Against All Odds

Posted by Steve, husband of Kim, and guest sandblogger during her Emmaus walk.

“I can’t take it anymore.” “Give me strength.” “I quit.” “What’s the use – it won’t work.” Life is certainly baptism by fire. We are challenged EVERY day; to be kind, to be courteous, to be honest, to be respectful, to be on time for work, to feed our children, to pay our bills, and the list goes on. With life comes difficulty. Some of it self inflicted, some of it thrust upon us unwillingly. We are strapped for time and often money as we try to make it from one day to the next. We hear catchy little phrases like “the glass is half full” or “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” Fine and dandy until you come face to face with a wall that you know you CANNOT climb. The picture that accompanies this post is similar to the one that actually started my mind down this path. The picture is a flower growing where logic says it cannot. The original picture is of a petunia growing about half way up a set of brick stairs at the church where we have our Emmaus events. The stairs are brick held together by mortar – nowhere for a root to take hold….yet, there it is. When we hit that wall, can’t go on, know that success is impossible ---- turn to God (should have turned to God first, but that will have to continue into another post… we are, after all, imperfect humans striving to get it right). Philippians 4:13 says I can do all things through God strengthens me. When you are down there where the brick and mortar come together, stretch out your hand and touch what God gives – growth.