“God loves with a great love the man whose heart is bursting with a passion for the impossible,” said William Booth, man of faith and founder of one of the largest help organizations in the world.
Booth lived his life with an eternal, “impossible” dream — to help needy men and women find practical and spiritual help — and his dream came true in the form of the Salvation Army.
Today, millions of people across the world have been blessed in some way by this organization, and it all began because one man saw an opportunity that others didn’t. One man took action when others only talked. One man made sacrifices that others weren’t willing to make.
Every great movement has been sparked in the imagination of a faith-filled individual: every organization, every church, and every mission the far corners of the world. At the root of all good things is someone with a dream to accomplish something big.
Known or unknown, famous or obscure: someone prayed that God would use them to do something that had never been done. People chided them to stay at home and to stay calm. People said it couldn’t be done—a noble cause, but impractical at best.
Yet time and again, the impossible has become reality. Nations are changed, miracles happen, and lives are transformed. Today floating hospitals pull into the ports of poor countries to provide free medical care (mercyships.org), Bibles are being printed and smuggled to oppressed corners of the world without freedom (opendoorsusa.com), and help is being offered in the name of God to the people who need it most (worldhelp.net). A vision for revival is cast boldly (lifeaction.org), thousands of needy kids in India are being shown love and care (iglworld.org), and the Bible is being translated for cultures that have never had a copy in their own language (wycliffe.org).
Whether it is the blind being given sight (cbmi.org) or the heart of a hardened criminal embracing the love of God (prisonfellowship.org); whether it is reaching the inner cities (sunshinegospel.org) or going to the outer jungles (ntm.org), God is waiting for those who have the faith and courage to attempt what humanity calls “impossible.”
My parents have taught me more about impossible dreams than anyone else. Dad worked at a printing company and Mom was a teacher. Neither had Bible training, and both became Christians later in life. But they both had faith. They were both willing to try things that seemed impossible. Today, they run an extensive jail ministry and manage a halfway house for incarcerated women transitioning back into society (medinalight.com).
Where will the money come from? Aren’t you too old to start another project like this? How will it function? What about everything that could go wrong? Who will dedicate the time and resources to keep it going?
Jesus answered best: “With God all things are possible.”
How about you? Do you have a dream to serve others?
It might not be for a worldwide organization, but, then again, why not? Do you have a vision of how you can begin using your gifts, talents, and resources to make a difference in people’s lives? The dream doesn’t have to be original. You can jump on board with something you believe in and help make it happen. Whether it’s your own idea or not isn’t the point.
In the Bible, the apostle Paul was no stranger to impossible dreams. Here’s his perspective: “All glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” (Eph. 3:20)
Today is the day to step forward in faith. Today is the day to begin fulfilling your mission in life.
Impossible, you say? Absolutely.
Very cool, Dan Jarvis.
Inspiring…
I came here from the absolute truth net site, which is now my favourite website. I love reading about everything you’ve mentioned. Everything you write there sounds as if it’s speaking to my life.
I was raised in a very religious house, my mom is a very faithful woman. I did good deeds for most of my life, but I never knew what faith really was and i didn’t think about God as often as I should have. Three years ago i finished university. It was a hard year for me because I lost my grandma, whom i didn’t have a loving relationship with and my best friend from high school. Also I wasn’t finding work in my field. The years after became even harder, I started getting jealous of people even my own brother who had found work. I got jealous of people who were having sex and I was still a virgin. I started hating men and wanted to be one as well. My sexuality was in conflict with my religious beliefs.
Last year I committed a huge sin against God, I had sex with a man and with a woman on separate occasions. My mom had a feeling I had made a mistake and she became real heartbroken. Afterwards something bad happened, I even said that i don’t believe in God. I ended up in the mental hospital because I told the cops that I wanted to commit suicide which I did want to but something within me stopped me saying that maybe God does exist and he will judge me harshly for this grave sin. So I came out of the hospital, went back home, was transitioning to a regular life, found a job that was extremely difficult on my body and mind. I was still hopeless, i knew that the way I was living all my life wasn’t enough, I needed to change, I needed to find meaning again. I thought erotic love would make me happy,because i was always so depressed. So i tried dating, but nope that didn’t help. I thought money would help, I met a rich person who told me that she’d give me as much money as i wanted just to be with her, but even she wasn’t happy with money. And the more i thought about it i realized money wouldn’t help either. I read about positive thinking and for the most part it seemed helpful but it didn’t really give me that happiness I was looking for. Finally I said to myself I need to get rid of worldly things because they are poisoning my mind. The first thing I did was put away my laptop. So than i started hanging out more with my mom. She told me that she has been praying for me to come back to Jesus and to find him. As I started talking to my mom about Jesus I began feeling this happiness that I’ve never felt before. My soul was healing and all this was happening a few days before Good Friday. I finally read the Bible after years of not doing so. I went to confession, I visited this Church and was happy to be in it. This whole april I’ve been praying more, believing in God and thinking about him. I’m a new person, better than i ever was. Now i got laid off from work and this program i applied for i got rejected but unlike the previous years where I would have rebelled against God and gotten angry I just brushed it off because I know God has a plan for me, he has a better job, a better career waiting and even i don’t have ever get a job. At least i know I have finally found what I was looking for and that was Jesus. He is my happiness. My depression, lust, jealousy, greed, anger, hatred, selfishness, etc. all vanish because I’m going after Jesus. I don’t care for worldly things anymore because I was once living for it and it gave me nothing but mental anguish.
Thank you Dan for the absolutetruthnet site, I read it everyday now and it’s bringing me closer to God.