To Whom Much Is Given...

I wanted to share with you my biggest struggle. That's right - ministers struggle too. And my struggle is actually a huge one. What I struggle with the most is the ultimate sin. I feel like if there is one sin that is the worst, what I struggle with is it. Let me explain by telling you a story. 

My life is very public. Being on stages, on cameras, in front of people all the time is how I live. There are very few moments where I have any time not in front of someone. When you're constantly in front of people doing things those people enjoy, a lot of them say very nice things to you. People especially are this way when you're something different than what they always see. 

When I travel and speak, I try to be as outrageous as possible. I always try to push the limits and be someone who is full of surprises. An example of this has shown itself recently in my wrestling life. One of our announcers at Ohio Valley Wrestling, Gilbert Corsey, is also an anchor for WDRB news. He has started to learn a bit about me and thinks it's cool that I'm both a minister and a wrestler. So, Gilbert talked with the news company and they decided to do a story about me and another one of the wrestlers who also has a very interesting story. They interviewed me, filmed a match I was in, and followed along as I worked at church. It made me feel great to have someone interested in my story and wanting to show other people about it. Another part of this is that, because of the story, I was given the opportunity to wrestle at a huge OVW even this past Saturday. I'll be totally honest with you - I'm not a great wrestler. I'm just very blessed to have other people around who can cover it up when I make the several mistakes I make in the ring. I didn't deserve this opportunity and I am beyond grateful to have had it. So, it made me feel amazing to be able to wrestle at that event. All of those things together add up to the biggest struggle I have...

Pride. 

Now, many of you are probably thinking, "What?!??! Why is pride so bad? I was expecting Stu to be some drug addict or something". Nope. To me, pride is more destructive. Here's the reasoning behind my thinking. Pride is all about feeling like you are on top of the world. When you feel that way, you feel indestructible and you also feel like you know exactly what's best for you - better than anyone else. When I see myself becoming prideful, I see myself becoming much more destructive and am much more likely to say I know what's best for my life - even when it's against what God presents to me in the Bible. This is incredibly destructive. It becomes a cycle. Not only do I become more destructive, but I start to believe that my destructive sinful behaviors are what are best for me. Before too long, I'm deep in some sin beyond what I ever thought I would be. 

Jesus illustrates this point in Luke chapter 12. He says, "When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required." To me, this verse means something different than what a lot of people would tell you. To many, this passage means that you need to use your gifts for God's glory and the more gifts you have, the more you should be doing for Him. And I believe that is one of the lessons we can learn from this teaching. However, for me, I take it like this: 
"When good things happen to you, remember the One who is allowing those good things to happen. Why would God give you more good opportunities if you constantly take the credit for yourself. Remember that, at any moment, God could wipe you off the face of the earth and replace you. Don't be dumb, Stu. You're not that cool."

Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that following God gets you good things. What I am saying is that when good things happen, remember that God is the giver of every good and perfect thing. Everything amazing that has been happening to me is all a result of God's goodness and I have no part in it. I just show up. And, what I would like to ask you is twofold. 

First, remember this in your own life. Remember that when good things are happening, God is the One who's allowing it to happen. He could stop it at any moment, so make sure you give honor and glory where it is due. 
Second, please help me to remember this in my own life. There are a lot of cool things happening and about to happen with me, and what I would hate is for a cycle of destructive sin to come as a result. Help me to remember that all my glory is actually God's. Help me to stay grounded. I ask this now because things have been going really well for me lately and I haven't been destructive, so I'd like to keep that going. And I can, but not alone. Help me out. Remind me who it is that allows every good and perfect thing. 

Everything that is yours came from Him, so make sure you realize it and help others to realize the same. 

"When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required." (Luke 12:48b NLT)

"Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow." (James 1:17 NLT)

Till next time homies, 
Peace and much love. 

Make sure you check out Gilbert's story. It will be on Sunday, May 19 at 10pm on WDRB news.

THIS WEEK'S FITNESS TIP:
Stretch after your workout! I know this seems stupid and so many people skip it, but it's so important. When you leave your muscles tensed up after a workout, it takes them longer to recover and your workout result could be harmful rather than helpful.

Texts with God

The past two weeks have been a little crazy for me. Last week, I was informed that I will be wrestling at the Saturday Night Special at Ohio Valley Wrestling. If OVW had pay-per-views, the Saturday Night Special would be the pay-per-view. Now, let me be the first to say that I am not even close to worthy of this honor. I'm not. But circumstances have worked themselves to allow me to have a match next Saturday at the special, and for that I'm very grateful and blessed. But, in order to be as least awful as I can be, I've been trying to do everything I can to work my hardest and do my absolute best. But today, I was reminded about something that I needed to be reminded of. 

I was on my way to training, and I texted a mentor of mine to let him know I would be late because I had been held up helping someone train at the gym. Below is the communication we had back and forth. His response to my message was quite startling and meant the world to me. 

(The text conversation between me and my mentor.)

This message was one of the coolest I've ever received in my life. To most people, I'm sure it seems short and not really worth much thought, but to me, here's what it means:
I would much rather you be here safe and late than for you to be rushing to try to get here on time and something happen to you because of it. You staying safe is more important than wrestling. 

See, if I got hurt on my way to wrestling, I wouldn't be able to wrestle anyway. So, me getting there exactly on time isn't nearly as important as me getting there safely. Without my health, it's just not possible for me to perform as a wrestler.

Every day, we are faced with the same dilemma. It seems like most everyone I observe is flying through life getting from one appointment, rehearsal, practice, game, event, job, or meeting to another. From the moment we wake up to the moment we fall asleep, it seems all of our time is taken and we have to keep our rears in gear to make it and be successful at everything we have going on. But I think if we're honest, I think most of us would have a texting conversation with God that looks like the one below.

People, what's the point of living if you're not going to live with the One who gives you true life? Just like in wrestling how without my health, I cannot really wrestle; without Jesus, you cannot truly live. It's just not possible to live your best life and get everything out of it when you're never making time for the One who created life in the first place. What are your priorities? Are you running from one place to the next, never taking time to stop and really see what God has for you, never taking time to read the Bible and pray and talk with Him? If so, then you're not really living, you're just going through the motions of what people say life should be. Stop kidding yourself. To say, "Jesus is Lord of my life", but never to spend time with Him is a complete joke. And to say you're really living without the One who created life in the first place is just as bad. 

Stop going through the motions. Understand there are more important things than your next meeting and realize you cannot truly live unless you're connected with the One who created life. What do you choose: Living life to the fullest, or packing your schedule so full that you don't have to face the fact that you're not really living at all?

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." (John 10:10 NIV)

HEALTH TIP OF THE WEEK:

For gaining muscle, a good guideline to follow is to everyday, consume 1 gram of protein for every pound you would like to weigh. For instance, if you weigh 193 pounds, but you would like to weigh 200 pounds, you should consume around 200 grams of protein daily - along with an intense exercise regimen. 

Till next time homies, 

Peace and much love. 

Bloody Aftermath from Mayhem in the Cage

On Saturday night of this past weekend, Ohio Valley Wrestling (www.ovwrestling.com) traveled to London, KY for a ten year anniversary show at the London Optimist Club. It was a great show with a packed crowd and the highlight of the night was a steel cage match. Doug Williams, the Ohio Valley Wrestling World Heavyweight Champion defended his title against James "Moose" Thomas. It was pretty insane. Right from the beginning, Doug and Moose were trading blows and throwing each-other back and forth against the cage. The crowd "oohed" and "aaahed" and cringed with every devastating run in these two had with the cage. When all was said and done, Doug held onto his title. 

(Moose, Doug, and Ref Chris Sharpe in the steel cage.)

Now, I'll say my involvement with this event was pretty minimal. I helped set up everything and I helped sell merchandise and a few other odd jobs. I wasn't really too into it all - that is, until the steel cage match was over. As Doug was walking backstage, another OVW employee looked at me and said, "Doug's back is split open". Having seen what these two had done to each-other, I wasn't too surprised. The cage is really fencing that is strapped together. So, there are lots of loose ends and pieces hanging off that could really cause some damage if hit the wrong way. I'm first aid certified, so I ran backstage to see if Doug was okay. What I saw was pretty intense. Doug was sitting on the stairs backstage, his back dripping with blood. When asked what happened, Doug said that when he was exiting the cage at the end of the match, a piece of it caught him on the back. 

Everyone was scrambling, trying to decide what to do. When I walked to the back, I said, "I have a medical kit in my car and I'm first aid certified. Do you want me to clean you up and bandage it?" Doug said, "That would be great". I ran to my car, got my kit and ran back to help him out. Below, you can see a picture of Doug's back and me cleaning him up. 

(Doug Williams' back and my hands, about to clean and sterilize the wound.)

The funny thing though is that when I had returned with my kit, someone else was in the middle of putting on concession stand gloves and was about to wipe off Doug's cut with paper towels that had been sitting in the concession stand. This might have done the job, and Doug may have been clean, but he definitely wouldn't have been sanitized. That cage is disgusting and there's no telling what kind of germs could collect on paper towels left sitting open in a concession stand. The equipment I used sterilized Doug's cut. The sterile gauze and Iso Quin gel not only made Doug look better, but it truly took care of whatever germs or infection had gotten down into his skin. 

In our lives, there are lots of things we can do to make ourselves look pretty "clean". We can choose to not participate in any major sin, or in any sin that we may get caught doing. We can choose to show up to church on Sundays and Wednesdays and do and say all the right things to the right people. But how is your heart? When people look at you, are they seeing someone who is clean and only looks good on the outside, or are they seeing someone who is truly pure inside and out? Has God changed your heart, or are you just doing a bunch of work to make everyone believe that you are what you say you are?

This week, during my Bible study using the "Through the Word" app (which I HIGHLY recommend for anyone), a quote was given. The pastor said, "Religion means doing 'Godly' things for yourself. Relationship means doing selfless things for God."Which one do you have? Do you have religion - which makes you look really clean, but is truly selfish, or do you have a relationship with Jesus Christ which will truly come into your life and make you pure - inside and out?

Don't live a "clean" life. Live a pure one. Don't work hard to look good on the outside, but let God work in you to make you truly good both inside and out.

"Create in me a pure heart, O God,

    and renew a steadfast spirit within me." Psalm 51:10 (NIV)

FITNESS TIP OF THE WEEK:

Looking for a different exercise for your biceps? I have recently begun to loathe working out my biceps simply because I feel like every single move is a curl. Here's a new one my friend, RJ, told me about: The Underhand Grip Bench Press.

Lay down on a flat barbell bench press. Instead of gripping the bar overhand, as in the classic bench press, grip it with an underhand grip (your thumbs pointing outward instead of inward). Make sure you have a spotter, unrack the barbell, and lower the bar to your chest and push back up in this underhanded grip. Make sure your lowering motion is extremely slow and controlled and you explode and power into it when you push up. It may feel awkward at first, but there's not a single bicep move I currently enjoy more. 

Till next time homies, 

Peace and much love. 

The Most Terrifying Man I Know

A lot of people consider me a "big guy". Especially when I'm working with kids, I feel sometimes like a huge monster. Sometimes they even tell me that they think I'm kind of scary because I'm just such a large person. But, that's to a kid. To me, I'm not some giant, but to them, I'm something that is huge and intimidating. In our lives, we have to remember that we are all "kids". We are going to face things that seem huge and intimidating to us, but to God, it's nothing at all. Let me introduce you to someone who has become a friend and mentor recently. His name is Rob Terry. Below is a picture of me and Rob together. 

(Me with Rob Terry. Rob is staring me down.)

Now, Rob stands at 6'7" and weighs 320 pounds. Rob Terry wrestles for both Ohio Valley Wrestling and Total Nonstop Action (TNA) Wrestling. To anyone, he is a big dude. The picture above is of Rob staring me down, and if I didn't know him, I would be absolutely terrified. To be honest, I was a bit afraid even though I do know him. If Rob wanted to, he could destroy me. There is nothing I could do to harm him. If I hit him, he wouldn't even feel it. If I tried to put him in a restraint or a hold, he would throw me off. He could pick me up above his head and snap me in half. But isn't that weird? To some people, I'm a big guy, but to Rob, I'm absolutely no competition whatsoever. 

(Me and Rob. Rob is about to destroy me with a right fist. 

I'm flexing like I have any muscle whatsoever to be proud of at this point.)

So, what's my point with all this? Of course Rob could absolutely destroy me. Even though I'm a "big guy" to some people, I'm not to him. But why does that even matter? In my life lately, there have been some people who are very dear to me who are going through some really tough times. There's a little girl from my church named Madden who just had a tumor removed from her brain. Now, after the surgery, she's having trouble with her sight. It's a tough time for her, her mom and dad, and her siblings. One of my ministry partners, Jeff, has been diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer and it has spread to his lymph-nodes. It's a tough time for him, his wife, and his kids. Then there's a man named Don who means a lot to me. He and his wife have supported me literally since the beginning of my ministry - 13 years ago. Don has been battling thyroid cancer and now has had his thyroid removed. The doctors are hopeful, but still - what a tough situation for him, his wife, his children, and his grandchildren. These seem like huge situations to all of us down here on earth. And you know what, they are huge. The things these people are going through are awful and none of us wish it upon anyone - not even our worst enemies. And for any of us to handle these situations would be impossible. No human has the cure for cancer. It's really tough to be absolutely helpless in these situations, but what's really cool is that God is just like Rob Terry.

To God, our problems are like I am to Rob. Rob knows he can destroy me by lifting his pinky finger, and God knows He can tackle any of our problems with a single whisper. On our own, we can accomplish absolutely nothing, but with God, all things are possible. People, no matter what you are going through, God is bigger than it. Many of you know I've battled depression, addictions, and a myriad of other negative situations in my life. The only way I got through it all was with God. It might sound cliche or dumb, but it's the truth. If in your life you are battling something, maybe it's time to stop doing the fighting on your own and let God fight for you. Let the real Big Man step in and destroy whatever it is that's got you down. He is the only one who can handle it.

Let me end with a tiny story about how I got the pictures with Rob. Amateur wrestlers asking for pictures with the actual professionals is somewhat frowned upon, so I was really nervous to ask Rob to take the pictures with me. However, I explained the situation to him and told him the stories of Don, Jeff, and Madden. Immediately, he said, "Of course you can have the pictures. I'll do absolutely anything to help you out with this". Rob is an amazing guy - both inside and outside of the ring, and I'm very proud to say that I know him.  God is the same way. We've got to ask. He may not always answer in the way we want, but if we don't ask, how can we hear His answer?

This post is dedicated to Jeff, Don, and Madden. I ask that you pray for them as they go through their treatments and recovery. And when you pray, please pray believing that God is big enough to conquer it all. Have the faith that God is in control and ask Him to take care of these people and their situations.

To Don, Madden, Jeff, and anyone out there going through something tough: Stay strong. Remember that God is bigger than any "opponent" you're facing.

"For nothing is impossible with God." (Luke 1:37 NLT)

FITNESS TIP OF THE WEEK:
Alternating Dumbbell Chest Press
This is an excellent move - especially if you've been locked into the normal barbell bench press for quite some time. Grab two dumbbells of equal weight. Lay on a flat bench and lift both weights in the air as if you're going to do a normal dumbbell bench press. However, instead of lowering both weights at the same time, lower only one side, keeping the other side in the air. Raise the lowered weight back up using a bench press motion and then lower and raise the other side in the same fashion, keeping the other weight extended in the air. Repeat the motion back and forth so that each side gets 6-8 reps. You'll be amazed at how this isolation of the two sides will cause your overall chest strength to increase.

Till next time homies,
Peace and much love

Results of the Slobber Knocker/Enter Phase 3

I won! I'm currently an undefeated Ohio Valley Wrestler. I've only had two matches, but my second match was a Battle Royal - meaning there were several wrestlers in the ring all fighting at the same time and I won it all! It was an absolute blast. Thanks to those of you who came out to watch or supported me by buying tickets. You all are the best. Below, I've got some of my favorite pictures from the night. They were taken by my friend, Debra. (Thanks Debra!!!)

(Me before the match began - mingling with the crowd.) 

(Some fans with signs they made for the night.) 

(My mom with her sign. She didn't want to see me get hurt.)

(My entrance music was blaring, and I came out - high fiving the crowd and getting pumped!) 

 (Me putting Jonathan "Ram Jam" Ramser in a headlock.)

(Me with former WWE Superstar Nick "Ugene" Dinsmore in head scissors.) 

(Me body slamming Jonathan "Ram Jam" Ramser.)

(Me taunting Nick and Jonathan after they fell out of the ring.) 

(Jonathan "Ram Jam" Ramser getting his revenge on me by putting me in a back stretcher.) 

(Nick "Ugene" Dinsmore and I as the final two left in the Battle Royal.) 

(Me blessing the crowd after I won the Battle Royal.)

 (My fellow classmates, Nick Dinsmore and I all taking a bow at the end of the show.)

It was a great night and I was so blessed to have such a huge turnout for me as well as everyone staying safe. We had a blast and we have all said it's one of the best moments we've had in our entire lives. 

So What Next?

People have asked me what the next phase of Becoming Bane is. I've thought long and hard and there will be two parts. 

1. I am continuing in professional wrestling. OVW has actually told me I'm ready for the advanced class, and so I'm beginning those classes, learning more, and will hopefully be performing more soon.

2. It's time to begin helping others meet their fitness goals. 

There have been many people asking about what they can do to improve in the fitness aspects of their lives, and it's time that I and my team begin helping anyone who wants to do better. So, every week, check back for a "fitness tip of the week" as well as stories from wrestling class and of course - a word from God's Word and how it all relates. I hope that we can all continue to grow closer to the Lord on this journey together. 

Thank you all for your constant support, kind words, and well-wishes. I can't wait to see where God's going to take us all next!!!

Till next time homies,

Peace and much love!

The Match Has Been Announced!

Tonight I was told who I will be facing in two weeks at my very first wrestling match. I will be getting in the ring with a tag team partner, Robert and we will be facing off against Jonathan (OVW's first ever deaf wrestler) as well as...Nick Dinsmore - former WWE Superstar!!!

It is going to be an amazing match, people! With Nick's 19 years of experience in the ring, our match is sure to be a highlight of your evening. And one thing is for sure - I can trust every single one of the guys in my match. There is no one who worries me or makes me feel uncomfortable at all. Working with them will be an absolute pleasure and I know that we will not disappoint you.

Every day, we "work" with God. He's our boss. Last week, I told you that there is one more promise of God I wanted to talk about. That promise is that, with Him, life will be far greater than anything you can imagine. Just like my match, working with the pro will make it so much better. He knows what he's doing and so if I listen to and trust him, we will be sure to wow everyone. God wants to do the same for you!

He is always at your side - we talked about that last week. This week, I want you to know that if you'll listen to Him as He guides you at your side, your life will be far greater than anything you could dream of. That doesn't mean tough times won't come and it doesn't mean that you'll get everything you want. It means that you'll get what's best for you and no matter what happens, you'll see there is an amazing God doing amazing work in your life.

Have you experienced that? Do you feel like God is in control? Do you feel like your life is far greater than anything you could imagine? If not, maybe tonight is the night to surrender. Ask Jesus into your heart and tell Him that you want what He's offering you - life to the fullest.

Know He's there. Trust Him. Live a life beyond your wildest dreams.

Jesus speaking: "The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life." (John 10:10 NLT)

If you accepted Jesus, or would like to know more about what that means, contact me at biggodlittlestu@gmail.com
I'd be happy to talk with you!!!

Till next time homies,
Peace and much love.

What's In There?

I've had so many questions about what lies inside of the wrestling ring. People have all different thoughts and ideas about what it's actually made of. Most people believe that as we flip and fall, we are actually landing on a mattress-like surface that causes no pain and has zero chance of injury. That thought is very false. I'd like to walk you through the steps of how a wrestling ring is put together. The following pictures were taken from this movie.

The first step is to set up the frame. As you can see in this picture, the frame is formed by four large steel posts - one at each corner. And those are held together by steel pieces which lock in to each post. 

After the frame is set up, there are steel beams which lay across the entire structure. These beams help the structure to spring as well as add the support so the ring doesn't fall down. You can also see in this picture that there are cables which run underneath the ring. These cables ensure that the force of the ropes pulling at the top don't cause the structure to collapse. 

On top of the steel beams, there are wooden 10x16's. These wooden beams help add a complete surface to stand on as well as the loud "pop" noise that you hear when a wrestler hits the ground. 

On top of the wood, there is padding. In the ring pictured above, there is only stacked layers of carpet padding. At OVW, we use a professional pad, but even then, it's only about a quarter of an inch thick. 

Once the entire ring is constructed, you can put on the mat, apron, turnbuckles, and ropes. 

Then, you have a finished ring. 

As you can see, the surface we land on is anything but "cushy". I'm being trained to land the best way I can and be hurt the least amount possible, but that doesn't mean there's not pain involved. To me though, it may not be comfortable, but it's worth it. 

That's how the Christian life is. So many times I think people become Christians thinking it's this big, cushy lifestyle and it's not. God never promises that everything will be easy when you become a Christian. As a matter of fact, He promises the opposite. He promises there will be trouble and hardships. But the other promise He gives us is even better. 

God also promises to always be with us. No matter what's going on, we will never be alone and we can always rely on Him. What we need to do is be trained - both by our own personal spiritual devotion and by the Christian brothers and sisters we surround ourselves with - so that when we do face those hard times, we can "land the best way" and "be hurt the least amount possible". 

There's one more promise I want to talk about though. That promise will be talked about in next week's post. Reflect on your life today and realize that God is always there. Then check back this coming week to learn one more promise God makes to us. 

Jesus Speaking: "I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NLT) 

Until next time homies, 

Peace and much love. 

Words of Wisdom From The Pope

For the past two nights at wrestling class, our normal teacher, Nick Dinsmore (U-Gene) has not been there. He is off in Australia doing a wrestling tour of the country with a few other wrestlers. However, while he's been gone, we have been working with another wrestler named Paredyse. He is an extremely skilled wrestler as well and it's been good to learn from someone who's teaching style is different. But last night, we had a very special visitor.

If you didn't know, the company that I'm training with is the official training site for TNA Wrestling (Where Hulk Hogan, Kurt Angle, Sting, Jeff Hardy, and others currently work). Last night, we were visited by one of the recent TNA Superstars, "The Pope" D'Angelo Dinero. From the moment I saw The Pope, I knew something was different about him. He was this massive man, but he was so kind. He even stayed for an extra 30 minutes after our class was over in order to help us keep perfecting the various skills we were learning. He showed us a lot of tips and techniques and encouraged each of us to keep going. The coolest part for me though was when everyone else left. 

(Top Left: The Pope D'Angelo Dinero. Top Right: Paredyse. Bottom: Me with Paredyse.)

I walked over to shake The Pope's and Paredyse's hands and thank them for teaching us. When I did, The Pope asked me what I did and how I got into wrestling and everything else. I told him my story and he said this to me:
"Isn't it our job to just be immeasurably more than what this world thinks is possible? And we do that through the power of Christ Jesus which comes down into us. Everyone is trying to be the next John Cena, but that's not who you were created to be. That's not who I was created to be. You need to be the best you that you can and I'll be the best me that I can be and that's when something amazing really happens."

It was so inspiring for me to hear from someone else their journey of faith and how, with Christ, we can be so much more than what people expect of us. What a great truth! I may never get to see The Pope ever again, but he inspired me and I'll never forget him. 

What about you? Do you live life day to day and live in such a way that is dull and boring, just going through the motions? Live by faith! Do immeasurably more than what anyone can expect. See where God is working and join Him in His plan for your life. When you do, amazing things will happen and people will know that there's a God in Heaven who really is who He says He is. 

Be immeasurably more, and to God be the glory.

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21 (NIV)

Till next time homies, 
Peace and much love. 

There's Blood Everywhere!

Last night in class, I was on my A game. I was nailing moves, making puns, and wrestling like a maniac. I was getting compliments, feeling good, and really understood what was going on. Tonight was a different story...

I was feeling good, but the new moves we learned were a bit more intense than what we've been doing, and we learned a lot of them. Tonight, we went over the suplex, the back drop, the sunset flip, the small package, the roll over, and others were on the agenda for the night. For the most part, I've been able to keep up and keep moving forward, but tonight was a lot of information and a lot of difficulty all rolled into one. And for the most part, I was doing well. I didn't hurt anyone else (which is now my main goal), but I did take a few small bumps myself. Nothing seemed too extreme until I got in the ring with the only and only Nick "Eugene" Dinsmore. 

Things were going well, and I was taking and delivering the moves as they should be. That is, until we went for the big move - the back drop. For those of you who don't know, the back drop is a move where a wrestler bounces off the ropes while the other wrestler in the ring bends over and then grabs the first wrestler and throws them, flipping them over their head. As stated previously in the blog, I'm not good at doing flips, but I'm getting better. Tonight was not one of my "better" nights. 

Dinsmore went for the backdrop and while I was in the air, I forgot which move it was we were doing. Flipping over someone's head is not a good time to forget. I flipped (I think), and then landed. As soon as I hit the floor, my knees thrusted into my chin and forced me to chomp down on my tongue, which caused my tongue to explode with blood inside of my mouth. I could feel my mouth filling up, and I had to keep swallowing to keep it all down. The cool thing is, I didn't give up. I kept moving through the match and finished. Even though I wasn't feeling great, even though I had to keep swallowing the blood, I finished. And that made me feel really good. 

 

(This is a picture of one of the rags I used to clean the blood off my tongue. In total, I used five of them and I also spit three sinkfuls of blood before I used this rag. There was quite a bit more blood than anything I would have expected to come from biting my tongue.)

There are a lot of things in this life I would have simply quit at that point, but this isn't one of them. I'm sitting now in a recliner with a pillow propping up my neck because I can hardly turn my head. Just a few minutes ago, I still spit up some blood, but I cannot wait to get back in that ring.

In our lives, tough things will come our way. Sometimes those things will be tiny. Sometimes those things will be horrible and seem like they're going to ruin our lives. But no matter what, we can't let it keep us down. We might have to take a break, but then we need to get back up and get back to life as normal. All I know is that no matter what we ever face, God is right there with us, and He will pull us through. It might not make sense to us how He handles certain things and we may never really understand why bad things happen, but I know He's right there with us. 

Don't ever give up. No matter how messy or beat up you get. Just know that God is right there with you and He won't ever let you go. 

"For the Lord your God is living among you.
    He is a mighty savior.
He will take delight in you with gladness.
    With his love, he will calm all your fears
    He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” Zephaniah 3:17 (NLT) 

Till next time homies, 
Peace and much love.

That Stuff is Fake!

Since I've begun taking classes at Ohio Valley Wrestling, people always give me the same reaction. "Oh. You mean the fake wrestling?" People have it so engrained in their minds that everything we do is 100% fake and that we land on feathers and mattresses and don't ever feel pain. I can tell you that is not the case.

Flopping to your back and landing on wooden boards underneath a wrestling mat is not a pleasant experience. Taking a forearm to the neck is not my favorite thing. And getting slapped across your torso will light you up and leave your chest looking like ground beef. Still, people try to tell me everything we do is fake. So I decided I needed to show you what it's really like.

Check out the video below of me being chopped in the chest by Robo - an amazing wrestler who I attend class with. There is absolutely nothing fake about what you will see.



What do you think of that? Not pleasant, right? Definitely not fake. When you watch, you can't help but understand that it is real pain we are facing.

What about your Christian life? When people look at you, do they understand that Jesus is real and life-changing, or do they look at you and say, "Oh. The fake stuff?" Live in a way in which the world can't help but look at you and see something real.

Don't be a part of that fake stuff. Make it real.

“You are the salt of the earth. But what good is salt if it has lost its flavor? Can you make it salty again? It will be thrown out and trampled underfoot as worthless. “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket. Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father. (Matthew 5:13-16 NLT)

Till next time,
Peace and much love

The Body Slam

Tonight in Nick Dinsmore's professional wrestling class at Ohio Valley Wrestling, we learned a difficult and dangerous move - the body slam. In every move we've learned up to this point, the person whom the move is being performed on controls the entire fall and gets to choose when everything happens. The body slam puts your body (and safety) completely in the hands of someone else. This is an incredibly scary feeling. Just knowing that if someone slips or quivers, you could get seriously injured changes a lot about how you learn to trust people. The opposite is also true. Knowing that with any wrong move you could seriously harm someone else is also an overwhelming feeling. To learn to trust others and to gain the trust of others is extremely difficult to do. I think that's in all forms of life, but especially when it comes to physical safety. However, I can say that I trust the other students in my class, and I trust our instructor and I think they trust me too. Once that trust is felt and given, it really changes the way you look at people. I know that I feel a lot closer to the other students now because we have this trust that has grown.

(This is a video of me receiving a body slam and then giving one.)

Even more important than physical safety is eternal safety. God is the One who we can trust with that - as well as all other aspects of our lives. It's really difficult to give all of that trust over, but once we do, it will change everything about our relationship with Him. Once we realize we can trust Him with everything, and once we actually do give Him all of ourselves, it will draw us closer to Him. Getting closer to God is more important and better than getting close to any person. And trusting God is more important and more beneficial than trusting anything on this earth.

People will let us down. They will hurt us - sometimes intentionally and sometimes otherwise, but they will let us down regardless. God never will. He always keeps His promises and He can and will handle anything we throw at Him. Give your life over. Trust Him. Get closer to Him and your life will forever be changed for the better.

"For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. You rule throughout all generations. The Lord always keeps his promises; he is gracious in all he does." Psalm 145:13 (NLT)

Till next time homies,
Peace and much love.

Things I Just Don't Do...

There are a few things in life that I've decided just aren't for me. These are things which I've decided that, for whatever reason, are either too disgusting, too weird, or just too dangerous for me to take part in or attempt. Let me tell you some of the things that Stu "shalt not" do.

- Stu shalt not listen to One Direction while working out. There's a lot of music on my playlists which I understand is highly controversial. However, One Direction is where I draw the line.

- Stu shalt not use a port-a-potty. These disease infested filth holes are not a place where I will place myself. There are only a few things in life that I think I'm actually "above". Using a port-a-potty is one of those things.

- Stu shalt not change a poopy diaper. After I'd already initially posted this entry, my friend, Kim, reminded me of this commandment of mine. Poopy diapers are horrible. I don't change them - not for anyone else, and when I have children's of my own, my wife will need to take care of the poopy diapers cause I just don't deal with that.

There's one of my commands I'd like to focus on tonight though, and that's this one: Stu shalt not do flips.
See, I've always wanted to do cool looking flips. Front flips, back flips, one and a halfs, gainers, etc. but I had an experience which traumatized me. When I was young, I jumped off a diving board and tried to do a front flip. Instead of landing the flip, I landed flat on my back. Ever since that moment (which was over 10 years ago), I just don't do flips. Well, when you're trying to be a wrestler, you've got to flip.

This is my third week in training and each class has gotten progressively more intense, and more fun. But the intensity level means that the danger level is also raising. We've been working on a "bump" called a "flip bump" since day one of class. Let me try to explain. Basically, all you do is flip forward and land on your back. It seems simple enough, but every single instinct in your body will try to prevent you from landing on your back. Landing on your arm, shoulder, legs, even butt are acceptable, but not your back. That, paired with the fact that I just don't do flips, has made this an extremely daunting task for me.

Yesterday, I decided I was going to go for it. I was supposed to land the bump twice. For the first attempt, I used a spotter and I nailed it. So, my time had come. I was going to attempt the flip without a spotter for the first time. My spotter moved out of the way and I stood there, looking down at where I was to land. Though my feet were planted firmly on the ground, it seemed like I was a mile in the air. I took a deep breath and continued to stare. Then, all of a sudden, something awesome happened.

Everyone in the class started cheering for me. "You got this, Stu. You can do it! Just go for it! You got this!" And I was filled with so much confidence. I took one final breath and leapt into the air, twisting my body forward. In the air, I remembered the accident that happened last week where I landed on my neck. This was not going to be the same. I flipped forward, and landed square on my back. Everyone erupted in applause and I felt amazing.

I needed some pushing and I needed some encouragement. Without those people there and without seeing them all go before me and prove it was okay, I don't think it would have ever happened for me. But now, I can do it.

Jesus did the same thing for us. He went before us to show us that no matter what we face, we can deal with it. He stands with us to show that we don't have to have fear. He will "spot" you and encourage you every step of the way. Let Him be there for you and you won't have to have any fear.

With Him, you can do the impossible.

"I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NLT)

Till next week homies,
Peace and much love.

Broken Down

Tonight in class I made a huge mistake. There are all sorts of different ways to fall in wrestling and tonight we were practicing some of those falls. There's the "back bump" where you essentially just fall backwards, the "flip bump" where you do a front flip and land on your back, and also one called the "handstand bump". The handstand bump is the bane of my existence (pun intended).

In the "handstand bump" you do a handstand and then kick your legs so that you again flip over and land on your back. Tonight, I seriously screwed up on a handstand bump. I did the handstand fine, but when I went to kick my legs, I missed the flip and released my hands. This meant that I fell straight downward, landing on my neck. Immediately, all my classmates said, "Ooooooooooooh. Stu, are you okay?" I lie there for just a second in my shame, but also seeing if I actually was okay. I sat up and gave a thumbs up sign - meaning I was okay.

It hurt. My pride and my body were both broken, but I finished out class strong and didn't give up.

Our spiritual lives will take hits a lot of times. There will be disappointing situations, sins that keep coming back, addictions, deaths, broken hearts, people who let us down, and all sorts of other negativity. But what we can know for sure is that no matter how many times we get knocked down, we can always get back up. No matter how many times we are disappointed, there is always hope. And no matter how many times we mess up, there is always grace.

Believe in that. If you've been beaten down lately. Whether it was a minor injury or a completely debilitating incident, know that God is right there with you, ready to put you back on your feet.

You can always give a thumbs up, no matter the situation.

We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. (2 Corinthians 4:8-10 NLT)

Till next time,
Peace and much love.

Head-locked

Today was my second day of class, and it was just as cool as the first. Already, I feel like we've learned so much. Now, I don't yet have my wrestling license, so I'm not able to do as much as some of the other students in the class, but I'm trying to learn everything I can and be the absolute best I can be. It's tough. This is definitely the most intense thing I've ever tried to do in any sense.

My body is sore and gets pushed harder and harder. To those who say professional wrestling is "fake", I try to correct them and say that it's "well-choreographed". That's because there really are a lot of things that hurt in real life. Sure, it's all about selling the moment, but it can cause serious harm and my body is being pushed harder and harder with every sequential class.

[This is my instructor, Nick Dinsmore (WWE's Eugene). In the top left, he has me in a headlock about to pop my head off. In the bottom right, we are just hanging out after a good class.]

Here's what I know for sure though: When I feel like giving up, I can always go more. There are some things in class that really are extremely difficult. There are times when I watch things I will be doing and don't think it's even possible for me to try, but then I remember that nothing is impossible and every time I've given up in the past, I've regretted it. I don't want this experience to be like that. 

Our spiritual lives are the same way. We can feel like we are being pushed farther and farther - and we are! Why? Because God wants us to grow. My instructor for professional wrestling is Nick Dinsmore (WWE's Eugene) and he pushes all of us in the class to do our absolute best. He doesn't ask more of us than what our best is, but he does expect that we give it our all. If not, why even be there?

God is the same way. He expects our best. He doesn't expect more, but if you're not going to give your best to Him, then why even bother? But God knows our best, not us. So when you feel like you're being pushed to be better, you probably are. God never wants you to settle, but always strive to make your best better and keep learning from Him and drawing closer to Him. 

Don't give up. Don't give in. Keep pushing yourself and give your absolute best. Then, next time, you can be pushed a little farther. Over time, you will become more and more of who God wants you to be. 

"So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world." (1 Peter 1:6-7 NLT)

I'll be back next Tuesday night. 

Till then homies, 

Peace and much love!

Commence Phase Two

Many of you have asked, "What's next?" After completing phase one and making such a huge deal of it, I didn't think I could just quit there. But Phase Two can't just be a repeat of Phase One. It can't be all about just getting bigger and bigger. Phase Two has to push my body, mind, and spirit farther than I ever thought possible. After all, Bane is much more than a body. He's an entire persona of evil and intimidation. So, that's what I've chosen to focus on in Phase Two.

So, what is Phase Two?

Beginning tonight, I am enrolled in and taking classes at Ohio Valley Wrestling - the official trainers of TNA Wrestling!!!

The course runs for ten weeks, two nights a week and all culminates at the end with a "Homecoming Show" where all those in the class get to perform. So that's Phase Two. Now, let me tell you how this is gonna work.

I will be posting just once a week on Tuesday nights and updating you on my progress. Phase Two will be much more intense and I promise I won't disappoint you with these posts explaining everything. This week, I'm posting tonight and tomorrow night in order to explain it all. But, let me just say...

Tonight was amazing, and I can't wait to keep moving forward with this. I'll keep you posted on how it all goes.

Just remember, God can take something that seems really weird and turn it into something amazing and beyond anything we can imagine. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Get excited for Phase Two!!!

Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20, 21 NLT)

Phase 1: Complete

So phase one of Becoming Bane has ended. Let's review:

 - I began at 183.8 pounds and 11.3% body fat. 

 - My goal was to weight 200 pounds by January 1, 2013 (today). 

 - I began the project on September 15, 2012 which means I had a little over 15 weeks to gain right around 16 pounds of muscle. 

 - All of this had to be done without the use of any steroids.

 - Many people said it would be impossible...check out the results below to see if they were correct.

Here are the measurements from the beginning of the project:

Waist: 36 inches
Biceps: 14 inches
Neck: 16 inches
Chest: 42 inches
Shoulders: 21 inches
Forearms: 11 inches

Here are my statistics:
Height: 6' 1"
Weight: 183.8 pounds
Fat content: 11.3%

Here are my measurements from today:

Waist: 36 inches

Biceps 15.5 inches (Growth of one and a half inches)

Neck: 17.25 inches (Growth of one and a quarter inches)

Chest: 44 inches (Growth of two inches)

Shoulders: 25.5 inches (Growth of four and a half inches)

Forearms: 13 inches (Growth of two inches)

        Total Growth of 11.25 inches combined in all muscles

So did it happen? Did I make the 200 pound goal? 

At my final "check-in" of Phase 1, my results were as follows:

Height: 6'1"

Weight: 202 pounds

Fat Content: 11.8% 

**********WE DID IT!!!!************

There is absolutely no way for me to tell you how much all of you reading has meant to me throughout this project. Phase one is complete, and I reached my goal because of God's power and because He placed all of you in my life. Thank you so much for encouraging me and reading - even when things weren't going so great. 

Let me end this huge endeavor of Phase One by saying this:

Don't ever let anyone tell you anything is impossible. 

When you find out where God is working and join with Him to do the things He loves doing, there's no way for anything or anyone to stop you. I know, without a shadow of a doubt, that the only reason I was able to accomplish this goal is because I relied on God to get me through it. To many of you, that will sound silly, but I know it's true. There were so many "experts" who said I could never make it, but in the end, God showed up and did more than I ever could have imagined. That's what He loves to do. 

I know that many of you have made goals for yourselves in 2013 - make sure you team with God to accomplish them! He never designed you to work alone, so don't try it. Find out what He wants for your life and go for it with everything you have. When it's all said and done, I promise you won't be disappointed because He will show up and do so much more than you even thought possible.

So what's next? 

Like I said, Phase One is complete, but Phase Two begins on Monday. I'll be taking a brief hiatus from this blog until then, but I'll be back on Monday to explain everything and let you know what we're all going to accomplish together in Phase Two. I promise Phase Two will be much more intense than even Phase One was. I will be pushing my body, mind, and spirit to their absolute limits, and you will all be able to join with me and see what happens when we go further than we ever thought possible. 

"Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21 NLT)

I love you all. 

Till next time homies...

Peace and much love