I Wonder What God Is Going To Do With This: Roger Crawford Part 2

Roger credits his perseverance and his unwillingness to give up to his parents and, specifically, his Dad.

"My Dad used to tell me that I don't live in Pity City. He taught me to be proud of my abilities and not to be ashamed of the parts of me that make me unique."

Roger told me the story of the time he asked his Dad to write a note to a teacher requesting a two day extension on a paper he was having difficulty typing. His Dad refused to write the note and taught Roger to start each assignment two days earlier moving forward.

"Dad, taught me to take my hands out of my pockets and to be proud of what I have, not to be ashamed of what I don't have."

"We all have invisible challenges, Todd. Some are simply more challenging to overcome than others."

Roger quickly learned that playing tennis isn't about being physically challenged or not. It's not about having one leg or two. "The winner is simply the player who hits the ball over the net one more time than the other guy".

Roger used analogies like this throughout his life to help him rise to all of life's challenges.

"Isn't this what life is all about? The person who tries a little harder and perseveres a little longer is the person who wins the match. It's not about the person with the most talent or whose body is the most gifted. It's about hitting the ball over life's net one more time than the other guy."

"I'm so blessed," he said to my hardly-believing ears. "I'm blessed to have had the right coach. He taught me about commitment. The commitment to never quit. He taught me about persistence. I talk to people every day and that is truly my message. Don't ever lose hope."

I asked Roger if there is anything that he cannot do.

He laughed.

"Todd, everyone has things they cannot do. We are all handicapped in some way. The difference between mine and theirs is that you can see mine. Some poeple's handicaps are just more difficult to see."

"I could be the most positive person in the world and I'm not going to grow seven more fingers. That is a fact and I accept it. What people need to do is find the things they are good at and become passionate about them. Find your strength and excel. Everyone has a gift."

"We need to focus on things we can control and spend time and energy at that. It is wasted energy and time for me to be concerned about things for which I cannot control."

I asked Roger if he believes in God despite having been dealt such an unfortunate hand.

"Of course I believe in God and I thank him every day for all my wonderful gifts. I have a wonderful wife and wonderful children. My daughter Alexas, 16, was diagnosed with cancer. I watched her walk through this and it is now in remission. I'm so proud of her."

"God works in many ways. He gives us so many gifts and always reminds me that every life has a purpose. He has taught me to believe that with adversity comes opportunity."

I repeated Roger's words as I scribbled on pages and pages of notes I was taking as he spoke.

"With adversity comes opportunity."

I remembered this phrase from my own life and the day Roger became introduced to me on the pages of "Chicken Soup for the Soul

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