Words of Wisdom From a Cross Bearer
I am a renegade. A rebel at heart, if you will. My unwillingness to conform to authority has taken me down dark paths from seemingly unending bad decisions. By the grace of God, that's not where the journey ended.

BY KOLBY SCHELLHAMMER, APRIL 7, 2021
Those decisions have consisted of pushing the envelope into areas of drug use, nightlife escapades and beyond. But there is light beyond the horizon, a sun that shone on me graciously when I turned from the chaos towards a more disciplined and godly lifestyle.
But there is light beyond the horizon, a sun that shone on me graciously when I turned from the chaos towards a more disciplined and godly lifestyle.
I have been thriving ever since, and these are the sacred lessons I’ve come to live my life around, that now guide me. I hope they will help you also.
1 - Don’t fear your scars. They have carved you into a masterpiece.

Take solace in your past, use it to fuel your present action and response.
There is no greater force that can hurt or help you, outside of prayer.
2 - Love is more powerful than hate. Love your dreams and goals harder than those who hate you for them.

Doubt comes from within enough.
Bar those from your encampment who would look at your vision and actions with criticism.
3 - Enlightenment is first listening to opposing opinions, and from a broader picture, forming your own conclusions.

Fomenting a mature mindset will help you not only engage with those you disagree with, but also learn from their position, both the fallacies and the insight supplied from all viewpoints.
Fomenting a mature mindset will help you not only engage with those you disagree with, but also learn from their position, both the fallacies and the insight supplied from all viewpoints.
Seeing the alternative argument can help reinforce the reasons why you hold your current truths and belief sets.
4 - Respect is the ability to reasonably contend with those who hold dissenting opinions and leave the conversation mutually satisfied.

Only those who challenge your beliefs help you truly reflect in a more meaningful way.
5 - Positivity, an unchecked type of emotional self-liberation, is a fruit present in those who choose not to be offended.

It’s easy to be positive when you are left unchallenged. It is in the face of conflict, you find opportunities to be self disciplined and non reflexive which in turn will produce a mature and confident stance once you learn to check your emotional status at the door.
You are free to not become angry at those who oppose you. A happy mind always produces better results.
6 - In the present age, standing out is ethically trendier than fitting in.

The nonconformist used to be rebuked and ridiculed, and they still are. But in a world of superficiality that ignores deeper truths and holier practices, worthy are those that go against the grain for the sake of what is sacred.
In a world of superficiality that ignores deeper truths and holier practices, worthy are those that go against the grain for the sake of what is sacred.
7 - Opportunities are the hidden lessons in our failures.

Self Reflection is important when reviewing our approach because we so often see what we could have done better. Hindsight is 20/20 they say, so take the time to reflect on your actions.
You’ll find, after taking an honest inventory of your choices, the better route to apply next time.
8 - A rock is just undesigned stonework; an unused tool. Upon deeper inspection, it's an unidentified and crucial component of groundwork.

Like your own untapped potential, the possibilities for what appears to be ‘just a rock’ are endless.
Find something, anything.
And start with that to enhance who you are. There is no ‘right way.’
9 - Some characters are fake, that’s why they’re animated.

Insecurity is not a friend to have. Be real. Break out of your comfort zone and just be yourself.
When you are trying to be something you're not, you'll burn out.
Break the mold. Be free.
11 - Foresight is positivity captured in the present.

If your days turn out better when your attitude is superb, then isn’t that the future's most simple and ultimate goal?
Having a positive outlook and hope for the future breaks the chains on worry, and allows you to exist more comfortably in the moment.
11 - Hidden figures of meaning are not defined wholly internally or externally, but in a shaded penumbra existing at both regions' intersection.

What you start off believing, and what you learn are at the impasse of your future self.
Remain open minded as you begin to mold into the person you are to become.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kolby Schellhammer is an opinion columnist who passionately follows and provides insight on both domestic and foreign affairs. She has an intense passion for covering controversial topics facing our communities and bolstering our representative democracy. She currently resides in Fort Worth, Texas.
Follow Kolby on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Gab, and Telegram @KolbyLSchell.
Kolby is a guest author at Truly Free Society.
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