The Longest Ten Minutes of My Life

The Longest Ten Minutes of My Life

In April 2025, I traveled to Clearwater, Florida, for the ICA conference.

I was there to speak about something that was only beginning to take shape: a new ICA Council of Animal Chiropractic.

I was incredibly excited about what this council could mean for the profession—but I was also anxious.

I had only ten minutes to speak.

Those ten minutes felt like some of the longest of my life.

I don’t remember exactly what I said. I don’t remember whether every sentence came out the way I had rehearsed it.

What I do remember is praying:

“God, please help me find the words to inspire these doctors to make this happen.”

Then I stepped forward and spoke.

At the time, the council was still a budding idea. We could see what it might become, but there were no guarantees. There was simply a vision for advancing animal chiropractic, creating stronger professional standards, and developing more opportunities for doctors committed to this work.

More than a year later, that vision is becoming real.

The animal-chiropractic diplomate has been approved and is moving toward implementation.

That one sentence makes the process sound much simpler than it has been.

Behind it are countless hours of meetings, planning, revising, and problem-solving. There have been procedures to follow, requirements to satisfy, and hoops to navigate.

Documents have traveled back and forth between committees, my VA, and me through draft after draft after draft.

Progress hasn’t always been fast or visible—but it has continued.

When I think back to those ten minutes in Clearwater, I realize that I wasn’t only giving a short presentation.

I was asking people to believe in something that didn’t fully exist yet.

That is often how meaningful change begins.

Someone sees what could be.

Someone finds the courage to speak.

Other people begin to believe.

Then everyone gets to work.

I may not remember the exact words I said that day, but I believe God answered my prayer. The words did what they needed to do—and the work that followed has carried the vision forward.

Sometimes courage doesn’t feel powerful while we’re living it.

Sometimes it feels like standing in front of a room with a racing heart, whispering a prayer, and trusting that God will help us find the words.