View from the top of Stone Mountain

Last weekend I enjoyed a hike on Stone Mountain with my husband Bill, daughter Rebecca, and golden retriever, Poppie. As we enjoyed a sandwich on the summit, I noticed a tree growing up out of the stone. Immediately I heard the words in my head, “Do the impossible”. That’s exactly what this tree was doing, the impossible. I contemplated those words throughout the rest of our hike.

What do those words mean? What do those words look like when they are lived out? What would be the result of living out those words?

What do those words mean? The definition of impossible is that which is not able to occur, exist, or be done. So, doing the impossible is impossible to do on our own, but with God, all things are possible. God is in the business of making the impossible possible. He’s the One who created the world out of nothing, parted the Red Sea, and made a way for a shepherd to be a king. He walked on water, healed the sick, and arose from the dead. Because Jesus lives in those of us who accept Him as our Savior, the same power is available to us. That’s amazing.

What do those words look like when they are lived out? That tree would not have grown out of a huge stone if it had not found the crack the Lord provided, dug its roots down to find fertile soil, then soaked up the rain the Lord sent. All the other seeds that merely landed on the stone must have withered or been blown away. But the one seed that found that soil was able to do the impossible with the Lord’s help.

The same is true for us. We need to embrace the impossible dreams the Lord places in our hearts and trust Him to help them come to fruition. I think the impossible is different for each of us. It might mean going after that college degree, going back to school, starting a company, leading a scout troop, or writing that book. Perhaps it would be volunteering at the local shelter, the children’s hospital, or opening a soup kitchen. Perhaps it’s running your first race, losing those extra pounds, or working out on a regular basis.

I wondered what He might be pointing to in my life. What would doing the impossible look like, for me? I’ve been working on a screenplay for years. I’ve hardly told anybody because, you know, it sounds crazy. I write children’s books, but screenplays? I’ve sought out those who know the industry and I’ve obtained coverage multiple times. I’ve rewritten it a gazillion times and still can’t get it right. I don’t know the channels to see it through and at this point, it seems impossible. Hmmm. Maybe I’ll step up my game a little more on it this year and see where God leads.

What would be the result of living out those words? After I snapped a picture of that tree, I noticed others posing in front of it and I realized the full effect of this tree doing the impossible. This wasn’t a perfect tree. You can see it in the picture above. It wasn’t even beautiful, but it was doing a remarkable service. God used this imperfect tree, growing out of a stone, as a photo opportunity to showcase His magnificent creation. The view was totally stunning, and people seemed to embrace taking pictures in front of this awkward little tree with God’s landscape as the backdrop. Wow! This little tree was pointing others to the splendor of God.

Could it be that God places impossible dreams in our hearts not to build ourselves up but to bless others and perhaps point others to Him? Doing the impossible may not be about our accomplishments at all, but in growing our trust in God, stretching ourselves further than we’ve ever stretched before, and watching God use our dreams to bless others and draw others closer to Him. That totally makes the impossible worth pursuing, don’t you think? I realize that attempting to achieve our dreams may not always pan out the way that we imagine but they won’t come true at all, if we don’t try.

Let’s make 2020, a year of doing the impossible! Let’s trust God for our dreams and for helping us pursue and achieve them. May we bless each other this year by doing the impossible, and may we give God all the glory, honor, and praise. (I’ll let you know if my screenplay gets optioned.)

What is the impossible in your life? Please share below. I’d love to know!