Inspiration.

Inspiration.

It’s a word that I came to love when I was around 16 or 17 years old. I know that sounds strange, to fall in love with a word. But when a word has done so much in your life as this one has for me, you’d fall in love with it too.

It was 1989 when the movie Always came out. I’m not sure what it was about it that drew me in. I just remember watching it over and over again.

It was about a fire pilot who risked life and limb to fly into forest fires and douse out the burning infernos with fire retardant he carried in his plane. Of course, he had a girl and of course, they had issues. SPOILER ALERT!!! The hero dies very early on in the film as his plane explodes into a fireball, after he risked it all to save his best friend from certain death.

Now, let me lead in with this. THIS MOVIE’S THEOLOGY IS WHACK! So what I’m about to say in NO WAY reflects my beliefs in the afterlife, angels, nor the “the man upstairs,” as the move refers to God. It’s for an object lesson only. I believe you can find a life lesson in just about anything. As my father in law once said, “You can learn something from anybody, even if it’s what NOT to do.” Ain’t it the truth!

After our hero dies, he awakens to find himself in a beautiful little patch of bright green grass, freckled with tiny white flowers and small trees newly budding. The intersting thing is that all of this is sitting slap dab in the middle of a burned out forest. Standing by one of the trees is none other than Audrey Hepburn herself… I’m geeking out a little just saying her name. I love that lady.

ANYWAYS... She explains that he was sent back to mentor someone else, as someone had mentored him. Of course, our hero never realized that all of the good from his past life was because he had, had a dead person speaking words of wisdom into it.

My FAVORITE part of the movie, though, is when Hap (Audrey Hepburn) explains what our hero has become in his death. She says…

“It’s what fliers and piano players and everyone else counts on. They reach for it. They pray for it. And quite often just when they need it most, they get it. It’s breathed into them. It’s what the word means. Spiritus. The divine breath. INSPIRATION.”

That word, from that scene, from that movie, for more than 25 years has always stuck with me. I’ve prayed for it many times in my own life.

When I’ve lost my joy. I pray, “Lord, please send your inspiration, your divine breath, into my life once again.”

When I’m writing, I beg, “Lord, please inspire me today. Give me a word today to help somebody along the way.”

When I was a professional photographer, I prayed before each session, “Lord, please send me the inspiration I need for this session.”

When my love for my husband begins to dull, “Lord, we need your inspiration in our marriage once again, Oh GOD!”

When I am seeking direction for the small group I lead, “Lord, please inspire me.”

And just like Hap said, “…just when they need it most, they get it.” It’s true.

I never realized that I was living out Job 32:8 until years later.

“But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty gives them understanding.”

All this time, what I’ve been praying for is for the Almighty to give me “inspiration” understanding in finding my lost joy. In understanding someone else’s needs. In understanding what will best make this client happy. In understanding what love is really all about.

Say it with me. “Inspiration.”

Father God, I ask you today to breathe your divine breath into these readers’ lives today. I pray that you’ll give them the inspiration they need to take that next step. Inspire them to grow closer to you, Lord. In your precious, holy and PURELY INSPIRATIONAL name. Amen!!

#Inspiration