I received a call from my headquarters in Poplar Bluff that there had been an accident just outside of a small town in my assigned area. When I got there, the ambulance was on the scene and a helicopter was on its way. A beautiful 3-year-old girl had died before I could arrive.
While working as a state trooper a year later, I was called and told my cousin had been killed in a car accident less than 20 miles from my territory.
A few years later, I held my dad's hand as he died in a hospital bed from terminal cancer.
Pain is sometimes breathtaking and as you try to figure out why things happen, you can lose sight of your purpose today. We get consumed by our grief, and we even get angry at God. It's normal to be overtaken in emotion, but don't lose focus on today.
The people in your life live through you. If you waste your day, you're not only disrespecting God and yourself, you're disrespecting them. You're stopping their legacy from being fulfilled.
I get up every morning with a purpose. My purpose is to serve God. I have no other agenda. I don't worry about making the wrong decision, because I cannot make a wrong choice, if my choice is made with God's direction.
I used to get up each morning and my objective for that day was about me. Once I let go of that selfishness, I could live my life as intended. This caused something magical to occur. I was whole for the first time.
Today, I'm living for my God, my departed loved ones, my family, my friends, and for all of those that He directs into my path.
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Stanfield is a former Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper and Stoddard County business owner, who currently lives in Florida with his wife, Tina. In his book, Stanfield chronicled the couple's experience of going from successful business owners in Stoddard County, to living out of a borrowed car following the collapse of a new venture in Florida and the hard work it took to rebuild their lives.
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Editor's note: This is a regular series featuring area religious leaders writing about faith, family and community. To participate or suggest a church, contact us at news@darnews.com or 573-785-1414.