MOVING FORWARD THE by Matt Manzari THROUGH DARKNESS It’s been two years since Victorious Living carried my story. In case you didn’t get a chance to read the Spring 2015 issue, here’s what happened. I was trimming trees at a local church in Central Florida. I was in a high-reach bucket when suddenly and unexpectedly, power from nearby utility lines arched over to the steel bucket I was standing in. In an instant, 14,000 volts of electricity surged through my right hand and circuited through my chest to my left hand. Back and forth it ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ �������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� arms. That brief moment in time changed my life and the life of my family forever. Since my story was covered in the magazine, I’ve experienced incredible milestones and difficult challenges, all intertwined with countless blessings. With God’s help, I’ve undergone ten additional surgeries, witnessed the birth of my second son, and had the opportunity to share my story across the country with people from all walks of life. I have been especially overwhelmed by the heartfelt response I’ve received from inmates who’ve read my story in this magazine. For those of you who have written in response, thank you for your love and support. It has meant so much. Recently while in Ace Hardware, I was approached by a guy who I could tell was excited to meet me. Since water sports are popular in Florida, I assumed he recognized me from my professional wakeskate years. I was moved to tears when he told me he’d just finished a five-year stretch in prison and that my story in Victorious Living had helped him get through some incredibly tough times. I invited him to come hear my whole story that weekend at my church, as I was scheduled to speak that weekend. He came, and I’ve seen him at church many times since. I was excited to hear how my story had impacted him. I must admit, when Kristi asked me to share, I wasn’t sure how it would resonate with many of the readers of Victorious Living. A large majority are inmates, and they face daily challenges and struggles I’ll never face. They know more about dark times than most ever will, including me. Matt once soared through the air on his wakeskate. Now he encourages others to soar in life through his story of faith and perseverance. I realized, however, that no matter who came across my story, everyone needed the same thing: hope. Whether you’re a parent struggling with a difficult child, an adult caring for an aging parent, an athlete struggling to achieve your dreams, an inmate confined in prison, or someone lying in a hospital bed, looking at what appears to be a bleak future—we all need hope. So I decided to share my story, in hopes that just one life—maybe yours—would be touched. We all have struggles; they just come in different forms. Some are broad and ongoing, some immediate and specific—but at the end of the day, we’re all in the same boat. We all find ourselves in places we don’t want to be. Places that hurt. Places that stretch us beyond what we imagine we can bear. I’d like to share what helped me move forward during my biggest struggle. I never dreamed I’d be electrocuted. I never imagined I’d be lying in a hospital bed barely clinging to life. But there I was, and there was nothing I could do about it. I was where I was. My friend, John Maxwell, puts it this way, “Wherever you are, there you are.” At face value, the principle of this statement seems so obvious. Of course we are where we are. You might be 16 kojministries.org Issue 2 2017 photography by Garret Cortese / alliancewake.com
20115AS
To see the actual publication please follow the link above