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Feature

Taking Risks to Reach Your Potential

By Annettee Budzban

My husband put the grocery bags close together on the kitchen table. As I looked over the contents, I noticed a newspaper tucked in between the sacks.

I picked it up to thumb through the pages and noticed the name of the paper was unfamiliar to me.

“Where did this paper come from?” I asked my husband.

“They were giving it away free at the store to get new customers,” he answered.

“I’ve never heard of this one before,” I told him.

“Oh, they’ve been around for years. I used to deliver that one several years ago, when I had a paper route.”

I flipped through the pages to find the name of the editors. I had recently noticed a few other Christian writers who wrote columns for their local papers. It was something that piqued my interest. I was thinking I might approach this paper. If I wanted to grow as a writer, this might be a way to reach toward my potential.

I gathered up several of my best samples and decided to give the editor a call. It took several phone calls to various editors over the next few weeks before I had explained my goal. And after much prayer and effort, I was given my own weekly column!

As Christians, our top priority should be to reach for the stars when it comes to fulfilling our potential. Matthew 14:22-32 tells of the time Jesus went to pray while His disciples remained in their fishing boat. Evening came and Jesus was ready to return to the others, but the wind and waves crashed against the boat and caused it to drift from the shoreline. Jesus walked on the water to meet them. His disciples must have been amazed and frightened to see Jesus coming toward them on the water. Their first impression was that He was a ghost. Jesus asked Peter to come meet Him on the water and Peter did. But he soon focused on the conditions instead of Jesus and he began to sink. Jesus, coming to his rescue, grabbed his hand asked, “Why did you doubt?”

Like Peter, I saw someone else doing something I wanted to try. But the boldness I had felt started fading after the first phone call didn’t secure my hopes. I had to get past my fears and take a step of faith to keep my dream from ending.

You can’t reach your potential unless you step out to do what God has asked you to do. Remember, your strength and ability comes from your faith in God as He helps you reach beyond your human potential.

R Release your inhibitions to God.
I Inspire to climb higher.
S Seek God’s direction.
K Keep your faith to fulfill your dream.

ANNETTEE BUDZBAN is a registered nurse who during a time of disability found new purpose in Christian writing, speaking and life coaching. She writes the weekly newspaper column Inspirations. Her stories and articles have also been featured in many Christian magazines and publications such as Guideposts, Psychology For Living, Purpose, Evangel, The Gem, Family Circle, and many more. You can visit her website at AnnetteeBudzban.com.