2. But I Can’t
A little railroad engine was employed about a station yard for such work as it was built for, pulling a few cars on and off the switches. One morning it was waiting for the next call when a long train of freight-cars asked a large engine in the roundhouse to take it over the hill.

3. But I Can’t
"I can't; that is too much a pull for me", said the great engine built for hard work. Then the train asked another engine, and another, only to hear excuses and be refused. In desperation, the train asked the little switch engine to draw it up the grade and down on the other side.

4. But I Can’t
"I think I can", puffed the little locomotive, and put itself in front of the great heavy train. As it went on the little engine kept bravely puffing faster and faster, "I think I can, I think I can, I think I can."

5. But I Can’t
As it neared the top of the grade, which had so discouraged the larger engines, it went more slowly. However, it still kept saying, "I–think–I–can, I–think–I–can."

6. But I Can’t
It reached the top by drawing on bravery and then went on down the grade, congratulating itself by saying, "I thought I could, I thought I could."

7. But I Can’t A bit of history:
The story's signature phrases such as "I think I can" first occurred in print in a 1902 article in a Swedish journal. An early published version of the story, "Story of the Engine That Thought It Could", appeared in the New-York Tribune on April 8, 1906, as part of a sermon by the Rev. Charles S. Wing.

8. But I Can’t
A brief version of the tale appeared under the title Thinking One Can in 1906, in Wellspring for Young People, a Sunday school publication. This version reappeared in a 1910 book, Foundation Stones of Success.

9. But I Can’t
There are times in our lives when we might say, “But I can’t”. We are showing our own insecurities and doubts.
The project or task at hand may be a daunting one but, is one that we truly cannot do?
When we consider this idea spiritually its importance takes a new perspective.

10. But I Can’t Moses is an example of one who thought he couldn’t.
Ex. 3:10-4:17 – Moses tried to be released from this task. He tried to tell God that he was not equipped to do the job, but God equipped him for the job at hand.

11. But I Can’t
We can have feelings of inadequacy too. We can look at our lives and see the many mistakes and relive them over and over. When we do this we never overcome them but they overwhelm us. We take on the defeat again and again and “I can’t” becomes our reality.

12. But I Can’t Just as God equipped Moses He has equipped us.
Psalm 46:1-3 – God is our refuge and strength
Psalm 94:16-19 – the worries that come upon us are comforted by God
Phil. 4:13 – Christ strengthens us
2 Cor. 4:13 – because we believe and know that Christ strengthens us we can speak
In other words, “I can”.

13. But I Can’t We must have the attitude of Isaiah.
Isaiah 6:1-8 – even though he was terrified he still responded by saying, “Here am I, send me.”
We have never faced a scene like Isaiah and yet we can let our fears defeat us. Instead we should be saying, “Here am I, I can”.

14. But I Can’t We should have the constancy of Paul.
2 Cor. 12:7-10 – Paul’s physical affliction was used by him as a reminder of the strength and grace that can be found in Christ. He used that weakness as a strength for spreading the Gospel.

15. But I Can’t
We all have weaknesses but we must turn those to strengths for Christ. By our example we can show others the means of overcoming their weakness, 1 Cor. 10:13.

16. But I Can’t When we say “I can’t” we have quit before we have begun.
Luke 19:12-27 –
One servant quit before he even started – I Can’t
One servant did and produced five more – I Can
One servant did and produced two more – I Can
Everyone’s “I Can” is different but everyone “Can”.

17. But I Can’t
The next time you begin to say “I Can’t”, stop and ask yourself “Can I?” first.