The Grace to Keep Fighting - A Testimony for Christ.

Raised on the lakes of rural Minnesota, Lyle had the good fortune of spending the summers of his youth with a fishing rod or baseball glove in hand and training bird dogs on the family farmland with his Dad and younger brother. “There wasn’t much need for shoes or shirts unless it was baseball cleats, camouflage or your Sunday best on those summer days, I wouldn’t trade them for anything.” A competitor from a young age in various sports, Burlingame found the most fulfillment in the martial arts. “My Dad was the head coach of my baseball team, he also encouraged me to train and compete in taekwondo, wrestling and boxing. I loved baseball and tried other team sports, but I most enjoyed martial arts.” His amateur boxing career culminated in laying claim to a state Silver Gloves title and later earning a trip to the Upper Midwest Golden Gloves tournament before hanging up his gloves as a competitor to focus on school. After falling in love with Jiu Jitsu at the age of 24, it has remained the primary focus of his training.

Lyle also credits his younger brother and the sometimes-harsh realities of life in rural Minnesota for his competitive nature and love for combat sports. “Growing up, my brother and I were a handful to say the least. Not only were we competitive with each other, but there were some confrontations and bullying at school. I started sticking up for some classmates who were getting picked on, which led to altercations. I also started getting into trouble and clowning around in class; training with the team and coaches after school seemed to reduce that.”

After progressing in his career, Lyle left for San Francisco to pursue his dream in working for a large physician organization and achieved a longtime goal in obtaining his PMP certification. Yet with some success came tremendous trials, and after suffering the unexpected death of his is father, Paul, in 2015 along with a pair of devastating shoulder injuries and subsequent surgery, Lyle entered his most challenging season. “Losing my Dad was the start of a very dark time, it’s hard to articulate the grief I struggled with. After returning from the funeral, I was badly injured whitewater rafting, I could have easily lost my life. Being unable to train made it even harder to deal with the painful emotions and I slipped into a depression. Without God’s grace and certain people He placed in my life who went out of their way to support and encourage me I don’t know where I would be now. You can tell a lot by not only by who is there when you're winning and skies are blue, but by who reaches out when the rain comes, or you fail and get off course. ”

Although it may not be evident in looking at his life now, Lyle admits that his walk wasn’t always on the high road, nor was his journey a linear one. “There was a season in my past where I took more of a 'prodigal son' approach to life, I wasn’t living righteously or taking the best care of myself. I said my fair share of foxhole prayers and was aware of the right path, yet I wasn’t walking it consistently. There were some things I hard to learn the hard way and that I would do differently. I’m still a work in progress, but I truly feel like I have been given a new life.”

Acknowledging that God works through people, Lyle was inspired to take a step of faith and start sharing his testimony for the benefit of others. “I feel like there can be a greater purpose for everything I’ve been through, if my story can inspire someone to take a different path, not give up on their dreams or to keep fighting, there’s no reason not to. I want to make a difference and if I can be a person who plants those seeds of faith and hope in peoples hearts like my family and others did for me, I feel like I will be doing that."

After weathering the stormy seas, the call to give back and glorify God has become undeniable. “When I think about all God has done, saving me, changing my heart, the new life He’s given me, I know I must also now give away.” After a series of events, witnessing God change hearts firsthand, and being inspired by the efforts of friends at the local church, Lyle knew he could no longer remain silent or stand idle. In addition to sharing his story, he is campaigning to raise awareness and funds for organizations that support and seek justice for victims of slavery and human trafficking (IJM), as well as survivors of sexual violence and abuse (RAIIN). “Taking a stand for those who can’t fight for themselves, striving for justice and helping those in need is a huge motivator, but mainly its the right thing to do. We all have the choice to do something or do nothing, I am choosing to speak out in hopes that it will make a positive impact, if I can help even one more person it will all be worth it."