Hi, this is Natalie Hoffman of Flying Free Now, and you're listening to the Flying Free

podcast, a support resource for women of faith, looking for hope and healing from hidden

emotional and spiritual abuse.

Welcome to episode 129 of the Flying Free Podcast. It's Story Time. That's right. I'm going to

read you a story today. This story is taken from a book called

Friedman's Fables and it's a very first story in the book called The Bridge.

Here we go.

There was a man who had given much thought to what he wanted from life.

He had experienced many moods and trials.

He had experimented with different ways of living and he had had his share of

both success and failure. At last he began to see clearly where he wanted to go.

Diligently, he searched for the right opportunity.

Sometimes he came close, only to be pushed away.

Often he applied all his strength and imagination only to find the path

hopelessly blocked and then at last it came, but the opportunity would not wait. It would be made available only for a short time.

If it were seen that he was not committed, the opportunity would not come again.

Eager to arrive, he started on his journey.

With each step he wanted to move faster.

With each thought about his goal, his heart beat quicker.

With each vision of what lay ahead he found renewed

vigor. Strength that had left him since his early youth returned and desires, all

kinds of desires, reawakened from their long dormant positions.

...