Imagination Rejuvenation
Remember the adventures you experienced as a child? You were fearless. Nothing was too big for you to battle. Your imagination swept you away to far off lands and you were certain you could conquer the many giants that faced you. Imagination holds such great power for children, but somewhere along the path to adulthood, doubt and disbelief seep in to overtake our thoughts. Rather than conquering dragons, we fear being eaten by them. Instead of imagining we are agents of greatness, adults imagine being victims of circumstance.
In the turmoil of the 1960's people were fearful about the family. It was as if a giant family disintegrator was walking across our culture destroying the family. When most people allowed their imaginations to run wild with fear, one South Florida man imagined strengthening the family. He began asking, "What if? What if something could be done? What if this Goliath of a family unit crusher could be confronted?"
In 1968, Bill Billingsley rallied with other dreamers to secure the family unit and founded Sheridan House for Boys. Thanks to their childlike imagination, dedication, and vision, today thousands of families are helped each year through Sheridan House Family Ministries. They didn’t focus on the problem... that's what fear does. Instead, they focused on a solution.
Imagination becomes a dream when you focus on the right source of the power you need - God. Whether young or old, we must boldly believe that we can do anything and everything we are supposed to do with the incredible power of God behind us (Philippians 4:13).
Our diminished imagination can only be traced back to a diminished belief in what God can do. If He really is the One who is able to do more than we could ask or imagine (Eph 3:20), then we need to imagine bigger. We need to imagine, with His help, we are able to do the things that would ordinarily seem impossible.
Once again, the family is under the foot of a giant called "The Economy." Many parents are losing their jobs today. For many, losing a job means losing a home. This new challenge appears on the surface just as insurmountable as nine-foot Goliath seemed to the Israelites. For those with no imagination and no faith, it's a time for fear. For the rest of us, it's an incredible time to dream about answers for the future.
What if there was a village for single moms... a safe place to live and get vocational training? Imagine a village where mothers of school-age children receive practical assistance with budgeting and workplace skills as well as parent training. What if there was a "go-to manual" for parents with a behavioral question that could be instantly accessed online or on their cell phones? What if there was a safe, affordable haven in South Florida for the elderly... a place pastors could refer to widows? What if?
Imagine the transformation of family and economic tragedies into life-changing learning experiences because of a firm foundation of faith in Jesus Christ. Imagine the influence that change would have on the next generation. It's time to return to imagining to the point of Romans 8:28 being shown in living color - that all things really do work together for the good for those who love God and His purposes.