Choose Love

“I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.” – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Throughout the Civil Rights Movement, Martin Luther King preached the importance of love over hate. He recognized that the only hope for ending hate was to inject love.

In honor of this great man’s birthday and national holiday, I am sharing an excerpt from my new book ON FIRE that best demonstrates the immense power of love in my own life:

Excerpt from On Fire: 7 Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life

Chapter 7

ARE YOU READY?

Fear and love are the two great motivators.

While fear suffocates, love liberates.

Before the staff worked to save me.

Before Mom appeared and asked that extraordinary, inspired question.

Before anyone had a chance to do anything, the first person to visit me in the emergency room was Dad.

It was a mighty inflection point for him and for me.

Dad hadn’t been told the extent of my injuries. Hadn’t been warned about what he was about to step into. He just knew that I had been burned and was in the emergency room.

He rushed in, pulled back the curtain, and saw me lying there.

It would have taken the most seasoned health-care professional’s breath away. He beheld his nine-year-old son, dwarfed by the adult-size hospital bed, bald, naked, and skinless. He saw his little boy alone, half-covered by a thin sheet, and whimpering.

Nothing could have prepared him for it.

His baby boy was going to die.

Fear flooded him. He felt paralyzed by it. What could he say? Why was this happening?

Then Dad saw past the wounds, pushed past the fear, beheld his son, and immediately stepped in with love.

Daringly, faithfully, lovingly, he cut through his fear, shock, and sadness, came directly to me, leaned over and smiled. He told me he was proud of me. And told me he loved me.

I love you.

Three simple words that changed my world. [Tweet this] | [Share on Facebook]

And they can change yours.

Today is your day. Live Inspired.

When have those three simple words changed your whole world? Please share in the comments below.

Want to read more of John’s upcoming book? Click here and sample the first two chapters for free!