Several weeks ago I was plugged into my phone listening to some random music on YouTube. A song came on that I recognized, and I looked down to see that the artist was James Bay… the song, Hold Back the River. I clicked on his name and more songs came up, so I continued listening. It was a Sunday night, and I admit that the lyrics to Hold Back the River continued in my head during my slumber… I woke up and the song was still going strong in my head.
I went about my Monday and then received a strange message from a woman on Facebook. She introduced herself and said that she had listened to my radio show on Transformation Talk Radio and really enjoyed it. She said she had a good friend, Mr. James Bay, who had written an incredible book that she wanted to send me, so I would consider an interview with him on my next radio show.
I am a believer in attraction, that what you put out to the Universe, it will deliver back to you. I spent the night with the music of James Bay in my head and the very next day was introduced to the work of another man named James (Jim) Bay.
Coincidence?
Mmm…. I think not.
I called my producer at Transformation Talk Radio and asked if we could postpone my last show and move it later into March. I had a contract with the network for 6 months and March was the last show I planned to air. I wanted it to be special… and it seemed like something was being created. We moved the show to Monday March 26th.
A few days later I got a book in the mail – Miracle on Hammertown Road by Jim (Bubba) Bay.
I started the book that night.
A few days later I sat down in a coffee shop and pulled Jim’s book out… I was only about 20 pages in but really liked what I had read so far.
Jim lived in a small town near the Catskill Mountains in NY state and one night was out for his evening walk when he fell off the road. Yes… off the road. He fell down a steep drop about 13-14 feet, straight down, breaking the fall head first, on rock. He broke more than 20 bones and fractured many more. He lay in the bottom of this ditch on a quiet road in November and through his own will power he climbed out of the hole, broken bones and all. The reasoning for his climb, he didn’t want to be found dead several days later. He hoped to climb out to be able to die on the side of the road where he would be found.
To him, death was inevitable.
When he got out of the ditch, laying on the side of the road something happened that changed the course of his life forever. He felt peace, he saw a light… felt it envelope him. Then he saw God.
Then he talked with God.
While I read about Jim’s experience, a line in the book caught my attention and made me realize the importance of his story, of him contacting me, of us airing a show about what happened to him. On page 17 Jim writes, “He {God} told me to share the events of this night with all who would listen.”
I realized I had a part to play in this story and the message Jim was sharing. I started planning the radio show right then and there in the cafe.
I highly encourage you to read Miracle on Hammertown Road. Jim is a humble man who has seen many painful times in his life… but has been awake enough to see that there is a reason for why he is alive. He is sharing his story. He is a regular man with a not so regular story. He is enthusiastic and inspiring. He is not a victim, and has taken the events of his life and turned them into a story, a work of art that teaches us that there is a gift in every day that we are blessed enough to get out of bed.
Every single one of us has a story. We have all been in the ditch, wondering how the hell we’re going to climb up out of this one.
All of us.
I had experiences myself, which launched me into this work. I was in a hole, at rock bottom, wondering how much more my life could take on and how I could ever climb out of the pain I was living.
There is such a need to share. To share these stories and to realize that the reason we have these challenges in our life is because they push us closer to God. We learn how strong we are, we learn how little control we actually have over the events in our life, we learn that we’re not ever alone in that hole.
On Monday, March 26th I got to interview Jim Bay on Natural Peace Radio and hear about this incredible man, his experience and what he hopes to inspire others with. I then took some time to talk to all of you, my supporters, my peers, my friends and family… about my past. There was pain in my life several years ago that pushed me to the edge. During my darkest days something finally switched and I realized that I had the gift of living in my life. One thing lead to the next and now I am able to look back at those shadowed days and know in my heart that they were necessary.
I wouldn’t change a thing.
I invite you to take an hour of your life and listen to Jim’s interview and my story. I invite you to share yours with me. Honestly. Email me with what you’ve seen in your days, what perspective you may have gained, or what you are hoping to see through.
There is so much strength in our sharing.
(check out the radio show here: https://www.transformationtalkradio.com/apps/player/?host=208 )
Natural Peace Living 