100 Miles Of Motivation

On October 12th I joined something called the Fit For Fall 100-Mile Paddle Challenge. It was just a simple challenge between a group of us regular paddlers to paddle a total of 100 miles between October 12th and December 11th. I was hesitant at first to join the challenge because I wasn't sure with the weather turning colder and the days getting shorter that I would be able to complete the 100 miles within the allotted time frame. But, it was all for fun so I joined in without expecting to really care about my results.

I've never considered myself a very competitive person. But, as I started logging more and more miles due to the great weather we've been having, I became motivated to reach the goal of 100 miles. Not only did I complete the hundred miles, I did so by November 11th, one full month before the challenge ends, and was in 2nd place on the leader board after completing my last paddle, coming in at a total of 102.3 miles. This was a good feeling, but even better than that was the experience of getting to know the other challenge participants at an even deeper level while out there paddling together, working toward a common goal.

There were a lot of days when I was paddling by myself, but also several days where I was with a group, or paddling with one person. This gave me the opportunity to talk with them and learn more about them. It was the one-on-one paddles that led to the deeper conversations which seemed to naturally gravitate toward topics of faith.

Our conversations weren't about the paddle challenge, but instead about the challenges we were each facing in life. It was encouraging to know I wasn't the only one facing similar challenges. And it was an opportunity to be an encouragement to them too.

Even though I've already met the 100 miles ahead of most of the other participants, I'm going to still participate through to the last day of the challenge when weather permits because I want to continue investing in the new relationships this past-time has brought into my life. Who knew the Fit For Fall challenge would not only make me physically fit, but also spiritually fit?

Going The Distance

Last week I did something I never thought I could do...I paddled 16.4 miles from downtown Nashville to Rock Harbor Marina. Now, I've never done any kind of runners' marathon before, nor have I ever had the desire to do so, but my love for stand up paddleboarding outweighed the lack of interest in a long distance effort.

Even though this event was not a race, it was a personal challenge since I have only ever paddled seven to eight miles at the most. In the days leading up to this long-distance paddle, I prepared physically with mileage building paddles, strengthening exercises, and muscle stretches. But I knew I also had to prepare spiritually and mentally for it. I had my small group praying for my safety and for strength. And I personally prayed for God's strength and for good conditions.

Despite the fact that our group had a head wind and little to no current to help carry us downstream faster, we did it in a lot shorter time than we expected. I figured it would take five to six hours, but I finished in four hours and 15 minutes! The weather was perfect. Temperatures were comfortable, yet there were sunny skies even though the forecast was for mostly clouds (I had prayed for sunshine!).

Not only was I surprised at how fast I completed the 16.4 miles, I was also surprised that I didn't start feeling tired until about mile 11. When the fatigue tried to set in, I just kept repeating to myself, "with Christ anything is possible," and "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."

With two miles left to go, I got my second wind. My muscles were hurting immediately after I finished. I thought for sure I would be sore the next day and would sleep like a rock that night. But, I tossed and turned from the adrenaline rush I was still on, and the next day I had only a little soreness in my triceps and my abs. I felt great!

In reflecting on the experience, I was trying to think what I would write for this post. Then I received from one of my clients a devotional that described just what I was feeling all that time out there on my board:

How Strong Are You?

"I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."  (Philippians 4:13)

The small squirrel, scurrying like crazy to get out of our way on the walkway, was holding onto a good-sized pinecone.  He wasn’t about to lose his treasure! Amazing that he could grasp and drag something almost as large as he was. And how many times have you seen an ant picking up a crumb larger than itself?

We can work out, have great biceps and abs. We can exercise our brains and have great info and knowledge. But supernatural strength comes from the Lord, above and beyond our own abilities.

You are stronger than you think with God’s help and power behind you. It is good to know where our inner strength comes from and who gives us that gift.

So how strong are you? Very strong, in Christ. And that is good news!

You have the mind of Christ: 
"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." (Phil 2:15) 
"'Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?' But we have the mind of Christ." ( 1 Cor 2:16)

The Lord gives you wisdom: 
"If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you."  (James 1:5)

The Lord gives you strength: 
"It is God who arms me with strength and keeps my way secure."  (Psalm 18:32)    
"Don't be afraid, for I am with you. Don't be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you." (Isaiah 41:10)
"He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak." .(Isaiah 40:29)

The Lord gives you direction: 
"In all your ways acknowlege Him, and He will direct your paths."  (Proverbs 3:6)
"The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps."  (Proverbs 16:9)

In fact, 'greater things you will do’: 
"Very, verily I say unto you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father."  (John 14:12)
"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being."  (Ephesians 3:16)
"Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always." (1 Chronicles 16:11)

Inspirational Messages
Sally I. Kennedy ©2014

Take Refuge

As I've shared in a couple of the previous posts, I've been discouraged which has caused me to feel weary of my current reality, so of course I decided to combat those feelings with an afternoon paddle since today was so sunny with comfortable temperatures.

Despite the sun and great temps, it was a windy day on the water. I had a very strong head wind I kept having to fight while also paddling against the current upstream. So, I decided to take a little break from my battle with the wind by paddling inside one of the coves along the riverside. I knew the cove would shield me from the strong winds and be a temporary escape from them. I was right.

Once I was back there, everything became so quiet and peaceful. I had to slow down my pace since there were many tree branches and roots in the water to maneuver around. The peace and beauty inside that cove was awesome. I could actually see the fish in the water. Different kinds and all very large. I also was able to see more turtles in the water than I do in the actual river.

I went as far back into the cove as I could get before fallen trees blocked my path. Once I reached that point. I just laid down on my board and soaked in all the peace and beauty. It reminded me of the many scriptures in the Psalms that refer to God as a refuge, a place of protection and a place of solitude. Here I could get the quiet I needed to relish in some of God's beauty and be protected from the harsh winds of reality.

Psalm 5:11

But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.

Psalm 9:9

The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.

Psalm 17:7

Show me the wonders of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes.

Psalm 18:2

The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Psalm 31:19

How abundant are the good things that you have stored up for those who fear you, that you bestow in the sight of all, on those who take refuge in you.

Psalm 34:8

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.

Psalm 61:4

I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.

Psalm 64:10

The righteous will rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in him; all the upright in heart will glory in him!

Psalm 71:3

Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

Psalm 73:28

But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.

Psalm 91:2

I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.”

The Encouragement Of Others

Photo: Creative Commons, by Visit St. Pete/Clearwater

In my last post, I discussed the how we can find encouragement in solitude. But, of course, we can also find encouragement from others.

Later that evening after posting my last blog, I went out on the water with another paddler. We went out in the harbor to teach ourselves how to do more than just stand on our boards. We wanted to learn how to walk on our boards and how to do turns requiring us to be able walk backward and forward on our boards, a very difficult and challenging task for just about every paddler when first trying it. This is something I've been wanting to learn, and it was my goal to learn it before the end of the summer. So, I tired it.

At first, trying to pick my feet up off the board felt nearly impossible. It felt like my feet were glued to my board. I thought for sure I was going to completely lose my balance and end up in the water, or even worse, face plant on my board. But I knew I had to lift my foot and trust that, if I take that first step, God would guide me the rest of the way.

My fellow paddler and I would occasionally look over to each other to see how we were both doing. She encouraged me as she saw me trying to walk (I wasn't graceful, but instead looked like a baby taking its first steps). And while it felt good to have encouragement from her, it felt even better to encourage her! She was doing awesome, and I just kept saying, "There you go! You've got it!" Just saying those words to another person lifted my own spirits so high.

One of the things we both realized as we were trying these new techniques is that we had to go back to the basics, the things we learned the first time we ever stood on a board:  don't look down (it was only after Peter looked down that he began to sink) and stabilize yourself with the paddle in the water.

While I still have more practice to do to be able to walk more confidently and more gracefully on my board, I felt like those first steps, though small and awkward, were a huge start. I started to feel "unstuck," and I don't think I would have tried as hard to make myself take those steps if there wasn't someone there by side encouraging me and challenging me. I've been feeling stuck in a lot of areas of my life lately, and it helps me to become unstuck when I have friends who encourage me as I take one scary, wobbly step at a time.

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. (I Thessalonians 5:11)

The Encouragement Of Solitude

One of my spiritual gifts is the gift of encouragement. In every type of professional work I've done, I've been able to use my gift to serve as an encouragement to my clients and my students. In certain friendships and relationships, I've had the opportunity to be an encouragement to others in times of sorrow and anxiety and have also received encouragement from them. It is an encouragement to myself just to be operating in my gifts. So, when business is slow and opportunities to encourage others are limited, I get, well, discouraged. Business has been really slow this year compared to previous years, so I've been experiencing discouragement a lot more frequently of late.

But, I am currently listening to a podcast series by Dr. David Jeremiah on the topic of encouragement. He says that people are in more need of encouragement today than ever in the history of the world. He talks about different ways in how we can be an encouragement to others, and how we can be an encouragement to ourselves when we need it most (and boy do I need it right now!). He says that one of the ways we can encourage ourselves is through solitude.

Solitude may be something some people are uncomfortable with, but I have learned to relish it, even when I don't feel like being alone. Here's what Dr. Jeremiah had to say about solitude: 

God used certain people in a mighty way, but before He could, He had to teach them to be alone, teach them what isolation was all about. There is ministry in solitude and if we don't learn how to cultivate that, we will have a very difficult time encouraging ourselves in the Lord. To be quiet so you can talk to God and so God can talk to you. King David understood the importance of getting alone, and so did Jesus. If a man considers his time to be so valuable that he cannot find time to keep quiet and to be alone, that man will eventually be of no value to anyone. To spend all of one's time with people is soon to have nothing to give any of them of any value.

For me, there are a few things I do in solitude that serve as a big encouragement for me. First and foremost, it is reading the Word at the start of each day and recording in my journal what I think God is saying to me through His Word, as if He were talking directly to me. When I later go back and read what I've recorded, it's often what I needed to be reminded of at exactly that point in time, or it's to confirm that He did what He said He was going to do.

Music is also an encouragement to me, whether it's the soothing music made with instruments by talented musicians, or music made by nature (the sound of the birds, the cicadas, the water). Being alone outside, especially paddling on the water, is helpful for me. God's Word reminds me of the hope I have in Him, while being on the water makes me forget my sorrows and anxieties, at least for those couple of hours. As you probably gathered from the video above, the rhythm of the paddle strokes, coupled with the sounds of the water and the birds make everything just melt away for me.

I love paddling on my own when I'm feeling discouraged (which was how I was feeling the day I shot the above video, and how I'm feeling today as I write this post). But I also enjoy it when paddling with a friend or a group who can also serve as an encouragement. I hope whoever is reading this blog is finding encouragement from the words God has put on my heart to share. What are your own spiritual gifts? (If you've never taken a spiritual gifts assessment, you really should!). How are you using them, and are you getting encouragement from using them in various areas of your life?

Let Light Shine Out Of Darkness

Tonight was a blue moon. I have been wanting to do a full moon paddle for so long, but the last two full moons it was too cloudy to see the moon. Conditions were finally near perfect tonight (I say near perfect since the bugs were REALLY bad tonight). But bugs or no bugs, I was determined to see the moon reflecting off the water.

As our group paddled out, the sun was still setting, and the direction we went gave us a beautiful view of the sunset. But once the sun was almost gone, we turned around to see the huge moon rising up over the horizon in the opposite direction.

It gave me comfort to know that, even when there are times that seem to be getting darker, God's light always shines through. Even if it is just a hint from a far-away star, or from the fullest of moons. God's light shone tonight, in the setting sun, the rising moon, and even in the shooting star we witnessed after returning from our paddle.

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. (2 Corinthians 4:6)


Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever.

to him who alone does great wonders,
His love endures forever.
who by his understanding made the heavens,
His love endures forever.
who spread out the earth upon the waters,
His love endures forever.
who made the great lights—
His love endures forever.
the sun to govern the day,
His love endures forever.
the moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures forever.

(Psalm 136:3-9)

Strength For The Moment

This entry is from a friend I met last year while paddling. She has become a sister in Christ and I'm so thankful for her contribution to this blog! Enjoy!

My husband and I became almost immediately addicted to stand up paddling from the first moment we tried it. It was on a mini vacation to a lake house when we rented our first board and discovered, as we jokingly refer to it now, the “SUP lifestyle.” That phrase can certainly be interpreted a few different ways, but for us, it just means that stand up paddling has changed the way we enjoy any free time that we have - including vacations - which are now spent almost entirely on the water. And we absolutely love every single second of it. Well, we did until our most recent trip.

We were excited to finally be visiting a lake we read about in a magazine and we were eager to get on the water. The first day we set out to see a waterfall on what we knew would be an 8-10 mile round trip. It was a great day and we were proud of ourselves for going a greater distance than we had on our previously longest paddle (8 miles) on the Cumberland last year.

Encouraged by our success we decided to go on a 14 mile round trip paddle to another waterfall the following day. Our thinking was “if we can easily paddle 10 miles, 14 is probably not a big deal.” And it might not have been, except we made some wrong navigational decisions and added another three miles to our trip equaling SEVENTEEN miles total. We aren’t endurance athletes. Or even athletes. And it was HOT and sunny that day, around 88-90F. Although we miraculously felt unusually strong and energetic for the first 15 miles, exhaustion hit on the last 1.5-2 miles and we started to wonder if we had the strength to get back. But we had no other option. No one to call for a pick-up, no current to float on, no sail to raise, no engine to start; nothing to do but focus and paddle. If I could have called anyone to come and get us I would have done so in a minute. We really wanted to quit.

At that point, I could barely even stand to look at the shore because it was so far away and felt impossible to reach based on the strength I had left. I literally counted paddling strokes on each side of the board before I would allow myself to look again, hoping that I would be closer than I realized. Throughout that stretch when we were exhausted and had no choice but to keep paddling, I started thinking about what a metaphor this experience was for life.

When painful circumstances occur in life, often there is no visible end to the suffering. But in those seasons, we all have no alternative than to keep “paddling,” no matter how painful or how questionable the outcome seems to be at the time. Sometimes we have to just put our heads down and not even look for a finish line other than the end of the next minute, the next hour, the next day. And that is how we arrive at our destinations. Eventually, seasons pass. Finish lines become visible. Rest awaits.

For no reason known to him at the time, that morning my husband packed about four times more water than we normally take. It was like manna because we had just enough to last us until we got back to land. In keeping with His promises to always provide for our needs WHEN we have them, God gave us extra strength AND extra water that day at exactly the right time.

In retrospect, we experienced first-hand our Lord’s name “I AM” that day. I heard a pastor say once that God did not refer to Himself as “I was,” or “I will be,” but “I AM” because He is always in the present. I hope the next time when our strength is failing and the shore line seems unreachable, literally or figuratively, that we will remember how God faithfully plans in advance for our needs, whether that is an extra few bottles of water, or divinely infused physical strength, and delivers at exactly the right time.

The Dangers Of Ignoring Instruction

I know it's been a while since I've posted on here. I've been out on the water a lot more lately since temperatures have increased, despite having to do physical therapy for some neck and back problems. However, the therapy is really helping improve my paddle stroke! If I had chosen to ignore my PT's instruction, I could have injured myself to the point of not being able to paddle at all.

Now that the paddle season is back in full swing, I'm seeing a lot more people coming out and trying paddle boarding for the first time. Just about every weekend, there always seems to be a few newbies who, despite being instructed to stay out of the middle of the river, go right to the middle of the river and then lay on their boards and stay there. I saw this just last weekend during the Memorial Day holiday.

There's a reason why paddlers are instructed to stay out of the middle of the river. It can be dangerous because of speeding boat traffic and barges (which, like trains, cannot stop quickly). It is especially dangerous during summer holidays when there is even more boat traffic.

This reminds me of the times in my life when I was told by my parents not to do certain things (i.e. like playing in the street). They told me these things to protect me from various dangers. Our Heavenly Father also instructs His children in His Holy Word not to do certain things in order to protect us from the dangers of this world.

Someone recently shared with me a movie quote that says the Bible is not what it has been previously referred to by many, "Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth," but instead it's God's love letter to us. Well, I say it's both, because a loving father shows his love in many ways, including providing his children with instruction to protect them from the dangers lurking in our world (we know from Job 1:7 that Satan roams throughout the earth). And there can be some consequences (both subtle and obvious) when choosing to ignore God's instruction. Not necessarily because He is punishing us, but instead because we chose to open ourselves up to the evil from which He is trying to protect us (1 Peter 5:8 says Satan is poised to pounce).

There are plenty examples of this in the Bible, especially among the Israelites when they chose to ignore God's command to not put other gods before Him and instead adopted some of the pagan practices of the surrounding nations. You could probably say they were "playing in the middle of the street" (or the middle of the river!) by dabbling in those forbidden practices. We should never forget what Proverbs 3:5-6 says: "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."

Is There Such A Thing As Over-Spiritualization?

It's February and I've been watching the weather for a good day to be able to go out and paddle. Today was one that I just knew would have perfect conditions for this time of year. What are perfect paddling conditions for this time of year? Sunny skies, low wind, decent current speed, and anything over 48 degrees. When I saw that the forecast was going to meet all those criteria, I planned my work schedule around this afternoon so I could get on the water.

The day was beautiful! I knew I had to take advantage of it because meteorologists are calling for snow flurries tomorrow morning (#Nashvilleweather). But not only was the weather nice, I also got to enjoy a nice conversation with a fellow paddler on spirituality, God's love, and living a Christ-like life. It was 7 miles of fresh air, good exercise, and food for the soul.

Some readers of this blog may think I over-spiritualize my experiences in stand up paddle boarding. However, I don't think it's possible to over-spiritualize anything because we are constantly surrounded by spirits (both good and bad) even if we can't see them. God is omnipresent and in charge of the spirits. There is spiritual warfare going on constantly for which we have to be mentally prepared. And there is a reason and a purpose behind everything, even when it's not clear to us what it is. 

Seagulls On The Cumberland

Today is the second time it's been warm enough to paddle this January. One thing I've noticed both times I've been out this month are several seagulls flying around the river. Usually I only see them at the beach. After doing a little research on the symbolic meaning of seagulls, here's what I found:

As fast as I was going today I felt like I was flying with the seagulls!

• Seagulls often show up at places other than the beach because they go where they can find the best food. This serves as a reminder for us to move out of our comfort zones in order to gain access to better resources. We shouldn't deny ourselves opportunities just because we feel safe in our comfort zones.
• The word "gull" is the root word of "gullible." While seagulls will migrate outside of their comfort zone to find the best food, they also will gulp down anything available to them without much consideration. This is a reminder that, unlike the seagull, we should not jump at every opportunity or believe everything that's being fed to us through our eyes and our ears. Instead we should use the wisdom and discernment God has given us when when picking through information and options.
• Seagulls are not afraid to squawk and make a lot of noise. We too should be fearless about finding our voices and speaking our minds. 
• In some cultures the seagull is a symbol of freedom, which reminds us that there is freedom in relationship with God. When we surrender our lives to Him, we become free of sin, guilt, and shame.

So, when you think of the seagull, think of God's creation and how He uses His creation to serve as examples for us. He provides food in various places for the seagull, and doesn't He care even more for us than He does the birds of this world?

Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care. And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. So don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows. (Matthew 10:29-31)

Man's Best Friend

Enjoying warm weather in mid-January with my paddle partner today.

Merry Christmas!

So glad that I got to get a paddle in before leaving town to go home for Christmas. I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and a happy new year!

Thankfulness

The holidays are starting and it's a busy time for everyone. Today, I was able to find a small window of time in my schedule to go out for a Thanksgiving Eve paddle before the clouds started rolling in for the expected rain. So I bundled up in neoprene and headed out. I didn't really get to go out on the river since the current was way too strong. So I just spent some time paddling around the harbor and reflecting on all I am thankful for.

I am thankful that I am healthy and able-bodied enough to be able to paddle on a regular basis. I am thankful for the old friends I've been able to share this hobby with and for the new friends I've made while doing so. I am thankful for God's beauty every time I see a blue heron flying by, a fish jumping out of the water, or a turtle sunning itself on a log. I am thankful for God's protection by keeping me safe out on the water each time I go out. I am thankful for the means to be able to really get into this sport. I am thankful that I have a schedule flexible enough for me to fit this activity into it. I am thankful for the joy and peace I get from being on the water in such a fun and unique way.

And Suddenly It Happened

The gorgeous view from today's successful mileage builder.

Today was a personal best for me on my board. It's the fastest I've ever gone. I was surprisingly able
to not only keep up with one of the owners of the SUP shop, but even stay somewhat ahead of her. This has never happened before! I told her she must be having an off day...either that or the 30 pound dog on her board was slowing her down! She said, "Lori, give yourself more credit than that! You're upping your game and improving greatly!" It felt good to hear that.

Since I first took up this sport, I had not really been trying to compete with myself or anyone else. I just wanted to get good enough in order to enjoy it even more. But to know that I had improved this much without even really trying just goes to show that if you are consistent with something, you can't help but get better. And like most other sports or activities, you usually do better when you participate with others who are better than you. I've found this to be true in the past with other activities I've been involved in such as dance and rock climbing.

Just in the past couple of weeks I have started doing the mileage builders with the SUP shop owners and other regular paddlers, so I have had that opportunity to participate with people better than me. And today, it felt like something just clicked and I hit my stride in such a natural way. It wasn't anything I was trying to do in my own power. It just suddenly happened.

All of this serves as a reminder that we need to remain persistent in our spiritual walk and surround ourselves with people who challenge us, hold us accountable, help us grow stronger in our walk with Christ. When we do, God can suddenly give us His power to accomplish things we never thought possible.

Persevering When Tempted To Give Up

Today the water levels on the river were down a little bit from earlier this weekend, but the current was still rather swift (about 2.5-3 MPH). The owners of the SUP shop invited a group of us to go out for a mileage builder. The plan was to paddle downstream to the next harbor, and then back upstream against the fast current for a total of 8 miles round trip. The owner said, "It will be great training!" So I said, "Let's do it!"

There were some eddies in the water and some swells from a barge ahead of us, but otherwise it was a really easy paddle downstream. We were moving really fast and it only took us half an hour to get to the other harbor. But we all knew, going back was going to be much, much tougher.

What took us half an hour going downstream took us two and a half hours going upstream to get back to where we started. We felt like we were on a treadmill! When we finally got view of our turnoff, it seemed like a mirage because it felt like we'd never reach it. I was starting to get blisters on my hands and all of us were experiencing fatigue. But giving up was not an option. We had to keep paddling and keep our eye on our destination. If we stopped for even just a moment, we would lose a lot of the ground we had gained. Once we finally made it back, we felt stronger and felt like we could accomplish anything!

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

God Is A Safe Harbor

Due to all the rain we've had in the past week, the river levels were way up today and the current was really fast, too fast to paddle safely. Therefore, I had to stay inside the harbor this afternoon. The sun was out and it was a beautiful day so I decided to get on one of the rec boards instead of my own and do some strength training in the middle of the harbor (the rec boards are wider and more stable, therefore easier to do some good exercises on them). I did some push-ups, crunches, planks, tricep dips, and other exercises I'm not used to doing on a regular basis. Needless to say, I was a little sore the next day.

We can always gain strength when we spend time in the safety of God's harbor. "My help and glory are in God —granite-strength and safe-harbor-God— So trust him absolutely, people; lay your lives on the line for him. God is a safe place to be." (Psalm 62:7-8, The Message Bible).

Share The Good News

This weekend my sister and brother-in-law came into town. I had been hoping that they would be open to trying standup paddle boarding and letting me teach them how to do so. The weather was so nice when they got in on Thursday (unlike the rest of their time here), so we headed down to the marina.

When I first told my sister about standup paddle boarding, her immediate response was, "I'm sure I would fall in the water if I tried it." But guess what, she didn't fall in and in fact really enjoyed it. My brother-in-law loved it and is already doing online research for all the places back home where he can rent a board again.

My sister is a creature of habit, not because she's close-minded, but just because once she finds something she likes, she sticks with it. This is why each time she comes to visit me, I try to introduce her to new and different things from her previous visit. Otherwise, she would continue going to the same places each time she comes to town.

Another new thing I shared with my sister and her husband this weekend was the church I've been
attending since April. In today's sermon, the pastor talked about sharing the Good News with other people, many of whom are seeking something to fill a void in their lives but do not know that Jesus can provide ultimate fulfillment. I loved the metaphors the pastor used as to how to introduce others to the Good News. He said it's not about being a "moral policeman" telling people how they should and should not behave, but instead about serving as a "spiritual paramedic" who introduces the seeker to the healing power of Christ and the Good News.  

When my sister said she'd probably fall in the water if she tried paddle boarding, I didn't say, "Well, yes you will if you don't do XY&Z." Instead I said, "It's a lot of fun, it's very relaxing, and I think you'll enjoy it more than you expect to."

John 4:5-42

⁵ So he came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the field that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. ⁶ Jacob's well was there; so Jesus, wearied as he was from his journey, was sitting beside the well. It was about the sixth hour.^[a]
7 A woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give me a drink.” ⁸ (For his disciples had gone away into the city to buy food.) ⁹ The Samaritan woman said to him, “How is it that you, a Jew, ask for a drink from me, a woman of Samaria?” (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.) ¹⁰ Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” ¹¹ The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? ¹² Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” ¹³ Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, ¹⁴ but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again.^[b] The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” ¹⁵ The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.”
¹⁶ Jesus said to her, “Go, call your husband, and come here.” ¹⁷ The woman answered him, “I have no husband.” Jesus said to her, “You are right in saying, ‘I have no husband’; ¹⁸ for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband. What you have said is true.” ¹⁹ The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. ²⁰ Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” ²¹ Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. ²² You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. ²³ But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. ²⁴ God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” ²⁵ The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” ²⁶ Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.”
²⁷ Just then his disciples came back. They marveled that he was talking with a woman, but no one said, “What do you seek?” or, “Why are you talking with her?” ²⁸ So the woman left her water jar and went away into town and said to the people, ²⁹ “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” ³⁰ They went out of the town and were coming to him.
³¹ Meanwhile the disciples were urging him, saying, “Rabbi, eat.” ³² But he said to them, “I have food to eat that you do not know about.” ³³ So the disciples said to one another, “Has anyone brought him something to eat?” ³⁴ Jesus said to them, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work. ³⁵ Do you not say, ‘There are yet four months, then comes the harvest’? Look, I tell you, lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest. ³⁶ Already the one who reaps is receiving wages and gathering fruit for eternal life, so that sower and reaper may rejoice together. ³⁷ For here the saying holds true, ‘One sows and another reaps.’ ³⁸ I sent you to reap that for which you did not labor. Others have labored, and you have entered into their labor.”
³⁹ Many Samaritans from that town believed in him because of the woman's testimony, “He told me all that I ever did.” ⁴⁰ So when the Samaritans came to him, they asked him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. ⁴¹ And many more believed because of his word. ⁴² They said to the woman, “It is no longer because of what you said that we believe, for we have heard for ourselves, and we know that this is indeed the Savior of the world.”

New Friends

God always seems to know when you need a friend. This week He has shown me that there are people here for me even when it doesn't feel like it. He always knows too when to introduce you to someone new who can feel like someone you've known for much longer.

Last week when paddling I got to know one of the new SUP board owners who is just as excited about standup paddle boarding as I am. We went out for a paddle together this afternoon when the water was much calmer than it was on Sunday. That calm water allowed us to talk to each other without distraction and get to know each other better.

Come to find out, we've both experienced some of the same struggles, including loss of loved ones, major career transitions, life before accepting God, and more. Even though we don't really know each other that well, we both felt like we could open up to each other and share things that we wouldn't ordinarily be as vulnerable about with other people. Maybe we felt we could open up because of the calming effect water has on our spirits or because we are sisters in Christ, or both. Either way, God knows when we need a friend and He is there to provide.

Friendship multiplies the good of life and divides the evil. Baltasar Gracian

The Lord Shall Renew Your Strength

Today was an extremely windy day on the river! Even more so than it was on Labor Day. My board was bouncing on top of the white-cap waves.

I started out going against the wind because I wanted a less fatiguing tailwind during the last leg of my paddle. I would paddle with as much strength as I could and felt like I hadn't even moved an inch. Instead, I felt like I just kept getting pushed back by the wind. In fact, if I stopped moving my paddle for just one second, the wind would blow my board 180 degrees and start pushing me the opposite direction I was trying to go. My legs started to feel like Jell-O. The waves were so strong that my board almost capsized. I was praying that not only would I not fall off my board but that I also wouldn't lose control of it and crash into the rocks.

This is kind of how I've been feeling about my business lately. In trying to do things in my own strength, I quickly lose energy and easily get turned around. I realize that I have to just let go and let God work in His strength instead of my own, and trust Him to lead me in the right direction. 

"The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary.

His understanding is unsearchable. He gives power to the weak,

and to those who have no might He increases strength.
Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall,
But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength;
They shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary,
They shall walk and not faint." Isaiah 40:28-31

Jumping Fish

 

The most fascinating thing (at least to me) happened while paddling this evening. Once the sun reached a certain point in the sky while setting, fish started jumping our of the water. I don't mean the occasional few jumping out of the water like I normally see on the river. I mean so many jumping out that it looked like it was raining fish all around me. It was pretty cool.

Lately I've been feeling like I'm not getting the results of the efforts I've been putting into my business. In fact I feel a bit like Peter and his fellow fishermen when they went out to the Sea of Galilee and caught nothing (John 21). But then Jesus told them to let down their nets one more time and this time the nets were overflowing with fish jumping into them. It was at this time Jesus started to change Peter's occupation from fisherman to evangelist. I can't help but sense Jesus is about to show me a significant change in my business or even my career. We'll see!

God Is My Help

Where I store and launch my board from, there is a sensor at the end of the building that, when someone floats by it on their board, a bell goes off inside the SUP shop. This alerts the workers inside that someone is coming in from a paddle and will need help getting their board out of the water and into its designated storage spot. I can get my board out of the water by myself, but trying to get it back in its storage spot is a little tough for me. Not because the board is heavy, but just because it's too long (12'6") for me to handle by myself without it being awkward and without possibly hitting other boards that are stored so close together.

Sometimes in my life, there are things going on that are just too much for me to handle by myself. If I try to handle it all by myself, I end up "dropping the ball" on things or "just hitting a wall." I am so fortunate that my Heavenly Father knows when I need help and alerts the right people to step in and be of assistance. Just like I can't hear when the bell goes off inside the SUP shop as I'm paddling in, I can't hear or know when God is getting ready to send help. I just have to trust that He has heard my cry for help or knows my need for help even before I do.

This isn't always easy though because I often have a hard time asking others for help. But I'm never ashamed or hesitant to ask God for help. I just have to remember to be open to and accepting of the help He sends me through other people.

Psalm 54:4 Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.

He Restores My Soul

Today was such a beautiful day. The fitness instructor at the SUP shop didn't have anyone this morning for her fitness class on the boards so she and I went out for a paddle together. It's always so nice to go out with others on a paddle because it gives us a chance to really talk and get to know each other better.

Afterward, she had more work to do and I went next door and had lunch on the restaurant's patio overlooking the harbor. Once I was done with my lunch, I just did not want to go back home. It was such a warm, sunny September day and I wanted to take advantage of it. So, I took my board back out on the river, this time solo. I paddled standing up, rowed sitting down, and floated while just laying on my board and basking in the sun. It gave me time to ponder things, talk with God, and take in the beauty.

I'm so thankful to God, both for time with others and also time alone with Him.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. Psalm 23:1-3

Lifting Up Our Fellows

This water has been so nice the past few days. Although slightly chilly, it's been very smooth and calm. It truly is one of the best times of year to paddle. This evening I was out on a paddle by myself and then, as I was heading back to the harbor, I saw a group that included one of the guys I work with when filling in at the SUP shop. He and his best friend had their mothers visiting and were taking them out for a paddle. They invited me to join them so I stayed out a little longer.

Since the mothers were new at paddle boarding, they were still trying to learn how to balance, and both of them ended up falling in the river. Of course the sons were laughing at their moms, but the moms were laughing too because they had such a great sense of humor about it. Then, one of the sons fell in. I laughed at him, and then immediately thought, I'm probably going in next since I'm laughing at him. And since I had just past a man standing on his dock who asked, "Isn't the water cold tonight?" and I replied with, "I don't know, I haven't been in the water," I knew it was just a matter of time.

I had gone probably four miles this evening without going in the water. In fact I've never fallen in the river, only in the harbor while practicing step turns on my board and goofing off, thoroughly expecting to end up in the water in those situations. Tonight, I was almost home free to the mouth of the harbor after my long paddle, and all of a sudden, in trying to maneuver my board past one of the sons, I went right in.

To answer the man on the dock's question, yes, the water was cold, but it was exhilarating. At this point we were all laughing at and with each other. But not only had we laughed at each other throughout the paddle, we also encouraged each other, helped each other up, and made sure each of us was okay. We all fall sometimes, but God brings people into our lives to help lift each other up, whether it's through laughter, encouragement or physical strength.

For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Ecclesiastes 4:10

Against The Wind

Like most people, I got out on the water and enjoyed Labor Day today (of course after getting a little house labor done on my day off). It was really windy though. So windy it almost felt like the beach, and the wind was kicking up some pretty good waves in the river.

I decided to head downstream because I had a strong headwind going in that direction, much stronger than the downstream current. I knew it would require extra strength to paddle in that headwind, but I also knew I would have a strong tailwind to bring me back upstream.

The tailwind was so strong going back that I didn't even really have to paddle. The wind just guided me safely back upstream to the harbor. If I hadn't been able to accurately discern the direction of the wind, I could have gone the opposite direction and been more fatigued coming back against a headwind after having already had a long paddle out.

Sometimes in life, we have headwinds we have to face, ones that make us work harder but also can make us stronger. Other times, getting through life is a breeze. It's the reality of living in this world. It's good though to gain wisdom and discernment on what direction the wind is coming from.

Sometimes when we're struggling against a headwind, it's because we're trying to do something God doesn't intend for us to do (and that something is also probably leading us the opposite direction from God). Other times, the direction of the struggle can be coming from Satan because he knows what a good thing we are working toward and he wants to discourage us and cause us to give up on the good thing we're working so hard for. Consequently, just because some things are a breeze doesn't necessarily mean they are within God's will. Doing God's will is not always easy or comfortable.

This is why in everything we are to seek God's wisdom and to pray for discernment so that we can determine if a headwind or a tailwind is from Him or from the enemy. Anything that's from the enemy is the WRONG direction. Anything that's from Jesus our Savior is the RIGHT direction.

If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. (James 1:5-7, NIV)