Never say Never

As I was sitting at our cute table with the plastic yellow tablecloth drinking a cup of coffee (yes I was drinking coffee), I couldn’t help but think about how much has changed in my life. You know how there are things in life that you say you would never do, but they still seem to happen whether your will is for or against that something. What brought this thought to mind was the fact I was drinking coffee. Never did I think I would ever try to drink a cup of coffee and never did I think I would willingly pour myself a cup.

Some other “nevers” that I have succumbed to are bell-bottom jeans. Once upon a time in 10th grade I actually wore a pair of jeans more than once that closely imitated the style of bell-bottoms. To this day, I don’t know exactly what I was thinking. Another “never” in my life is that I told myself that I would never stop running. Here I am in Mexico having run once in the last two weeks. A few good excuses come to mind for this mental line I have crossed as I am still learning my whereabouts here in Guadalajara, the altitude of 5000 feet causes me to tire easily, I am unsure as to whether I should run alone and with teaching it is hard to find a good time to put my Asics on and go. But excuses are that, excuses.

Do these “nevers” come to play because of circumstances or because I am changing who I am? Granted these “nevers” mentioned in this little essay are hardly of import in the grand scheme of things. But it is something that stopped my thoughts this morning and I thought worthy to write a thing or two.

What if bigger “nevers” start to happen? I say that I will never deny my Lord but so did Peter. He denied Christ three times after refusing the thought to enter his mind. I pray that He will give me the strength to do what I may be incapable of doing myself. And I trust that He who can change lives and make some “nevers” absolute “yeses” as He draws us sinners close to Him, that He too can hold me up daily as I am unable to do so. Funny how I so often put limits on Christ, I limit Him as I think of my life in terms of me instead of opening up my eyes to what He has in store for me. His ways are not my ways and His ways or vision is much grander than mine will ever be. I may try to plan my life and believe me, I have tried to do this, but as it says in Proverbs 19:21 "Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails."

Never did I think 4 years ago that I would be teaching at a school in Guadalajara, Mexico, but Christ knew. Never did I think that I would feel called to be a missionary and I honestly don’t know even now what that looks like. Two years ago never would I have thought that I would be graduated from college and single. But as I sit here and ponder life, I would never want it any different. And change is good, of that I am sure as I have witnessed it many a time in my life. So with these thoughts I better get back to the now cold coffee that I said I would never enjoy. Cheers!