This is the third part of a four part blog series on eight lessons I have extracted from my personal journal - lessons God has been teaching me about overcoming! I pray you will be encouraged.
Overcome.
That one little word whispered to my spirit during intense times of prayer, hours of soul-searching, and while watching this year's Super Bowl held more promise for me personally and for our organization, Courage Worldwide, than any word I have received in the 17 years I have been doing this. If you are also facing difficult circumstances, embarrassing situations, a recent failure, or if you are just plain tired of fighting the good fight because you have not seen the results you have hoped for, this blog is for you.
4. Pursue Big Impossible Dreams.
It's only impossible until someone has the audacity to do it; ask Tom Brady. He has the most Super Bowl rings of any NFL quarterback - 5, and he is tied with Charles Haley for most of any player! No one had ever won a Super Bowl in overtime until Tom Brady did. No one had ever come back from a 25 point deficit until Tom Brady and the Patriots did this year. He had the most passing yards in Super Bowl history (466) and broke Jim Kelley's record of 58 completed passes. Who dreams of a 5th Super Bowl win, when you were benched the first four games, and becoming the MVP - for the fourth time? Tom Brady did. He had the audacity - not just to dream - but pursue a dream, in spite of the obstacles that many would call impossible.
I have always been accused of dreaming crazy, big dreams or wanting to change the world. When I was young, that embarrassed me and I hid from its implications. Now as an adult, over halfway through the time line of my life, I realize that is what I was made for - it is what YOU were made for. Each of us is created on purpose, for a purpose, and that unique purpose is designed to change our world!
For those of us who profess a faith in God, impossible is not in our vocabulary! We often need to be reminded that we serve the God of the impossible.
"Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
(Matthew 17:20)
What would we attempt if we really believed this? That is worth pondering in prayer.
Grab a piece of paper or your journal. What big, audacious, impossible dreams are you pursuing? What steps are you taking today to make them a reality? What obstacles are standing in your way? Maybe you have a dream of going back to school and your obstacles are time and money. What will you have to do to overcome them? Maybe your dream is changing careers; what do you need to do? What obstacles do you have to overcome? As you dream on paper, don't let the obstacles discourage you from taking a tangible step towards them. This process requires discipline, sacrifice, passion, and mental toughness to overcome all obstacles between you and your dream. But your dream, your destiny, is worth it! The obstacles we overcome make the victory sweeter.
It is not enough to dream or imagine a goal; you must take steps to pursue it and courageously overcome each obstacle in your way. Combine your faith with the God of the impossible, and you will overcome any mountain in your way!
5. Prepare & Practice - Even When You're Benched.
When I was going through my difficult season this past year, I felt like I was benched from the game. I was mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausted. There was a huge temptation to quit before I worked through the three steps earlier in the series. However, as I made the choices outlined in my first two posts in this series, my energy returned and my faith increased. I decided to use this time - this lull - to get better, to learn from the situation, and to focus on the things in my life I had control over -- and leave the rest in God's hands.
I'm not sure Tom Brady gave his situation to God, but I do know he practiced as if he was playing on Sunday instead of riding the bench. He did the same daily three-hour workout, he ate the same healthy foods, and he threw the football over and over again as if he was in a game. He prepared to win. I went back to the gym (which I had stopped doing because I was so busy). I attended conferences and trainings that would make me better at my job. I focused on my family, and I prepared for the day when I would get back in the game - when we would have girls back at Courage House Nor Cal. This preparation was key in moving me forward and kept me from dwelling on the difficult and unfair.
The last of this 4 part series will be sent to your inbox in two weeks. I'd love to hear from you. Email me at j.williamson@courageworldwide.org and share with me in stories you have in overcoming!
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Make a donation of $50 or more this month to Courage Worldwide and receive a free autographed copy of Do You Have the Courage to Be You, an inspirational read about finding your unique purpose and destiny.
Blessings,
Jenny Williamson
New Study by Jenny Williamson!
Now Taking Host Church Requests for
Fall or Spring 2017-18
Have you ever contemplated your particular purpose -- the very reason you are on this planet? Have you intentionally pursued your true identity and attempted to fulfill your destiny? Do you have the courage to be you? If you answered "no" to any of these questions but want to answer "yes," then life coach, author, and speaker, Jenny Williamson, will help you do just that through the pages of her newest workbook and study, Uniquely You: A Faith-Driven Journey to Your True Identity and Water-Walking, Giant-Slaying, History-Making Destiny.
We are currently taking requests from churches in the Sacramento area to serve as a host church for this 10-week study with LIVE teaching from Jenny! Either Fall or Spring, 2017-18. Contact Jenny directly at j.williamson@courageworldwide.com, or info@ptlb.com.