It is always encouraging to meet a man of influence that can endure arduous circumstances and still make a tremendous impact. Chris Powell is an example of such a man. Chris Powell is a successful mathematician. He graduated from the university of Maryland with a bachelor’s degree in math. Most folks that are reading this article are aware of the challenges that the subject of mathematics presents. Some may see math as a bad reminder of a subject that they’d don’t want to deal with anytime soon while others may consider it a challenging subject that they ultimately persevered in. However, Chris Powell believes that the subject of math has given him a decisive edge when it comes to solving the many challenges that he has to deal with in his own life.

Chris didn’t choose to become a mathematician in spite of its challenge. He chose the fi eld
of mathematics BECAUSE of the challenge. He developed a passion for the subject. Chris’s
energy would come from during out the answers to math courses such as Algebra, Precalculus, Calculus, and Statistics. He sees the subject of math as a system of problems that needs to be solved. When one becomes adept at solving math problems, one can develop their critical and analytical thinking skills. Math allowed Chris’s analytical and critical skills to flourish. He was able to translate those skills so that he could overcome the numerous personal challenges in his own life. One thing also to keep in mind was that Chris was not able to write. This made his challenge even more daunting.

Chris Powell was born with cerebral palsy. The defi nition of this congenital disorder can be understood simply by breaking down the terms. When one thinks of cerebral, it has to do with the brain. Palsy involves either a difficulty or weakness with one’s muscles and how they move. It goes without saying that cerebral palsy has made things quite challenging for Chris. As much as Chris may have an idea with regards to how he may want his body to move, his body will often have its own ideas and thoughts. Due to this condition, all four of Chris’s major limbs are affected. As a result, Chris would have issues maintaining and coordinating his balance. This was a major issue when he was younger. He would fall over and over again. As a result, he had to alternate between using walking on his own and using a wheelchair.

Chris had periods in which he was frustrated and angry because he didn’t always know how to overcome his circumstances. In spite of all the challenges he faced, Chris Powell was determined not to let them get in the way of his goals and dreams. He credited his anger for fueling him toward his goals. Instead of allowing his circumstances to overwhelm him, Chris imposed his will and inner desire on his circumstances….and won.

He ended up successfully teaching himself how to have better coordination so that he can walk better. As a result, Chris has not had to use a wheelchair since he was 20 years old. He also learned daily living life skills which helped him to become more independent as an adult. Things that many of us may not even think about such as dressing, eating, or even getting in and out of bed. Chris had a burning desire to conquer this obstacle. He did everything he can to educate himself about cerebral palsy. It took decades to master how his body worked in his condition.

In order to do this, Chris had to stay disciplined, motivated and goal oriented. His mindset had to be in optimal shape. In his mind, he was already at his preferred destination. Chris credits the use of his creativity for overcoming adversity as well. He believes that if someone finds something that they love and are passionate about, it will exceed any adversity that they are dealing with. There is no question that Chris Powell is the living embodiment of this belief. It is clear that he is also missionally minded.