The Pineapple Lesson
by: Lysa TerKeurst

Let's face it … a pineapple is only sweet to eat if you know how to get inside it! For years I didn't have a clue about how to cut a pineapple. I walked by the produce aisle looking at the fresh pineapples with longing. I wanted what was inside; I just didn't know how to get beneath its tough outer skin. I had visions of slicing and dicing, dripping with sticky juice and completely mangling the fruit so that even the dog wasn't tempted to partake. So, unless someone else was serving it, I simply settled for the canned version. At least I knew how to operate my can opener!

One day I watched a friend accomplish what I thought impossible. She didn't miss a beat as she sliced with ease. First she cut off the top and then the bottom. Next, she sliced the cylinder into four equal pieces. She then slid the knife along the back edge to cut off the skin and along the pointed center to remove the . Laying the long wedges on the cutting board, she chopped them into bite size pieces and viola! Fresh cut pineapple was served. Watching her gave me courage to try it on my own. Finally, I was able to help myself to the yummy fruit.

This might sound a bit strange, but learning to cut a pineapple became a real life lesson for me. More than just the skill of wielding the knife around a tropical fruit, I learned I had bought into the notion there were some things I just couldn't do. I was challenged by the thought that I might be missing out on a lot in life because I had talked myself into thinking some things were impossible.

Mark 10:27 reminds us that with God, all things are possible. If we ask for God's help, we dedicate our endeavor to Him. We admit that in our strength this would not be possible, but we proclaim that God can accomplish anything through someone who is willing. We put God's courage into our hearts with His truth. We retrain our minds by taking the words "I can't" out of our vocabulary.

So, I'm tackling some of the major, I can'ts in my life. Throughout this year, you'll be reading about my progress in areas that have troubled me for years. I'll be gut honest about my struggles with weight loss, organization, reining in my temper, and several others. I'll also be sharing stories from other women who have faced a challenge head on and decided to turn her I can't into I'll conquer! Maybe you have a story you'd like to submit. I'd love for you to write us and send it to our mailing address … who knows, maybe you'll be featured in an upcoming issue of the "P31 Woman"!

This month it was a pineapple but trust me, next month we're tackling something a little more "sticky"… a woman's romantic desire for her husband. My thought is we Christian women should be honest about our struggles, but not be content with just staying there. Let's motivate and spur one another on to greater heights with God. Everything about our lives should proclaim, "With God all things are possible!"

Oh, and the next time you see a fresh pineapple, buy it! Cut it open and let its fruit inspire you with the truth that there is sweet victory on the other side of every conquered challenge.

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