Yes, You Can

"I Can't!"

How many times have you used that tired old phrase? Is it a reason or is it just an excuse?

Imagine for a moment that you live in constant physical pain. You couldn't finish high school or go to college because your brain has damage that will never go away.


Imagine that you live on several different medications just to manage your pains and your brain malfunctions. You can only drive a specially-equipped car, can't use your right hand very well, and limp everywhere you go.

On top of that, you have no full-time job and very little money. The minimum-wage jobs that other kids can get are off-limits to you because of your physical limitations. The employment options are few.

Would you: (choose one)

1.) Sit around the house watching TV and feeling sorry for yourself?

2.) Become angry at the way life treated you and turn to drugs and promiscuity?

3.) Hide on the outer edges of life, crippled by low self-worth and self-pity?

4.) Invest every moment in serving others and bringing glory to God?

My daughter Susie has chosen the latter.

At nineteen, she teaches me what real love looks like as she spends every moment volunteering at women's shelters, hospitals, homeless outreach programs, and leading worship everywhere there is an opportunity.

Last weekend, she successfully coordinated her second benefit concert, raising another $1000 for a local youth shelter. She set it up, coordinated the donations, secured the venue, designed and printed the brochures and fliers, solicited the volunteers, and hand-made special gift bags for the kids currently at the shelter.

Her band, Brother Rabbit, was the highlight of the evening. She has taught herself to play every musical instrument you can imagine and God has gifted her with vocal talent that is going to take her places. But she is scarcely aware of her talent. She is too busy loving people.

She radiates genuine love that cannot be faked. The unlovely, the forsaken, the forgotten people crowd to her because they see Jesus in her without her having to say a word. She is the personification of what Jesus meant when he said, "The world will know you are my disciples by your love."


In her words, she has "chosen to be happy." She recognizes that this life is a gift from God and he will demand an accounting for what we do with it. There are thousands who need her gift of hope, and she spreads it with every breath.

When it comes to meeting a real need, I've never heard her say, "I can't."

So what are you doing with what you've been given?

How would the world benefit
if you took "can't" out of your vocabulary?