Get Ready! Get Set! Go!

I’m an optimist! I love to think about all the things that are still possible. That’s how I move past yesterday and look forward tomorrow. From everything I can tell, the greatest possibilities occur when we prepare for them, get ready, imagine everything we want. Whether we plan to run a foot race, take a marvelous vacation, or build a house, we have to prepare. We have to get ready.  

As a believer, getting ready means you start with prayer. You ask for God’s direction for your plans, preparing what you can, and fully anticipating the moment to get set. Getting ready is what the ten biblical maidens did as they prepared to meet the bridegroom. They had their lamps ready, waiting for the bridegroom to appear. All ten of them were ready, but only five of them were set. The five that brought more oil for their lamps had prepared for any contingency. They anticipated their plans could take longer than they might hope, so they were set for things to go forward. The other five maidens that ran out of oil, had to go back to square one, refill their lamps, and then return to the waiting area. They were dismayed to discover the bridegroom had come while they were out getting ready.

I don’t know about you, but I can relate. How many times have I started in a great direction, prepared for it as well as I could, only to forget some crazy detail that meant things could not happen as I had planned? I had to go back and get more information, or work around the obstacles that had arisen. Reworking the plan sometimes meant the door of opportunity closed because timing was everything. Sadly, my lamp burned out.

Possibility comes all the time! It fills the air exploding into beautiful fireworks, and then it slowly disappears. If we’re ready because we’ve done all our homework and prepared for it, trusting in the goal, setting the direction with skill and planning, then possibility embraces us, and we’re set to go.  All we had to do was prepare the way.

All things are possible with God, Jesus told His followers.  They become possible as we get ready, preparing, making our best efforts; then we have to be laser-focused, setting our sights on all that can be, and finally, we have to act. We have to go!

As a writer, I think about all the planning and preparation that goes into creating a book. When I worked on my book, It’s Still Possible, I had to believe in the project with my whole heart. Once I did my homework, I moved toward the set goal, writing the book as best I could.  I still wouldn’t have any success though if I simply put the completed manuscript in a file drawer. I had to go. I had to take action, sending it out into the world and giving it wings. Whatever your goal might be, get ready, set the standard, and go after your dreams. With God’s help, all things are possible!

Get Ready! Get Set! Go!