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The following blog is a summary of a message by Pastor Eddie Lawrence with guest speakers Dave Nolan and Ray Hughes.

Watch the Sermon HERE!

Have you ever felt limited by your weaknesses? Perhaps you've struggled with learning disabilities, financial hardships, or simply feeling inadequate for the tasks before you. Today's message brings powerful hope through the testimony of a successful entrepreneur who discovered that what he once saw as his greatest limitation became his greatest strength.

When Weakness Becomes Strength

Dave Nolan, a successful entrepreneur who built multiple multi-million dollar businesses, struggled with severe dyslexia his entire life. As a child, he couldn't read and was often labeled as lazy, disruptive, or even "brain damaged." Teachers told his parents he wouldn't amount to much.

"I was told how bad that was until God told me he designed me to be a daydreamer and to see the visions," Dave shared. "What I thought as a child God cursed me with, I now realize is a gift from God."

Because of his dyslexia, Dave developed extraordinary visualization abilities. He could envision an entire business from concept to completion in minutes—seeing the entire journey of a brand, product, or company before it even began.

Finding Your Learning Style

Dave's breakthrough came when he discovered how he actually learned. Traditional education failed him because it relied on reading, but he excelled when he could see, taste, touch, and experience things directly.

"For the first time in my life, I felt like I can learn. And I'm 27 years old by this point," Dave explained. "I'm not that stupid kid. I'm not that kid that's worthless."

This revelation transformed his self-perception and opened doors to incredible business opportunities. He went from mowing lawns as a teenager to eventually creating food products for major companies like Starbucks.

The Power of Peace and Gratitude

Despite his business success, Dave's mind was constantly racing. He described sleeping only 1-2 hours at a time, constantly writing down ideas, and never experiencing mental peace—until a pivotal moment.

During a conference where Ray Hughes was sharing stories behind classic hymns, something extraordinary happened:

"For the first time in my life, my mind shut down. I only heard Ray's voice and I was able to concentrate on what God was doing... It's the first time I had peace in my mind that wasn't scrambled."

This experience led Dave to incorporate hymns into his morning routine, creating space for peace and connection with God that transformed his spiritual life.

Saying Yes to God's Assignments

One of the most powerful principles Dave shared was simply saying "yes" to God's assignments—even when they seemed impossible.

He shared how God asked him if he would provide retirement for his in-laws, who had been in ministry but had no retirement funds. At the time, Dave's own car had just been repossessed, and he had no idea how he could fulfill this request.

"I thought, 'Lord, are you talking to me about Jori and Sue? What do you need?' And he goes, 'I want to make sure. Will you take care of them the rest of their lives?'"

Dave said yes without knowing how it would happen. Six months later, he started a company using his mother-in-law's recipes—the very banana bread, pumpkin bread, and lemon pound cake that would be sold at Starbucks for decades. Through this business, he was able to hire both in-laws and provide for them for the rest of their lives.

Walking Through Difficult Seasons

Both Dave and Ray shared about difficult seasons in their lives. Ray described a time when he and his wife were homeless, living in a borrowed tent with young children. Dave talked about business failures and struggles.

Yet both emphasized that these difficult seasons were part of God's plan. As Ray put it, "You can go through hell as long as you don't stop." Eventually, the traction of the Holy Spirit begins to reveal itself, and you begin to hear God's voice and sense His presence.

Finding God's Favor

When asked about having God's favor, Dave offered this profound insight: "I didn't win a lottery with God... I was faithful to God. When some people think they don't have God's favor, I have to ask them, what are you favoring? Do you favor the things of God? Because I had to learn to favor the things of God to have God's favor over me."

This perspective shifts our understanding of favor from something God arbitrarily gives to some people but not others, to something that grows as we align our hearts with what God values.

Life Application

Today's message challenges us to reconsider what we view as limitations in our lives. Could your greatest weakness actually be a divine gift in disguise? Here are some questions to reflect on this week:

 

  • What limitation or weakness in your life might God want to transform into a strength?

 

  • Are you saying "yes" to what God is asking of you, even when you don't see how it will work out?

 

  • Where do you need to experience God's peace in your constantly racing thoughts?

 

  • Are you favoring the things of God in your daily decisions and priorities?

 

 

This week, I challenge you to identify one area where you've felt limited or inadequate, and ask God to show you how He might want to use that very thing for His glory. Then, take one small step of obedience in that direction—saying "yes" to God's assignment before you see the full picture.

Remember, as Ray shared: "He never calls you to do anything you can do. He always calls you to do something you can't do, and therefore, you'll have to rely upon him to get you there."