You and I have never met, but I already believe one thing about you is true: you’re capable of more than you think. I also believe this: you won’t discover how strong you are until you’re tested.
An unusual example of that is seven-year-old Chase Poust. On a weekend boating trip with his dad, he and his four-year-old sister, Abigail, jumped overboard for a swim. Dad had anchored off-shore at a slow point in the river, but the current was stronger than anyone realized. Abigail was swept away. Then Chase let go of the boat to grab her. Which is when Dad jumped in to save them.
Dad and Abigail were immediately carried down river. Chase fought the current for a full hour before finally making it to shore. Then he ran to the nearest home a mile away for help. Rescue teams found Dad and Abigail scared but alive a few hours later and more than a mile from the boat.
A hero was hiding inside of Chase until he came up against unexpected challenges and fought through them. Chase was capable of more than he knew. And I promise, so are you. I’ve had plenty to overcome myself. My mom died when I was nine. My stepdad abandoned me and my siblings within hours of her funeral. I was a teenager when my biological father died, and I even ended up in foster care for a time. So, believe me when I say, if your struggles seem too big to overcome, don’t give up hope. You’re capable of more than you know.
“I can do all things through him who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13).
Stephanie says
-Thank you for writing this beautiful story about my family