Lane Bowers’ 2019 Water Ski Hall of Fame 3 Minute Miracle Speech

If you ever get the chance to summarize your life down to a 3-minute speech, take my advice and do it.

Although I was nervous about the task and was forced to leave out super important details of the people and experiences that dramatically shaped my life, I can tell you that the time and thoughtfulness that goes into such a task is powerful and motivating.

It was tearful and disappointing for me not to mention my twin brother, Dr. Todd Bowers and our amazing childhood together.

It was heart-wrenching when I took out the part about how blessed I was to have my younger sister, Tiffany, who went to be with Jesus this last year. Her life was like a breath right out of heaven and her impact will never be dampened through the amazing work she did here on earth and that now lives and breathes through her amazing children Dawson, Madison, Nick, and Eddie.

It was really hard not to have the time to mention people like Mike Bergeron who did barefoot clinics with me in Connecticut for 21 years. He taught me so much about things like how to count cash, shoot every imaginable gun, the Sopranos, and why Italian families can scream at each other but do not take it personally 🙂

It was VERY difficult not to mention my friend, Bob Cripe, a cement truck driver who faithfully pulled me barefooting for many years in Michigan and showed up at my house at 4:30 am every morning and had the boat ready so I could practice. And he never ONCE wanted to barefoot himself. Amazing.

It was with gut-wrenching agony that I did not mention my friend, Lou Hansel, who believed in me so much that he paid me to leave his company and go to Florida to train with Mike Seipel so I could work to make the US Barefoot Water Ski Team.

I did not get to mention the powerful impact Jim Drown had on my life as he taught me how to paint and taught me one of my most valuable life lessons: “Let’s do something even if it is wrong” as well as when you are late, you are “a nickel holding up a dollar.”

How hard was it not to mention my friend, Scott Gray, who edited my DVD’s and taught me the true passion and fun that you need to have in your barefooting. I have never laughed as hard as I have when hanging around Scott who showed me what could be done with a Ford Bronco that could backfire on demand 🙂

I was forced to leave out how I became a walk-on to Wheaton College wrestling and became the worst wrestler in the history of NCAA Division III wrestling. After never stepping into a wrestling room one time in junior high or high school, I decided to try out wrestling. I believe I was the only one on my team that was NOT a State Champion wrestler. I got my ass whooped every single day for 4 long years by everyone on the team. But God had a plan for me to meet coach Pete Wilson who dramatically shaped my life by teaching me 3 very important lessons; 1. “God gave every man a razor!” 2. Integrity, Integrity, Integrity. 3. To never be ashamed of the Good news which is the power of God in our lives!

In the back canals of Lantana, Florida, my coach, Chris Harris, was the one who instilled in me the belief that I could do one-foot turns. He had me do all 8 one foot turns which had never been tried or even thought of (as far as we knew). His encouragement was pivotal in the shift in thinking from being an average barefooter to believing I could change the sport and do what others thought was impossible.

It was with a sad heart that I could not mention the world’s best internet marketing guru, my friend, Dean Jackson, of iLoveMarketing.com, who told me that no one cares what I have done. They care about what I can do for them. He carefully and painfully mentored me into the world of internet marketing and told me to offer the world’s best barefoot water skiing tips for FREE in the form of my FREE eBook, “Be the Best Barefooter On Your Lake.” Without Dean Jackson, none of you would be reading this right now.

It will be hard but do it anyway.

I strongly believe that if you do not wake up every day expecting a miracle in your life, then you need to hear this speech which I believe you were meant to hear.

Thank you for being part of my life.

You are greatly blessed, highly favored, and deeply loved!

“Thank you every one. Thank you Tracy Mattes and the Waterski Hall of Fame for an amazing event.”

“The fact is that anything I have ever done in this sport is at best, a trivial pursuit question.

I remember many years ago thinking about different things I wanted to be remembered for, but as I grew older and wiser, I realized I would be happy just NOT to be remembered as the ANSWER to the question:

“Who was the last guy to pull Banana George.”

Pause

And I am using the American definition of “pull”…

Not the Aussie definition 🙂

If there were anything worth mentioning about me, it would be a lie if not understood under the light of the words that most accurately define my life:

“I am crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me. The life I now live in this body, I live by faith in the Son of God who loves me and gave Himself for me.”

 

I used to have great pride in certain accomplishments, but now I realize that even the heartbeat and breathe that I drew from was given to me by the God.

My life has been one of miracles.

Our company slogan is “Expect a Miracle!”

While I originally meant this to be a way to raise the expectations of my clients, I had no idea that it would define my life.

It was an absolute miracle that I was born to the world’s best parents in Phil and Aleda Bowers. A lot of you know my mom, Aleda, as my office manager for 15 years who loved to motivate and encourage anyone who she could speak to or meet.

It was an absolute miracle that God led me to train with Mike Seipel who was someone I looked up to and later became great friends with.

It was a miracle that I only hung up on him 100 times when he would not stop talking.

 

It was a miracle that I came to Winter Haven, Florida to begin training with Ron Scarpa who taught me that

“A world championship and 50 cents would get me a bus ticket.”

 

It was a miracle in my life that I met the most beautiful woman in the world, Cindy Bowers, who somehow agreed to spend the rest of her life with me.

It was an absolute miracle of God’s grace that a super hero was born on the opposite side of the world in Korea.

This super hero came to Cindy and I almost 14 years ago around 11pm in the Orlando airport at only 4 months old.

Zane’s super power is his smile and he affects the lives of everyone he meets with his amazing talents and passion for whatever he touches.

It was an absolute miracle when 5 years later Zane, Cindy, and I went over to China to bring home super Peyton who will forever change the world with his intense dedication, likability, and passion for the word of God. He is greatly blessed, highly favored, and deeply loved!

 

Thank you Richard Gray for being an amazing friend and coach who taught me many life lessons.

Thank you Keith Ledger who worked with me for a decade and helped me tremendously when I started TheFootersEdge.

Thank you Dave Gurnsey who became one of my best friends, training partners, and who trained me in the gym and on the water. He later introduced me to Crossfit which has changed my life dramatically.

It was a miracle that I was led to Alma Center, WI where I learned about Cow Comfort from Blake Heller and was blessed with encouraging Cody, Elaine, Shannon, and even Shane… before he discovered beer.

 

It was an absolute miracle that 8 months ago, I was told to check into the Shans Medical Hospital, get on the liver transplant list.

By God’s unmerited favor, He led me to a simple solution that dramatically changed my life.

At the age of 55, by God’s amazing grace, I am lighter, stronger, and leaner, than I was in my barefooting prime.

 

In closing, I want to say that if there is anyone within the sound of my voice who

Feels like they need a miracle…

I encourage you to reach out to me because I will tell you the truth.

I will tell you WHY you can wake up every day for the rest of your life expecting a miracle!

The truth is that the God who breathed the stars into existence and knows the number of hairs on your head determined that you were worth heaven’s best.

Your worth is determined by God’s valuation of Jesus because THAT is what He gave up to make sure you could experience a life so filled with joy that you will overflow with a story that others are waiting to hear.

 

You are blessed to be a blessing.

You are greatly blessed, highly favored, and deeply loved!

God bless you guys.”