Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Erwin Raphael McManus is a renowned life architect, award-winning author, and artist. With over one million book sales and translations into multiple languages, he has captivated audiences in stadiums across seventy countries on five continents. His creative expertise has extended to consulting for esteemed organizations from the NFL to the Pentagon. For three decades, McManus has advised CEOs, athletes, celebrities, and billion-dollar companies, helping them overcome limitations and unlock their personal genius. As the founder and lead pastor of Mosaic, a global spiritual movement, he has inspired millions and leads impactful humanitarian initiatives alongside his wife, Kim McManus, sharing his wisdom through The Arena, McManus Mastermind, and The Seven Frequencies of Communication.

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UPRISING

Nelson Books

Contents

POINT OF ORIGIN1. Running Free...............................................................................................12. The Drowning Pool..........................................................................................23A QUEST FOR HONOR3. Rising Downward............................................................................................434. Turned Inside Out..........................................................................................655. Brave Hearts...............................................................................................85A QUEST FOR NOBILITY6. Endless Wellsprings........................................................................................1077. Wholeness from a Black Hole................................................................................1318. Incurable Romantics........................................................................................153A QUEST FOR ENLIGHTENMENT9. The Weight of Small Things.................................................................................17510. Waiting Game..............................................................................................20111. Unlocking Divine Mysteries................................................................................223DESTINATION12. The Greatness of Servanthood..............................................................................249If you would like a different reading experience, see this alternative table of contents:Table of Contents: The Gauntlet...............................................................................257About the AuthorAcknowledgments

Chapter One

The roar was a combination of fury and hunger. Its sound rumbled through us like an ominous warning of the danger to come. In spite of all our efforts, our momentum kept us moving toward its mouth. Our struggle seemed futile as we found it impossible to reverse our course. This particular summer the American River was more unforgiving than usual. The heavy rains had turned the rapids into more than an adventurous joyride. Already the summer had been filled with reports of the tragic end for some of those who had braved its waters. Now it was our turn to either pass or fail the river's test.

It seemed like such a good idea when we said yes. Though Kim and I had never been rafting, the team who spearheaded this annual adventure assured us it was nothing but great fun. Most of the forty or so who were with us were also novices, so there seemed to be no reason for concern. The water at the point of entry was so calm and peaceful that it didn't even bother me when our particular guide confessed this was his first solo run. Certainly for the first hour or so it seemed like this journey was anything but a challenge. In fact, beyond soothing, it was at times even a bit mundane. The lifejackets seemed about as important as wearing a seat belt when you're parked. Funny how a sleepy little river can lull you into virtual unconsciousness.

But the roar woke us all up. It's not that we were asleep, but we were not alert. The rumblings literally shook us. We looked ahead and saw a giant boulder protruding out of the river's center. Coming out of a blind turn, there was enough distance for us to see two of the rafts in front of us crash head-on into the boulder, flipping them like toys and throwing our companions into the white water. We had enough time to adjust. I am certain that skilled navigators would have found a way around the crisis, but that would have been someone other than us. All I remember is "Row!"

Looking back, I realized we were all rowing, frantically, desperately, with all the strength we could muster. The left side was rowing; the right side was rowing. We were all neutralizing each other's efforts. In the end, all we accomplished was to increase the velocity at which we hit the very boulder we were working so desperately to avoid. We flipped. Our raft was pointing straight up to the sky. I held on to the side handles, fighting to stay in. One of the men fell directly on top of me, using me to stay above the water and on the raft. I imagine in that moment he considered my head an answer to prayer for his foot. This was working out great for him. It was dramatically less advantageous for me. I knew he was not a strong swimmer, so I was apprehensive to let go and have us both go under. But when I was coming down to my last breath, I decided he could learn to swim if he really wanted to. And so I let go, and we both went plummeting into the river.

Once I fought my way to the top, I immediately began swimming upstream looking for my wife, Kim. Our raft had stabilized and two of our crew had somehow avoided falling out. Even while fighting the waters, I noticed that all the men fell out, but the two women somehow remained in the raft. Once I saw that Kim was fine, I stopped wasting my energy working against the currents and allowed myself to begin the trek down the rapids.

It was at this point that our prerafting instructions became far more critical. We were reminded to keep our lifejackets tight against our chests. It was so uncomfortable. The river seemed so peaceful. At the time I didn't see any reason to really pull it that tight. Only now, as my life vest kept working its way up to my chin, did I fully understand the importance of a snugly fitting lifejacket. But this wasn't the right time to punish myself for not paying attention to the instructions. So I moved on down the list of important things to remember. Our instructor's voice was so clear in my head: "If you fall into the rapids, keep your legs up. At the bottom of the river there are all kinds of rocks forming nooks and crannies. If you don't keep your legs up, they could get easily caught in between the rocks and snap against the weight of the river."

The idea of bouncing down the river with a broken leg was more than unattractive to me and highly motivating, so I kept my feet up. I wanted to see my feet above the water, but every time I got my feet up, my head would slip under. It was impossible to breathe, and I would then have to risk lowering my legs to get my head back up, which in turn caused me great concern. So I would immediately pull my legs back up, trying with all my being to follow the instructions given us. There was just one problem-I don't breathe with my feet. This system just didn't seem to work.

Before I knew it I had exhausted myself as I fought the rapids, and I felt it overtake me-not just the water, but surrender. I wondered if my efforts were only a symphony of futility. Was it simply better to calmly accept my fate and give myself over to the river? It was a surreal moment. I watched the water swirling around me. I could see the sounds but could not hear them. I don't remember any fear. Just regret-regret of things undone. Flooding into my mind were thoughts like, Would I leave my wife when we still had so much love to share? Would my son and daughter grow up without their father? Would I give up on them so easily? That's when I knew. There would be a day when the end would come, but if I had anything to do with it, this would not be it. I knew there was more life in me than there was water in that river. It was as if I could hear a voice inside of me both crying out and confessing without shame, "I...