Sermon Illustration

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant? Who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It is not just some of us: it's everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give others permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. Source: Marianne Williamson

In 1982, Disney World in Orlando, Florida finished work on the Epcot center. Walt Disney had recently passed away, so the Disney executives asked his wife to cut the ribbon and say a few words. When the MC called her up to the podium, he smiled and said," "Mrs Disney, I just wish Walt could have seen this!" She smiled and responded by saying, "He did."

We forget Lincoln's road to the White House: Failed in business in 1831, defeated for legislature in 1832, second failure in business in 1833, suffered nervous breakdown in 1836, defeated for Speaker in 1838, defeated for Elector in 1840, defeated for Congress in 1843, defeated for Congress in 1848, defeated for Congress in 1848, defeated for Senate in 1855, defeated for Vice-President in 1856, defeated for Senate in 1858, elected President in 1860.