Love Wins
This past week, I had the great opportunity to meet Douglas Sprowl during an event for The Derwin and Travis Smiley Show called, "Love Wins." I was touched and inspired by Doug's story of hope and love that wins, rejoicing with all good men when truth wins out. Take time to read and enjoy this week's Inspiring Man, Douglas Sprowl.
My name is Douglas Sprowl and I am honored to be here to share a small but very important part of my life. Love Wins… this is a powerful and life changing phrase and even greater if you have the opportunity to experience the “love that wins”. The apostle Paul taught us that love is patient and kind and never fails!
I did not know nor understand love as a child… Born in Brazil, South America, and raised in a poor community, I never heard the words “I love you” I was the seventh child of 8 and experienced more trauma by the age 12 than most experience in a lifetime. My mother was violently abusive and compulsive in every way often leaving her children hungry and destitute of affection. My Father was an alcoholic, mentally unstable and made several attempts on our lives I. At the age of 6 my mother was killed in a car accident and with the police after my father we were eventually abandoned.
My abusive childhood contributed nothing less than fear and intimidation making it next to impossible to face society. My isolation and lack of involvement caused me to appear “socially retarded” I was nicked named “Burro” meaning “Dummy”. Left to petty thievery and self-survival, we lacked the basic need of any young person, LOVE!! You see we were left to only follow in the footsteps of an older brother who became a male prostitute to end his story with Aids.
Love’s powerful force broke through when a missionary couple opened their home and heart to five Brazilian kids. We arrived dirty, with lice filled hair. Confused and insecure we embraced their offer of Discipline and dedication which worked in us determination in Scholarship, in Character, and Respect. My new Dad, Loren Sprowl became my hero as he showed me how to love and live, how to never give up because all things are possible to those who believe.
Two and a half years ago I arrived in the United States of America and began my new journey as an American citizen. Speaking little to no English, We enrolled at IPS George Washington Community School. With no time to waste, I dug in and gave it everything I had. America the beautiful is the land of opportunity to those who would just embrace. The foundation of my life was now set firmly on Jesus Christ and now with the support of my parents and my personal dedication to my studies, fellow students, and my community I stand here before you as a testimony of what can happen when Love prevails.
I am now the president of the national honor society, president of our school’s mentoring program, involved in many community functions, fluent in three languages, and Serve on the inaugural Indiana youth advisory council which works along side the state dept of Education. I play five sports and have received several scholarships for my future while maintaining a 3.9 GPA. Two weeks ago I received one of the greatest honors ever, as a candidate of West Point Military Academy, I attended their summer leadership seminar. Out of 6000 applicants 500 were chosen for my session and out of that 500, I was the recepient of the "2009 Outstanding Candidate Leader Award" receiving a plaque and a "Coin for Excellence" from General Joseph Anderson.
I affirm that I could not have accomplished any of this on my own! I thank my God for giving me parents who insisted on teaching me character and drilling me that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me! Know this Ladies and Gentlemen:
Love never fails! Love Wins!
Thank you
Douglas Sprowl
Everyday Heaven
I knew there was no cure for my paralysis. Nor was there any hope for my
baldness. But this was an infectious-disease doctor on the other end of
the line, and he was calling me about my urinary tract infection. We had always cured them in the past, and even though this one seemed much more difficult than the others, I assumed we would resolve this one too.
So I was pretty shaken when he said: "I don't think we can cure this
one, Dan."
Urinary tract infections are an inevitable side effect of spinal cord
injury because the bladder is paralyzed. Ordinarily, I get a few a
year, and after a couple of weeks of antibiotics, I'm OK.
But this one has lasted a full year. I even told friends I was going to
take my infection out to dinner to celebrate our first anniversary!
That moment on the phone, with tears in my eyes, that joke didn't seem
so funny.
After some research, I found out this is not an imminent death sentence.
It does mean I will have to take these antibiotics for the rest of my
life or else I could get quite ill. And of course long-term use of
antibiotics is rarely good news for one's body.
Nevertheless, that phone call represented a new chapter in my life to
me. One I was in no rush to begin.
I do believe in coincidences. And I had a quite fortunate one when my
friend Amy came over to visit just two days before that phone call. At
one point, she asked if I believed in heaven. Without giving it any
thought, I said: "Yes. You're in it right now."
I saw the dazed and confused look on her face that I often see when I
make proclamations, so I went on: "What were the chances of that sperm
fertilizing that egg and producing your life? And what were the chances
that you would have lived all the years you have lived in relative good
health? And what were the odds that you would have so many people in
your life that you love and who care about you? And what were the
possibilities that you could look outside of almost any window and see
the beauty of nature? Heaven? You bet."
Of course, it's not the perfect one we read about in mythology or that
many believe in. There is great pain and suffering and loss in this
particular heaven. But deep inside, most know it's precious. That is
why we clutch this life so tightly. That's why we have so much anxiety,
even anger, when something threatens us or our loved ones.
I had the good fortune to visit the Grand Canyon last month. I'm not a
good enough writer to describe the magnificent vistas. Suffice to say
that when most people see it for the first time, they are moved to
tears. Not from sadness. But from awe.
At the end of the day, several hundred people gathered to watch the sun
dip slowly behind the canyon. Everyone sat in silence as nature did
what it does. And in the moment the sun closed the day, everyone
applauded. More awe.
And then I thought: But the sun sets every day, everywhere. And it is no
less magnificent wherever it sets. The only difference is the attitude
we all had as we watched.
In the Grand Canyon, we felt awe. At home, we don't even notice. Heaven?
Absolutely. It just takes some careful noticing to realize we are there.
I made a joke about taking my urinary tract infection out for an
anniversary dinner even though I've been trying to kill it all year.
With my most recent news, I am hoping we have many more anniversary
dinners together.
What changed as a result of the phone call? The call got me thinking
more about sunsets. It seems that if we spend the day aware of the
gifts of our lives, we are much more likely to notice the beauty of the
sunset.