Who has inspired you?

[Perk]

Besides God, my dad is my hero. He was born in Detroit, MI in a public housing apartment complex. My grandfather didn't want to raise his kids in Detroit (as it was becoming a dangerous place to live) and so they moved to Dearborn, MI. My dad graduated high-school and went to the Air Force Academy for a year, but didn't like the military life, so he dropped out and went to the University of Michigan in Dearborn and received a B.S. in Psychology. After graduating, he matriculated into the University of Michigan Medical School. After receiving his M.D. and graduating top of his class he married my mother. He did a year internship in Internal Medicine and then began his residency in Pathology. He then had his first child (Me). After finishing his residency he held (and still holds) the record score for Pathology boards. He then completed two fellowships in Surgical Pathology and Cytopathology. After finishing his academic days at the University of Michigan, he moved our family to the northern area of Michigan. He raised me and my sister to appreciate hard work. Albeit he is a renown physician he always bestowed upon his children that it isn't about the degree a person has, or the amount of money someone makes, but how hard and how dedicated they are that dictates who a man or woman is.

About 5 years ago, my family went through some turmoil. My mother cheated on my dad. But even through that, my dad showed character and forgave her. Now their marriage is stronger than ever. I have to say it taught me a lot about forgiveness and love. Since then, my dad has taught me a lot about life and being a man. If I can be half the man he is, I will be a very happy person.

Who is you hero? What is their history? How have they affected your life?

 

[koolcas]

what a nice story Perk. i'd have to say that my parents inspire me the most too. my dad and mom didnt grow up in christian homes. when dad decided to follow Christ, he was kicked out of his home. people (including his family) mocked him. but of course, he gave up everything for God. Dad went through so much before he was a christian (he came from a very dysfunctional family) and he held onto God. and still even now, the fire for God is still bright and i wish i love God so much. plus my daddyma (who threw him out) she's now a strong Christian. Praise God!!
Mom is so strong and compassionate christian. she's one of those people who always wants to help others and she touches so much lives. she has also given up so much for Jesus...when i think of all that, i am just happy to be born into this family. Much has been given to me. they try so hard first to input into our spiritual lives and then they sacrifice a lot for our education. dad always says, his children should best him. my parents are definitely my inspiration.

 

[krs27]

MY GRANDMOTHER IS THE ONE WHO INSPIRES ME TO HAVE A BETTER RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AND DO WELL IN LIFE

 

[Jordache]

My cousin Jeremy was born with Muscular Dystrophy. He died when we were 6, but to this day I count him my best friend. He died singing. His joy is an inspiration to me.
Maya Angelou inspires me.
Richard Simmons inspires me.
Jesus inspires me.

 

[Jullianna]

My grandmother, my mother, my stepfather, my stepbrother....all gone now. Their wisdom and prayers live on in my life.

My son also inspires me because I want to be to him what those I named above were to me.

 

[ashleybee]

My dad is my hero! - My dad is such a strong man! He has pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema, and is in his last stages of both. He was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis around 2004. I'm not sure how long he has been diagnosed with emphysema though. He is only 49 years old. - He shows me that giving up is not an option! You always have to push forward no matter how hard it is or how painful it can be! He tells me that I am what keeps him going and that I am his angel. He is my hero and always will be!

My husband is also my hero. He is the one who got me in church when I was 16 and that led to me being saved! (I will never forget that emotional moment!) He appreciates me and loves me deeply for who I am, and has never tried to change me. He has helped me to better myself, and I couldn't thank him enough! He gives me confidence I never thought I had otherwise! He is my best friend and my soul mate! There is no way he could not be my hero!

 

[Ritter]

My maternal grandmother.

She has been gone for eleven years now, but it was her who gave me an excitement about conquering fear through learning and understanding. As a child I was afraid of insects, and one day she spotted a praying mantis on her driveway and took me outside to see it (age three or four). I remember gazing at it and thinking it was the coolest creature I ever did see.

It was her who I always saw reading and wondered why it was so fun for her...so I started reading. I picked up books well beyond my reading level trying to emulate her.

On her farm there were wonderful things to see. It seemed like an endless world and she, perhaps unknowingly, encouraged me to think of it as such. We often went out to her barn to feed the horses. They had to sell the creatures before I could have become an active rider.

She used to put us on her ride-on lawnmower and zip us around the property (by us I mean my sister and I).

When she visited our house (and it was often), my mom and her would sit and watch A&E at a time when it had decent programming like Biography and History Channel like shows. I would sit with them and absorb the information presented to me with delight.

As I got older and life rocked us more and more, I got to appreciate her for who she was. She wasn't the typical "spoil your grandson" sort of grandma, as she couldn't afford to be. After my grandfather died, she was left with a mountain of debt he had accumulated. Taciturn, she rarely spoke a word of any kind, let alone affirmation. But her love was evident in the time she took to be with us and the things she did with us. I remember her playing chess with me when she didn't know how, or feigned not knowing how so as to give me the satisfaction of victory. She would sit and watch me play games on my computer. She always found a way to actually be interested in what we were doing.

She was the wisest, most Christ-like person I have ever known. Her love was great and distributed equally among her grandchildren. She could never play favorites, but knew to appreciate each of us a different way. She knew how to choose her battles. Often my mom suspected her of disapproving of what my parents did as parents or decisions they made with their money, but we would never know beyond those suspicions, because she respected the adulthood of my parents and said nothing. On the same token, when my paternal grandmother laid into my father, she was, almost ironically the first person to take up the sword in his defense. She didn't speak often, but when she did, she was effective.

I could write pages on why I still love her and hope I make her proud. I also hope she knows how much I still love and miss her more than a decade of her being gone. I still shed tears over her. I'm shedding them now after this lengthy reflection.

One night years ago I had a dream in which God sent her back to me for a day. We had a long conversation about life in a Christmas setting. When I returned from an errand in the basement in my dream she was gone; I saw her disappear on the stairs, and woke up crying.

I know this isn't very Biblical of me, but there are times I wonder if that was more than a dream. That God realized just how much I needed one more conversation to hold me over for eternity, so he allowed us some means for us to meet. Either way, there are times I fervently pray that she'll be the first person I see after Jesus when I die.

 

[Chinekwu]

My mother-the woman is just so wonderful! Taught me a lot about patience, longsuffering, love, faithfulness, life..,
My fiancé-believed in me when I didn't believe in myself, Has never given up on me inspite of all my "many problems", He inspires me to follow hard after God, He has helped my growth as a christian a lot! He loves me
Jesus Christ-He is "INSPIRATION" itself!

 

[Squirtle]

My seven year old Godson Elijah us my inspiration. He had cancer when he was two just as I did and he also has twisted femurs but he still keeps pushig on ward and even in pain maintains what independence he already has.

 

[chip]

My parents were atheists, my father passed when I was quite young, my mother while I was in high school. My basic life beliefs came from an uncle, whom was awesome and had no children, but he died when I was 9. So, I will go with John (the Apostle), whom impressed me greatly in my early readings as a Christian.

 

[oracle2world]

God, that is it. My parents split when I was young, so no father was in my life, which would have been nice. Perhaps an equally important question is who does not inspire you. For me, anyone that says they did not think I could something. That has come from even my own mother!

Anyway, God's unconditional love is always there for me, and I do not have to about His motives.

 

[imperfection]

Good topic, Perk! By the way, I visited all those parts of Michigan this year and it was awesome, just a comment on the side

My grandpa, Paul, inspired me the most. I have never met a person like he was yet, but I hope my future husband will be like him.

My grandpa passed away 5 years ago. Everything happened all of a sudden and I was in shock for a long time. I still cry when I think of him and I miss him dearly. I'm looking forward to day when I can meet him again in God's Kingdom.

He was a beautiful man. Inside and outside. My grandma told me their love story and I was so touched by it. They were married for 50 years and they loved each other very, very much. My grandpa treated my grandma like a princess, he treated his daughters (my mum, and my aunt) like princesses and he treated ME like a princess. He was always happy, satisfied and content with what he had.

One thing he always used to say, was: Mirishka (that's how he cold me) Our Lord Jesus gives us everything we need.

He knew his priorities in life. He never started his day without reading his Bible and praying. He was very generous and helped a lot of people. He played with me and my cousins when we were younger. He would roll on the floor and be all silly wth us.

He loved me like crazy and I loved him too. I can't remember him saying: I love you, Mirishka, but I felt his love through his actions.
The day he passed away was the saddest day in my life. There are so many things that I would like to tell him now, but I can't. I've been through a lot of stuff since he passed away and I know that he would have been able to give me a lot of advice and comfort.

Unfortunatley, my relationship with my parents is not the greatest and my father is not the greatest father. I would love to have a husband like my grandpa is.

I miss him so much.

 

[Oncefallen]

My parents who modeled what true commitment in a marriage is. Theirs was far from good in my younger years, but they stuck it out because of their commitment to each other; and when that wasn't enough, their commitment to God.

My sister who time and again amazes me how much she can handle. Her servants heart in caring for her children and her husband who is blind.

One of my old friends who modeled true forgiveness to me when I deeply wronged him and his family.

 

[lil_christian]

My parents, my guitar teacher (before I had to quit lessons, and unfortunately he isn't a Christian...but I pray that one day that will change. A couple times I've really wished I was older to go on like my church's praise team so I could invite him to church since he told me he'd come visit if I was gonna play guitar), and both sides of my grandparents (my grandparents on both sides are Christian and the majority of my aunts and uncles are Christian ). They've pushed me to work hard and to try even when I thought I couldn't do it.

 

[Squirtle]

Now that I've thought about it, I think my dog inspires me. That sounds strange, but hear me out a minute. If you think about it, a dog's love represents God's love - it is unconditional, loyal, never failing, true, pure, honest, faithful, etc. you can yell at, hit (not that we would), or forget to take care of the dog in certain ways, yet that dog is still our best friend. God is the same way - no matter how much we neglect, forget, or abuse God, He is still there for us and He is willing to forgive us ... Just a thought! ;-)