This month will be 9 years since Adam packed up everything and moved to Nashville, Tennessee to pursue his dream career in music! He has often said that he would give himself 10 years to make it, and we are approaching that mark pretty quickly. This time limit doesn’t really mean anything, though, because we are not going anywhere and Adam is not giving up on his musical aspirations. Adam would not be “Adam” without his musical talents. He does not have a back-up college degree. This is what he was born to do.
Adam Lee singing with The Players in 2006
While thinking about this today, I recalled what Matthew Kelly writes in the beginning of The Rhythm of Life (pgs. 9-11):
If you don’t know what you want from life, everything will appear either as an obstacle or as a burden. But one of the great lessons of history is that the whole world gets out of the way for people who know what they want or where they are going. Be assured, if you don’t know where you are going, you are lost. Do not say, “I am too old.”
Do not say, “I’m too young.”
Tiger Woods was three years old when he shot 48 for nine holes on his hometown golf course in Cypress, California.
Julie Andrews was eight years old when she mastered an astounding four-octave singing range.
Mozart was eight years old when he wrote his first symphony. […]
Bill Gates was nineteen years old when he co-founded Microsoft. […]
Thomas Jefferson was thirty-three years old when he wrote the Declaration of Independence. […]
Oscar Hammerstein II was sixty-four years old when he wrote the lyrics for The Sound of Music. […]
Nelson Mandela was seventy-one years old when he was released from a South African prison. Four years later he was elected president of South Africa.
Michaelangelo was seventy-two years old when he designed the dome of St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome. […]
Dimitrion Yordanidis was ninety-eight years old when he ran a marathon in seven hours and thirty-three minutes, in Athens, Greece.
Ichijirou Araya was one hundred years old when he climbed Mount Fuji.
Whether you are sixteen or sixty, the rest of your life is ahead of you. You cannot change one moment of your past, but you can change your whole future. Now is your time.
I love what Matthew Kelly writes about here. I think we often give up on our dreams too soon because we don’t value our gifts enough and truly believe that God can do anything at anytime. In Adam’s case, he often feels like his weight is holding him back. He has struggled with this for a long time and it prevents him from thinking he deserves his chance to be successful yet. Even though he writes amazing songs, has an outstanding voice, plays several instruments, and is very knowledgeable about different aspects of music and performing, he still lets this one thing hold such a significant place in his mind.
People are capable of amazing things with God’s grace. He wants us to use the talents that he has given us. Our dreams are what make us unique and give us purpose. We just need to learn to have faith in God’s timing and have confidence that he will lead us to where we are meant to be. This, of course, is easier said than done, but Adam and I are not going to lose hope!
A Dreamer's Wife 
very inspirational! dwyane wade won his first nba championship ring when he was 24. jason kidd won his at the age of 38.
Thanks! Matthew Kelly is very motivating! it is a great message to each one of us!
You BOTH are an inspiration and I miss you guys dearly. Great post Steph!
We miss you! Hope all is going well! Football season is just around the corner!