Dan Miller is the author of "Living, Laughing and Loving Life", and a full time inspirational speaker who touches audiences with his own life story of overcoming physical adversity. He still suffers much pain from Post Polio Syndrome. (He's in his 50th year with Polio, but rejoices at how good God has been to him.) Dan brings a humorous and inspirational "positive attitude message" to remind us to enjoy every day, to like ourselves just the way we are, and that putdowns hurt and compliments help. He reminds us that we can be dream-makers or dream-breakers, and that we can still dream, risk, persist and be successful at any age.

Dan's fresh approach puts life (both personal and professional) into perspective Dan shares about meeting his dreams in life in spite of impossible odds. His challenge to others is that pain and problems are inevitable, but misery is optional, joy is a choice and your dreams can come true. Dan's uplifting message brings:The JOY of hope, The COURAGE to risk, The CHOICE to persist, The FREEDOM to laugh, & The CHALLENGE to reach for your DREAMS. Visit his website here.

6/7/06

HOST_Carolann: Welcome again everyone! And a special welcome to Dan Miller who is our guest speaker for today.
HOST_Carolann: He is talking about Overcoming Adversity.
HOST_Carolann: Dan is a speaker and author of Living, Laughing and Loving Life, a message which touches people with his own life story of overcoming physical adversity.
HOST_Carolann: Welcome Dan, and I will turn our time over to you.
GUEST_Dan_Miller: II thought I might start with a quote
GUEST_Dan_Miller: "It's interesting how our politically correct terms change. In the '50s they called me crippled. By the '60s I was handicapped. In the '70s the term was disabled. Then, in the '80s, I was physically challenged. In the '90s, I was mobility impaired. I wonder what I will be next?" - Dan Miller
GUEST_Dan_Miller: My name is Dan Miller. I live in Yakima, Washington with my wife Judy. We have been married 46 years. We have 3 children and 8 outstanding, fantastic grandchildren!!!!!!
GUEST_Dan_Miller: I born and raised in Eastern Washington on a wheat and cattle ranch.
GUEST_Dan_Miller: I grew up in a wonderful Christian family. I had many adults in my life that I call, "DREAMMAKERS!" They believed in me, supported me, encouraged me and made me feel special, important, unique, and loved. (All kids need to grow up that way!)
HOST_Carolann: amen
GUEST_Dan_Miller: Because of them, I believed I could dream any dream and it would come true. I had lots of dreams. 1. I decided I would be a basketball "STAR" before I could make a basket! (I was a BIG dreamer.) My "Dreammaker"- dad lowered the basket so I could be successful.
GUEST_Dan_Miller: Other dreams: 2. Pilot. 3. Golfer. 4. Guitar player, with my own band. 5. Teacher…PE teacher, because I was good at sports 6. Of course eventually, a husband and father and raise a wonderful family.
GUEST_Dan_Miller: I graduated from Pateros High School, in central Washington, firmly focused on my dream of becoming a physical education teacher. I loved sports and played every chance I could. I was a good athlete.
GUEST_Dan_Miller: I was captain and an all-star player on a league championship basketball team that lost only two games. I played halfback and linebacker on football teams that went undefeated for three consecutive years.
GUEST_Dan_Miller: Life was good in high school. I graduated in the top ten of my class.
GUEST_Dan_Miller: We had five girls and five boys in our senior class!)
GUEST_Dan_Miller: I was accepted to attend Eastern Washington College of Education at Cheney, near Spokane. Just the summer stood between me and the beginning of what I hoped to be the best years of my life.
GUEST_Dan_Miller: I did not make it to college that year. Five weeks after high school graduation, I contracted polio. For the next 15 months, I was enrolled in two unexpected classes of life. I called them Physical Therapy 101 and Rehab 102 .
GUEST_Dan_Miller: was completely helpless for several months. My parents and others had to feed me, dress me and carry me, turn me over in bed, etc. My Dreams…HOPELESS!
GUEST_Dan_Miller: Polio is a virus that blocks messages to the motor nerves. With no message, there is no movement. When the muscles don't get messages, they atrophy and cling to the good muscles. This, in turn, locks up the usable muscles and limits the range of motion.
GUEST_Dan_Miller: At the hospital, I went through all the therapy known up to that time. I had daily whirlpool baths in butterfly-shaped Hubbard tanks, where therapists moved my limbs in a snow-angel pattern. I was also treated with hydro collator steam packs, filled with silica gel, a variation of the hot, wet, wool packs made famous by pioneer polio nurse, Sister Kenny.
GUEST_Dan_Miller: I have more details in my book about my rehab experiences.
GUEST_Dan_Miller: Reading stacks of cards and letters, some from people I didn't even know, offset the pain and hard work. Many said, "We are praying for your recovery." All were encouraging. A constant flow of visitors came through private room #118. We laughed, had fun, and pulled tricks on the nurses like pouring strong perfume in the bedpan.
GUEST_Dan_Miller: I know God answers prayer, I ended up only losing 1 arm and 85% of my legs!
GUEST_Dan_Miller: I never gave up on my dreams. Inch by inch, muscle by muscle, day by day, I kept working my way back, still thinking of college and other goals. Not only did I build up weakened muscles, at the same time I had to re-learn every skill over again as a one-armed, left-handed person. I returned to basic printing-after all, I would need to take notes in college. I spilled drinks and slopped food learning to eat. Ordinary skills were not ordinary at all.
GUEST_Dan_Miller: I couldn't abandon my dreams; college was still a priority. I had graduated from a wheelchair to a fore-arm (Canadian) crutch when my folks dropped me off to "Go for my Dreams."
GUEST_Dan_Miller: Challenges loomed everywhere. This was long before laws mandated that public facilities be accessible to handicapped people. I fell 10-15 times a day, and waited for someone to pick me up.
GUEST_Dan_Miller: Without HDCP access I used my God given creativity to use "human elevators" to get to upstairs classes
GUEST_Dan_Miller: I had football player friends who would carry me. I fell about 15 times a day. Waited for nice people to pick me up
GUEST_Dan_Miller: I learned some things as a different person. I had lost 50% of my body…muscles…so my legs and right arm were very skinny and if I wore cut-offs and a tank top, I was a "sight to behold! I soon learned a valuable lesson. "It is not what you look like.....it's who you are! Have you learned this? My friends and family love me because of who I am, NOT what I look like. They see the real me…a nice guy!
GUEST_Dan_Miller: I also learned that Putdowns HURT! I've been putdown, teased, laughed at, ridiculed and it HURTS! I love to laugh but I have made a choice. I will never get a laugh at your expense! (We live by CHOICES!)
GUEST_Dan_Miller: One of my best choices is that I like myself just the way I am! God loves me just as I am so I choose to do the same. Do you? I choose never to call myself dumb or stupid, even though I do dumb things occasionally.
GUEST_Dan_Miller: I made some other choices. I decided to take risks, and persist. Dreams take time and sometimes the courage to take risks and reject rejection! Dreams DO come true!
GUEST_Dan_Miller: Some of mine are: *Challenged the College PE Dept. to let me Major in PE and become a PE Specialist. I can't run or jump or do pushups or pull-ups or jump rope or climb ropes BUT I did meet my dream and got a Master's degree in PE and taught as a specialist for 13 years!
GUEST_Dan_Miller: Learned to play a guitar and bass guitar with a right hand and arm that is 95% paralyzed.
GUEST_Dan_Miller: Learned to play golf with 1 arm, got a hole in one, and got my handicap to a 13! I play right handed with my left hand. Married a special beautiful lady and have a fantastic family.
GUEST_Dan_Miller: God has been so good. I have never been able to run or jump, and was right handed but have lived these 50 years since as a one-armed left handed person.
GUEST_Dan_Miller: I am not complaining...just explaining
GUEST_Dan_Miller: The last 10 years, I have Post Polio Syndrome. It causes muscle pain and weakness much like the original
GUEST_Dan_Miller: Carolann, how are we doing? Do I have a few more remarks?
HOST_Carolann: it's up to you, if you would like to invite questions or discussion any time would be great
GUEST_Dan_Miller: I will try to sum this up soon
GUEST_Dan_Miller: The heart of my story is not what Dan Miller has done. It is what God has done. God is my great Dreammaker. All I have or have achieved has come through Him.
Laura: Amen!
GUEST_Dan_Miller: There are "Dreammakers" and Dreambreakers" I look at God as my Master Dreammaker! He wants to give us our hearts desire, an abunDANt life!
GUEST_Dan_Miller: There is one verse in the Bible that seems to summarize my life as Dan Miller, polio survivor; "Now unto Him Who, by the power that is at work within us, is able to do superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think-infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes or dreams-" (Ephesians 3:20 Amplified).
HOST_Carolann: amen - I am sure it's more than you thought possible when you were first diagnosed
GUEST_Dan_Miller: Speaking & the Book In late 1989, I was an elementary principal. God called me to share my testimony. I obeyed and quit my job. I waited for the phone to ring and God, my Speaker's bureau/agent set me up to share 154 times! I was on my way.
GUEST_Dan_Miller: Living, Laughing, and Loving Life is an autobiographical, humorous validation of the truth that we can have "abundant life" despite any personal handicaps.
GUEST_Dan_Miller: I will conclude with this: God called me to share my testimony and has been my Speakers Bureau and I have spoken 1400+ times in 44 states without asking anyone to have me speak!
Laura: That is so awesome!
GUEST_Dan_Miller: I self published my stories in a book and without being in book stores, God has placed it into the hands of 68,000 people!
Laura: Another incredible feat
GUEST_Dan_Miller: The book reflects Dan's positive, upbeat, joyful approach to life. Dan's story leaves people with hope and laughter. It offers the reader delightfully, relaxing stories of balancing struggles with humor, in the hospital, on the golf course, in an airplane and in a school setting. Dan's humor is fresh and positive. It will bring a lasting smile to all who read it.
GUEST_Dan_Miller: That is what someone wrote about my book
GUEST_Dan_Miller: I have many more wonderful comments about how my book has given hope and encouragement
GUEST_Dan_Miller: I will stop now. Thanks for listening.(reading?"
GUEST_Dan_Miller: any question?
HOST_Carolann: You have quite a testimony of getting thru some tough challenges
Laura: How did you come to know Christ? did you draw from His strength from the very beginning?
HOST_Carolann: what is a key lesson that God has taught you through it all?
HOST_Carolann: please answer Laura's question first
GUEST_Dan_Miller: When I was ten years old, an evangelist visited our church and explained that being born into a Christian family didn't make you a Christian. He asked those who wanted to become Christians by their own decision to come to the altar and pray. I was one who did.
GUEST_Dan_Miller: When polio put me on my back, I knew God was my only hope. I asked Him to help me recover and achieve my dreams. Later on at college, I got so busy with school, sports, work, and proving myself, that God was nudged aside.
GUEST_Dan_Miller: Eventually, I realized that all these activities and achievements did not provide a deep, inner satisfaction. On 9-11- 1966, Judy and I made a commitment to live for the Lord Jesus.
craftingrama: Do you have any suggestions for those of us that don't have the help and love of family and friends around us to survive in a joyful manner our various afflictions
GUEST_Dan_Miller: KEY lesson Probably several. For me is attitude! I do not focus on what I can't do, but on what I can
GUEST_Dan_Miller: Like I said before...choices! I choose to like myself just the way I am...God loves me so I love me
Laura: How were you able to get your book sold to so many without a publisher or marketing it in the stores?
HOST_Carolann: that's so important - one of our chat participants said once she looks in the mirror and tho she doesn't like what she sees, reminds herself that God thinks she is beautiful so she chooses to do so too
GUEST_Dan_Miller: I believe God did it! It is amazing, I sell some at my talks, then people buy them for others etc.
GUEST_Dan_Miller: I also choose to laugh...God's wonderful gift. I lost my gift of laughter one time and let the negatives of life pull me down
HOST_Carolann: for those who don't have support like craftingrama says, it's hard to laugh and easy to get pulled down
GUEST_Dan_Miller: I also believe a quote I got from Tim Hansel," Pain is inevitable, but misery is optional and JOY is a choice!" easier said than done tho
HOST_Carolann: indeed - but still need to make the choice as you say
GUEST_Dan_Miller: I wish I had answers for those who suffer and for those with little or no support. I don't. I am having quite a bit more post polio pain these days, but I believe God cares. Actually, he has used my experiences to encourage others
HOST_Carolann: you are not wasting your pain then, that's great!
GUEST_Dan_Miller: I know from the responses that my book has brought much hope and humor and encouragement to many folks. If you want to read a few chapters or order it go to www. danmillerspeaker.com
HOST_Carolann: Thank you so much Dan for your testimony and encouragement
GUEST_Dan_Miller: Thank you!
Mary_Lou: Thank you, Dan, for sharing your encouraging story.
HOST_Carolann: thank you all for coming today. I pray Dan that God will continue to use you to comfort, strengthen and encourage others
Mary_Lou: I have to go now. God bless you, everyone!
HOST_Carolann: if anyone would like to stay longer and chat together that is fine. I know most need to get going (to lay down or whatever) - God bless you all!
Laura: Bye everyone, until next time