Growing in the midst of impossible situations

There's a story told about Sir Edmund Hillary, who was the first person (along with Tenzing Norgay) to reach the top of Mount Everest.

It happened on his third try. On Hillary's previous attempt he not only failed to reach the summit, but his team also lost one of its members.

After their failed attempt, Hillary spoke to an audience about the experience. Behind him on the platform was a huge photograph of Everest. Hillary turned toward the photograph and said, "Mount Everest, you have defeated us. But I will return. And I will defeat you. Because you cannot get any bigger ... and I can."

That's a great story. As the old cliche goes, "whatever doesn't kill you helps you to grow."

What impossible mountain are you facing today?

I have several.

All I can do is to trust in God (and have faith) and know that He is in control.

And when I do that - I grow.

When it comes to facing mountains, do you know how we 'get bigger'?

It starts with faith. Jesus said, "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)

Edmund Hillary became "bigger than Everest" through better planning, more detailed research, greater teamwork, and tenacious perseverance. And it started with faith -- the faith that this mountain could be conquered.

No doubt you're facing a mountain or two today: a mountain of debt, a mountain of fear, a mountain of uncertainty. Mountains don't move without determined effort, thoughtful planning, or courageous perseverance.

And these things all begin with faith. It is faith that gives you the ability to attempt something bigger than yourself. Not faith in ourselves, but faith in the God for whom nothing is impossible.