Never give up

Came across this clip recently of Heather Kampf (formerly Dorniden) running a collegiate race in 2008. It is a really good portrayal of never giving up:

In her interview after the race, she said this:

"I try to tell myself before the start of every race that all things are possible through Christ, and first and foremost I have to send the credit his way, because I certainly didn't feel like I did that all by myself. Immediately after the fall, I told myself, you have to get up to at least get a time that will score-- the team points were very close and I know everyone was counting on some points in that event."

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me - Philippians 4:13. Hallelujah!

What also struck me was what she said about scoring for the team. She saw that her finishing the race was more important for the team than for herself, and that was possibly one of the things that helped keep her going. She ran for something bigger than herself. In the end she not only scored one for the team, she also scored a big one for herself.

Time and again I find myself falling off in my walk with God. Sometimes its hard to pick myself up and keep going. When I am down, I sometimes feel dejected and ashamed of myself; I become inward looking and even to the extent that I feel like giving up. Fortunately the Holy Spirit rebukes me and reminds me of what Christ has done for me, that there is no condemnation in Him (Rom 8:1), that I already have the victory through Him and He has already overcome the world (John 16:33). It also helps to have fellow brothers and sisters-in-Christ who encourages me, keeps me in check, and gently nudging me forward in their different ways. So when the going gets tough, it is really God and the body of Christ that keeps me going and not give up.

Adjusting

The weather is starting to get cold in Melbourne, winter is coming. This also means the sun rises a little bit later in the morning and sets much earlier in the evening which leaves less time for 'day-time' activities. Just the past week when I went canoeing, I started at 5pm and by 545pm there wasn't much light left and I had to hurry back to the boathouse, otherwise it gets a bit creepy paddling in the dark and I can't see what animal is moving on the river. But back to the weather being colder. It has made a casual everyday action much harder to do or should I say requiring more time for 'adjustments'. This very simple everyday action is none other than getting in and out of bed. At night when I climb into bed, I find that the bed is colder than the room. Even when I am under the down blanket and huddled next to the wife, it still takes a couple of minutes before I feel comfortable enough and fall asleep. During that couple of minutes, my body is frantically generating more heat to fight the coldness of the bed and to warm up my immediate surroundings - which is the small amount of air between me and the down blanket. In the morning, getting out of the bed and blanket requires my body to go through a bigger adjustment, this is done with the aid of: washing my face with warm water, blowing the hair dryer on my head even though my hair is not wet then having a warm mug of milo. Yes, I am starting to do this almost everyday.

On a bigger scale, we have to adjust to changes everyday, every week, every month and every year. New job, new project or assignment at work, or new responsibilities in general; new boss, new colleagues, new neighbours, or forming new relationships in general; new policies at work, new legislations or standards, or simply new rules of how things should be done; new tools, new equipment, new programs, new gadgets that are supposed to make your life 'easier. With every new 'thing' comes a period of getting used to, a period of adjusting.

I think getting in and out of bed when it gets colder should be probably one of the easier adjustments I need to go through this year. The other slightly tougher one would be getting papers piled higher and deeper. I have no idea how I am going to get through that but somehow I have been 'highly recommended' to do it. Then there is an even more challenging adjustment which I (and the wife) have to go through in a couple of months. It has been highly professed that nothing in this world can prepare a person (or couple) to go through this change - having your first bub. How comforting. Although I must say it does make life more exciting.

Nevertheless, with all the changes that will be happening for me this year, I take comfort in knowing that God never changes - He is always the same yesterday, today and tomorrow; His word never changes and He is always faithful. Amen!

My soul finds rest in God alone; my salvation comes from him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken. Psalm 62:1-2