New Life Apostolic Church

By Pastor Ken Foreman

Upon receiving the news that my first cousin Regina had passed, I drove from Detroit down to Toledo to be with the family.

After crossing the state line into Ohio, I saw on the freeway, in the middle – next to the divider wall, a sunflower plant about 2-1/2 to 3 feet tall. I thought to myself, “That’s impossible!” I thought about how hard it is to get plants to grow even when you plant them in a plant friendly environment (such as your yard or garden) use fertilizer, Miracle Grow, water and nurture them daily. But here was this sunflower plant; concrete and pavement for its soil, watered only when it rains, no fertilizers, no Miracle Grow, and nurtured only by the passing car and truck exhaust fumes.

Imagine with me for a moment, when this sunflower plant was just a little seed. Maybe he thought he wanted to take root and grow in the middle of the I-75 freeway but first he went to get the advice of some experts at the local nursery. I think they would have told him something to him like this; “Are you crazy? You could never survive in that type of environment, the sun would scorch you or the fumes from the cars and big trucks would cause you to die and wither; you would not have anyone to water you and you do know how long it can go without raining in the Midwest. The environment is just not fitting; that’s a bad idea, it would be in vain, suicide, planticide, just plain impossible!”

Let’s come back to reality. I have reason to think the imaginary experts have a point. Everything they said makes sense. But the little plant was there; next to the divider wall, not trying to grow but growing, not trying to live but thriving; looking as strong and healthy as any sunflower plant I’ve ever seen. It was making it – growing – defying all the odds, doing what might seem impossible to man. As I drove down the freeway and the little plant growing smaller in my rearview mirror, I thought about the Scripture that says, “With God all things are possible.” (Matthew 19:26)

Have you, my friend, ever been in an environment where it seems like the odds are against you? Have you ever been in a place where even the experts tell you that you can’t do it or that you will fail? If you have been or if you are in that impossible place right now – tell yourself and your situation, “With me or man it might be impossible, but with God all things are possible!

Think about it. We can be 99% certain that no person intentionally planted that sunflower plant on the freeway. Maybe where you are you did not ask to be there or plan to be there but you are there. Don’t give up hope, don’t lose your faith, with God all things are possible! Could it be that God planted you there? If He did, He will not let you go wanting. He will make sure that you are nourished, and doing better than you or others could ever do for you.

That little plant was growing because God allowed it to grow and so that I or anyone else who would take notice might see impossible things being made possible as a reminder that with the help of God we can and will make it, regardless of our obstacles!

Note: This article was featured in The Apostolic Writers’ Digest in August 2007.