Uncle James got his big F-150 pickup truck stuck in a ditch along the side of the old country road. A man from town, Ed, came along on Ol’ Bessie, his mule, surveyed the scene, and told Uncle James he and Ol’ Bessie would pull his truck from the ditch. Uncle James looked at his mud-lodged truck then took a look at Ol’ Bessie and doubted very seriously that she could pull the truck out. Nonetheless, Uncle James hooked the mule’s bridle to the chassis of his truck. After instructing Uncle James to start and steer the truck, Ed began to yell, “Jericho, ha! Beauty, go! Good girl, Bessie, ha!” Within minutes, the truck was pulled from the ditch and an amazed Uncle James unhitched the truck from Ol’ Bessie. Curiosity getting the best of him, Uncle James asked Ed why he’d yelled all the other horses’ names, to which Ed replied, “Oh, Ol’ Bessie’s blind. If she’d thought she was alone, she never would’ve pulled.”
-- Dr. Mark Milliron

You are not alone. You are joined in your efforts by countless others who want better and supported by millions who seek more. You may find yourself out front, ahead of the crowd, and the voice that’s most often heard, but, rest assured, you do not stand alone.

Beside you are warriors and warriorettes who get it. They get that you keep long, late hours, that you’re focused and fierce, and that you can’t stop even if you wanted to. They get it because they can’t stop either. You’ve got advocates behind you, pushing you onward and ahead. They stand behind you trusting your leadership and direction, urging you toward the goal with vigor and momentum. And underneath you are shoulders and backs as gentle as rain, yet as sturdy as steel, holding you up to do the best work you can. None of them would dare leave you alone.

Sure, at times it may seem you’re alone, that you’re doing it all by yourself. Your tasks may feel too hard, too big, or too much to carry, like you may drop the load and your sanity at any moment and there’ll be no one there to catch either, or to even tell you it’s okay and that life goes on. But you persist just because that’s what you do. And because you know you’re not in this fight alone. You listen for the voices and cheers of the ones who know you. You listen for the sweet whisper of Jesus. You place faith in your efforts then pull with all your might to get out and stay out of the holes and on solid, stable, and certain ground.

You aren’t alone. Power, seen and unseen, surrounds and empowers you and it’s fully activated when you pull.

Sadiqqa © 2008