Everything is possible...

In yesterday's newspaper column, I imagined what I might say if I was given the opportunity to speak at a graduation. My foundational idea was this thought from Jesus: "Everything is possible for the person who believes!" (Mark 9:23)

I think that truth is caught up in my decision to begin each work day with personal time in the presence of God. Because if I place deliberate believing at the front end of my day, then the spectrum of what might be is no longer limited by the narrow parameters of what too often is. Obstacles such as past experience, present mood, pressure, disappointments, other people's expectations, criticism, another round of editors "let go" by my newspaper... and a host of other reasons not to expect God's absolute best.

So I don't think it's a coincidence, this week, that I interviewed a woman who was so badly broken in a car accident the doctors told her family she would "never talk, reason, walk, or live independently." But she never quit trying, never conceded defeat, never stopped believing. She had to hire a lawyer to win her independence, she had to crawl up 102 steps to argue her point in court, and she has to continue to fight hard every single day to convince her body and her mind that, yes, she is still learning and growing and contributing.

I'd argue that we all too willingly cripple ourselves routinely, in terms of negative expectations and a failure to live into what is possible in terms of our identity as beloved children of the living God.

Rebekah spoke eloquently in church a couple of weeks ago about the concept of "predestination." She did a great job of explaining how the idea has nothing to do with pre-determinism and everything to do with owning our role as partners with God in all that is possible. She then talked about the opportunity we all have to "live into" God's plan for our lives. God's purpose, our choice to participate. Everything is possible for the person who believes!"

Later today I'll try to link Rebekah's message through this page.
Click on this picture of Rebekah and you should get the message.
Love and blessings - DEREK