Even if you've been sleeping under a rock, you've heard the remarkable rags-to-riches story of homeless man Ted Williams or "The Man with the Golden Voice."
Panhandling under a traffic light with a make-shift sign in hand, Ted Williams, 53, delivered an elevator pitch to a news videographer passing by that dramatically transformed his life in 48 hours. His testimony has whirlwinded from Youtube (see below) to early morning shows across America (see more videos below).
Here's a little more to Ted's story: After loosing his job at a radio station in 1997, Ted's life sunk with drug use and divorce. He then began living off-and-on with his adult children, who'd eventually kicked him out for using cocaine in the house.
Living on the streets and homeless shelters for 10 years, Ted is now a Christian and claimed sobierty for two years. Ted has since become adamant about redeeming his life and thanking God for not taking his gift of voice.
"You could just tell in his voice, his laughter, his personality," said daughter Jenay Williams, 28, to The Columbus Dispatch. "At one point, (drugs) had affected that; it was just like you were talking to a zombie sometimes."
"You could just tell in his voice, his laughter, his personality," said daughter Jenay Williams, 28, to The Columbus Dispatch. "At one point, (drugs) had affected that; it was just like you were talking to a zombie sometimes."
Clearly, I'm deeply inspired by Ted Williams' resilence. I was even more thrilled to hear Ted say that this turn on life has challenged him to give homage to God for never taking his "golden" voice along with everything else in his life.
We could all take something from Ted's remarks, as we all have a golden gift from God. We've all been preserved for a greater stage. If it were not for those dreadful 10 years, Ted's story would not have this great of an audience.
God has set up each one of us to have such an impact, whether its one million or one nation, whether five seconds or five decades. There's a Ted Williams moment in motion for all of us. God is constantly handing us second chances; pushing through college and earning our degrees will help reserve that spot for us.
How will you use your 'golden gift?' What stage do you believe God is setting you up for?
