Category Archives: Inspiration

Short stories Ken has written, often with music and animation that move your heart, stir your thoughts, and inspire you to greater things. They’re great for youth ministry or also for children and adults!

Dividing Souls

Two boy scouts went on a nature hike in the hills picking up hickory nuts along the way. They quickly filled their small pails and started to fill their pockets and shirts.

When they couldn’t carry any more nuts they walked down the country road until they came across a cemetery. One of the boys decided the cemetery would be a good place to stop, rest, and divide out the nuts.

The two boys sat in the shade of a large oak tree. They unloaded their pockets and pails dumping all the nuts in a large pile. While dividing their bounty, two of the nuts rolled away and came to rest near the road. The boys continued to divide the nuts among them. “One for you. One for me. One for you. One for me”

As they were doing this, a young boy happened to pass by and hear their voices. He looked into the cemetery but could not see the boys as they were hidden by the tree. He hesitated a moment and then ran back to town.

“Father, Father,” he yelled as he entered his house. “The cemetery. Come quick!!!” “What’s the matter?” the father asked. “No time to explain.” the boy frantically panted. “Follow me!!!”

The boy and the father ran up the country road and stopped when they reached the cemetery. They stopped at the side of the road, and fell silent for a few moments. Then the father asked his son what was wrong. Do you hear that? He whispered.

Both listened intently and heard the Scouts. “One for me. One for you. One for me One for you.” The boy then blurted out, “The devil and the Lord are dividing the souls!!”

The father was skeptical but silent. A few moments later the Scouts completed dividing out the nuts. One Scout said to the other: “Now as soon as we get those two nuts down by the road we’ll have them all.”

1 Peter 5:8: Peter warns the believers who are under persecution to be on the alert because our “adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”

There is a struggle between God and the Devil, but the Devil Will Not Win

  • 1 John 3:8: “The Son of God appeared to destroy the works of the devil.”
  • Hebrews 2:14: “Christ took on human nature that through death he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil.”
  • Colossians 2:15: “God disarmed the principalities and powers and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in him.”
  • Mark 3:27: “No one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man.”
  • Revelation 20:10 says one day the warfare will be over: “The devil . . . [will be] thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone . . . and will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” (See Matthew 8:29; 25:41)
  • James 4:7: “Resist the devil, and he will flee from you!”

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer

Robert May worked in the advertising department of Montgomery Ward, the 2nd largest department store chain in America at the time.

In 1939, he was asked to create a children’s book for Christmas about an animal to give as a gift to their customers. But the year proved difficult, as May’s wife died from cancer. The future was bleak as he was forced to raise his young daughter alone. On September 1st, 1939 World War II broke out, bringing an uncertain future, and dark times for the whole world.

As Robert sat down to write, he was inspired by his daughter’s love for a deer at the local zoo. He created Rudolph, a shiny-nosed reindeer as a symbol for himself and his young daughter that happier times were coming.

When the story was released for Christmas, It was an instant hit. 2.4 million copies of the children’s book were given as gifts. They would have given away even more if there hadn’t been wartime restrictions on the use of paper.

The story of Rudolph the red-nosed reeindeer was made into a song, and then into a movie as well. The movie has been broadcast every year since 1964, making it the longest-running Christmas TV special in the history of television.

It is perhaps a fitting story for 2020, as the world struggles with Covid-19.

A terrible storm threatened to cancel Christmas. Rudolph, a young reindeer with a bright red nose, felt left out, alone, isolated. But in the midst of the gloom, Rudolph found his purpose and shined brightly in the darkness. And in doing so, he made a joyful Christmas possible for everyone.

If you are feeling alone, isolated.
If the future seems bleak.
Remember the story of Rudolph.

God created you with a purpose.
Embrace your special God-given talents.
You too can shine the light of His love this Christmas
And bring a little joy to the whole World.

As you remind everyone that they are not alone.
A bright future lies ahead
The “Light of the World” came
That all might have hope and future
In the accepting embrace of God’s Love.

Story of the Diamond Dealer – What’s your Passion?

A story illustrating the difference between knowing something and having passion about something.

Winston was a famous New York diamond dealer. He arranged a meeting with a merchant who wanted to add a unique diamond to his collection.

“I have the perfect diamond for you. Please come see me. I am sure this diamond is exactly what you are looking for.”

The collector flew to New York and Winston assigned a salesman to meet him and show him the diamond. When the salesman presented the diamond to the merchant he described the expensive stone by pointing out all its fine technical features. The merchant listened and praised the stone but turned away and said, “It’s a wonderful stone but not exactly what I wanted.”

Winston, who had been watching the presentation from a distance, stopped the merchant and asked, “Do you mind if I show you the diamond once again?” The merchant agreed and Winston presented the same stone. But, instead of talking about the technical features of the stone, Winston spoke spontaneously about his own genuine admiration of the diamond and what a rare thing of beauty it was. Abruptly, the customer changed his mind and bought the diamond.

While he was waiting for the diamond to be packaged and brought to him, the merchant turned to Winston and asked, “Why did I buy it from you when I had no difficulty saying no to your salesman?”

Winston replied, “The salesman is one of the best in the business and he knows more about diamonds than I do. I pay him a good salary for what he knows. But I would gladly pay him twice as much, if I could put into him something I have and he lacks. You see, he knows diamonds, but I love them.”

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs; ask yourself what makes you come alive. And then go and do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
— Howard Thurman, Author and Philosopher

Do we simply know God, or do we love God? Is God our Passion?

Scriptures on Passion for God

  • Matthew 22:37 – And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.”
  • 1 Corinthians 8:3 – But if anyone loves God, he is known by God.
  • Revelation 2:4 – I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first.
  • Luke 10:38-42 – Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things, but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”
  • Mark 12:29-34 – Jesus answered, “The most important is, ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” And the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher. You have truly said that he is one, and there is no other besides him. And to love him with all the heart and with all the understanding and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is much more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

Puppies for Sale


A shop owner placed a sign above his door that said: “Puppies For Sale.”

Signs like that have a way of attracting young children. Soon a young boy appeared under the store owner’s sign.

“How much are you going to sell the puppies for?” he asked.

The shop owner replied, “Some are thirty dollars, some are more.”

The boy reached into his pocket and pulled out some change. After counting it, he said, “I have two dollars and thirty-seven cents” he said. “Can I please look at them?”

“Well, I’m afraid I can’t sell you one of these puppies for a two dollars and thirty-seven cents. You’ll have to save your money and come back next time we have more puppies for sale.”

About that time, the store owner’s wife brought out another puppy that had been hidden in the back of the store. It was smaller than the other puppies, and had a bad leg. It couldn’t stand up very well, and when it tried to walk, it limped.

Immediately the young boy pointed to the limping puppy and said, “What’s wrong with that little dog?”

The shop owner explained. The veterinarian had examined the little puppy and discovered it didn’t have a hip socket. It would always limp. It would always be lame.

“Oh I wish I had the money to buy that puppy!” exclaimed the boy with excitement. “That’s the puppy I would choose!”

The shop owner said, “Well that puppy is not for sale, son. But if you really want him I”ll give him to you. No charge.”

The young boy got upset. He looked straight into the store owner’s eyes, pointing his finger, and said; “I don’t want you to give him to me. That little dog is worth every bit as much as all the other dogs and I’ll pay full price. In fact, I’ll give you $2.37 now, and 50 cents a month until I have him paid for.”

The store owner was perplexed. “You don’t want to spend your money on this little dog, son. He is never going to be able to run and play with you like other puppies.”

To his surprise, the little boy reached down and rolled up his pant leg to reveal a badly twisted, crippled left leg. The leg was supported by a big metal brace. He looked up at the shop owner and softly replied, “I don’t run so well myself, and the little puppy will need someone who understands!”

The man was now biting his bottom lip. Tears welled up in his eyes. He smiled and said, “Son, I hope and pray that every one of these puppies will have an owner such as you.”

We ALL need someone who understands!

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

 

MAKE IT SPIRITUAL

  • Do you enjoy shopping? Why or why not?
  • How much money did you spend yesterday?
  • Where did you spend it?
  • What did you spend it on?
  • What is something that you have bought recently that cost a lot of money?
  • What is the most valuable thing that you own?
  • What is the most expensive thing you’ve ever bought?
  • Have you ever bought something second hand (i.e. used)? Would you pay full price for it?
  • When we are told that God bought us at a price and that price was his most valuable possession, his Son, how does that make you feel?
  • If someone trades their most valuable possession for something else, what does that tell you about the thing that they traded for? How valuable is it?

Scripture says that we were “bought with a price.” (1 Corinthians 6:20; 1 Corinthians 7:23) Jesus paid a very high price for you when he went to the cross. He did it because he loves you and wants you to be with him. And he understands what you are going through. As it says in the book of Isaiah, he was the “Suffering Servant” who “bore our iniquities.” He took all of the pain we deserve upon himself. (See also 1 Peter 2:24)

You may feel like an outcast, a nobody. You may think nobody likes you, that nobody wants you. You may be suffering, going through difficult times. Through all of that, you can be sure that Jesus understands. He knows exactly how you feel.

MAKE IT PRACTICAL

  • Do you belong to Christ?
  • What should our response be, knowing that we were bought at a high price?
  • How can we glorify God with our bodies, our actions, everything we are and do?

MAKE IT PERSONAL

  • Knowing that you are God’s most valuable possession, how does that make you feel?
  • What can you do this week to show your gratitude to God for what he has done for you?

SCRIPTURES

  • Isaiah 53:5 – “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”
  • 1 Corinthians 6:20 “you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.” (NIV)
  • 1 Corinthians 7:23 “You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.” (NASB)
  • 1 Peter 2:24 – “He himself bore our sins” in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; “by his wounds you have been healed.” (NIV)

Born to Fly

Once, there was a blizzard high in the mountains. A nest, near the summit, broke apart in the fierce winds. A single eagle’s egg fell out and slid down the side of the mountain on the snow. Miraculously, it was not broken as it careened down rocky slopes all the way into the valley below.

It came to rest, unscathed, in the tall grass near a nest of prairie chickens. The prairie chicken mother noticed the egg. Thinking it was one of her own that had fallen out, she picked it up and put it in her nest.

In time it hatched with the prairie chicks and grew up among them. The young eaglet grew very large and very powerful. Though he certainly didn’t look like a Prairie Chicken he acted like one.

He scratched in the dirt for seeds and insects to eat. He clucked and cackled. And he flew in a brief thrashing of wings and flurry of feathers no more than a few feet off the ground. After all, that’s how prairie chickens were supposed to fly.

One day, the little eagle and his prairie chicken siblings were out chasing bugs in the grass. A huge shadow fell over the land. They all looked up and saw the majestic sight of an eagle soaring high in the cloudless sky. Hanging with graceful majesty on powerful winds, it soared with scarcely a beat of its strong golden wings.

One of his “brothers” said, “I see that look in your eyes. You could never fly like that. The eagle is the greatest of all the birds. YOU ARE A PRAIRIE CHICKEN.”

For a moment, the little eagle thought he would bolt up out of the prairie chicken world and do great aerial exploits with the eagles. Then the thought passed. “You’re right,” he said. “I’m just a prairie chicken.”

He returned to looking for seeds and grubs, pecking out a mere existence. The eagle spent his whole life looking up at eagles, longing to join them among the clouds. It never once occurred to him to lift his wings and fly. The eagle died thinking it was a prairie chicken.

You can fly like an eagle or dig around in the dirt like a prairie chicken. Don’t listen to those around you. You were created to fly. Your full potential is waiting. Life with all its excitement is ready to be seized. It is time to give up your small ambitions. It’s time to take a leap like an eagle, to stretch your wings, to rise above the mountains and soar through the clouds.

Choose to fly!

TAKE IT TO THE NEXT LEVEL

Make it Practical

  • What are some of the things we hear from others around us?
  • What are some of the labels people place on us?
  • What are some of the positive and negative messages we hear today?

Make it Spiritual

You were born to fly. But some of you think and act like prairie chickens because the world keeps telling you that’s what you are. God created you “a little lower than the angels.” Do you ever feel like there’s something more to life than what you are experiencing? Look up! Lift your wings and fly! God wants you to be all that you were created to be. The apostle Peter writes in I Peter 1:14, “As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.” In other words, “Stop living like eagles who think they are prairie chickens.” You are no longer ignorant. You know who and what you are. You are born again through the living and enduring Word of God. Now live that way. Spread your wings and fly.

  • What are some of the things the Bible says about us?
  • What are some things God says about us?
  • How should these things influence the life that we live?

Make it Personal

  • What messages do you hear that have the greatest impact on you?
  • How can we respond to the messages of the world around us?
  • How do we respond the messages from God?
  • Name one piece of advice you think God would give you today.

Scripture Verses

 

  • 1 Corinthians 2:9 – “However, as it is written: ‘What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived’— the things God has prepared for those who love him.” (NIV)
  • Isaiah 40:31 – “but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (NIV)
  • Ephesians 3:20 – “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us” (NIV)
  • Mark 10:29-30 – “‘Truly I tell you,’ said Jesus, ‘no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for My sake and for the gospel will fail to receive a hundredfold in the present age — houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and fields, along with persecutions — and to receive eternal life in the age to come.'” (NIV)
  • Psalm 84:11 – “For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless.” (NIV)
  • Matthew 7:24-27 – “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” (NIV)
  • Psalm 8:3-8 – “When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild,
    the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas.” (NIV)
  • Hebrews 2:7 – “You made them a little lower than the angels; you crowned them with glory and honor.” (NIV)
  • 1 Peter 1:14 – “As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.” (NIV)

The Poor Family

One day the father of a wealthy family took his son on a trip to the country to show him how poor people live.

They spent a couple of days and nights on the farm of a very poor family.

After returning home, the father asked his son, “How was the trip?”

“It was great, Dad.”

“Did you see how poor people live?” the father asked.

“Oh yes”, said the son.

“So, What did you learn from the trip?” asked the father.

The son answered:

“I learned that we have one dog and they had four.”

“We have a pool that reaches to the middle of the garden and they have a creek that has no end.”

“We have imported lanterns in our garden and they have the stars at night.”

“Our patio reaches to the front yard and they have the whole horizon.”

“We have a small piece of land to live on and they have fields that stretch as far as the eye can see.”

“We buy our food, but they grow theirs.”

“We have paid servants to serve us, but they happily serve each other.”

“We have walls around our property to protect us, they have friends to protect them.”

The boy’s father was speechless.

Then his son added:
“Thanks, Dad for showing me how poor we are.”

Two Frogs

Two Frogs: a story on dealing with discouraging words

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A story on how we can deal with discouraging words

A group of frogs were hopping contentedly through the woods, chasing after flies. Suddenly, two of them slipped into a deep hole, hidden by loose grass and weeds.

The other frogs gathered around the deep hole. They sadly knew their amphibious friends were doomed.

The two frogs in the hole leaped with all their strength, but were unable to escape.

“Give up,” the other frogs consoled them. “You are as good as dead. You can’t succeed. Why waste your time trying? It’s impossible. The hole is too deep. You will never make it out!”

But still the two frogs kept trying.

The crowd yelled louder, “You wouldn’t be in this situation if you had been more careful. Save your energy. There is no hope.” In time, one of the frogs gave in to what the others were saying. Exhausted, he resolved himself to his fate, lay down at the bottom of the pit and “croaked” and died.

The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could even though his body ached with pain.

Once again, his companions began yelling, “Just give up. Stop the pain. There’s no need to struggle. Accept your fate. You’re wasting your time and effort.”

But the weary frog jumped harder and harder. Finally, with one mighty lunge, the frog leaped to the very top of the hole barely grasping its edge. He pulled himself to safety.

Amazed, the other frogs celebrated his freedom. They gathering around him and asked, “Why did you continue jumping when we told you it was impossible?”

The escaped frog looked at them and said: “Thank you! Thank you very much!”

The other frogs were puzzled and asked. “Why are you thanking us?”

The escaped frog then answered: “Pardon? What did you say? Sorry, I have a bit of a hearing problem”.

“I’m really thankful to you. While I was trapped down in the hole, I was about to give up. I couldn’t hear what you were shouting but it meant so much to me that you were cheering me on! You never gave up on me. Because of your encouragement, I was inspired to try harder and I was able to escape”.

You can accomplish amazing feats when you turn a deaf ear to the discouraging words of negative naysayers.

And think about what you say before it comes out of your mouth. It might just be the difference between life and death.

The Butterfly

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Gardener held a delicate cocoon in the palm of his hand.

“What’s that?” The young boy asked.

“Why it’s a cocoon,” replied the gardener. “Inside is a caterpillar. He’s in the dark. But when he’s ready, he’ll break out and turn into a wondrous and beautiful butterfly.”

“Can I have it?” asked the young boy.”

“Of course,” answered the gardener. “But first, you must promise that you won’t open the cocoon for the butterfly when he begins to break out.”

The young boy agreed and took the cocoon home with him.

The very next day, the cocoon began to tremble and the butterfly fought hard to escape. The entire cocoon shook and trembled with the butterfly’s efforts to emerge. The struggle went on for what seemed like an eternity to the concerned young boy. He became so distressed over the butterfly’s struggle that he decided to help and broke open the cocoon.

He continued to watch, eager to see the butterfly soar with its beautiful wings. Unfortunately, the butterfly just crawled around with withered wings and a huge body. It died, never able to fly.

The boy returned to the gardener crying and cradling the dead butterfly in his hand.

“You helped the butterfly escape from the cocoon, didn’t you?” the gardener asked.

“With tears in his eyes; the boy admitted that he had opened the cocoon.”

“What you didn’t understand,” the gardener said, “was that the butterfly had to go through the struggle. Only then could he transform from a lowly caterpillar to a magnificent butterfly. Only then would he expand his wings and be able to fly. By trying to make it easier for him, you actually made it harder for him; in this case, impossible to fly. You killed him with good intentions.”

Sometimes, a little extra effort is precisely what prepares us for the next obstacle in life. If we never experience the struggle, we will never be able to fly!

The Old Tree

Once upon a time there was a leafy tree in a field. Leaves grew densely on the tall branches. The roots were deeply into the ground. The tree was the most remarkable among the rest.

The tree then became the home for some birds. They built their nests and they lived on his branches. The birds made holes on him, and they hatched their eggs within the greatness of the tree. The tree felt so delighted because he was accompanied as he walked through his long lasting days.

People were grateful for the presence of the tree. They often came over and sheltered under him. Under his branches, they sat down and opened their picnic baskets. “This tree is very useful,” that’s what the people said every time they went home from shelter. The tree was very proud hearing those compliments.

However, time went on. The tree was beginning to be sick. His leaves and twigs were falling, then his body became thin and pale. The greatness he used to have was fading away. Birds felt reluctant to build their nests there. No one would come to sit under the tree to shelter anymore.

The tree wept, “Oh God, why is it so hard for me? I need friends. Now no one would come close to me. Why do you take all the glory I used to have?” The tree cried loudly, so it echoed throughout the forest. “Why wouldn’t you cut me down, so I don’t have to bear this suffering?” The tree kept on crying, and his tears were running down his dry body.

Seasons came and went, but his condition had not changed. The tree was still feeling lonely. His branches became drier and drier. Every night the tree wept and cried, until the morning broke.

“Cheep…chirp….cheep” Ah, what was that noise? Oh, it’s a little baby bird who has just pipped from the egg. The old tree woke up from his daydream.

“Cheep…chirp…cheep”, the noise became louder and louder. There was another baby bird. Not long after that, the tree became noisy because of the birth of new baby birds. One…two…three…and four baby birds have been born to this world. “Ah, He has answered my prayers,” exclaimed the old tree.

The day after, there were many birds flying to the old tree. They were going to build new nests. The dry branches have turned out to attract their attention to nest there. The birds felt warmer to stay inside the dry branches instead of their place before. The number of birds was increasing and there were more kinds of them. “Wow, now my days are brighter with their presence here”, murmured the old tree gladly.

The old tree was back to cheer again. And when he looked down, his heart was flowing with joy. There was a new little tree growing near his roots. The new tree seemed to smile at him. The tears of the old tree has grown a little tree who would continue his devotion to nature.

Only God knows the plans he has for us. Do not despair!

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
Jeremiah 29:11

Author Unknown, Source Unknown


MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…

The Train Of Life

Some folks ride the train of life,
Looking out the rear,
Watching miles of life roll by,
And marking every year.

They sit in sad remembrance,
Of wasted days gone by,
And think the best is what once was,
And hang their heads and cry.

But I don’t concern my self with that,
I take a different vent,
I look forward to what life holds,
And not what has been spent.

I want to see what’s coming up,
Not look back at the past,
Life’s too short for yesterdays,
It moves along too fast.

I want to feel the wind of change,
Blowing in my face,
I want to see what life unfolds,
As I move from place to place .

Life’s best moments are yet to be,
And wait around the bend.
New relations and adventures,
That the future’s sure to send.

So if the ride gets bumpy,
While you are looking back,
Go up front, and you may find,
Your life has jumped the track.

Years may blur your memories,
So you can’t tell the details apart.
But nothing blurs the moments..
They are etched upon your heart.

The enjoyment of living,
Is not where we have been,
It’s looking ever forward,
To another year and ten.

It’s searching all the byways,
Never should you refrain,
For if you want to live your life,
You’ve gotta drive the train!

Author Unknown


MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…

Eagles in a Storm

Did you know that an eagle knows when a storm is approaching long before it breaks?

The eagle will fly to some high spot and wait for the winds to come. When the storm hits, it sets its wings so that the wind will pick it up and lift it above the storm. While the storm rages below, the eagle is soaring above it.

The eagle does not escape the storm. It simply uses the storm to lift it higher. It rises on the winds that bring the storm.

When the storms of life come upon us – and all of us will experience them – we can rise above them by setting our minds and our belief toward God. The storms do not have to overcome us. We can allow God’s power to lift us above them.

God enables us to ride the winds of the storm that bring sickness, tragedy, failure and disappointment in our lives. We can soar above the storm.

Remember, it is not the burdens of life that weigh us down, it is how we handle them.


MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…

Most Beautiful Heart

One day a young man was standing in the middle of town proclaiming that he had the most beautiful heart in the whole world. A large crowd gathered and they all admired his heart for it was perfect.

There was not a mark or a flaw in it. Yes, they all agreed it truly was the most beautiful heart they had ever seen.
The young man was very proud and boasted more loudly about his beautiful heart.

Suddenly, an old man appeared at the front of the crowd and said, “Why your heart is not nearly as beautiful as mine.”

The crowd and the young man looked at the old man’s heart. It was beating strongly, but full of scars, it had places where pieces had been removed and other pieces put in, but they didn’t fit quite right and there were several jagged edges. In fact, in some places there were deep gouges where whole pieces were missing.

The people stared — how can he say his heart is more beautiful, they thought?

The young man looked at the old man’s heart and saw its state and laughed.

“You must be joking,” he said.
“Compare your heart with mine, mine is perfect and yours is a mess of scars and tears.”

“Yes,” said the old man, “Yours is perfect looking but I would never trade with you.

You see, every scar represents a person to whom I have given my love – I tear out a piece of my heart and give it to them, and often they give me a piece of their heart which fits into the empty place in my heart, but because the pieces aren’t exact, I have some rough edges, which I cherish, because they remind me of the love we shared.

“Sometimes I have given pieces of my heart away, and the other person hasn’t returned a piece of his heart to me. These are the empty gouges — giving love is taking a chance.

Although these gouges are painful, they stay open, reminding me of the love I have for these people too, and I hope someday they may return and fill the space I have waiting. So now do you see what true beauty is?”

The young man stood silently with tears running down his cheeks. He walked up to the old man, reached into his perfect young and beautiful heart, and ripped a piece out. He offered it to the old man with trembling hands

The old man took his offering, placed it in his heart and then took a piece from his old scarred heart and placed it in the wound in the young man’s heart.

It fit, but not perfectly, as there were some jagged edges. The young man looked at his heart, not perfect anymore but more beautiful than ever, since love from the old man’s heart flowed into his.

They embraced and walked away side by side.

 


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Why Evergreen Trees Never Lose Their Leaves

christmas_tree.jpgA Christmas Legend

Winter was coming, and the birds had flown far to the south, where the air was warm and they could find berries to eat. Yet one little bird sat alone. It had broken its wing and could not fly to warmer weather with the others.

“Beautiful birch, may I live among your branches till spring?” it asked.
“We of the great forest only help our own. I can do nothing for you.” said the birch.

“Great oak, you are so strong, will you not let me live on your boughs till springtime?” “Springtime?” questioned the oak. “That is a long time. Birds are always looking for something to eat, and you might eat up some of my acorns.”

Its wing was not yet strong, but it in desperation it began to fly away as well as it could.

Before it had gone far a voice was heard.
“Little bird,” it said, “where are you going?”
“Indeed, I do not know,” answered the bird sadly.

“Come here, then,” said the spruce tree, for it was her voice that had called. “You shall live on my warmest branch all winter if you choose. I haven’t food, but here is the branch where my leaves are thickest and softest.”

“My branches are not very thick,” said the pine, “but I am big and strong, and I can keep the North Wind from you and the spruce.”

A small juniper tree was hardly of notice. “I can give you berries all winter long, and every bird knows that juniper berries are good.”

So the spruce gave the little bird a home; the pine kept the cold North Wind away; and the juniper gave it berries to eat.

The other trees looked on and talked together.
“I would not have strange birds on my boughs,” said the birch.
“I shall not give my acorns away for any one,” said the oak.
And the trees drew their leaves close about them.

In the morning all those leaves lay on the ground, for a cold North Wind had come in the night, and every leaf that it touched fell from the tree.

“May I touch every leaf in the forest?” asked the wind in its frolic.

“Yes,” said the Frost King. “But spare those trees that have given to one in need. For they will always have life in abundance.”

“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’”
– Matthew 25:40

Copyright 2005 by Ken Sapp

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Reflections

climber.gifA son and his father were walking in the crisp clean air of the Swiss Alps.

In rugged terrain, the son slips and falls – letting out a shout of pain:
“AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!”

To his surprise, he hears a voice repeating, somewhere in the mountain.
“AAAhhhhhhhhhhh!!!”

Curious, he yells: “Who are you?”
He receives the answer: “Who are you?”

Angered at the apparently mocking response, he screams: “Coward!”
He hears the reply: “Coward!”

In confusion, he looks to his father who says: “My son, pay attention.”

He screams to the mountain: “I admire you!”
The voice answers: “I admire you!”

“You are a champion!”
The voice comes back: “You are a champion!”

The boy is surprised, but still so does not understand. The father continues:

“People call this ECHO, but really this is LIFE.
It gives you back everything you say or do.
Our life is simply a reflection of our actions.

If you want more love in the world, find more love in your heart.
If you want to challenge others to new heights, climb the mountains God sends your way!

“Life will give you back everything you have given to it.”

Your life is not a coincidence. It is a reflection of you!

“The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him.
– Matthew 12:35”

“Based upon an uncredited story circulating the internet.”


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Transformed

Bald Eagles enjoy one of the longest life-spans among birds. They can live more than 50 years. But in order to survive that long, they have to make a critical decision.

In time, their claws weaken and it is hard for them to catch prey.
Their beaks grow long and curved almost touching their chest.
Their wings become heavy due to thick and long feathers.

If they want to survive and prosper, they must undergo a painful transformation.
The alternative is death.

Change is painful.
Beaks are broken against the rocks.
Claws are pulled from their talons, one by one.
Feathers are painfully plucked until the eagle is bare.

Five months later, the eagles will fly again with
Sleak new feathers,
Razor sharp claws, and
A sharp new beak able to tear into its prey.

Sometimes we have to make difficult decisions in life in order to embark on a new journey. It may be painful to let go, but the alternative is even more painful.

Its time for you to let go of the old,
Grow into new habits,
Sharpen your skills,
And let yourself fly once again.

“You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.”
– Ephesians 4:22-24

Copyright 2006 by Ken Sapp
See flash video of my writing (minus the scripture at the end)


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Crossing the Line

alamo.jpgCommitment can be costly. Yet there are times when there is no cost that is too high, there is no line we will not cross to accomplish that which we truly believe in.

On March 3, 1836 the cannons fell silent for a few moments. The Alamo, a small fort, was defended by a mere 190 men, but was surrounded by thousands of Mexican soldiers. The Mexican army, under the leadership of General Santa Anna, was determined to put down a revolt of colonists seeking freedom and independence.

As the sun began to set, Commander Travis stood before the tired group of men. Legend recounts that he took his sword from his sheath, drew a line in the sand with its tip, and asked all that were willing to die for the cause of freedom to step over it. We don’t know why each man chose to cross, but in the end, all the defenders except one crossed the line, including the ailing Jim Bowie who asked that he be carried across in his cot.

The line in the sand may have been real or it may have been metaphorical, yet each man at the Alamo had already drawn a line in his heart and each had already crossed. They had committed their lives to a cause that they believed in — freedom.

Their attitude might best be illustrated by the final letter sent by Commander Travis seeking reinforcements:

” I am besieged with a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna. I have sustained a continual bombardment and cannonade for 24 hours and have not lost a man. The enemy has demanded surrender at discretion; otherwise, the garrison is to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken. I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, and our flag still waves proudly over the wall. I shall never surrender or retreat….”
He signed it with the following exclamation!

VICTORY OR DEATH

“Remember the Alamo” became the rallying cry of the Texas Revolution. Texas would later become a state of the USA, but people continue to remember the Alamo as a heroic struggle against overwhelming odds — a place where men made the ultimate sacrifice for something they believed in.

When faced with over-whelming odds, remember the Alamo.
Remember that freedom demands a price.
Remember that independence comes with a cost.
Remember that if you want to make a difference in the lives of others..
…its time to cross the line!

After all, Jesus crossed the line between heaven and earth and died for your freedom!

Copyright 2004 by Ken Sapp


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Inspirational Messages and ScreenSavers

Want to see some of my other inspirational messages (minus the scripture references and intended for public use)? Check out www.InspirationJunction.com/ken

You can download the windows screensavers for your PC and send the messages to friends for FREE. Almost my whole collection is there. You just have to add your own scriptures to the powerful inspirational stories.


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I Love You, Honey

They have been married for a long time. As usual they have their ups and downs. One day they had a big fight over his long working hours and things are falling apart. He was disappointed and she was angry.

After one week of silence treatment from her wife, he approached her with papers and pencils. He suggested that both of them sit down on the dining table and write down on paper what they are not happy about each other. They will then exchange the papers and discuss.

So the wife started to write without looking up because she has a lot to write about her frustration. The husband took a long look at the wife and he too started to write. After fifteen minutes of writing, they look at each other and exchange the papers.

The husband looked at the paper full of complaints. She was angry. When the wife looked at his paper, she was embarrassed and quickly tears away her own paper. On his paper, he wrote for two full pages:

“I love you, honey”

Author: Unknown
Source: Unknown


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Even Eagles Need a Push

Even the greatest and most powerful have weak moments. At such times, they may need a push before they stretch their wings and fly.

Golden and bald eagles are among the largest and most powerful birds in the world. Eagles are symbols of strength, bravery and courage — and proud independence. But their independence must be learned.

As young eaglets, the nest is comfortable, safe, and secure. But if the eaglets are to survive on their own, they must leave the comfort of the nest and learn to fly! To convince the eaglets that it is time to leave the parents make the nest uncomfortable by tearing up the bedding with their talons, allowing the sticks and sharp ends to be exposed.

The mother eagle then beats her wings at the eaglets, harassing them, and driving them forward. Cowering before such an attack, the little eaglets climb up on the edge of the nest, only to be pushed over the side by the mother eagle. The eaglet falls, its wings struggling to catch the air currents, but flopping out of control due to inexperience.

Just before the eaglet crashes upon the rocks below, the mother eagle swoops down, catches it on her back, and soars upward into the sky. Much relieved, the young eaglet feels safe, until suddenly, without warning, the mother eagle dives downward, depriving the little eaglet of its grip. Once again it finds itself plummeting toward the ground.

Repeatedly the eaglet is dumped then rescued until it learns to catch the rising air currents and ride the winds. Its wings strengthen and soon the eaglet soars high above the earth, taking on the character of a true eagle.

Unfortunately, some eaglets refuse to use their wings and fly. Eventually, the mother eagle soars high one final time with the eaglet on her back, and with a wild screech of disappointment and pain, she dives out from under it and flies away, leaving it to its fate — either “fly or die.”

Have you become too comfortable? Do you have a “fly or die” attitude. It’s time you gave your life a push and stretched your wings! If you never stretch your wings, you will never fly to greater heights.

“”Those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles”
– Isaiah 40:31

The Lord uphold all those who fall
and lifts up all those who are bowed down

Copyright 2003 by Ken Sapp


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Bamboo

Do not become weary in doing good.

[A special Flash Presentation.]
Please be patient as it make take some time to load depending on the speed of your connection.

Prepare the ground, plant a small bamboo seed, water it, and fertilize it for a whole year, and… except for a tiny sprout…

Nothing Happens.

Continue to water it regularly, and fertilize it for a second year, and then to your amazement…

Nothing Happens.

You’ll peer at it from all sides to discern if perhaps from some hidden place, something is growing?

Nothing Happens.

Year Three… Water it, fertilize it, lovingly clear the weeds away, and then…

Nothing Happens.

How discouraging this becomes! You planted your seed with love and hope. You obtained the best soil. You watered it faithfully and gave it the best fertilizer. Your reward?

Nothing Happens.

Year Four… Water it, fertilize it, and continue to care for the precious seed you planted and…

Nothing Happens.

You look around, noticing all the other plants in the garden have grown in leaps and bounds, stunning the eyes with their vibrant growth and life, gladdening the heart! But from your precious bamboo seed?

Nothing Happens.

For four years you’ll see nothing, except a tiny shoot sprouting from a bulb, no bigger than it was the first year. You can sing to it, encourage it, challenge it, get angry and throw up your hands in frustration.

You’ll want to pounce on it and stomp the life out of it! Then just when you’re ready to call it quits and lay down your watering can… sometime during the fifth year….

GROWTH!

In the six weeks that follow, the Chinese Bamboo tree grows as much as three feet per day, until it grows to be NINETY FEET TALL!

Life is often like the Chinese bamboo tree. It is discouraging. We seemingly do things right, and nothing happens. We pay the price to prepare the ground, to plant the seed, and to faithfully fertilize and cultivate, to water and weed, and still we see no results…

Nothing Happens.

But during the long years when there are no visible results, the bamboo tree was developing a mature, long reaching root system that would sustain and nurture its explosive growth. This extensive network of roots takes four years to develop before the tender bamboo shoot ever breaks ground and heads for the sun.

For those who continue to do things right and are not discouraged, for those who are persistent, rewards will follow.

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Galatians 6:9

Copyright 2005 by Ken Sapp


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Imaginary Chains

We live in a world of limitations. Limits protect us from very real dangers. But when those limitations are based on a lie, they become chains that prevent us from becoming all that we could be.

The little elephant was so curious, so full of life. He stretched his nimble little trunk, straining to catch butterflies. He bent down to take a closer look at the vibrant flowers that were just out of reach, their sweet scent drawing him nearer. He longed to play in the fresh cool waters of the river. Life was an adventure to be experienced. His future was full of dreams and of hope, but of a hope that was quickly dying.

In desperation, the baby elephant pulls and fights with all his strength against his bonds. Yet the heavy steel bracelet and chain still bind him to a tree. He learns he cannot break free, so he stops trying. The spark of life dims in his eyes. The joy of life is replaced with a lingering sadness. Hope is lost. Unable to free himself, he surrenders in defeat.

“Elephants never forget.” He will stay within the boundaries learned by his experience for the rest of his life. This remains true, even if the mahout replaces the strong steel bracelet with a weak leather strap and the heavy chain is replaced with a feeble little rope tied to a stake. When he becomes full-grown he will possess great strength, but he will not pull free. As soon as he feels the slightest tug on his rear leg, he remembers and surrenders in defeat. “Elephants never forget.”

It’s neither the rope nor the stake that binds him. It is the elephant’s belief. He is bound by something that really has no power to control him, except the power he chooses to give it.

Elephants aren’t the only ones bound by imaginary chains. We may have a dream in our heart, but our thoughts and beliefs, lock us into old limitations. Many of us have given up, believing that there’s no hope for change in our lives. But unless we grasp the striking fact that we are tied with a thread, that the chain is an illusion, that we are believing a lie, that others were wrong about us, that we were wrong about ourselves — we will continue to live within the confines of our fears and limitations. Our own chains of insecurity and self-doubt will forever bind us and blind us to the possibilities of success. We will allow our lives to be controlled by things that no longer have the power to control us, except the power we choose to give them.

It’s time that we, like Toomai of the Elephants, in Rudyard Kipling’s “Jungle Book”, take a stand and refuse to live according to our learned limitations.

I will remember what I was, I am sick of rope and chain–
I will not sell my back to man for a bundle of sugar-cane
I will go out until the day, until the morning break–
I will forget my ankle-ring and snap my picket stake.

“He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
– Matthew 17:20

Copyright 2004 by Ken Sapp


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Butterfly, Botanist, or Bee?

Contemplating life, a wise teacher gazed at a beautiful garden.

As he breathed in the wonderful fragrances and beheld the beauty of the garden, he saw a butterfly flitting from flower to flower. It spent a few seconds on the edge of a rose, then a daisy, and then a sunflower. The garden was a rainbow of fragrance and color, but the butterfly gained no particular benefit from any of the flowers there.

Next the teacher saw a botanist with a large notebook and an equally large magnifying glass in his hand. As the botanist carefully observed each flower, he filled a great number of pages with his notes. But after hours of meticulous study, most of what he learned was shut up in his notebook and forgotten.

Then the wise teacher observed a small bee. The bee enthusiastically entered a flower, was gone from view for a brief moment, and then emerged laden with pollen. It had left the hive that morning empty, but would return full, and in doing so would share his abundance. With that pollen, sweet honey would be made to sustain, not only himself, but the entire hive for the future.

The wise teacher pondered.

Some people are like butterflies, going from teacher to teacher, seminar to seminar, book to book. They are so very busy, and expend so much energy, but have little to show for their efforts. They remain unchanged in any significant way because they never really delve into things wholeheartedly. They’re content to simply flutter around the edges.

Others, like the botanist, may study in great depth but never apply what is learnt to their lives. Content to study, they know much, but receive little benefit. Striving for knowledge alone, they are unaffected by the knowledge they gain.

Our lives would be very different if we could only learn from the bee — visiting each flower with purpose and passion. To whole-heartedly dive in — to lose ourselves, to go into every opportunity with an open mind, determined to emerge fuller than when we began, to do more than simply flutter, to do more than simply take notes, but to take action. To joyfully give of our abundance so that others can make something sweeter, something that will sustain not only ourselves, but bless others as well.

How would the wise teacher see your life?
As butterfly, a botanist, or a bee?

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does.
– James 1:22-25

Copyright 2003 by Ken Sapp
Based on a story by H.P. Barker (Original Source Unknown)


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Life on a Tightrope

Jean François Gravelet, “The Great Charles Blondin”, was a famous French tightrope walker and acrobat.
Blondin’s greatest fame came in 1859 when he attempted to become the first person to cross the rushing and roaring waters of Niagara Falls on a tightrope.

With a balancing pole, Charles Blondin walked across the 335m long tightrope in only five minutes. He went on to walk across the falls several times, each time with a different theatrical flair. Later crossings were made in a sack; on stilts; on a bicycle, in the dark with sparks flaring from his pole tips; with his hands and feet manacled; and sitting down halfway to cook an omelet!

On one such occasion a large crowd gathered as word went out that Blondin was going to attempt yet another incredible feat. A buzz of excitement ran along both sides of the river bank. The crowd “Oooohed!” and “Aaaaahed!” as Blondin carefully walked across one dangerous step after another — blindfolded and pushing a wheelbarrow.

Upon reaching the other side, the crowd’s applause was louder than the roar of the falls! Blondin suddenly stopped and addressed his audience: “Do you believe I can carry a person across in this wheelbarrow?”
The crowd enthusiastically shouted, “Yes, yes, yes. You are the greatest tightrope walker in the world. You can do anything!”

“Okay,” said Blondin, “Get in the wheelbarrow…..”
No one did!

It’s one thing to believe, it’s another thing to take a step of faith based on that belief. Belief must be followed by action if it is to take you where you want to go!

Later, on Sept 15, 1860, the world was amazed as Blondin made a crossing carrying his manager, Harry Colcord on his back.

  • What will YOU do? Will you be merely another person in the crowd who ultimately goes nowhere?” Or will you, like the brave manager, put belief into action?

He replied, “Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”
– Matthew 17:20

Copyright 2005 by Ken Sapp


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Starfish

Washed up on the beach, stranded, with no means of getting back to the sea, except by tide or accident.

A wise man walked along a beach, and saw a gracefully dancing human figure. As he approached the figure, he discovered a child, who was not dancing at all, but bending and reaching down to sift through the debris and gently toss something back into the sea.

“What are you doing?” asked the wise man. The child smiled brightly, pointed upward and, with exquisite simplicity, replied, “The sun is up, the tide is going out. If I don’t do something, they will die.”

The wise man surveyed the vast expanse of beach. Starfish littered the shore in numbers beyond calculation. The hopelessness of the child’s plan became clear. “But there are more starfish on this beach than you can ever save before the sun is up. Surely you cannot hope to make a difference.”

The child listened politely, then bent down, picked up another starfish, and tossed it gently into the sea, just beyond the breaking waves, and exuberantly declared, “I made a difference to that one.”

We have all been gifted with the ability to make a positive difference. If we accept and acknowledge that gift, we gain the power to shape the future. Like the starfish, you have been given an opportunity to surf upon the shores of life, touched by a child’s simple wisdom: “The sun is up, the tide is going out. If we don’t do something, they will die.”

One starfish at a time, one day at a time, we make a difference, a life is turned around and that starfish becomes a star.

“The King will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.’”
– Matthew 25:40

Copyright 2005 by Ken Sapp
Based upon a story by Jack Canfield and Mark V. Hansen popular for their “Chicken Soup for the Soul,” series of books.


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Wings

“If God had intended that man should fly,
he would have given him wings.”

– George W. Melville, Chief engineer of the U.S. Navy (c. 1900)
For thousands of years human flight was but a dream — the very definition of the impossible. But two young men set the impossible as their goal and forever changed the world.

A flying toy, a gift from their father, sparked a lifelong interest. They worked in a bicycle shop but pursued flight as a hobby. Along the way, the hobby became a passion that relentlessly drove them to try new things, to test established wisdom, to continually strive harder and reach further.

It was not smooth sailing. They built seven flying machines and crashed each more than once. Frustration and disappointment were as much a part of the process as the excitement of discovery.

After each failure, they rebuilt and modified their efforts, continually applying what they had learned. Like every great success, manned flight was the result of false starts, dead ends, disappointments and doubts, but most importantly determined perseverance and unwavering belief.

On December 17, 1903, in spite of dangerous gusts of wind and below freezing temperatures, they took a desperate gamble. If they wanted to be home by Christmas, they must put their belief in the impossible into action.

At 10:35 a.m., in a flight lasting only 12 seconds and covering just 120 feet, they did what men and women had only dreamed of doing for centuries… they flew. On the fourth attempt the plane landed 852 feet and 59 seconds from its starting point, snapping a support but otherwise undamaged. They achieved the impossible.

A monument in honor of “first flight,” erected on November 19, 1932, reads “In commemoration of the conquest of the air by the brothers Wilbur and Orville Wright. Conceived by genius, achieved by dauntless resolution and unconquerable faith.”

Like the Wright Brothers, it’s time to dream the impossible, to set your goals with dauntless resolution, to put into action an unconquerable faith in an all powerful God to achieve the impossible. When you do, you’ll discover that maybe God does intend that men should fly!

” ‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.” Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!”
– Mark 9:23-24

Copyright 2005 by Ken Sapp


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Ne Plus Ultra

In Valladolid, Spain stands a monument to the great explorer Christopher Columbus. Its most interesting feature is the statue of a lion destroying one of three Latin words – three words that had been part of Spain’s motto for centuries.

1492
On his first voyage, Christopher Columbus sailed through unknown waters to an unknown destination. Before his voyage, Spain’s standards carried three words in Latin. The same words were written on the left edge of the maps of that day. Even the Straits of Gibraltar carried the same three words, chiselled into stone.
What were the words?

“NE PLUS ULTRA – No More Beyond.”
While the world was convinced there was nothing more beyond, Columbus was not. His ships returned and the discovery of a land of wealth and opportunity “beyond” marked the dawn of a new age.

The world was forever changed. So much so, the king of Spain changed the motto of the land to read as it does today. One word is torn away by the lion making it: ” PLUS ULTRA – More Beyond! ”

With new worlds just over the horizon, the belief that there was nothing more was replaced by the confident claim that there was, indeed more beyond. This belief began the “Age of Discovery!”

More Beyond?
Like Spain, people mistakenly assume they have seen all there is to see, know all there is to know, and have conquered all there is to conquer. Their life motto is: “NE PLUS ULTRA – No More Beyond.” But yours can be different!

Make your motto: “PLUS ULTRA – More Beyond.”
Be the Christopher Columbus in the lives of those around you. With your example, show them there is more to know and achieve.

  • Prepare your heart for discovery.
  • Set your eyes on the horizon.
  • Launch out into the blue.

You will discover not only new worlds, but a new you.

 

Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!
– Romans 11:33

Copyright 2005 by Ken Sapp


MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

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The Character of a Champion

Of the many Olympic events, to win the Marathon is one of the most prestigious. Yet in the 1968 Olympic Marathon, it is not the winner, the one who finished first, who is most remembered, but the runner who finished last.

Darkness was falling. Only a few thousand spectators remained in the stadium. The Marathon had been won over an hour earlier. Now, as the last of the spectators were leaving, their attention was suddenly drawn to the sound of police sirens and whistles at the marathon gates.

Out of the cold darkness, John Stephen Akhwari, wearing the colors of Tanzania, entered at the far end of the stadium, painfully hobbling, his leg bloody and bandaged.

Earlier, several miles into the race, Akhwari had found himself trapped in the middle of some runners. Unable to see well, he fell and severely injured his knee and ankle. He watched in anguish as the other racers continued. But he didn’t give up there.

Grimacing with every step, he now painfully hobbles around the 400 meter track, eventually crosses the finish line and collapses–the last man to finish the marathon.

The spectators rise and applaud him – saluting the man’s determination. Without looking back, Akhwari quietly walked off the field. Later, when asked why he did not quit, he replied, “My country did not send me 7000 miles away to start the race. They sent me 7000 miles to finish it.”

Akhwari was never awarded a medal. They don’t hand out awards for perseverance at the Olympics. Yet few remember who won the gold in the 1968 Marathon. Instead they remember John Stephen Awkwari — the runner whose determination and perseverance represented the true character of a Champion.

Anyone can start something

but true Champions finish what they start!

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”
-Hebrews 12:1

Copyright 2003 by Ken Sapp

Get "Go for the Gold" Youth Bible Study Series
Go for the Gold

Need an evangelistic Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series with an Olympic Theme?

What is salvation all about? What does it mean to be saved? This sports themed Bible Study / Camp Curriculum uses the Olympic Flag to introduce the concepts of sin (black circle), forgiveness (red circle), purity (white background), spiritual growth (green circle), heaven (Yellow Circle) and (Baptism) blue circle.
-> Tell me about “Go for the Gold”

The Impossible Dream

Doctors and scientists said it was impossible!
Man could not run a mile in less than 4 minutes!
He would die in the foolish attempt.
It was an Impossible Dream.

Our bone structure was wrong.
Wind resistance was too great.
We had inadequate lung power.
Our heart could not take the strain.

25 year-old Roger Bannister wasn’t listening.
He endured thousands of monotonous laps,
Around the same university track,
Determined to shape his body and his mind.

May 6, 1954, at Oxford University in England,
Was viewed as simply another attempt,
In a history of foolish attempts,
To achieve the Impossible Dream.

Yet at the end of the race the stop-watches held a different view.
The results were announced.
‘Result of one mile… time, 3 minutes…’
The rest was lost in the roar of the crowd.

Roger Bannister blazed across the finish line,
In a time of 3 minutes, 59.4 seconds.
The Impossible Dream was now an event for the history books,
Considered one of the greatest feats in sports history.

46 days after Bannister’s breakthrough,
The record was broken again by a different runner.
By the end of 1957,
16 runners had achieved the Impossible.

Runners did not suddenly get “better” in those few short years.
They simply began to believe.
Running a mile in less than four minutes was not only possible,
It had been achieved!

To date, 955 runners have achieved the Impossible Dream
Accomplishing the feat an incredible 4700+ times.

Many of life’s barriers and obstacles come from within.
We create limits for ourselves.
But once those barriers are broken,
We realise the biggest barriers are our beliefs.

What beliefs are keeping you from achieving your dreams?
Don’t accept them. Don’t listen to the voices of doubt.

Forge ahead in faith and you too
Can achieve Impossible Dreams!

“Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
-Matthew 19:26

“But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord…”
– James 1:6-7

Copyright 2005 by Ken Sapp

Take it to the Next Level

Belief plays a significant part in the life of believers.  We believe in Christ for salvation.  And through our faith in Him, God does the impossible.  As William Carey, pioneer missionary of the modern missions movement, said, “Expect great things from God, attempt great things for God.”

And like Roger Bannister we may have seemingly impossible dreams. As William Carey, pioneer missionary of the modern missions movement, said, “Expect great things from God, attempt great things for God.” Unlike Roger Bannister, we don’t do things for earthly accolades, but for the rewards of heaven, that one day we might stand before God and hear, ‘Behold my servant, in whom I am well pleased.”

Applying it to life

  • What are some of the things the world sees as impossible that God does in the lives of youth today?
  • What barriers and doubts do youth face in the Christian journey?
  • What is something you need to believe God for in your life?

Get "Destined to Win" Youth Bible Study SeriesDestined to Win
Need a Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series on “Running the Christian Race”?

Our “Destined to Win” series is a great follow up for youth who are new Christians or to emphasize the basics of our spiritual Journey in the Faith. This Bible Study / Camp Curriculum / Small Group Study has a sports theme and is great for athletes and works well as a tie in to the Olympics.
->Tell me about “Destined to Win”

Focused on the Goal

Her goal was the California coastline –a 34 km swim from Catalina Island. It was no more distant than the width of the English Channel, a goal she had already conquered as the first woman to swim it from both directions. Although she was a seasoned long-distance swimmer with incredible stamina, she trained arduously to prepare herself to achieve her goal.

July 4th, 1952
Millions watched on national television, as 34 year old Florence Chadwick began her swim. The water was icy cold; the fog — so thick she could hardly see the support boats alongside her. As the hours passed, she was repeatedly stung by jellyfish. Sharks had to be driven away with rifles. Yet she pressed on, determined to achieve her goal.

15 hours later
Numbed with the cold, she was ready to give up. Her mother and her trainer were in a boat at her side. “Florence. You are almost there. Don’t give up now.” Encouraged by her mother’s admonition, she continued to swim.

Failure
Fifteen hours and fifty minutes after she began her swim, the support team reluctantly agreed to pull Florence from the water. Several hours later, after she warmed up, she realized she had given up only a few hundred meters from her goal! If she had continued just a little while longer, the waves would have carried her to the beach. “If I could have just seen the land for myself, I would have made it!”. She told reporters it was not the sharks, the fatigue, or even the cold water that defeated her. She had been defeated by the fog alone. It had obscured her goal and blinded her reason, her eyes and her heart.

Never give in to defeat.
1952 was the only time Florence Chadwick ever quit. Two months later she swam that same channel. The water was still ice cold and still inhabited with sharks. Once again fog obscured her view. But this time she pressed on, BELIEVING that somewhere beyond that fog, her goal would be reached. Not only was she the first woman to swim the Catalina Channel, but she beat the men’s record by two hours!

  • What are YOUR goals?
  • Have you lost sight of your goal?
  • Don’t quit just before your goal is achieved!
  • Stay Focused!

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith”
– Hebrews 12:2

Copyright 2005 by Ken Sapp

Get "Go for the Gold" Youth Bible Study SeriesGo for the Gold
Need an evangelistic Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series with an Olympic Theme?

What is salvation all about? What does it mean to be saved? This sports themed Bible Study / Camp Curriculum uses the Olympic Flag to introduce the concepts of sin (black circle), forgiveness (red circle), purity (white background), spiritual growth (green circle), heaven (Yellow Circle) and (Baptism) blue circle.
-> Tell me about “Go for the Gold”

Get "Destined to Win" Youth Bible Study SeriesDestined to Win
Need a Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series on “Running the Christian Race”?

The race as a metaphor for the Christian life is used in several places in the Bible. This series is a great follow up for new Christians or to re-emphasize the basics of our spiritual Journey in the Faith. This Bible Study / Camp Curriculum has a sports theme and is great for athletes as well as a tie in to the youth Olympic Games.
->Tell me about “Destined to Win”

Flawed

In working around the flaws, some of the world’s greatest masterpieces were created.

[A special Flash Presentation.]
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MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…

Flawed (Text Version)

We all admire perfection, and are disillusioned when things dont measure up. Often quick to reject that which is flawed, we dont realize that, in working in spite of the flaws, some of the world’s most perfect masterpieces have been created.

A massive, solid piece of Carrara marble sat in a field, a large gash scarring its side. It had been abandoned and forgotten, discarded and left to the elements. Today, that same piece of marble stands in a massive quarter dome, resting on a tall pedestal. Visited by millions, the abandoned, scarred stone was transformed into one of the world’s greatest masterpieces.

In 1501, Michelangelo won a commission from the Florentine elders to work on the huge flawed block of marble. Other Florentine sculptors assumed the block would break under the strain of the huge gouge in its side. Yet Michelangelo was able to see behind the ruined surface something that no one else could see. With chisel and mallet, he worked around the flaw. Weeks, months, and years passed, as the master hammered and hewed the scarred stone, until finally there emerged from under his skillful hands the figure of a man which was said to be so perfect that it lacked only life itself.

After four years of painstaking carving, Michelangelo was able to release the beautiful image of “David” from flawed marble. In doing so he transformed the block rejected by others into the most striking sculpture in Florence. Davids eyes are watchful…the veins in his hands and arms reveal his strength…a stone rests in his right hand, his body, seems a reservoir of energy, standing poised for action.

When asked how he accomplished such an incredible transformation, Michelangelo said that “David” was already in the piece of marble…. he merely removed everything that wasn’t “David”, including the flaw.

In the same way that Michelangelo saw “David” in a block of stone, then chiseled away the flaw and the excess until David appeared, envision yourself, your life as God wishes it to be, and remove everything that is not true to that image. In doing so, you will discover that inside every person, even the scarred ones, there is a masterpiece waiting to be brought to life by the hand of the Master.

“..being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
– Philippians 1:6

Copyright 2003 by Ken Sapp

See this as a flash movie


MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…

Dreams

Paderewski_poster.gif“We are such stuff as dreams are made on” 
– William Shakespeare

Wishing to encourage her son’s dreams on the piano, a common story says a mother brought her son to hear the great Paderewski. Bored, the little boy left his seat and wandered away.

Seeing a door marked “No Admittance” he promptly entered. He found himself on a stage with a piano in the center. His attention was drawn to the beautiful ebony grand piano with its glistening white ivory keys.

Suddenly the curtains parted and a spotlight lit the piano. Sitting on the piano stool, reaching for the ivory keys, the young boy started playing “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.”

The audience’s amusement turned to curiosity when the world famous pianist entered the stage. He quickly moved to the piano, and whispered in the boy’s ear, “Don’t quit.” “Keep playing.” “You are not alone”

Paderewsky sat down beside him and put his arms around the boy and began playing a counter medley as he whispered more words of encouragement.

The audience was so mesmerized that they couldn’t recall what else the great master played.

It only takes just a few moments to inspire someone’s dreams – especially someone who looks up to you for encouragement and support.

The next time you see someone reaching for their dreams, come alongside them and whisper in their ear, “Don’t quit.” “Keep playing.” “You are not alone”

Step up to the piano of life and play whatever tune you know. God will sit down beside you and turn your music into something beautiful. God can take our small, limited efforts, and make them into a masterpiece that draws others to Him.

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
1 Thessalonians 5:11

He told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.”
– Matthew 13:31-32


MORE IDEAS? See “Creative Object Lessons”

200 page e-book that explains everything you need to know when planning your very own object lessons. It contains 90 fully developed object lesson ideas and another 200 object lesson starter ideas based on Biblical idioms and Names / Descriptions of God.

Learn More…