Written By: Ron W. Adams, Fred Anderson
Cover Photography By: Jerry Stone
Coal Mine To Courtroom is the memoir of Ron Adams that will teach anyone the importance of facing adversity while keeping your faith intact no matter what throws your way. There was a common theme that struck a chord with me when reading his words.
Mr. Adams lived in a small town in Dawson Springs, Kentucky, where his mom Ruth struggled to make ends meet. His father, Walter, was abusive toward Ruth and an alcoholic, making for an unstable home.
When Ron was in grade school, he found an escape from all the turmoil at home; he found basketball and fell in love with the game.
He had big dreams to go to the NBA by the time he reached his college years. However, that dream ended after Ron injured his ankle during practice. The injury forced him to return home, where his dad announced one day that he got him a job at the mines where he worked. Ron never had long-term plans to stay at the mines.
He just wanted to save enough to return to school. That was his plan, but as the saying goes, "if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans." While working in the mines on March 17, 1977, Ron suffered an injury to his neck that would inevitably leave him paralyzed from the neck down. At the age of nineteen. Can you imagine being told you would never walk again at such a young age?
During the entire time, Mr. Adams never felt sorry for himself. The only time he thought about giving up was when he saw how the accident affected his mother. That's when his sister Delores gave him a much-needed pep talk and told him not to give up. He begins to rededicate himself to his rehab, and during his downtime, he would listen to the bible on tape.
Where he found comfort in the these words in particular the gospel of Matthew, Chapter four.
Mr. Adams began looking at his faith from a different perspective. From the early days when he attended First Baptist Church in Dawson Springs. Now feeling helpless but still comforted by the knowledge that Jesus was with him. Even in his darkest moments while in rehab, he felt a strong sense of closeness to Jesus.
I'm a big believer myself in the importance of having an honest and open relationship with Jesus, so I can relate to when Mr. speaks of his closeness with Jesus and God in general. One of the themes in the book that struck me was Mr. Adam's desire to take different avenues in exploring his faith and even when things fell apart for instance, with his first wife Carol, or coming in last in his first and only 10 k he knew without a doubt God was by his side through it all. Through all the ups and downs, life has thrown his way, the doubt he has faced and overcame himself to be the man is today. The accomplishments, failures, and struggles do eventually turn things around for everyone. I also loved where Mr. Adams talked about changing his negative thinking and dedicated himself to making his declarations again.
He reclaimed his power back when he rededicated himself to looking at life and its events in a more positive light. Mr. Adam's story isn't just about overcoming obstacles or living life in a wheelchair or dreams that we did or didn't get to have. But having faith and keeping it throughout whatever journey you are on in life. Thank you, Mr. Adams, for reminding us of the importance of not only having faith but sustaining that faith throughout, trusting God has our backs no matter what.
You can
purchase the book
Comments
Post a Comment