8 Seconds to Change Your Life
I recently watched Angel Studios movie, The Last Rodeo, which inspired me to write this blog. A story about a retired champion bull rider, riding to win the grand prize to cover medical expenses for his grandson. It’s a gripping story on family and the intense sport of bull riding, captured in detail.
Other than watching the occasional bull ride, I have little knowledge of the physical demands and danger of riding a bull. As a rider competing, to obtain a good score you need to ride the bull for 8 seconds, which I’m sure can seem like an eternity when you’re riding a large animal with horns.
To create a vigorous ride, a flank strap, loosely tied around the bull’s flank induces the bull to buck with the use of its hind legs. The rider is to have one free arm that moves in motion with the bull while the other hand is gripped firmly in a rope. The rider is required to sit straight up, lean forward slightly, and use his core muscles to maintain balance, stability, and move loosely with the rhythm of the bull. It’s a sport not to be taken lightly as anything can happen in those 8 seconds. The rider can be bucked off, encounter a failed dismount, leading to injuries such as fractures to the knee and shoulder, sprains, contusions, concussions, and even death.
To ride a bull can be similar to the ride of life. The moment you take your first breath; the journey of life begins. For some, the ride can be tumultuous, others nurturing. While there is no understanding why some suffer more than others, it’s all about the ride. The pivotal events in your life, combined with joy and pain. Each of us has our own story of situations where you feel broken, distant from God, asking the question, ‘why is life so hard.’ These moments define your character based on choices you make to overcome the situation with fluidity, confidence, and a belief the experience will bring you closer to God so you can testify to others.
The testimony is where seeds are planted as it’s a witness to God’s forgiveness and salvation. I experienced this when Jesus rescued me from darkness as a result of new age practices, (my testimony), but I’d like to share a story from another who followed new age.
Demi, a mother of two, had fallen into despair. She felt darkness seep into her heart, and knew she needed to go to church. When she told her spouse, he said he’d been thinking the same thing. Both decided to get baptized. In the waiting, an unexpected ride attacked Demi, but she wasn’t asleep, she was awake.
She was with her husband when suddenly she was thrown into a demon forest. She felt her sins, anger, hatred, and jealousy. She was crying, uncontrollably, saying she wanted to go home, yet she was home. Her husband consoled her, but she was stuck in darkness—told there is no good in the world. She wanted to scream.
She prayed to Jesus to help her and then her daughter who is always calm, started to scream. She gently cradled her child to nurse her and was brought back to reality.
Demi was unable to describe how she felt as she gazed into her daughter’s eyes. The nightmare was over, and eyes of peace gazed upon her through the eyes of her baby girl.
The ride of life can change in eight seconds. For Demi, it was an awakening of the enemy and being saved through the peace of Christ.
Most don’t want to believe in Satan and his demons—the fallen angels from Heaven. When they fell, the veil tore, and separated them from God and His love. They have no love in their hearts. Their only goal is to devour you, harden your heart and fill it with hatred.
John 10:10
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.
Demi’s story is a frightening truth of how the devil wants to keep your soul and prevent you from being with Jesus. He will lie and trick you into believing there is no God, that Jesus isn’t the Son of God, and that all you need is yourself to solve problems in life.
However, it only takes eight seconds to say, “Jesus, be my Lord and Saviour and forgive me for my sins.”
Eight seconds to feel free from the darkness.
Eight seconds for the cleansing tears to fall.
Or 8 seconds to walk away.
God, in His love for you, gave you free will to make the choice to be with Him or walk in darkness. Sadly, most are conformed to the ways of the world. Bound through blindness, with the belief you can fix everything on your own. Many have without God; however, a great number are dissatisfied and crave more. For some, there is no end to their greed and desire for power.
John 12:25
“The one who loves his life loses it, and the one who hates his life in this world will keep it to eternal life.”
The glory of choosing Jesus, is that you’re not alone in riding the vigorous challenges in life. He is with you always. He knows your suffering as He endured it on the cross.
The ride of life includes darkness and light. It’s in the night shadows, the sun’s rays, thunderous black clouds, and the tide greeting its sandy shore. It’s an invitation to dine with the Lord or leave an empty seat.
Each of us are tempted to live by our own choices, even Jesus was tempted. For forty days He fasted and was tempted by Satan, His weapon—scripture. The Word is supernatural, a living document that can instantly change and save you.
If you’re considering walking with Jesus or have already made the choice, I prepared a list of possible thoughts / feelings you may have to clarify how much God loves you with the truth. This list is based on a bible study by Jonathan Pokluda, ‘Your Story has a Villain,” where we are fed lies. The list is below.
He addresses how the ride of life is full of twists, turns, uphill battles and the reason—24-7 you’re subjected to attacks by the enemy. It’s not a bull ride where you have 8 seconds to perform, it’s your life. The day-to-day activities, events, that pull you in different directions. The remedy to fix it on your own, isn’t God’s plan for you.
The simple truth that most avoid, is accepting God’s love for you. He waits for you in the shadows, as He knows what’s best for you. His intention isn’t to ride the fight on your own, He wants the battle given to Him. He doesn’t want you to be alone in your pain, shame, and guilt over bad decisions. He wants to hold you, provide comfort, healing, and grace you with His peace.
Life doesn’t have to be a vigorous bull ride, it can be rejuvenated in God’s love through His Son, Jesus, and His helper, the Holy Spirit.
The invitation is there for you; all you have to do is say yes.
God Bless,
Hi, I’m Cathy.
A blogger, photographer, author, passionately driven to pointing people away from new age indoctrination to find redemption in Jesus Christ.
I’m a mixed blend, excited to share all I offer...
Blog-Twisted Roots
Do you find yourself asking questions about new age, whether the practices and beliefs are leading your soul to redemption?
As a reformed new ager, I was saturated in the belief I could co-create with the universe and manifest a life of abundance. But I was deceived. This blog is to point you to the truth of God’s words and how He perceives the new age indoctrination.
Fine Art Photography
I always dreamed of being a professional photographer when I grew up. It was a journey to reach this goal. When the opportunity presented itself, I knew it was time to fulfill my dream.
I owned a home-based studio for over a decade but have been shooting images for two decades. Now, semi-retired, I have a collection of my most cherished images of landscape or fine art available for wall décor.
