One of my fondest memories from childhood was learning to ride my bike! I had gotten the bike for Christmas. I remember waking up and finding, a beautiful shiny bike in shades of pink and grey with the words "Sea Princess" written down the frame accented with pictures of seashells, under the Christmas tree. It was prettier than I had ever imagined! That following spring my dad taught me to ride that bike. I think one of the reasons I treasure that memory is because my dad worked two jobs most of my childhood so there was not a lot of time to do things like that together. He held the back of the banana seat to help steady me and I peddled away. I remember saying something to him and he did not respond. I turned around to see if he was still there....but he wasn't he had let go several feet back and I was peddling on my own! He was there cheering me on, encouraging me that I could do it! (As soon as I realized that he wasn't there I panicked and crashed!)
This weekend some of our friends from out of town came with their three boys for a visit. Most of the weekend the kids played outside riding their bikes around the block over and over.....there was Hunter, following along trying to keep up on his razor scooter....By Sunday evening he was done trying to keep up on the scooter. He set his mind to riding his bike on his own....and that he did! With practice and determination he taught himself to ride his bike! He came in and asked me to come out and watch, I could not help but cheer him on, yelling down the block, "You can do it! You can do it! Awesome!!"
That phrase, "You can do it." reminded me of something Luci Swindoll said at Women of Faith (in Indy). When Luci asked her roommate why she did such big extravagant things, the roommates response was, "No one told me I couldn't do it." I started to think about that.....Have I been told I could not do things? Have I told my children they could not do things?
As a mother I do find myself telling my kids "No, you can't do that." Sometimes it is for valid reasons like having cake for breakfast. But, other times I think I don't even really think about it, I just respond with a "No you can't." I want my kids to dream big, and not be boxed in by a simple phrase. I want to cheer them on and encourage them that they can do it.
But, I also realized that not only do I tell my children that they can't do it, sometimes I tell myself that. I convince myself that I cannot do things that God is calling me to. Many times it is based out of fear.... fear of failure, fear of others opinions, fear of the risk that may need to be taken, fear of the commitment it may take, sometimes it is even out of fear of thinking too much of myself. I have convinced myself for the past year that I could not write the things I know God has asked me to.
I am on a journey of stepping out of the "I can't" box and into true faith. Asking God to help me overcome the fear and do what He has asked of me. As I am maneuvering this journey there is a balance that must be maintained. A balance that reminds me that I CAN do it, but also reminds me that I, ALONE, cannot do it. A balance that is not easy to maintain, but is required. A balance that is found in two verses........
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5
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"I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13
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