God bless,
Em
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