“Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37:4 NIV)
When I finished high school, my dad asked me what I thought that I wanted to do with my life. I told him that I was interested in studying writing, being a veterinarian, working with animals, or studying theology. All were things which at that time were an impossibility for me due to a learning disability which had not yet been diagnosed, but which did keep me from pursuing higher education.
Yet, there was One Who knew the desires of my heart even better than I did, for He had put them there, and He also knew that they would be possible, even though at the time I did not.
Step by step, year after year, the desires of my heart began to come true. After recommitting my life to Christ in my twenties, I began writing poetry every day. Poems would just come into my mind, and I was compelled to write them down. Then, I had the opportunity to write a short column for the local paper. And then, I was awarded a scholarship to attend the Billy Graham School of Writing.
It was during this time that our local pastor encouraged me to begin taking theology courses through a reputable Bible school’s correspondence program. He also had a learning disability, and he, his wife, and my professor of record helped me immensely in regard to spelling and grammar. Once I had finished this program, I was led to apply to a theological college where I was accepted as a mature student. Upon graduation, I went on to be a chaplain in three nursing homes and then to pastor for fifteen years.
As for becoming a vet or working with animals, I once ran a small adoption kennel, and have also designed and made vet-approved back and leg braces for my dogs as needed. Presently, I am blessed to share my life with seven marvellous dogs, a horse, and three goats on our small hobby farm. All of these at one time or another have been featured on the PresbyCan Daily Devotional website, for which my brother hounded me to begin writing many years ago. I did not have the confidence that I could do it, but he had the confidence in me, and so I began to write devotionals.
So, at the end of it all, the desires of my eighteen-year-old heart, which I had thought were impossible, have all become realities, because with God, all things are possible, if we will only trust and believe.
What desires has God put into your heart? Do you think that they are impossible? Think again!
Prayer: Heavenly Father, how glad we are that with You, all things are possible. When we delight ourselves in You, You not only put Your desire for our lives into our hearts, but You also have the power to bring them to fruition. Bless us with the courage to embrace those desires and to move forward in trust and obedience to claim them. In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen.
Copyright © 2022, by Lynne Phipps <lynnephippsatlin@gmail.com>, first published on the PresbyCan Daily Devotional presbycan.ca .
Atlin, British Columbia, Canada
Reprinted from PresbyCan with author’s permission
