Vacations are great. I’m so thankful that our kids gave us the opportunity to enjoy our first ever cruise. Justin and I had so much fun learning and planning for this ONE trip. It came up in our conversations daily for 10 months. We talked about many other things as well, wedding, graduation, jobs, family issues, Bible stuff, church things, but we always came back to ONE thing – our first ever cruise that we actually were going on!!

We had booked several cruises in the past 4 years or so and for ONE reason or another we decided to cancel them. It always seemed that taking a cruise was so close yet so far away and that our passports were never going to leave the country. This is ONE reason we were so excited about this trip! We knew it was going to happen. We knew we were finally going to see more of the beautiful world God had created. We just knew it was going to a relaxing trip without cellphone service for 4 nights! We finally boarded our ship, set sail, and were off on an adventure that we had planned meticulously for 10 months.

ONE thing we hadn’t planned for was a change in plans. ONE person’s course of actions changed the entire ship’s itinerary. All it took was ONE person to turn our 1,020 foot ship full of 4,000 people away from our destination.

ONE, although a small number, can be powerful.

Have you ever stopped and thought about the power ONE has? I don’t think it’s something we consider very often. We drop a chip and say “well at least it’s only ONE”. We go to the store and say “it’s only ONE dollar”. We break a glass and say “it’s just ONE I have plenty more”. ONE just seems so minuscule, but to the 3,999 other people on the ship that ONE person had a tremendous effect. If I ever doubted the power of just ONE, my mind has definitely changed.

ONE is full of power.

ONE God created ONE world and from ONE blood made every nation. (Acts 7:24-26)

ONE Son was sent to this earth by our ONE God to die the we may have eternal life. (John 3:16)

Paul gives us a list in Ephesians 4:4-6 of some very important and very powerful ONES – There is ONE body and ONE Spirit, just as you were called in ONE hope of your calling; ONE Lord, ONE faith, ONE baptism; ONE God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Any more than ONE of any of these would change the whole gospel!

ONE person can change the lives of so many. ONE phone call, ONE word, ONE action, or ONE look can either encourage or discourage someone. If we aren’t careful ONE sin can consume us. The power of ONE is great. The power of ONE is mighty. It’s our choice what to do with that powerful number ONE.

By: Kristina Odom