DefytheQuitOption! Neverquit!Nevertakenoforananswer!Itdoesntmattertheweightofdiametricallyopposedand counteractingforces,existentialpredicaments,oradesolateandmiserablygrimpresentstateofaffairs.Wewill risetotheveryhighestlevelpossibleinourchosenfield.Wewillbreakalllimitations.Thisdeclarationisour eternallybindingcovenantsealedbytheBloodoftheLamb. OnaclearnightinlateJune2005,fourU.S.NavySEALslefttheirbaseinnorthernAfghanistanforthe mountainousPakistaniborder.TheirmissionwastocaptureorkillanotoriousalQaedaleaderknowntobe ensconcedinaTalibanstrongholdsurroundedbyasmallbutheavilyarmedforce.Lessthentwentyfourhours later,onlyoneofthoseNavySEALsremainedalive. InthebookLoneSurvivor,MarcusLuttrell,thesolesurvivorofthisoperation(OperationRedwing),tellsthe storyofthedesperatebattleintheAfghanmountainsthatled,ultimately,tothelargestlossoflifeinNavySEAL history.Butitisalso,morethananything,thestoryofhisteammates,whofoughtferociouslybesidehimuntilhe wasthelastoneleftblastedunconsciousbyarocketgrenade,blownoveracliff,butstillarmedandstill breathing.

Overthenextfourdays,badlyinjuredandpresumeddead,LuttrellfoughtoffsixalQaedaassassins whoweresenttofinishhim,thencrawledforsevenmilesthroughthemountainsbeforehewastakeninbya Pashtuntribe,whoriskedeverythingtoprotecthimfromtheencirclingTalibankillers. Thereisanundeniableinnatedesireforgreatnessontheinsideofeverylivinghuman.Withoutexception(no matterhowconcealed,repressedordeemphasized),6.5billionofusareobsessedwithobtainingsomemeasure ofrecognition,admiration,respect,veneration,reverenceandesteemfromthemembersofourcommunityand humansphere.Thisdesireinandofitselfistotallylegitimatebecauseweasoffspring,inheriteditbydesignfrom ourprogenitor,precursor,Lord,creator,paramountruleroftheuniverseandarchitectofallmatterandenergy inallitsexistentialforms(includingspiritualenergy).Sonshiphasamuchdeepermeaningthanisgenerally associatedwithit.Tobeasonmeanstohavethenatureandcharacterofaforbearer.(Thisexplainswhysome biologicalparentsdenounceoffspringthatwillinglytakeanacutedetourawayfromthenatureandcharacter thatwaspresentedto,andexpectedoftheirwards.)TheFatherspoketoJesusduringthetransfigurationand saidThisismybelovedSon.Hearyehim.ThiseventhappeneddeepintotheministryofJesuswhenHewas aboutconcludingit.Godwasinessenceissuingadivinescorecardandvalidating(basedonvisibleand undeniableperformance)thestatus,person,characterandministryofJesusasaperfect,impeccable,flawless andexhaustivespectacleofdivinityamongsthumanity. Therefore,foreverymemberoftheuniverseofrational,balancedandspirituallyawarehomosapiens(i.e.those thatcamefromYahweh;NOTfromthechimpanzeeorsomebigbangdetonation),thereisasubstantivedesire forgreatness.Thisisnormal.Thisisdefault.Thisisscriptural.Thisisundeniable.Thisisournature. Now,Theultimatemeasureofamaniswherehestandsinmomentsofdifficulty,NOTmomentsofcomfortor pleasureMLK.Ifyoufailinthedayofadversity,yourstrengthisweakHolyScripture.Whenpushcomesto shoveandwearestretchedbeyondlimit,shouldwecapitulate?Thehumanbodyisacolossallycomplexbutyet assiduouslyadaptivemachinethatwasdesignedtowithstandnearunfathomableextremeconditions.Michael Jordan,UsainBolt,RogerFederer,WilliamWallace,JoanofArc,AlexandertheGreatandtheU.S.NavySEALhave alltaughtusafewlessonsonhumanpossibilities.Consequently,wemustqueryandprobeonwhythesemen (andwomen)wereabletodothingsthatmanyofuscouldntorsimplywouldjustnotdo.Weretheyhewnout fromatemperedbreed,orperhapsaspecialhybridblessedwithmoretalentthanotherlivingsouls?Theobvious

answerisNO!Theirdifferencewas,isandwillalwaysbeintheirmindandspirit;somethingIwouldcallasturdy, stalwart,resilientandexcellentspiritthatdefiesandconquersALLadversaries.Theirmindsoperatedrather differentlyfromtheexpectedorpopulartrainofthoughtthatprevailedintheirday.Whereotherssawand professedunderachievementorthestatusquo,theydreamtandreachedforopportunityandvictory. NavySEALsaretheU.S.Navy'sprincipalspecialoperationsforce,apartoftheNavalSpecialWarfareCommand (NSWC)aswellasthemaritimecomponentoftheUnitedStatesSpecialOperationsCommand(USSOCOM). Theunit'sacronym("SEAL")isderivedfromtheircapacitytooperateatsea,intheair,andonlandbutitistheir abilitytoworkunderwaterthatseparatesSEALsfrommostothermilitaryunitsintheworld.NavySEALsare trainedandhavebeendeployedinawidevarietyofmissions,includingdirectactionandspecialreconnaissance operations,unconventionalwarfare,foreigninternaldefense,hostagerescue,counterterrorismandother missions.Withoutexception,allSEALsaremalemembersofeithertheUnitedStatesNavyortheUnitedStates CoastGuard SEALtrainingisbrutal.ProspectiveSEALsaresubjectedtoanincrediblytoughselectionprocessthatismeantto weedoutchaff.Ittakesover30monthstotrainaNavySEALtothepointatwhichhewillbereadyfor deployment.TheSEALsthatemergearereadytohandleprettymuchanytasktheycouldbecalledontoperform, includingdiving,combatswimming,navigation,demolitions,weapons,andparachuting.Thetrainingpushes themtothelimitbothmentallyandphysicallyinordertoweedoutthosewhomaynotbeabletosuccessfully completethedemandingmissionsandoperationswithwhichSEALsarefaced.Thetypesofstressestheyendure duringBUD/S(BasicUnderwaterDemolition/SEAL)arethesamestressestheywillendureasSEALs.Iftheycan't withstanditwhenlivesaren'tontheline,chancesaregoodtheywon'tbeabletowithstanditwhenlivesareat stake. MarcusLuttrellattributedhissurvivaltohissuccessatthegruelingNavySEALtraining.Thetrainingwastargeted atbreakingthemindsoftrainees.Ifyousucceededattrainingwithyourmindintact,youweredeemedreadyfor justaboutanything.IfMarcushadgivenupduringtraining,hewouldneverhavestoodachanceatsurvivingthe realdeal.Histraininginstructorsevenwarnedhimthatifatraineeeverforoncevoicedouthisfrustrationand desiretoquit,thattraineealwaysendeduprelinquishingtheNavySEALdream.Inthisgame,themomentyou openyourmouthinfrustration,youproveyouareunfitforthecalling. Mydirectquestionstoyouarethese:Doyouhaveabreakingpoint?Arethereconditionsthatwouldwarrantyou givingup?Ifthesituationdemandswaitingalmostindefinitely,willyougivein?Doyoulacktheabilitytosurvive andthriveanywhere?Doesyourpatiencerunouteasily?Doestheexperienceofthosearoundyoudefinewhat yourviewpointis?Hasyourbackwardorindigentbackgroundskewedyourworldviewinthispresentday?Isthe wordimpossibleinyourlinguafranca? IfyouansweredYEStoanyofthequestionsabove,youareNOTreadyforSuperAchievement.Youshouldbe contentwalkinginthepathalreadythreadedbyothers. Wemustutterlyunderstandthatthegreatesttreasurethatmanhasishisfaith.Whatcanseparateusfromthe loveofChrist?Shalltrials,tribulationsorevenangels?Inthe11thchapterofthebookofHebrews,welearnthat byfaith,menstoppedthemouthsoflions,menobtainedagoodreport,womenhadtheirdeadraisedtolife, disciplessufferedextremepersecution,Enochwascaughtupintoheaven,Noahkickedoffthearkproject100 yearsaheadoftheflood,AbrahamsearchedforthecitywhoseArchitectandBuilderisGod,Sarahobtained

strengthtoconceiveat90yearsofage,menwerestonedtodeath,someweresawnasunder,otherswere slaughteredbythesword,butYET,ALLDIEDINFAITHHAVINGNOTRECEIVEDTHEPROMISE! Ifthesemenandwomenaccomplishedunfathomablethingsbutstilldidntreceivethepromisethattheirfaith envisioned,thentheempiricalandlogicaldeductionisthattheirfaithsawfarexceedinglybeyondthegreat miraclestheyobtained.Insimpleterms,theirfaithdeliveredgreatresults,buttheyalldiedinfaithbecausewhat theirfaithoriginallyanticipatedwasincomparablygreaterthanthepromiseandresultstheyobtainedintheirlife time.Thisrealmoffaithhasonedescription.Itiscalledboundlessfaith. SoIaskagain:isthereanythingthatiscapableofinvalidating,extinguishingorparalyzingyourfaith?Ipray foryou(andmyself)thatourfaithwillnotfail.(NowweknowwhatJesusmeantwhenheprayedthesamefor Peter). Shalom! AdetayoBamiduro bamtayo@gmail.com @adetayobamiduro(Twitter)