THE Brighter Side
Bless yourself by blessing others first prayed to God: “Heavenly Father, I By Ron Kern thank You for all You have done. HowI felt compelled to write this, hopever, I ask that You use me or take me. ing others can learn this “key to life” Should You take me, I’ll be with my long before I did. The sooner you truly mother and others, but more imporunderstand it, and most importantly tantly be at Your feet worshiping and implement it, the happier you will be. enjoying the glory of God.” There was a time in my life when I continued out loud and alone in my I felt the world — no, the universe car. “If You choose to use me, I am all —revolved around me, what I said, in with all the chips on the table; use me and what I did. Long before any social when and where You want, no limitamedia, I had my own network of tions, no restrictions. I will obey and do people that spread the news quickly, if Your will as You direct me, with Your I wanted. I did well in high school, was help.” voted class vice president, excelled in In reading this prayer, I cannot stress tennis, and was “one of the guys.” the importance and seriousness of it. It was a time for me to do what I This isn’t something you pray lightly or wanted, when I wanted, and people casually, and if your heart and meaning followed. It was the Ron Kern Show, behind it isn’t truth, don’t pray it. My I thought. My mother had raised me A former business owner in Meridian for more than 20 prayer was said with vigor, truth, and with this gem of advice: “Be kind to years, Ronald Kern and his wife, Lisa, are now retired. sincerity; I meant every single word. In others, no matter who they are; you surrendering, truly surrendering to God, haven’t walked in their shoes.” And in They are founders of Kern Ministry Foundation, Inc., nonprofit Christian organization that provides life’s I put myself second and Him first. I those glory days, there were glimmers aessentials, medical supplies and educational resources for of me remembering this wisdom; how- children, families and communities worldwide. Kern is an gave up my attempt at control. I made ever, it wasn’t consistent. entrepreneur, business and life consultant, author, motiva- myself vulnerable, open, and available As I continued into the business tional speaker and philanthropist. Contact him anytime at to Him, even more than I already was. world, I did well with one of my first www.RonaldAKern.com or TheBrighterSide@icloud.com. This is a critical step to truly finding the real you, your passion, being blessed, jobs and climbed the ladder quickly. and blessing others.s After a year of winning many awards, After my prayer, I arrived home and honestly felt like my even breaking company records, my office became a Ron Kern mind, spirit, and soul had gone through a car wash. I felt shrine, complete with plaques, magazine articles, and photoclean, alive, rejuvenated, and the darkness was gone. Trust me, graphs with top executives, all screaming, “Look at me, I’m so it wasn’t mind over matter, faking it, or positive thinking. It was important!” Looking back, it’s embarrassing, but at the time those awards God blessing me, and He knew I had become a 100 percent servant. God has now used me in ways that I never could have provided me with self-validation every time I walked in my office. How smart my mom was. I wish my actions would have imagined. God’s grace is not only hard to comprehend, but even harder to put into words. If you have experienced it, you matched her words and teaching earlier in my life. know what I am talking about. In 2013, my very successful business came to a point where I have experienced exponential growth personally since I had lost my passion for it, and we had the opportunity of a I have taken the focus away from myself and now focus on buyer who was interested. My wife and I agreed it was time to helping and lifting up others. I finally discovered that true move on. However, I was unsure of what I would do with the joy comes when you can abandon a life of self-centeredness. label of “retired” at the ripe old age of 44. This should have When you surrender your life to God, and been a time for celebration — we had ask Him for direction and favor — and finally made it! But Satan worked on you are sincere — be prepared for someme in his usual ways and enveloped thing incredible. me in darkness. The Bible makes many references to Uncertainty echoed repeatedly in the importance of helping others, and my head: “What are you going to do some of these I want to share. now? What importance do you have? “And he sat down and called the You know you have lost your identity, Twelve. And he said to them, ‘If anyone don’t you? You have lost your power, would be first, he must be last of all and you know. You aren’t CEO and don’t servant of all.’” (Mark 9:35) even hold any position or title.” “For you were called to freedom, brothI didn’t have answers to these quesers. Only do not use your freedom as an tions, which fueled my doubts, fears, opportunity for the flesh, but through and anxieties. I was not in a good love serve one another.” (Galatians 5:13) place. “For even the Son of Man came not to After several weeks of this, I be served but to serve, and to give his life reached a breaking point. One day as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45) while driving home from work, I
14 November / December 2014 | Christian Living
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