MIKE KING The Gift of Encouragement
AT THE AGE OF TWENTY, Mike King had it all! He was a man’s man: strong, athletic, and handsome. Until one life-changing day when a car pulled out in front of his motorcycle and CRASH!—Mike was left paralyzed, broken, and angry. He’d always been active in all kinds of sports and enjoyed meeting challenges head-on. But paralysis was a different story. Unable to walk, Mike struggled to find his life’s purpose.
Then a few years later, by coincidence—or divine appointment—Mike heard about two wheelchair athletes who traversed the continental United States in their chairs. The idea aroused his competitive nature and prompted him to do one better—he set a wild goal to push his wheelchair from Fairbanks, Alaska, to Washington, D.C.
Fortified with his usual determination, Mike started out with his eye on the prize. He thought he had trained enough, but the long hours of wear on his hands and arms quickly brought discouragement. He wasn’t able to go as fast as he’d planned, and the 5,600-mile trip seemed to be too much for his 120-day plan. Mike wondered if the naysayers had been right in warning him that the task was too big, too unrealistic.
Encouragement can come from some unlikely sources
But Mike gained encouragement from an unlikely source. A group of high school students surrounded him on their bicycles, asking questions as they rode along. This kept Mike occupied and, unlike before, he was able to travel sixty miles that day. From then on, Mike continued to benefit from the company of others, as he pushed mile after mile, all the way to the steps of the United States Capitol.
The experience changed Mike’s outlook and eventually his life. Realizing that the key to his success came in the camaraderie and encouragement received from others, Mike determined to support other people. Today his organization, Powered to Move, teaches adaptive sports and empowers fledgling wheelchair athletes. Mike also travels around the world, sharing the hope of Jesus Christ with hurting people who have lost their ability to walk. Mike embodies the spirit of Ezra 5:2—the importance of rebuilding in the company of encouragers.