I came to you in weakness – timid and trembling. And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit.

One of my favorite stories as a little girl was The Little Engine That Could. If you don’t remember it, the story is about a train on a mission to carry toys to children on the other side of a hill. But on the way, it broke down! The passengers asked other passing trains to help carry the load to the other side of the hill, but they all refused…

Until one little engine came along who believed she was the right one for the job. Although smaller and weaker than the other engines, the little engine believed it was her assignment to carry the toys so that the children on the other side of the mountain could play. And it was her steadfast faith (I think I can, I think I can) that helped her to get to the other side.

I love this story as an adult because it reminds me of what it takes to walk in purpose.

In a sense, we’re all little engines chugging up the hills of life, hoping we can fulfill the purpose God has placed on us. And sometimes we doubt ourselves. We fear failure. We get discouraged. We may not feel equipped. We may approach our purpose in weakness and trembling… just like Paul did when he spoke to the church in Corinth.

But when God has placed a passion, mission, or goal in our hearts, and we know that our work is ultimately for His glory and not our own, there’s no need for us to stress or worry about failure.

We may lack skill. We may lack knowledge. We may not have the right connections…But we must remember that success is never achieved on our own accord. It’s only achieved through God’s mighty Hand. So like Paul, we must rely on the power of the Holy Spirit and not our own skill, cleverness, or talents.

The only two things we need to focus on are faith and action – just like the little engine who carried the toys.

So don’t stress! Just rest…in God’s power to carry you and make a way when you’ve done your part.

If you seek to do God’s will, He WILL carry you over the finish line!

Sincerely,

Alexia