“Set a goal so big you cannot achieve it until you grow into the person who can.”

Don’t settle.  You have a dream you go for it.  People are going to say whatever they want.  They can only see from their perspective and that dream isn’t in their heart.  Most people give up on their desires.  They do not continue forward and cannot imagine someone doing so.  They can only see failure because they give up when things get hard.

Remember when you were almost one of them?

Remember when you thought you wouldn’t make it out of that one situation?

Remember when you couldn’t imagine your life working out without that one thing?  Your life was hanging in the balance of this one moment.  You had to choose.

One choice has everything you’ve ever dreamed of and a life of familiarity.

The other is more lit up and inviting for some reason, but filled with the unknown.

Did you make the right one?  It was a 50/50 shot.

You think you did.  It wasn’t comfortable and maybe felt like you would die, but in your heart you know that path had to be taken.

On your first step you got knocked down.

It may have taken you a while to get up.  That’s ok.

You may have felt punched in the gut and while you were at it kicked in the shins and your face beaten.

Look at you.

There you lay covered in mud.

But, you’re breathing.

You are.

You survived.

What now?

You’re either going to continue existing or come alive.

You are still serving a purpose.

Now, you have to continue forward.

How did you get up with no energy?  You had to crawl to your knees first.

Baby steps.  But, you did it.

Ok.  Now it’s time to stand.

A little wobbly.  Afraid you may fall again you sit.  Sitting is good.  You have to get your bearings.

Ok. Keep going.

Ok. Good.  One step at a time.  You’re kneeling now.  One foot out.  You press your hand on your knee to help push you forward.

Good.

You stood up.

Ok, maybe you are mostly hunched over.  But, you’re doing it.  You’re standing now.

Look at you.  You have a bloody nose and cuts everywhere, but you made it.

You survived what you thought would kill you.

People tried to push you over with their words.  They tried to tell you that you wouldn’t make it.  They talked at you.  Some may have yelled at you.  They mocked your efforts.  They watched from a far whispering all the ways you would fall down.  They knew you wouldn’t make it.  You were fighting so hard in vain and looked insane doing so.

They were waiting for you to cave and couldn’t wait to say, “I told you so”.

Remember when it was you?  Remember when you were your own worst enemy?

Remember when you had to defeat the old you?

Remember when you wanted to quit?

But, you didn’t.

You kept fighting.

You’re unstoppable now.

Now, it’s quiet and you have room to breathe.

… and you realized you never liked being comfortable anyway.

“HUMBLE YOURSELVES THEREFORE UNDER THE MIGHTY HAND OF GOD, THAT HE MAY EXALT YOU IN DUE TIME: CASTING ALL YOUR CARE UPON HIM; FOR HE CARETH FOR YOU. BE SOBER, BE VIGILANT; BECAUSE YOUR ADVERSARY THE DEVIL, AS A ROARING LION, WALKETH ABOUT, SEEKING WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR: WHOM RESIST STEDFAST IN THE FAITH, KNOWING THAT THE SAME AFFLICTIONS ARE ACCOMPLISHED IN YOUR BRETHREN THAT ARE IN THE WORLD.” – 1 PETER 5:6-9