What gets in your way?

Sometimes there are obstacles in our way that can hinder our progress in achieving our goals. You have heard me mention a time or two that I set a cycling goal this year. I wanted to reach 500 miles from the time I could begin cycling in the spring until it became too cold in the fall.  Early on in the season I was on a roll.  I couldn't log my miles fast enough and each day I became more and more excited to get on the bike and ride.  "I will do this in a snap", I told myself.  I even thought about raising the goal to 600 miles because I thought that I would easily surpass the original one. At the end of July I was already at 400 miles and even though I would be gone for 3 weeks in August I was convinced that I would crush this goal.  Sounds a little overconfident doesn't it? 

Obstacle #1 Time

When we returned from our trips in August, I set up a time to ride with my friend Catherine and we set out on a fabulous ride that would give me 30 miles towards my goal. We trekked along and laughed together at how fortunate we were to have bike trails and agreed that since I hadn't rode in a while that today we would take it at a slower pace than normal.  At our halfway point we found ourselves at a beautiful park and decided to rest a bit and sit on a bridge. Catherine was ahead of me, leading us to the bridge. 

What happened next would be great if it was on video!

I was either distracted by the beauty surrounding us, or I was just distracted! I began to peddle and I ran straight into the back of Catherine's bike and fell off with a loud thud onto the pavement.  Honestly I don't remember how I fell, but I had a whopping bruise on my left thigh!  Ouch!  "How did my biking shorts not rip?" I moaned, as I lay sprawled out in the middle of the parking lot.  I told Catherine that I was fine, because isn't that what we do, when we don't want people to know how hurt we are?

Obstacle #2 Trying again when we fail.

I biked again after that day several times but everyday I had a reminder of the fall.  The bruise on my thigh was about the size of a cantaloupe melon and had swollen so that there was a large bump made up of various shades of purple. Constantly I thought about the fall and wondered if it would happen again.

Obstacle #3 Leaving the past behind

Today I am 13 miles short of reaching the goal of 500 miles. Tomorrow will be the victory day of accomplishing this goal. I praise God that He has given me a good friend to cheer me on and an amazing husband that has helped me to see past the obstacles and look at the end goal.


I believe that as Christians we are always striving to press on towards the goal.

Philippians 3:13-14, "Brothers, I do not consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God's heavenly call in Christ Jesus."

What has kept you from from pressing on towards the goal?

Time

Failures

Past experiences?

Maybe today you are thinking that you just can't achieve it. 

Know that all things are possible when you trust in Christ.

Father, Forgive us for letting obstacles come in the way of pressing forward. Give us a new and clearer vision of what You have called us to do in your name and for your kingdom.

I love you.  Jann

 

 

 

 

Did you see the sign?

Have you ever had signs to tell you that something was not as it seemed?

One day last week I had a few signs. I had a sinus headache.  It was the beginning of the day and my head hurt like there was a jackhammer on top of it. This headache was the type where when you lean over, it feels like you will explode. "ouch" I whimpered. I needed something or there would be no way that I could teach. Just then I remembered that I had put a new bottle of Advil pain reliever in my purse.  I reached into my purse, opened the bottle, placed two tablets in my hand and thought, "hmm these look different, when did they make them blue"? (sign #1) 

I went about my teaching schedule but  soon I did not feel on top of my game.  "Wow, I really feel woozy", It began to be difficult to keep my eyes open. (sign #2)

I made some coffee and that seemed to help. When school was over I went home and took a nap.  Today I once again I had a headache and reached into my purse to grab the Advil.  This time I took out the bottle and placed it onto my desk.  To my shock and surprise this was my (sign #3).  In front of me was the reason that I was so tired and woozy.  It was Advil PM!

In Numbers 14:11, The LORD said to Moses, "How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the miraculous signs I have performed among them?

I wonder how often I am oblivious to the many signs that God is giving me?

Signs to:

• Trust Him
• Move in a certain direction
• Pray
• Encourage
• Read his word
• Stop sinning
• Accept His help
• Be still
• Stop talking
• Grow
• Serve
• Forgive

What signs has God given to you?

Are you paying attention to them?

Father, Help me to be aware of the signs that you have given to me.  I desire to follow you more closely and to go in the direction that you want me to. Jann



Stuck!

This morning we talked about how it feels to be stuck.  I remembered a time when I was literally stuck with a deep feeling that there was no hope for me to get out!

At this time my family had moved to a small town in Riverside county. Pedley, California.  Yes, it was as little as it sounds!  We moved from Orange County to this little, tiny, nothing of a town!  I was not too happy about it!  I felt stuck in my surroundings! 

It was my sophomore year in high school and a friend asked if I wanted to go for a ride on one of her horses.  I was a little nervous, you see I had only been riding twice before and both times were in a group with a guide.  You know the type of riding, slow and poky with horses who knew the route and new when it was time to return back to the barn.  I decided to go and met her at her house. Soon I was on the big, grey horse and we were leisurely riding up in the hills of Pedley.  At first it was great!  We were able to laugh and look out into the valley that was waiting below us. 

With out warning my sweet horse, who I had just been talking to and telling, "you are such a good girl" laid down and then proceeded to roll right into a deep ditch!  I jumped off just in time not to get crushed but, I too landed in the ditch!  My friend stood at the top of this ditch which felt cavernous to me and said, "how did that happen? Did you kick her or something?"

At that moment, besides the deep feelings of anger I felt for my friend I felt stuck!

I was stuck with a horse that did not want to move!  In a few moments I was at the top of the ditch wondering how we were going to get this humongous horse out of the ditch!  We pulled, begged and cried but nothing helped.  The horse just looked at us like we were the ones with a problem. 

You see the horse didn't want to get out of the ditch.  It was cool in the dirt and there were some plants that she was munching on.  She didn't feel stuck even though she clearly was.  Have you been here?

When the horse was ready and only then we began to gently lead her out of the ditch. I walked the horse back to her barn and never rode again!

There was lots of stuckness going on in this story.
I felt stuck in my surroundings,
stuck in the ditch,
stuck in my ability to control a situation. 
The horse was stuck in her desire to be comfortable and in her stubbornness.

Blessed are those who mourn for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4

It is only when we realize that we do not have the ability in ourselves to get unstuck and turn to Jesus that we will find relief.

Today is the day to get unstuck!  Ask the only person who can help you to pull you out of that pit that you have been in!

Father,
I am stuck far too often to count.  Today I realize that I am stuck in a habit that has began to control me.  Pull me out of it's control and break the chain that has been attached to it.  I realize that the only hope I have of changing is by giving you the control. Thank you for offering to take this to empower me to be the woman you want me to be.
Jann