It was one of those gut-wrenching moments, the kind that occurs when you come face-to-face with true courage.
For my last public speaking class of the semester, I assigned a graded impromptu speech. Students listed three potential topics on a sheet of paper, folded the paper, and turned in their lists. From the combined folded lists, they picked one and chose their speech topic from the three listed. They had ten minutes to prepare.
One of my students was in a wheelchair and had limited control over his arms and hands, so I helped by writing down his thoughts. Only one of the topics suited him: What power would you choose if you were a superhero? His first thought was that he would be able to walk. But as he began to construct his speech, he realized the enormity of the task. He had trained his mind to accept the fact that he would never walk. Struggling to come up with the benefits, he finally told the class he really didn’t need superhero power at all. He had God, and God was all the power he needed.
This young man had learned to accept his limitations and work within them. During the semester, I never saw a trace of self-pity. He occasionally made jokes about his chair, knowing it could not keep God’s purposes from being fulfilled in his life.
We all have limitations. Sometimes God removes them through a miraculous healing—physical or emotional. Money to pay those outstanding bills appears “out of the blue.” But when our constraints are not taken away, we need a mindset like my friend, Kyle.
Nothing can keep God from completing His plan for us if we’ll trust Him.
(Photo courtesy of pixabay.)
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Serving in ministry for over thirty years, Becky Toews has studied the Bible extensively, including tutelage under the late Dr. Francis Schaeffer. She teaches English Composition and Public Speaking at Lancaster Bible College in Lancaster, PA. She is the author of Virgin Snow: Leaving Your Mark in the World. She is married to Chip Toews who founded New Covenant Christian Church in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1982 and remains the head pastor there. The Toews have two grown children. Becky posts weekly devotionals on her website, www.beckytoews.com, under Fresh Tracks.