Lessons in the Woodpile

As a child of nine my father had instructed me to move a huge pile of wood from the side yard to our cellar where it would be stored for the winter months. Because of the enormity of the task I felt he was asking the impossible and so had a difficult time getting started. Well not just difficult, I simply didn’t do it.

Time went on and my father mentioned it from time to time but because I sensed no real urgency, I assumed he realized that it was impossible also, so I simply ignored it hoping it would get done by itself. But the funny thing about such tasks, they don’t go away.

One Saturday morning I made plans with my friend Joanne Miller to do some fun thing but for some reason, father chose that moment to say “no” I could not go until the wood pile was safely stacked in the cellar.

I was angry. Why was I given this assignment? I had two sisters…what about THEM? But father stood firm and so with an attitude that could sink a ship I began to move the wood, one piece at a time.

But as I began the daunting task, Joanne showed up and seeing the size of the wood pile and the discouragement I felt chose to jump in and help. All morning long we went back and forth, back and forth hour after hour. But something unusual began to happen. The neatly stacked wood pile in the cellar began to grow and grow and grow and the pile in the side yard shrank in equal proportions. Four hours later, the job was done and with it came a great sense of satisfaction and pride.

It was a lesson I will never forget and it has stayed me well as I have grappled with jobs that seemed impossible.

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Thomas Carlyle, the great Scottish satirical writer, was once quoted as saying, “Every noble work is at first impossible”. But there is also a wonderful quote from the angel Gabriel as he stood before Mary in Luke1:37, “For with God nothing will be impossible”. It was another lesson we would learn on the road to producing The Amazing Collection: The Bible Book By Book.

Several brilliant businessmen who were our wise counselors had often told me that I needed a business plan for Big Dream Ministries. But as I thought about the difficulty of putting together a plan for a future I could only imagine, it seemed impossible, certainly beyond my knowledge and efforts. Eleanor and Linda also concluded that it was beyond our expertise. We also had the problem of trying to figure out just what God would do. We sensed we were on a road with Him but He knew the way and how we were going to get to the destination. Our job was to follow. Yet persisting voices kept pushing me to develop a plan. I was stymied and so I did the only thing I knew how to do. I did nothing.

On July 6, 2003 I received an email from the daughter of a dear friend. Amy Westbrook had just graduated from college and was waiting to begin a job. She said she had plenty of time and would love to help us out at the office. I can never refuse such an offer so a couple of hours later she was sitting with me talking about how her time might be best used.

What do you enjoy doing? I asked.

Well, I LOVE writing up business plans and if you need any help with that I could do that for you!

A week later, and many lengthy conversations, she presented me with the Big Dream Business Plan, beautifully developed, wonderfully packaged and perfectly executed. The impossible became reality because with God working through His people, all things are possible!

Luke 18:27

The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.