I Can’t … But He Can!

Remember the story about “The Little Engine That Could?”  After all, it’s a 1930’s children’s’ classic authored by Watty Piper and illustrated by George and Doris Hauman.  Its valuable story was intended to teach the value of optimism and hard work.   My parents took the lesson a step further by teaching me that I wasn’t to say the word, “Can’t!”  They encouraged me to believe I could do anything and be anything I wanted to be.  I would simply have to work hard and set my mind to it.  I grew up as an over achiever that believed it was wrong to ask anyone for any help with anything.

I now know that this theory is defective.  News Flash:  TV’s Cleavers and Nelsons were pretend.  We do not live in a utopia where everyone believes in themselves and everyone does the next right thing. On the contrary, in the REAL world there is a status quo most people, including me, are exposed to called dysfunction.

Today’s American families are complacent to dysfunction, like today’s Kardashians and the Octomom. If “Middle of the Room” elephants are in plain sight for all to see, I wonder what their “Family Secrets” might be!  Dysfunction is a funny thing. Everybody is exposed to it, yet it remains undetected until the damage is done because many are in denial about it!  If you think you’re the exception, there’s a great 12 Step program just for you.

Am I part of a minority that is not satisfied with this status quo?  I don’t like this “New Normal.”  Somehow, we need to get back to wanting to “doing the next right thing.”  I am not so old that I don’t remember my own family’s dysfunction.  I struggled for many years to get my family back on track.  I convinced myself by saying, “I can do this! I can fix this! I am strong like the Rock of Gibraltar!” Being taught that I can do anything is a fallacy, because I can’t.  I can do nothing without the strength of God.  Things don’t happen because people believe they can. Things happen when people know, they can’t, but He can!  And then, people need to make the choice to let Him!

I am privileged to work and serve at Faith Farm Ministries; a 63 year old, free, long-term residential, addiction recovery program.  In the last 5 years, we have students from 47 of the 50 states at our three South Florida locations with 445 beds.  Our residents struggle with substance abuse caused by dysfunction:  Dysfunction that led to self medicating through the use of drugs and/or alcohol, thus multiplying the dysfunction that they were trying to suppress in the first place.  It’s a vicious cycle.

No one sets out to become an addict. They are convinced they CAN quit on their own, but addiction sneaks up on them.  Many have been in multiple rehabs before coming to Faith Farm without successfully maintaining their sobriety.  Through the recovery program at Faith Farm, all of the dysfunction is addressed, unsuppressed and surrendered to God; because He can … and He does!  It truly is amazing to see what restoration God can do when you can’t!  If you know of anyone who struggles with addiction, Faith Farm’s recovery program may be an option.  If you can help support our free program, you can make a gift at our website: www.faithfarm.org; call (561) 737-22559 or send an email to jwalters@faithfarm.org.