Welcome to Superhero Training Camp!!

Hello hero! Yes, I am talking to you. Yes, you with the secret identity.

What? You didn’t know you are a hero? Didn’t know you have superpowers.

Holy smack down Batman – let’s discover your inner awesomeness…

#1 Your Super Story

Every superhero has an origin story…

Kal-El (aka Clark Kent) landed on earth as a baby from the planet Krypton. Our yellow sun provides his powers. We call him Superman.

Bruce Wayne witnessed the murder of his parents by a thug. He vowed revenge. Intelligence, martial arts training and cool gadgets provide his powers.

David Banner, scientist, wanted to know the secret to the incredible strength that comes over us in stressed situations. (Like the grandma who lifts a car off her grandchild trapped underneath.) During a gamma radiation test gone wild he became The Hulk!

What have you experienced? What have you survived? What flames have you walked through?

Your “mundane, ordinary” life provides the catalyst for your powers.

The very things you fail to appreciate or the pain you’ve been through can rescue others.

Who better to help a child of divorce than another child of divorce?

Who better to guide a young marriage than one whose marriage is strong and happy?

Who better to rescue the hope of a cancer patient than one who had the same cancer?

Who better to train a new employee than a top-level employee?

Who better to lift the spirit of the depressed than one who has walked out of the same darkness?

Do you see how this works? Your life experiences are valuable… powerful. You can come along side others and lend a hand. But first you have to be familiar with everything that makes you strong.

This isn’t the time for false pride. And it’s not arrogant.

You don’t hear Superman saying, “Aw, shucks. I’m nothing special. Sure bullets bounce off me. I can leap tall buildings in a single bound. I am more powerful than a locomotive. I’m faster than a speeding bullet. But seriously, nothing special.”

That’s silly.

And it’s silly to think you don’t have powers.

2 Corinthians 1 puts it this way…

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

If you want to locate just ONE of your superpowers, think about the greatest tragedy or pain you’ve survived. That can be an incredible source of help to others who are going through something similar.

You have a responsibility to use that circumstance to help others.

#2 Your Super Strength – “Hulk Smash!!”

How did your circumstance make you stronger?

In my case, as many of you know, my wife Sherri passed away in my arms when our son was only 5 weeks old. The experience has given me superpowers.

Because I’m a speaker and writer, hundreds of thousands of people have been encouraged to live their mission. My superpowers include…

• A heart for others who have lost a spouse at a young age.
• A spirit to encourage others to live their best day everyday.
• An ability to foster and generate a positive belief in the future both within myself and others.
• A skill of communication that allows me to transfer what I feel to the audience as we laugh and learn together.

What superpowers came out of your origin story? Are you an encourager, a listening ear, a guide?

Think for a few moments. Who have you helped?

Have you helped the guy standing at the interception begging for food? Then perhaps your superpower is compassion.

Travel back in time mentally and recognize the moments when you came to the rescue of someone.

#3 Your Super Vision and Hearing

“Superman!”

Whenever Lois Lane yelled, Superman heard her voice. He’s always tuned into the cry of distress.

We need to be that way too.

Sometimes the call comes clearly. For example, here’s a Facebook message I received…

We just had something happen here that has never happened in the 2 1/2 yrs we’ve been here. A young mother of a premmie had a seizure and passed away. While we were sitting with her husband at the ER I thought of you and thought you might could tell us what to say to her sweet husband. This was their 1st child and his heart is broken. Would you mind writing him a note if I give you his address? Thank you, Christy

What do you think? Should I say, “I’m nothing special. I can’t really help”? Or should I go to the rescue?

Obvious, right?

(As a note… going to the rescue does not mean perfection. It’s does not mean we have all the answers. It means we are available to help and we do what we can.)

On the other hand, we need to be looking and listening for distress. We shouldn’t just wait for the hotline to ring. We should be actively pursuing opportunities to help.

Look.

Scanning the Facebook news feed alone can give you several opportunities to help each day. Maybe someone is requesting prayer. Maybe someone else is facing something you’ve been through. Maybe another just needs an encouraging word.

Listen.

What are friends, co-workers, family members mentioning in conversation that you can help with? Listen for tones of frustration, pain, hurt and then move in to lift the car off of them.

So let’s get to it! It’s a rough world out there. Villains are hatching evil schemes. Unleash your secret identity. You’re a superhero!

Live Your Mission,

Paul