be inspired. . .

I feel like there aren't too many things in life that inspire us any more. I mean real inspiration. Inspiration that brings life and change. Inspiration that grows hope in our hearts. Things that inspire us to greatness and demand that we bring others along with us.

Now before some of you get concerned for me because these are words that have been thrown around a lot in recent history connected with political figures (and this is an election year) please read this all the way through.

I believe that God has gifted some people with the ability to inspire people. These people usually come along when times are bad or we desperately need to be lifted above our circumstances. Sometimes life is hard. Sometimes we need someone to say the right thing to us to push us beyond ourselves, to exceed our own expectations and those of the people around us.

I know I am inspired by underdog stories, how someone who shouldn't have won something did, how the team with the odds stacked against them manages to somehow prevail, how people triumph through desperate situations or overcome some great trial in their lives.

I think of all these true stories that inspire me on my darkest days and hours. And you know what I find inspirational about those stories? It's the fact that they point to Someone Greater. The only place to find hope is from the source of all Hope. The only place to find strength and courage to rise above oneself is in the presence of One who has all strength and courage. The only way to bring change is to be changed in the presence of the Altogether Holy One.

We cannot be inspired apart from Him, but when we are surrendered to Him, we can become an inspiration to others because we have been inspired to greatness by Greatness.