Today’s message might be one of the hardest truths I’ve had to learn in my journey of Living Strong:
Sometimes, the strongest thing you can do… is let go.
We live in a world that constantly tells us to push harder, grind longer, control more, do more. But what happens when your strength runs out? What do you do when your willpower isn’t enough, and your “Power of Self” feels like it’s failing?
That’s when surrender becomes strength.
Now, I want to be clear—I’m not talking about giving up. I’m talking about letting go of the illusion of control and stepping into a deeper kind of trust. Trust in something greater. Trust that we are being guided, even when the path is unclear. Trust that we don’t have to have all the answers, all the time.
My Personal Turning Point
I’ve had moments—more than I can count—where I felt like I was doing everything “right,” and life still brought me to my knees. It wasn’t until I stopped trying to force the outcome that I found peace. It wasn’t until I said, “I don’t know, but I trust,” that I felt real strength come in.
One of the biggest moments of surrender came in 1998.
Up to that point, Renee and I had been living the dream—traveling the world as professional performers, doing national and international tours. Dancer, singer, actor—living that beautiful, wild life as artists. But when we decided to start a family, we knew we didn’t want to raise our children on the road. We made a choice to let go of that lifestyle and return to the U.S., settling down in Mount Laurel, NJ.
We had some savings, enough to live for a year. We bought a condo, and I leaned into an old childhood dream—at 9 years old I told my sister Loretta I’d one day teach karate. So I started a school. I also began training with Master Michael Dinoto.
But here’s the hard part—after a year, the money ran out. I had to close the school. Renee was pregnant with our first child, Alexandra. And I had to return to Germany to perform in Starlight Express just to earn money quickly.
That was one of the hardest times of our lives.
We were separated. I was back in a world I had tried to leave. And yet—through the help of Renee’s family, Master Dinoto and his wife Erika, and the quiet strength we kept holding onto—we made it through.
I returned, and with Master Dinoto’s support, began teaching again—this time as part of a team. That’s when the seed of my real journey as a martial arts instructor and community leader began to grow.
Now, in 2025, I stand shoulder to shoulder with an incredible young instructor—Master Colan Magill—who started training with Master Dinoto when he was just three years old. Together, we’re leading one of Mount Laurel’s longest-running karate schools. We celebrated 30 years this past November.
And it all started the day I chose to surrender. To trust. To let go of who I thought I was supposed to be, and step into something greater.
Action Through Surrender
Surrender doesn’t mean inaction. It means intentional action.
It means doing your part, and trusting that what you can’t control will unfold the way it’s meant to. It means taking the step, even if you can’t see the whole staircase. It means loosening your grip, and opening your hands.
That’s not weakness. That’s wisdom. That’s maturity. That’s faith.
Final Thought
So today, I invite you to ask yourself:
Where in your life are you trying to control too tightly?
What would it look like to surrender—not in fear, but in faith?
Sometimes, the strongest move we make… is stepping back. Not to quit. But to trust.
Let’s keep Living Strong—in faith, in trust, in surrender.
—Peter
