If there was one theme that I could pluck out from my life, it would be to 'keep moving forward.' Everywhere I turn this concept is staring me in the face, and each day I feel like the Lord sheds a little bit more light on the implications of it.
My favorite moment where this theme started coming together for me was with Jeff Dauler from The Bert Show. Last year he realized that he had become stagnant in his life and needed to make a big change. So he applied to join CNN's Fitnation to do a triathlon with Sanjay Gupta and his team. For someone who was overweight, this was a bold consideration. Throughout his training, his coach continually told him that no matter what,
Times of transition are the hardest during a triathlon because you know what lies ahead of you, and yet it feels so much sweeter to sit down and rest, and potentially quit because the challenge just seems insurmountable. But you can't stop. You have to keep moving.
This mantra on moving forward became a defining phrase in Jeff's life, and is the very reason that he faced and conquered so many personal battles.
Part 2 of where I came face-to-face with this message was from the conference I went to last week in Indianapolis. Eric Greitens is a former Navy SEAL, and works to re-habilitate wounded soldiers when they return home from the front lines (through The Mission Continues). Men who have committed to giving their lives in service to our country struggle coming home, especially if they've been wounded and can no longer serve in the military. In those first days and weeks, they struggle to figure out who they are and if they even have a purpose on this earth any longer. And of course it would be so easy to quit.
But what is beautiful here is that Greitens works with these wounded soldiers to re-establish a purpose and a passion in their lives. He teaches them to recalibrate their hearts, and that even a shift in 2 degrees can dramatically alter their direction and destination. But shifting 2 degrees is painful. It requires courage and boldness to face the demons in yourself and to convince yourself that you are important and significant. And that people depend on you.
Everyone has a front line, where you encounter pain, tension or difficulty. But moving through that pain is where your character evolves, and allows you to get to a place of true wisdom and strength. Facing yourself in those moments where you pass your mental, emotional or physical limits is something only you can do. But you can do it if you choose to. You can keep fighting.
"Your present circumstances don't determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start." - Nido Qubein
My favorite moment where this theme started coming together for me was with Jeff Dauler from The Bert Show. Last year he realized that he had become stagnant in his life and needed to make a big change. So he applied to join CNN's Fitnation to do a triathlon with Sanjay Gupta and his team. For someone who was overweight, this was a bold consideration. Throughout his training, his coach continually told him that no matter what,
always keep moving forward.
Times of transition are the hardest during a triathlon because you know what lies ahead of you, and yet it feels so much sweeter to sit down and rest, and potentially quit because the challenge just seems insurmountable. But you can't stop. You have to keep moving.
This mantra on moving forward became a defining phrase in Jeff's life, and is the very reason that he faced and conquered so many personal battles.
Part 2 of where I came face-to-face with this message was from the conference I went to last week in Indianapolis. Eric Greitens is a former Navy SEAL, and works to re-habilitate wounded soldiers when they return home from the front lines (through The Mission Continues). Men who have committed to giving their lives in service to our country struggle coming home, especially if they've been wounded and can no longer serve in the military. In those first days and weeks, they struggle to figure out who they are and if they even have a purpose on this earth any longer. And of course it would be so easy to quit.
But what is beautiful here is that Greitens works with these wounded soldiers to re-establish a purpose and a passion in their lives. He teaches them to recalibrate their hearts, and that even a shift in 2 degrees can dramatically alter their direction and destination. But shifting 2 degrees is painful. It requires courage and boldness to face the demons in yourself and to convince yourself that you are important and significant. And that people depend on you.
Everyone has a front line, where you encounter pain, tension or difficulty. But moving through that pain is where your character evolves, and allows you to get to a place of true wisdom and strength. Facing yourself in those moments where you pass your mental, emotional or physical limits is something only you can do. But you can do it if you choose to. You can keep fighting.
"I hated every minute of training, but I said, 'Don't quit. Suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.'" - Muhammad Ali
"Your present circumstances don't determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start." - Nido Qubein
1 comment:
so good Mary. i needed that.
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