⛓️ Every Couple Years, for a Couple Years

I grew up in a public housing project. What I saw around me became what I expected for my life.

I expected to die young.
I accepted that I would probably go to jail every couple years, for a couple years. 

While that isn’t much of a vision, it was what I saw for my life. It made sense to me because it was what I saw.

Then I found myself in jail again—for the third time in three years.

But this time was different. This time I was facing a life sentence.

You can do a couple years over and over.
You can’t keep doing twenty-five year sentences. 

And suddenly the future I thought I understood was gone. The outcome I was facing exceeded what I expected.

So I began examining things. My life. My choices. What I believed about myself and what I believed about God.

And slowly, a different vision began to emerge—one based on hope and purpose and possibility.

That’s when the words of Jesus stood out to me:

“All things are possible to those who believe.”

So I began to believe.
I began to dream.
I began to imagine.
I began to envision a different kind of future.

I read about Joseph, who went from being a slave, to falsely accused and imprisoned, to becoming the governor of Egypt.
And David, who was taken from the sheepfold and made king.

Their stories expanded what I believed was possible.

Looking back now, I realize something that fascinates me.

Even the small vision I had at seventeen eventually exceeded what I expected.

So now that my vision is based on hope, purpose, scripture, and faith, I expect the same principle to hold true.

If a distorted vision can exceed my expectation, then a vision rooted in belief in God should exceed my expectation even more.

“Now unto Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.”

— Ephesians 3:20