Second, Joe inspired Kathleen to find the courage she never knew she had and then – and this is absolutely key – he helped her find a new path to pursue. The battle to save her business is over and she has lost. The Little Bookstore Around the Corner has closed its doors for the last time, and the two are sitting face to face on a park bench. Ironically, Kathleen “reveals” to Joe that her inspiration for beginning to write children’s books actually originated from NY152.
Two lessons are evident here.
Lesson one is that the Lord will always create or reveal a new direction for you when you need it. If you are ever ‘downsized’ or otherwise find yourself in desperate need of a new path, then you can expect something different to become available to you.
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”
Lesson two is that Jesus is all about making all things new.
“Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
Kathleen had to release her past in order to find her future. She had to surrender her small life in order to receive the abundant life. She had to leave her old path in order to locate the new path.
Jesus specializes in new starts. When he first called Peter, James and John, they were fishermen. They were very discouraged after fishing all night, and catching nothing. Jesus came along and told them to toss out their nets one more time. They did. They caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.
Afterwards Jesus said,
“Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.”
Notice the instruction to have courage, followed by instructions for a career change?
Joe gave Kathleen courage to fight a battle, but even more, he gave her courage to endure the loss and to experience victory on the other side.
Two lessons are evident here.
Lesson one is that the Lord will always create or reveal a new direction for you when you need it. If you are ever ‘downsized’ or otherwise find yourself in desperate need of a new path, then you can expect something different to become available to you.
“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland.”
Isaiah 43:18-19
Lesson two is that Jesus is all about making all things new.
“Whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.”
Matthew 10:39
Kathleen had to release her past in order to find her future. She had to surrender her small life in order to receive the abundant life. She had to leave her old path in order to locate the new path.
Jesus specializes in new starts. When he first called Peter, James and John, they were fishermen. They were very discouraged after fishing all night, and catching nothing. Jesus came along and told them to toss out their nets one more time. They did. They caught such a large number of fish that their nets began to break.
Afterwards Jesus said,
“Don’t be afraid; from now on you will catch men.”
Luke 5:10
Notice the instruction to have courage, followed by instructions for a career change?
Joe gave Kathleen courage to fight a battle, but even more, he gave her courage to endure the loss and to experience victory on the other side.
Having courage doesn’t mean that you don’t feel the fear – it means that you don’t bow down to it.You may feel the fear, but you can determine not to let it rule your existence. Do not let fear keep your life small. Courage may not prevent calamity from occurring in your life, but it will prevent it from destroying you.
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