DWELL IN POSSIBILITY

©CherieElainePhotography2020

Childhood wonder and abandonment makes kids believe they can do anything. 

My grandkids are great examples of this. 

My youngest grandson is quite small for his age, but it doesn't deter him in the least. He shimmies up a tree with a swiftness only a monkey should possess and he does it without fear because he believes he can reach the top branch. And he does! Then with the same confidence he had going up, he climbs back down. 

Another grandson was recently standing on one of those mushroom bouncing seats at the park, eyeing the monkey bars. I could see his wheels turning and before I could say stop, he jumped for the highest bar. And he made it. Just because he thought he could. 

Kids dwell in possibility. They don't doubt they can do anything they want. They are where ballerinas and firemen are born. They count on their sense of wonder to encourage them that they can. And then they try. 

That first attempt at riding a bike might leave a kid crying, mad, even bleeding. They may even walk away for a small time. But the determination to learn to control that bike comes back. They know they can tackle those two wheels and take control. The magic comes from the desire to DO and believing they CAN. 

Maybe this is why Jesus said to become like little children. He wanted us to live with abandon and faith and possibility of who we can be. His Word says to commit our work to Him, and He will make the way. 

I learned a hard lesson this month about redeeming the time. I've been begging God to please make me a professional photographer who earns a living at it. I am a professional, and once upon a time, I was very financially successful with it. Something spooked me. I got off the bike. I didn't go back to ride it again. 

I've been unemployed for the month of January until yesterday. In all of my begging God to make me a photographer, he gave me 26 days to indulge in BEING one! I could have gotten back on the bike. I could have taken beautiful photographs every single day. I could have been redeeming the time. I missed the opportunity because I wasn't dwelling in possibility.  

As adults, we need to pay attention. We need to approach God with the heart of being his CHILD. We need to climb knowing we can and that what goes up can come down. We need to jump in the faith that we can reach the highest point from where we are, knowing He is going to catch us. 

I thought too small. I thought I needed a job. I set an intention for 2020 to do 50 photo shoots/sessions/projects during the year. Do you know how many times I was engaging my camera in January? FOUR. Out of 26 days, I only spent four of them doing what I begged God to allow me to do. 

Children look ahead of themselves. They make plans. They take risks. They pretend and practice and play at it. They see more, believe more, and want to be more. 

Oh to have faith like a child, to never lose our sense of wonder. My prayer now is that I will have eyes wide open to see and seize opportunities! God was answering my prayer, but in a way that I didn't see. Now I am back to a desk job, wishing I was out in the wonderful world taking photographs of all of it. 

His ways are not our ways. Oh Lord, that we would see the possibility to do more, and seize the the days You give to us, that we could redeem the time, and see our circumstances through Your eyes. Lord, give us faith like a child. 

I love you.