Every year for the last five, we have gone to the pass opening weekend in order to get some spring skiing in, however this year, being that it was a bad winter I considered skipping the trip. Not only was it a bad winter, but life has gotten crazy! Work, paying the mortgage, raising a 2 year old and now, our new addition; Warren. To break away at times is not only hard but almost impossible, and for the most part, I actually don’t want to break away as my joy is found with being with my family. But none the less, it is important to keep tradition and have some adventure time. That being said, I am stoked I made a decision to go ski. It was awesome. Usually we ski the same run every year, but being I did not get much skiing in this year, I was ready for a new adventure. This year we hiked up a new shoot. It was steep so  I had to kick my ski boot in several times just to get a good setting for the next step. The pitch was around a 70 degrees.

Once we got to the top of the mountain, we found a perfect ski  run. It weaved through rocks and then had a steep open bowl. Towards the bottom of the bowl was cliff around 15 feet high which was begging to be skied off of. My cousin and I skied the cliff with ease, unfortunately my friend Elijah took a little spill after landing on the icy surface!

As if the day could not get any better, we shot down to Bridgeport and soaked in some hot springs which served good for Elijahs new wounds, and then hit the walker river for some fishing. All this and we were back home by 3:00 pm.  As I pulled into my driveway, I thought to myself, “what a perfect day.”

So many times I get busy with life, and that’s ok because my life is blessed. But sometimes, you got to get up early and have an adventure.

Over the last month we have been able to cut $270 by reviewing our bills and finding out ways to cut! Check out your bills and see where you can save too.

This morning I was awoke by my daughter Amelia (MiMi)at 6 am. I was a little frustrated as I did not sleep much last night. I turned on her new favorite movie; Madagascar. My plan was to lay down and try to get some shut eye, but instead I decided to read the bible. While reading I came across the scripture:  Mat 19:29  “And not only you, but anyone who sacrifices home, family, fields–whatever–because of me will get it all back a hundred times over, not to mention the considerable bonus of eternal life.”

When I was 19 I made several life changing choices which included stopping my pursuit as a professional freestyle skier and giving up a relationship. Shortly after, I made more choices that seemed to be in many ways the wrong choice at the time including deciding to put law school on hold.

The choices I made were based of off doing what I felt the Lord wanted me to do. They were huge sacrifices, but I did as I knew it was the right thing and it would strengthen our relationship, never the less, it was a sacrifice. Then this morning I read Mathew 19:29 and it hit me, God has given and continues to bless me a hundred times over for those sacrifices. As I got out of bed, I saw my beautiful wife and new son Warren asleep. I picked up my daughter and while she drank her milk in my arms, I walked around my house; something I thought I would never be able to buy. Then I went outside and saw my back yard where my kids play and where we have awesome BBQ’s in the summer. Then I walked in the front yard and saw some flowers getting ready to bloom; behind those were my two cars; my last car will be paid off next week! Then just a moment ago, my father in law called me and said he was taking me to a Giants game!

I am blessed and continue to see the favor of the Lord on my life because I made sacrifices that brought us closer together.

If there is any advice I can give to anyone, do whatever you can to make your relationship strong with Christ. He will show you what to do; don’t be afraid of what he shows you. On the other side, there is a blessing waiting.

First of all, thanks to everyone who has posted words of encouragement in the comments section. Knowing that God is using my story to help people is so amazing, it is all I could ever ask for.

It is really cool to see the book getting picked up by news outlets. Stories are starting to post! Just today a story hit on  ChristianToday.com (http://www.christiantoday.com/article/from.freestyle.skier.to.son.of.god/28895.htm).

There is something really big happening tomorrow, I almost cannot believe it. The 700 Club will be making their way up to our little town here in the Sierra Nevada’s to produce a video segment for an upcoming show. WOW!

I hope to keep in touch through this blog and share what God is doing in my life and with the book. Thanks everyone!

Good Sense will scout ahead for danger, insight will keep an eye out for you. Proverbs 2:11

Have you ever hit rock bottom and wonder how life could go on after seemingly losing everything that ever meant anything to you?

Well, Anaiah Kirk has. At the age of 18, he had caught the eye of major sponsors and was on the cusp of becoming a professional freestyle skier.

A life of jetsetting, parties, fame and girls beckoned and Anaiah was buzzing, thinking he had found the life he always wanted.

“I thought I was on top of the world. I was about to embark on a career as a professional competitive freestyle skier, allowing me to travel the world and live an exciting lifestyle,” he writes in the first page of his new book, “The Life I Always Wanted”.

He moved to Mammoth to train, even convincing himself it was the will of God, but within a few months he had become a “stupid, drunken, fornicating jerk, which finally led to my demise”.

Less than a year after his successful run at the US Open in Vail, Colorado, Anaiah suffered several serious head injuries that put gave him a 75% chance of going into a coma if he continued with the season.

The severity of his injuries lost him his sponsorship and ended not only his season but his career as a professional skier.

“I wondered what I was going to do. My whole life was wrapped up in skiing,” he shares. “My dream was shattered. I sat at my grandmother’s computer, trying not to cry.”

To make matters worse, his girlfriend had started hanging around with another guy and when Anaiah found him sleeping over at her house one night, he was left feeling heartbroken and betrayed.

It was at precisely this point however that God started revealing himself to Anaiah in a dramatic way. Flipping open the Bible in a moment of desperation, he stumbled upon the Book of Hosea, in which the Lord indicts Israel for its adultery and unfaithfulness.

It was a wake-up call to Anaiah as he realised his own rebelliousness against God. From that point on, he resolved to turn his life around and seek God before anything else. He made the return to the church he had turned away from as a teenager and during a Bible study one night, encountered God in a profound way.

Now aged 26, Anaiah sees that time as the turning point in his life. “The Life I Always Wanted” is his personal testimony of discovering something he never expected to find when his dreams started to unravel – a loving relationship with God.

The book is surprising in its honesty as Anaiah opens up about the reality of temptations and struggles that remain even after meeting God, such as doubts and sexual desires. But he speaks reassuringly about the ultimate victory he came to have over his inner struggles and how real the love of God became to him in spite of everything.

Now, instead of living for skiing as he did before, he sees his purpose as sharing all that he has realised about God’s faithfulness and goodness with others. It’s his hope that young people will be encouraged by his own story.

“I am here to tell you what I found to be the truth,” he writes.

“Jesus Christ is Lord, He has changed my life for the better, and this truly is the life I always wanted.

“Since asking the Lord into my heart, my life has not been peachy. It’s full of ups and downs, happiness and sadness, moments of great confidence and moments of uncertainty.

“However, I can’t imagine living without the Creator … This book was written for those who may be in the shoes I was in before God changed my life.”

Although “The Life I Always Wanted” is primarily aimed at youths, Anaiah’s experiences are communicated in such a down to earth and personal way that people of all ages will be able to relate to them – and learn from them.

Its manageable length and the author’s suggested questions to think about make it an ideal resource for church youth groups.

http://www.christiantoday.com/article/from.freestyle.skier.to.son.of.god/28895.htm

Anaiah Kirk helps young adults find their purpose in life through his own personal struggles in “The Life I Always Wanted”

SONORA, Calif. – Anaiah Kirk believes that teenagers today think that in order to be happy, you must have what you want when you want it, do whatever feels right and be financially successful. As a professional freestyle skier at 19, Kirk thought he had life figured out. In his inspirational self-help book, “The Life I Always Wanted” (ISBN 9780615451534), Kirk shares his life story in hopes of helping other young people find out their purpose in life.

Living the life of a professional freestyle skier, Kirk thought he had it all. He was traveling the states, partying and living every young’s persons dream. It was then, at his highest point in life that everything changed. After a series of life-altering events, everything he had came crashing down. Finally hitting rock bottom, Kirk found himself barely holding onto life and questioning why he even existed.

Kirk shares the journey of faith, healing and humility he had to take in order to find his purpose in life. He explains how even after finding Jesus Christ, he clung to the ways of his old life style. He shows his readers how he was able to let go in order to embrace his new, Christian lifestyle. He describes the spiritual encounter he had with God, when all of his doubts about life and God were erased. After this life-changing moment, Kirk was able to live by God and his will and live the life he always wanted.

“Everyone is searching for purpose in their lives, especially as a teenager and young adult,” Kirk says. “It is a time of great change in terms of relationships, education and career.”

While there are many self-help books out there, Kirk believes his will work best with young adults and teenagers because of his perspective. He shares his own experiences and struggles growing up to relate with younger audiences and to let them know that they are not alone in their personal journeys. He hopes that his story inspires young adults to follow the path towards a meaningful, purpose-filled life.

“The Life I Always Wanted” is available for sale online at www.AnaiahKirkcom, Kindle, Amazon.com and other channels.

About the Author:

Anaiah Kirk has a bachelor’s in criminal justice with a concentration in criminal law from California State University. He was a juvenile probation officer and is now a correctional counselor working for the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. He is married to his high school sweetheart and has one daughter. For more information and to view a trailer based on the book, visit www.AnaiahKirk.com, and follow Anaiah Kirk on Facebook and Twitter.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Mel Kirk

Phone: (209) 352-0122

Email: pr@anaiahkirk.com

REVIEW COPIES AND INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE

###