Monday, December 3, 2012

Six Impossible Things

On our way to Texas

We're quickly coming up on Christmas.  The day my family celebrates when God did the impossible and a virgin conceived of a child and God walked among his people and then ultimately died and rose again to save them.

Last Sunday I was challenged, once again, with the idea that nothing is impossible for God.  That saying has become so cliche that I don't really know how much I truly believe it.  There are so many things that seem impossible and that I don't see him moving.  So I say they are impossible and that God could fix it if he wanted to but probably won't because he hasn't yet.  And that's where I lack in faith.

Then last Sunday got me to thinking about things that I've called impossible that God decided weren't.  Mountains that God moved in the past year despite my lack of faith.  I saw my little brother grow into a strong, passionate, mighty man of God pretty much over night.  God up and moved my family to Texas so we could be planted in a little church that had been praying for us.  We didn't even know how much we needed them till we go here.  My children went from classrooms with 30+ kids to classrooms with 16.  They are getting PE, art, and music lessons in school.  Baby bear has school friends. I don't know if you can quite understand what an impossible thing that was in California for her but believe me when I say it was on the impossible list because it was just that.  I found a place where I truly belonged.  Even if it was for a reason or a season.  I could be me and I have been changed forever by it.  I've found a passion for reading again.  I'm not sure if that's on the, becoming more of a Godly woman list, but it was definitely on the impossible list.

And I know there are so many more but those are the big ones that stick out in my mind for 2012.

There's a quote in Through the Looking Glass where the White Queen and Alice are talking:

Alice laughed. 'There's no use trying,' she said 'one can't believe impossible things.'
'I daresay you haven't had much practice,' said the Queen. 'When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast. There goes the shawl again!'

I understand full well that this is not exactly a how-to book on Christian living, but there is something profound in that when applied to a Christian's life.  I have had very little practice in believing in the impossible.  When the impossible happens I just say, oops I guess I was wrong, and move forward but don't go back and look at my list of impossible things and say, if that one impossible thing can happen, then these others can happen too.

So now, I'm going back over my list.  I am choosing to believe in six impossible things in 2013.  I'm not going to list them. Not because I believe that they won't come true but because they are also deeply personal (though I have no problem sharing with you one on one).  I'm choosing to believe in these six impossible things not because I believe God will fix them or change them just because I believe, but I believe God will grow my faith through this.


The angel replied, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God.  What's more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month.  For nothing is impossible with God." Luke 1:35-37