Have you ever been alone with your thoughts, and had this haunting thought of “is this all there is?”

I have. I think about it a lot.

Are we all just here by chance? Or was I put here for a reason?

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First, 10 INCREDIBLE facts:

1. Scientists generally estimate that our universe has between 100-200 billion galaxies. Nearly 100 billion in the observable universe (what we can see & detect).

2. And the general estimate is that each one of those galaxies has 100 billion suns.

3. And it is now believed that our Milky Way galaxy alone is believed to have 10 million black holes.

4. Our earth is racing around the sun at nearly 66,666 miles per hour all while rotating around 1,040 miles an hour.

5. We are, on average, 93 million miles away from the sun. The orbit of earth is elliptical. If we were 90 million miles away, there would be nothing to sustain HUMAN life on planet earth. If we were 95 million miles away, no HUMAN life on planet earth. We are just the right distance from the sun, combined with help from our atmosphere, to have liquid water, it’s a narrow band called the Goldilocks zone.

6. Earth is on 23.5 degrees tilt. Just perfect enough to give us seasons.

7. Our earth is nearly 21% oxygen. Take a deep breath of that goodness.

8. We have large stars further out in the universe which may absorb most of the asteroid impacts, which could otherwise potentially wreak havoc on our planet. Our atmosphere takes care of the rest. (#shootingstars).

9. We have a liquid iron core which produces a magnetic field for our planet that is strong enough to block the sun’s solar radiation that would otherwise tear off our atmosphere and leave humans with nothing to breathe.

10. We have an ozone layer in the earth’s stratosphere which blocks most of the harmful UV rays, which could otherwise eliminate the human race as we know it.

There are hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of these precise numbers. It’s as if there are literally hundreds and hundreds of these dials, adjusted just perfectly, and fine tuned in order to sustain life on planet earth.

The scary part being that if just ONE of these dials were even slightly adjusted in one direction, it would render the accuracy of all the other dials irrelevant, leading to no life on planet earth.

Each dial, working together, all adding up to life on planet earth.

Perfect enough to sustain human life.

And then there is you.

You have over several billion brain cells. Our neural connections somewhere in the trillions. It’s no wonder sometimes it feels like your head is spinning.

Every 2 seconds, your body produces nearly 2.4 million brand new blood cells. Automatically.

Your heart beats without even thinking about it. When’s the last time you told yourself to take a breath.

Are we all here by chance? Or could we entertain the idea that it isn’t just luck. That something, or more specifically Someone,

Created. It. all.

Intentionally. With a purpose in mind.

Today, I thought about the chances that I am alive today. The odds are astronomical. So many “coincidences” had to line up perfectly that now result in me being here.

If my great-great grand parents had never met, they would never have had any kids, which means I’d have no grand parents either,

which means I have no parents,

which means we have no me.

I, Spencer, do not exist.

But I began thinking about all the scenarios that had to perfectly align for ME to be alive, today. Living, eating, loving, & breathing.

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So I called my Grandma to get the story. Marcia Marcus grew up in Prinsburg, Minnesota and later moved to Grand Rapids to find a job. (If she chooses anywhere else to move, she never meets my Grandpa, which means they never get married and give birth to my mom, which means, no Spencer.)

Marcia meets Marvin Talsma in the church choir. (If she chooses a different church, no Spencer. If she decides she’s too busy for choir; no Spencer.)

Marvin delivers milk for a living. (My biggest role model in life, I miss him every day).

Marvin and Marcia are set-up on a blind date from their friends. (If there’s no blind date; there’s no wedding, no children, there’s no Spencer)

(Marcia & Marvin Talsma. If my Grandma knew she there was a picture of her wearing a two piece on the internet for the world to see, she would not be happy with me. Shhhhh.)

Long story short, they fall in love, and get married. And give birth to a daughter, we’ll call her Sue Talsma. (I call her, “Mom.”)

(Marcia, Marvin, Uncle Paul & Susan Talsma, “Mom”, on the right. Sorry Mom)

Now to the other side:

There’s this man named Harold Vanderheide, who currently has no kids. His friends call him Bob. Bob fought on the front lines of the Korean War. One day, in the trenches of battle, an explosive grenade tossed from the enemy lands in his tent. The grenade should have exploded killing Bob him immediately. But it doesn’t. The grenade ends up being a dud. (If the mortar exploded, there’s no future baby Roger. No Roger= No Spencer. And no Spencer, you’re not reading this right now.)

*Note, I just started weeping because this is all BLOWING MY FREAKING MIND.

Ok, I’ve regained my composure. Moving on.

Most men in the army at the time smoke and carry the cigarettes in their front left pocket. But Bob Vanderheide doesn’t carry his smokes there. The men during this time period don’t expect to come home from the front lines, so they arn’t worried about the side-effects of smoking. But, instead of keeping cigarettes in his front left pocket like the rest of the men, Bob keeps a tiny New Testament bible.

During an intense shootout, Bob gets shot, in the heart. But, guess what stops the bullet.

THE BIBLE IN HIS FRONT LEFT SHIRT POCKET, COVERING HIS HEART, STOPS THE BULLET, KEEPING HIM ALIVE.

(The mini-Bible, which my brother has, still has the mark from the bullet on it. No Bible=No Son=No future Spencer)

Bob comes home from war, and meets a beautiful woman named Greta.

Greta and Bob get married and have a boy who we’ll call “Roger.” (I call him, “Dad”)

So now Rog is alive, and Sue is alive. And I am still nothing.

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Sue Talsma goes to Calvin, where she meets Rog Vanderheide. (If either of their parents choose to send them to another school, they never meet, and I do not exist.)

Rog likes Sue, but they’re best friends. The basketball coach has a last minute Christmas gathering, the basketball team dares Rog to invite Sue as his date, and he gives in. (If Rog decides to try his hand at bowling instead, or he decides to just work instead, or Rog is sick and cant attend the last minute basketball gathering, or if there is no dare from the basketball team, there’s no Spencer).

Rog and Sue get mocked because they tell everyone they’re “Just Friends”, but everyone knows they’re dating. They’re so embarrassed that their first date is hiding in the corner of a Pizza Hut so that no one sees them. (If they give in to the embarrassment, and decide to just stay friends because actually dating may ruin the friendship, then Spencer never exists.) (Also, now just realizing why they NEVER wanted to order Pizza Hut Pizza.)

Rog and Sue fall in love and get married. They’ve always wanted two kids, a family of four. So when they have a girl (Leighann) and a boy (Marcus), they’re ecstatic and content.

Leighann and Marcus are two years apart. Rog & Sue & Leighann & Marcus are the perfect family. They’ll grow old and happy together and be a great family. But one night, 5 year old Marcus says he wishes he had a brother. So he prays and he prays for this brother, night after night after night.

Long story short, I was the fastest one to reach the egg out of 300,000,000 million other potential future Vanderheides. As messed up and weird as it is to talk about, the science of reproduction and human life is absolutely fascinating. (If I come in 2nd place out of 300,000,000 million, no Spencer) (Note: You were the fastest too. Well done. *Fist Bump*)

And wouldn’t you know it. The Vanderheides, “table for 4”, became a family of 5. And then eventually 6. (Shoutout to Graham).

That’s where I come into the picture. I’m now 24, a friend, a musician, a laugher, and a mediocre golfer.

The odds of ALL OF THIS lining up, and somehow people still feel comfortable calling it “luck” or “chance”.

Never in my mind have I taken the time to realize how many scenarios had to align for me to be me. Right here, right now. If only one thing had gone differently, in the history of my lineage, I do not exist.

So, is this all there is? Maybe. We could just be here by chance.

Or, could we entertain the idea that we’re actually here for a reason. That something, or should we say Someone, has Created & given us life, and put us here for a purpose.

From the conditions on earth all being dialed in exactly PERFECT in order for life to exist, to your great-great grand parents meeting and giving birth to your grand parents, who meet and give birth to your parents, who meet and give birth to you. Look around. Maybe, just maybe, could there be an Author behind it all; who wrote and dreamt up such a beautiful story?

Either way

It all adds up

To you.

And Me.

Being here.

Today.

Alive.

Breathing.

Laughing.

Crying.

and Loving.

Thanks for reading,

Spencer

(I strongly encourage you to find out your own story. Make some phone calls. Figure out the scenarios & how the stars had to align in order for you to be here, alive, today. Feel free to share this concept with someone who may benefit from hearing it. And realize the haunting truth that if just ONE thing had happened differently, since the beginning of time, you may not be reading this right now.)

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I really want to hear YOUR story.

You find me & I’ll find you:

Twitter: @_Spener

Instagram: _Spener

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/like-i-promised/id643483765?i=643483862