Words of LIFE:

Words of LIFE


Opportunities
with Victoria Osteen

"But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining
toward what is head, I press on...." (Philippians 3:13-14)

When I look back over my life, I can see where I've missed out
on some God-given opportunities. Maybe you are saying the same thing.
If so, I want to encourage you: Don't live in regret.
Don't let lost opportunities make you feel disappointed and
discouraged. God is bigger than your lost opportunities. He can still
get you where you need to go in life.

Everyone has missed opportunities to do something good, help somebody
or go to the next level in one's career. For one reason or
another, we've allowed that opportunity to slip through our
fingers. But let bygones be bygones; don't get trapped in the
past. Don't allow yourself to focus on the things you've
missed or could have done better. Allow Him to bring back any
opportunities that you may have missed.

Joel's sister, Lisa, and her husband, Kevin, tried for years to
have children, but Lisa was not able to conceive. She went through all
the fertility treatments and even several surgeries, but
still...no baby. Finally the doctor told Lisa there was nothing
more he could do; they weren't going to be able to have
children. Lisa and Kevin were devastated. It looked like their dreams
had died, but God always has a plan. One day out of the blue Lisa
received a call from Nancy Alcorn of Mercy Ministries, a home for
at-risk young women based in Nashville.

"Lisa, I normally wouldn't do this," Nancy said,
"but we have a young woman who is about to give birth to twin
girls and we were wondering if you and Kevin might be interested in
adopting them."

Lisa and Kevin had not yet considered adoption since they were still
hoping to have children naturally, but suddenly Lisa's interest
was piqued.

"There's only one problem," Nancy said. "I
know you and Kevin have most of the qualifications that the birth
mother wants for the adoptive parents, but she also has a stipulation
that her babies should be placed in a family with twins in their
background."

Nancy had no idea that Kevin had a twin sister, and as soon as she
said that, something inside Lisa's heart confirmed this was a
"God opportunity." A few months later, Lisa and Kevin
adopted those twin baby girls and then, three years later, they
adopted another "Mercy" baby boy.

God gave Lisa and Kevin three children they could not have naturally.
Their hearts were open for what God wanted to do in their lives even
though it wasn't the way they first anticipated. God gave them
another opportunity to be the parents they desired to be. They could
have just as easily given up and closed their minds, but they
didn't. They remained open and God brought back that opportunity
in a different way.

You may be thinking you've wasted years of your life in the
wrong career or associating with the wrong people. You may think that
it has been too long, you've been through too much, and
you're never going to see those new seasons of increase. But I
believe God is saying to us today, "I can restore the years that
you've lost." (Joel 2:25)

The same God who gave Lisa and Kevin three beautiful children can make
up for your lost time. He may not always do so in the way you are
expecting, but open your heart and mind to the possibilities. Be ready
to embrace the opportunities that God will bring across your path. As
you do, you'll rise higher and higher and you will love your
life the way God intends.

This Week

Ask God to give you back every opportunity that you've missed.
Focus on God's ability to restore dreams, plans and goals

Prayer

"Lord, I know you can resurrect dead dreams and that you have a
way to bring them about. Thank you for restoring those dreams and
desires to me. Thank you for working a restoration in my life as I
walk in faith in you."

Joel and Victoria Osteen join James and Betty all week on LIFE TODAY.