BRIAN BOYLE: LAZARUS

"Find a place inside where there's joy, and the joy will burn out the pain." - Joseph Campbell 

All that thinking and pondering on the what-if scenario’s only stirred up another question – why was I saved? Then, it hit me. I didn’t have anymore questions. I knew then on, what my purpose in life finally was. I am trying to live each day to the fullest and motivate and hopefully inspire other people. I have been labeled "Lazarus-like" because God brought me back to life. To inspire even more, I successfully completed the Steelhead 70.3 half-ironman race in Michigan a while ago. And, I was given the inspirational athlete media slot to compete in the 2007 Ford Ironman World Championship where my race footage was broadcasted in the Ironman show premiere as the main feature.

When God wants to restore a man, He doesn't restore to status quo. No. He restores up to seven times more. For instance, Job got double for everything - wealth, children, position, possession - he lost. For a lost baby, God gave David a king: the wisest,

ROLL THE STONE

"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

What's is Faith? It's having complete trust or confidence in someone or something. Or having a strong belief in something or someone, based on spiritual conviction rather than proof.

There was once a small village, which had suffered from a severe drought for a long time. Their crops were dead, the villagers and their animals were dying and they had very little water to drink. Having tried all else and nothing seemed a solution to the drought, the village head called the villagers to gather at the village square to pray to God together for rain. Scornfully, but respectfully the villagers agreed to the request; many murmuring about how that was the solution to the problem. The villagers gathered at the square as agreed on the said day. They all prayed aloud as required. Sure enough, within a few moments it began to rain. The whole was overjoyed and danced happily in the rain. The chief noticed that among the joyous crowd was a little boy, clutching an umbrella as a token of faith. The chief admired this little boy, who had brought an umbrella in total faith that the Lord would surely hear his prayers and send rain. Out of curiosity, the chief approached the boy, "why did you come with an umbrella", he asked. "My mummy just