John Bumgardner - Stroked by God

Stroked By God

2020 by John Bumgardner,

Johnny Jingles Entertainment Group

All rights reserved.

Book & Cover Design: Terri Morris, Mollie B. Creative

Composed in the United States of America

ISBN: 978-1-7349045-0-5
ISBN: 978-1-7349045-1-2 (e-book)

Paperback Printed and Distributed by: Ingram Spark

Johnny Jingles Entertainment Group

e-mail:

Phone: (615) 828-0114

This book is dedicated to
John & Mary Bumgardner (my parents),
for their amazing love and support they have
given me, and my music!

CONTENTS

FORWARD

If youre reading this, it is because something compelled you to look beyond the surface. It is usually when we dig deeper, we find what most people consider treasure. Gold, precious metals, diamonds, gems of all kinds, sometimes food such as potatoes, peanuts, carrots, and others, and even more elemental, water, coal, and oil, all entice, feed, and provide life for our wants and needs above. Some are obviously more important than others from a survival standpoint. We must have water and food. It is not necessary for us, on a primitive level to have gold, gems, or even coal or oil, after all we can burn wood for cooking. However when you dig even deeper, you start to run into very hard rock and minerals, until you reach the very hot center of the earth, filled with molten magma. This is a place on earth, no man has ever been, yet we know it is there. There is evidence from time to time of molten lava rising from volcanoes in quite spectacular fashion, and we use this information to prove to ourselves the existence of the Earths molten core. Sometimes these explosive volcanoes can destroy a beautiful snow capped mountain and leave behind a complete wilderness devoid of life, however, when you look a little closer, you start to see charred seed cones, that can only reproduce after being pried loose by high temperatures caused by a fire. These seeds start to grow in a rich environment of ash left behind by the fire that ensued. This wilderness, now starts very slowly to heal not in spite of the volcano instigated fire, but BECAUSE of it. The destruction was a necessary event, that would later reveal a stronger, just as beautiful in a different way, new growth. Redemption of a beautiful forest from utter destruction, is a great example of resiliency and on a more spiritual level, endurance. The definition of endurance is continuing existence. Isnt that part of the definition of life? Good things, bad, even tragic things that happen in life require endurance. Its not easy sometimes, and can seem insurmountable. You can dig a hole by yourself, but at some point, you are going to need help, either to dig deeper or to get out of the hole. You have made a decision to dig beyond the surface by reading this book and I want you to know, I have prayed for you. Perhaps this is the first time anyone has said a prayer for you. You dont have to be a believer to gain encouragement from my book, but I wrote this book from my perspective as a believer, and my prayer is for you to experience the transforming enduring love and support that believing in Christ gives. Knowing He was at first beside me, then healing me from the inside out, provided the miracle I needed to not just endure a tragic loss, but to grow beyond that loss into a thriving incredible new and better version.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to thank everyone who helped me with this book. My beautiful wife, Shannon is a steady rock of support and love who encourages me to honor God with only my best. My Mom and Dad, who are the best parents anyone could ever have. Jeremiah, for allowing me to be a part of your life. It is an honor. My family. The many children I have taught music to over the years, who unknowingly helped me recover, your gift is still healing. Thank you Paul Deepan for your incredible writing talent, and friendship. Thank you Bishop Choby for your wisdom and love. I can feel your smile from heaven. Thank you Paulette Carlson, for believing in me and allowing me to accomplish a life long goal! Thank you Steve Freeman for your support and prayers. Thanks to the many musicians Ive had the immense pleasure to make music with. Special thanks to Terri Morris with Mollie B. Creative for the artwork on my book. You are an incredible artist, but more importantly an encouraging friend in Christ. Special thanks to my attorney John Prince for his steadfast and knowledgeable support in all my creative endeavors.

Most importantly, thank you Jesus, for everything, especially allowing me to wake up in the morning after that life changing event. I hope sharing this story gives you the glory you deserve, and a lot of new friends.

A prayer we would pray in school before each music class

Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for your gift of music.
We ask that you bless us with it, so that we may use it to bless you and to help those who may need it.

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit

Amen

Chapter 1

THY WILL BE DONE

Have you ever achieved your lifelong dreams, only to have them come crashing down around your head? This exactly is what happened to me. Then, amazingly, God gave me an amazing second chance to live a different life, and find abundance beyond my wildest dreams.

I came to Nashville, Tennessee, known the world over as Music City, as a young man from a small town in North Carolina, with my heart set on making it in the music business. But just like thousands of other young men and women before and after me, life in the music industry didnt go exactly as planned.

In one way, I carved out a life that many outside of the music world would find enviable. I became a guitar player in a band that toured all over the world, playing for tens of thousands of fans. I became first the road manager, then the artist manager, for the performer who played in front of these fans. Next, I became a manager for other, well-known artists, negotiating record deals and concert appearances with promoters in the United States and Europe.

However one day, when I was 37 years old, I suffered a catastrophic medical event, most likely caused by the misguided prescription of a blood pressure medicine. My brain was deprived of oxygen, leaving me with symptoms similar to those seen in people who have suffered a massive stroke. Overnight, I forgot everything I knew about playing my music. I also lost the ability to follow a simple conversation, let alone negotiate the nuances of a European tour.

Suddenly, Id become a shadow of my former self. And, I felt the classic emotions of people who have suffered an actual stroke: anger, fear, and shame. In addition to the loss of my career in the music industry, my personal life unraveled over time. Believe me, it would have been easy to give up. But somehow, behind the frustration of losing my musical ability, a lot of my memory, and other cognitive abilities, I had the unshakable feeling that God would somehow lead me back to a place where I could once again share my musical talent with the world.

You see, despite my fairly rapid rise up the corporate ladder of the music industry, I feel in retrospect that I had not been putting my musical gift to work in the world the way that God had intended. To be sure, I was making my full-time living within the music industry, and felt lucky to do so. Im very aware that this does not pan out for most people who come to Nashville. I didnt do drugs or abuse alcohol. I didnt sleep around or cheat on my wife when I was married. I always conducted my business dealings with integrity. So I never viewed what happened to me as a punishment, and never believed that this catastrophic event was a mark of Gods displeasure.