Unlimited Possibilities
This handsome young man is my godson, Owen Thomas Anderson. To say I am blessed to be his godmother, puts it mildly. A significant milestone for him took place last Friday night when he graduated from Bishop Kelley High School in Tulsa, OK. I made it a point to be there to witness it and praise God Almighty for Owen’s life-journey. He MADE it!
To say “They made it!” of all the students, is appropriate. But saying “a significant milestone” in Owen making it, is a first-class miracle. Some might say that of their graduating students because of many other reasons, but in Owen’s case, he conquered tremendous odds against him.
On Thursday, before graduation, I stopped by their home in Tulsa to give Owen his graduation gift. I had already prepared myself to be a basket case of emotions and tears. I know you might be thinking “Get a grip, Donna! It is just a graduation from high school.” But it is so much more. I knew I HAD to be there to celebrate Owen’s life and ALL his accomplishments.
I titled this blog “Unlimited Possibilities” and oh, how true are those words when it comes to Owen. My emotional state has everything to do with the miracles of God right from the rough start of his life in 2005.
If you’ve followed me and my relationship with this beautiful family, you would remember that this precious, now 18-year old young man, had many physical complications when he was born. My husband and I were guided by the Holy Spirit to partner with the family for Owen’s healing.
Not only was he born with a collapsed lung and on a ventilator for the first 4 weeks of his life, many times, he would be back in the hospital because of pneumonia.
We called him “champ” from the get-go because each time, he overcame and defied the odds. Eventually, he became a championship swimmer at Bishop Kelley, winning many awards. Imagine that! Where the enemy had tried to steal his life, God turned his health and his life around for good (Genesis 50:20).
Not only in swimming and academics, Owen defied the odds by his never-quit attitude and his trust in God. I have great love for this family because Owen’s rough start brought us together. Owen became my little man who took over the seat beside me in church, where my sweet husband left vacant when he parted for heaven.
There has been a beautiful bond with this family ever since. They believe, with God, there are unlimited possibilities. Though Owen’s physical issues were challenging, they never stopped holding tight to God’s hand and His miracle working power.
Owen has become a 4.0 graduate with a full ride scholarship to Tulsa University. Last Friday night, he walked into TU’s Reynolds Center with his Class of 2023 bearing a smile that lit up the room.
He “clanked” as he wore his many championship swimming medals. Imagine that – lung issues and now a swimming champion! His family and I cheered loudly and proudly for him AND our God Who does miracles so great!
Owen is another one of those gifts from God Who keeps reminding me of our journeys of faith. Yes, tough times come, but there are UNLIMITED possibilities with our God Who makes the impossible POSSIBLE!