Philippians 4:13 “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.”
John O’Brian was the son of a horse trainer. Due to their peripatetic lifestyle, he’d attended dozens of schools sporadically over a number of years, and fallen far behind his peers in his education. After yet another move to a new area, he was given an end-of-year assignment. He was to write about his future dreams. In consultation with his dad, he designed a 600-acre ranch, complete with training track and training area. He poured himself into the assignment, even taking a mechanical design class to help him better design the property. He submitted the assignment and waited in anticipation of getting a good grade. But the next day, the teacher dismissively returned his paper, having given it an F. He made John stay behind and shouted at him: “I gave you an F because I asked for your dream.”
The boy replied that he understood and that was exactly what he had submitted. The teacher said: “I want something even remotely possible, not your fantasy. You’ve barely scraped through the academic year. I’ve checked your past records. You’ve got no chance to even make it to university. This is a ridiculous dream. Go back and write something a little more realistic.” John returned home to his Dad. In conclusion to their talk, his father said: “It’s up to you, son.” John went back to his teacher the next day, threw the paper at him and said: “You can have your F, I’ll keep my dream!” That paper assignment now hangs on the office wall on John O’Brian’s 600-acre farm.
Can you remember any such dream you once had? Are you still dreaming now? Langston Hughes wrote: “Hold fast to your dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken-winged bird that cannot fly.” If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31).
Father God, I choose to resist discouragement today and to be obedient to your call on my life. Amen!
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