Equanimity: The Spirit Within is a story about a man’s search for meaning as he comes to terms with losing everything that he knew and valued.
After winning the 1992 Southern California Middleweight Golden Gloves Boxing Championship, Bartoli was ready to punch his way to professional stardom. However, his boxing career was cut short when he developed a form of Pugilistic Dementia, which caused him to have chronic headaches, slowed motor skills, slurred speech, shaky hands, and impaired vision.
Bartoli came to terms with losing the one thing he loved most in life. In his journey, he realizes that his self-worth is not measured by how many punches he can give or take or media headlines and public praise. He learns that real self-worth is defined by his relationship with God.
In Equanimity, Bartoli gives advice and scripture that readers can apply to coping with life, counting blessings, discovering potential, demystifying love, banishing worry, ending suffering, having faith, and handling mistakes.
Equanimity is a life-changing book that will help anyone solve problems, overcome fears, and develop a better relationship with God.
Targeted Age Group:: 16+
What Inspired You to Write Your Book?
The sole reason for me writing this book is to help people overcome their fears and draw into a closer relationship with the Lord our God Jesus Christ through the act of prayer.
How Did You Come up With Your Characters?
This book is non-fiction. It is based on my life story.
Book Sample
On the night of October 3, 1993, I was taken on a journey into darkness. The evil spirit (Devil) that tried to control my intellect (mental power) explained to me that I was a failure and that there was no purpose in my existing any further. He used all types of tricks into deceiving me to take my life. The negative spiritual guide even went so far as to say that it was God’s will that he was sent to assist me in leaving this World. All of my troubles started the day I realized I could no longer keep doing the one thing that I loved most in life. You see, I was an ambitious young man who had spent the last five and a half years of his life competing as an amateur boxer. I had an ambition of turning professional one day and making it to the big time as a fighter. Regardless of how I felt at the time the passion for the sport that I once loved seemed to diminish even though I carried on and continued competing. Up to the present moment the chronic headaches and verbal assaults about my speech and psychological state of mind were starting to take their toll on me. I coped with the migraines and verbal cruelty from the public about my speech and mental frame of mind, but when the blurred vision started I knew that something was definitely wrong. I consulted a physician at a local hospital and after a thorough examination he explained that nothing was wrong with me physically. “I don’t see anything wrong with you from a physical or mental perspective. You seem healthy and in good shape. If you want to keep boxing, than I see no reason why you shouldn’t,” were his exact words. There was one thing that the doctor did mention to me and that was that I have a slight speech impediment. In a calm, relaxed, nonchalant manner he replied back with these words, “I wouldn’t worry about it though; it’s a normal thing with all boxers.”
Later that evening, I went home and thought long and hard about all the abuse that had been inflicted upon my body throughout the years. I started to ask myself, “Is all this physical pain and mental anguish really worth it?” There it was the question of my future on the line. At first, it seemed ridiculous! How could I give up on the one thing that I loved most in life? Then I started to have thoughts of pity come into my heart. I began to think about all the people I would have let down if I had quit. After contemplating this thought for a while I started to think about how I would have let myself down if I had quit. Then this evil spirit interjected into my thinking. He said, “Samuel, I’m sent from God to ease your troubles. You shouldn’t worry about what has happened. God wants youto journey and trust in me. I will show you a way to finally be at peace.” I questioned the spirit’s statement by asking him what he meant by finally being at peace. The evil spirit then directed me towards a device that would help me leave this World. He addressed me by speaking aloud with a laughing, chagrin of apparent sarcasm coming from his voice, “All you have to do is use this device on yourself and you will finally be free from all the anguish and torment of this World.” I replied back to him not agreeing with his suggestion, “All I have to do is give up?” Then he spoke again uttering aloud, “Samuel, I assure you that if you do this God will truly be there to comfort you for all of eternity.” After the evil spiritual guide had finished with these words at that split second I had suddenly cried out to God, “Father help me for I do not know what to do.” All of a sudden a brilliant angelic light appeared. The light then began speaking to the evil spiritual guide chastising him, “Satan, scandalous, blasphemer and deceiver of souls! How dare thee use My Name to take one of My spiritual soul’s from the light of truth? He is my creation, the Father of the Heavensand the Earth—his soul belongs to Me!” At that moment, a bigthunderous roar was let out as God spoke again in an aggressivetone, “Be gone Satan!” At that instant Satan had suddenlydisappeared from my thinking. After this had happened, I beganquestioning God and why He had spared my life. He then put intothe most plain but wonderful of words by speaking in a beautiful,comforting voice, “My child, it is out of love that I havegiven you another chance at life. I have banished the enemyfrom your midst so that you might glorify Thy Name.”
The light then started to become faint as it drew away from me. I yelled out, “Father how will I know how to glorify Thy Name?” The light then spoke again to me in a strong, comforting, enthusiastic tone proclaiming, “Samuel speak from your heart, and never forget that, I AM the Living God is with younow and always.” After God had finished speaking these words the light had vanished from my midst and I suddenly awoke from my dazed stupor. Upon arising I found a shotgun by my side. Subsequent to putting the firearm down I noticed something wet at the end of it. At first I did not even realize what I had almost done. In spite of everything else, after feeling the tip of the barrel I realized that it was saliva from my mouth. I was so confused and depressed that I had almost taken my life and lost my soul to Satan. Along with all that was happening, for some reason I had put the shotgun down and God had spared my life. The very next morning I woke up to the brightest light you could ever have imagined.
About the Author:
Samuel D. Bartoli is the author of Equanimity: The Spirit Within, published by Halo Publishing International in January 2014. He lives in Los Angeles, CA. where he invests his free time coaching teens at a youth center.
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Book Sample:
