---Climbing is difficult. The tug of gravity is constant. Ordinarily, though, with a moderate amount of determination and stamina, people complete the climb they began. But sometimes the foothold gives way and there is a slide backward.---
Right now, I am learning how there is this constant “pull of gravity.” I have always had this “pressure” like I need to get A’s in all of my classes. Like I need to constantly do the BEST! I remember signing up for my chemistry class last semester. I had been in the class for one day and remember having this indescribable pain in my stomach and crying myself to sleep because I never thought that I would get through it. I was so nervous that I had chose the wrong career and that I was going to have to start all over and I had no idea where to even begin! Long story short… I broke the barrier and got a B+. And you know what… I’m still here.
I’m learning how great it feels to not care about my feelings. How my joy and my security come from who God is, not from my feelings. Some hard things have happened this semester, but I’ve found this incredible peace with where my life is heading. And I feel like it’s because I’ve finally given up “my plan.” IT’S SO FREEING!
---When mountain climbers are in dangerous terrain, on the face of a cliff or the slopes of a glacier, they rope themselves together. Sometimes one of them slips and falls. But not everyone falls at once, and so those who are still are on their feet are able to keep the backslider from falling away completely.---
I’ve been thinking about Bike and Build constantly. I keep hearing, “Prepare yourself for the BEST summer of your life!” I was able to talk with one of my team leaders the other day, Kelly, and we just kept talking about how crazy this whole thing is. Like really…who gets to do something like this? The more I let myself think about what I will be doing, the more of an adrenaline rush I get. But the more I get into training…the more I understand just how tough this is going to be. I can see it now…on my 5th day of a 75 miler and I’m at the bottom of a hill… just looking up. Whoa baby. And this is the exact point in the journey where I am sooooo grateful God has given us fellowship. That my teammates are going to be at the top of the hill cheering me on…telling me I can do it. Wow. And that’s when I kick.
----We may slip and stumble and fall, but the rope will hold us up.---
Praise God. He’s the rope. And literally…my clip pedals are probably going to bring me to the pavement. But I’ll still be holding onto the rope.
“Jesus, who both began and will finish the race we are in.” Hebrews 12:2
