Jesus, My Personal Trainer
Jesus, My Personal Trainer
June. It’s the month that takes Summer by the hand, gives her a Popsicle and a beach towel, and says, “Come on outside and play.”
It is also the month which hosts something most dear to me.
You mix Jesus, orange drink, cheap crafts, music and fun decorations and it just doesn’t get any better.
Over the years, I’ve helped out in VBS, teaching, directing and decorating. I’ve painted life-sized postcards, murals, and t-shirts. One year a kid even painted me.
Last week, with large sheets of bulletin board paper spread out across the living room floor, I painted ocean waves for this year's Hawaiian theme. I’ve done a lot of shading and apparently, a lot of bending and stretching; the backs of my legs are sore.
June. It’s the month that takes Summer by the hand, gives her a Popsicle and a beach towel, and says, “Come on outside and play.”
It is also the month which hosts something most dear to me.
~Vacation Bible School~
You mix Jesus, orange drink, cheap crafts, music and fun decorations and it just doesn’t get any better.
Over the years, I’ve helped out in VBS, teaching, directing and decorating. I’ve painted life-sized postcards, murals, and t-shirts. One year a kid even painted me.
Last week, with large sheets of bulletin board paper spread out across the living room floor, I painted ocean waves for this year's Hawaiian theme. I’ve done a lot of shading and apparently, a lot of bending and stretching; the backs of my legs are sore.
It appears that I have used muscles that have not been used in quite some time.
I was walking through the grocery store with achy legs, wondering if I should go ahead and look for the aisle with Ben Gay, when I thought to myself, “It hurts a little now,but these muscles will be stronger. They’ve been stretched.”
Our family is going through some trying times right now, too. My heart knows that God is always faithful, but one could say I am having to stretch some faith muscles that have not been used in a while. When I feel the “burn,” I am to be joyful. That achy faith muscle means my relationship with God is growing.
God is in the training business. He allows trials to enter our lives so we can stretch and strengthen our faith in Him. Unlike physical training, our personal faith training cannot be done alone. Only with God and through God are we able to build a personal faith “program.”
I was walking through the grocery store with achy legs, wondering if I should go ahead and look for the aisle with Ben Gay, when I thought to myself, “It hurts a little now,but these muscles will be stronger. They’ve been stretched.”
~No pain, no gain~
Our family is going through some trying times right now, too. My heart knows that God is always faithful, but one could say I am having to stretch some faith muscles that have not been used in a while. When I feel the “burn,” I am to be joyful. That achy faith muscle means my relationship with God is growing.
“My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.” James 1:2
God is in the training business. He allows trials to enter our lives so we can stretch and strengthen our faith in Him. Unlike physical training, our personal faith training cannot be done alone. Only with God and through God are we able to build a personal faith “program.”
Through Jesus Christ, our strength, we can endure any race, any faith work-out and we are assured of a prize at the finish line.
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12: 1-2
In Christ,
When have your faith muscles been stretched?
How was your relationship with God strengthened?
Are there areas in your life where you feel the stretch more than others?
How was your relationship with God strengthened?
Are there areas in your life where you feel the stretch more than others?
Labels: Endurance, Faith, Melanie's Articles
posted by Melanie @ This Ain't New York @ 12:15 AM
6 Comments:
Bless you dear one.
Very well put. Well done. Thank you!
Blessings,
Kim
I love VBS. Been doing it for all my life, either in my personal participation as attendee or as a helper/teacher. And while the aches and pains of the doing are catching up with me, I still enjoy being stretched in order to bring Jesus to young hearts.
Another way that Jesus is stretching me today is by sending me to a writer's conference this weekend. I'm somewhat overwhelmed with the process but am stepping out on faith and keeping my eyes on him for the walk.
Be blessed, Melanie, in this season of hard living. Thank you for your solid perspective, even though all is not smoothe.
peace~elaine
My husband had 6 jobs in 4 years all paying thousands less than our living expenses. It was a bitter/sweet time in our lives. It was through those times that what I believed about myself and what I believed about God rose up to the surface. There were times I wondered if He had checked out. I spent many days wrestling with Him as Jacob. But He overcame me and changed me in the process. I have seen God in ways that I will never be the same. The more I see Him, the more I want Him.
Thanks for sharing,
Julie
I so agree with you! I happen to believe that this life is our schooling. We are here to learn. Thanks, Cindi
jchoppes[at]hotmail[dot]com
Melanie, I am here to tell.....you and your family will come through shining. Because of your great attitude. My family fell apart several years ago, but God has been faithful and true to restore us all. We are now stronger and more wise than ever before.....yes our Faith muscle is remarkable !! Lynne
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It is good to hear from you... thank you so very much for leaving a note on the table. That makes us smile!
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