This past week Cole and I did RAGBRAI.  I did this last year as well. RAGBRAI is the Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa and it is the oldest and largest Bike touring event in the world.  People come from other states in the United States and even some other countries in order to participate in this event.  Some people even travel every year to be able to complete it.    

I always enjoyed RAGBRAI.  I first got to experience RAGBRAI when the bikers came through my town when I was a young kid, and other times throughout my life I got to see them all cross major intersections when I had to wait to cross while in a vehicle.  I also have loved biking since about the age of 10, and got myself a really nice road bike when I turned 17.  I always knew this type of event would be challenging but it was a challenge I was excited to experience.  Now I have gotten to experience it twice!

One thing I love most about RAGBRAI is getting to meet those people from all around the world and even the people from the towns we were passing through.  There were so many people who were so excited to see all these people and all these bikers passing through their hometowns.  My favorite was seeing the older couples sitting outside on their porch waving.  I can only imagine how pleasant their conversation was.  They just got to sit outside and watch all the bikes go by.  It doesn’t have to be a big thing, just a chance to watch an event not happening everyday. 

This warms my heart.  We often talk about how the internet and cell phones are separating people and making us distant and lonely.  I do believe there is a lot of truth and science behind this statement.  However, you don’t notice this lack of communication during a week like RAGBRAI.  On a week like RAGBRAI, people are meeting new people and are talking to one another and getting to spend time camping or at music events or eating new vendor’s foods and drinks.  It is a community of people, you just hadn’t yet met.  

One example of a man I met was a man who was doing his first RAGBRAI.  He actually lost over 200 pounds, biking and exercising, and just turning his life around for the healthier.  It was also his birthday on the day we were finishing the ride, so this RAGBRAI experience was his gift to himself.  He wanted to do this, and he was going to cross the finish line, or in this case dip his tire in the Mississippi River signaling crossing over to a new state in order to commemorate his new lifestyle.  I didn’t get to see him finish, but I bet he was super excited and pumped to be there.  I am glad his loved ones were traveling as well to see him finish.  

Another example was on a day I met a group of three other women. They were incredibly nice and encouraging, especially on a day that was in a heat advisory and a strong, (and I do mean strong) head wind. The third day of biking was one of the hardest I had ever experienced, and I am glad I got to meet some new people who were able to encourage me and helped me finish the third day.  If I am completely honest, I think I otherwise would have gotten a ride home for part of that day because it was so hot and it was so difficult.  I also had Cole also encouraging me along.  

This actually leads me to sharing a verse from the Bible.  A verse I would like to highlight is a very popular one which is 1 Thessalonians 5:11 and this says, “Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”  Even though this verse is fairly popular, it does not mean that it is followed super well.  There are many times that we as people forget to support and to encourage one another.  On this trip in RAGBRAI, we as people and bikers were encouraged and supported. 

The challenge for this week is to spend time with those who are around you.  This may include time away from technology and from your phones.  This is uninterrupted from the distractions coming in from the world and the distractions coming from our devices.  This could even be with someone you hardly ever have a chance to talk to or a new person you have met. 

I have been reading and studying the book of James.  I love the book of James.  It is one of my favorite books of the Bible because it gives practical advice to Christians.  One big message in this first chapter was about temptation and where temptations come from.  Sometimes we believe God is the one who gives us temptations to test us.  However, the book of James corrects this information very quickly. 

James 1:13 says,  “When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.”  To say it simply, God cannot tempt us or test us.  

We really are the ones who are tempted by the things in the world.  We are the ones who may notice certain sins and become more and more obsessed with them.  We are the ones who will also start to fall into sin.  We are the ones who become fascinated with the world in too many ways. 

Part of God’s journey through earth was to showcase his being tempted and yet never falling into this temptation.  He was tempted for forty days and forty nights by Satan with various obstacles and things.  He was even tempted by an everyday staple of food and drink. We as people can often be tempted by food and drink.  We can live in gluttony at times.  Even when we don’t think of food as a temptation, it can have the power if we let it overtake our lives.  

Then there was the temptation of greed and power.  He was told by Satan that everyone could and would worship him as long as He bowed down right there and then to Satan.  He could have control over all things.  It was weird Satan said this because it is something God could and should already have power over all things.  No matter what, Jesus denied all the temptations.  However, through him showing the temptations He experienced, we were able to see how Jesus stayed committed to Christ.  He knew God’s Word so well, which let Him overcome any of the temptations coming His way.  

I love this reminder that God really wants us to be very aware of our temptations we give to ourselves.  This is not again the temptations he gives to us but rather the temptations we make in our mind by falling in love with the items of the world.  

We as a people have always struggled with our temptations. The people of Israel were really bad about falling into adultery for example.  They were always looking at other countries and their gods.  They were always looking at what they were hoping to change and worship on their own.  However, they were really going farther and farther away from the Lord. They were becoming worshippers and adulterers to other gods and not feeling connected with the one who has constantly saved them and given them a new opportunity to live a long and prosperous life.  But God continuously found a way for them to come back to Him.  

One verse I do go to when it comes to fighting temptation is 1 Corinthians 10:13 which says, “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.”   God will provide help when we are tempted.  He doesn’t want us to fall under the temptation, but rather He wants us to overcome them.  

The challenge for this week is to spend some time in reflection of how you feel most tempted.  What are the things that most captivate you from the world?  What are the ways you are convinced to fall away from the Lord?  Then after you are in reflection, spend some time in prayer to God to pray for both forgiveness from this constant desire or temptation to be taken away from your mind.  

I know something I am tempted by is my thoughts and the way I can think about other people.  I find myself sometimes getting easily frustrated with others or thinking bad thoughts about others, even when I don’t really know them all that well.  I can find myself also getting very impatient with various things.  I really enjoy having plans and sticking to them. It can very much upset me when things don’t go as planned.  I will be in continuous prayer as I seek to conquer the desire to be judgmental and impatient.

I have talked about prayer before, and its importance.  It is something that is one of the main staples of the Christian walk and faith.  However, it is something we don’t always focus on.  I have been reading a book about missionaries and those who are willing to put themselves in dangerous situations for the sake of talking about the Lord.  This book is called, “Extreme Devotion” by the Voice of the Martyrs Organization.  

There is one quote I really want to highlight which is,  “Prayer-that which does the most, we often do the least.  Prayer is our first defense against spiritual warfare, yet often our last resort.”  I love this quote.  I realize it is very much reality for a lot of people and a lot of believers.  Sometimes believers don’t spend much time talking to God. 

I believe this is a growing trend.  We are even bad as a society of not being very consistent talking to one another, let alone God.  We spend a lot of time texting or messaging on the phone and we spend some time here and there in person, but we don’t always spend much time on really getting to know and talking deeply with one another.  This is really only the way we will grow as people and as a society, so it is important to spend this time with one another.  

However, I know as a person I really struggle when I don’t have much opportunity to talk to others.  I really want to talk to others and be able to describe how I am feeling and how I am handling any major stressors or problems I am experiencing in my life.  I know it matters to me when people don’t spend time talking to me.  I want the people in my life and the relationships I have to take the time to talk to me.  It is important then to keep this same thought when I am in my relationship with Christ.  He wants to talk to those He is in a relationship with all the time.  

Prayer is so important.  It is so vital to our Christian walk and life.  It is important for us to grow our relationship with Christ and to help ground us to the world.  The best way to get to know God is through conversation with Him.  Yes, it is very important to talk to God about any problems or thoughts we have.  

As a person with a lot of anxiety, there are times when I don’t spend time really praying to God to help assist me in my anxiety issues.  Then when I don’t talk to God about anything, my anxiety increases and increases to a level where I have absolutely no control over it.  The anxiety spiral just keeps getting tighter and tighter, and soon it is as tight as a rope all over my whole body.   Going to God in the beginning stages helps ease my mind and overall mental health.  It reminds me that God is the one ultimately in charge. 

Prayer serves an even bigger purpose than just continuing our relationship.  Prayer also gives us a chance to pray for other believers and other people.  This gives us a chance to pray over the souls of others and their hopeful salvation.  We can also pray over missionaries who are spreading God’s love and salvation with the world.  We can pray over their safety and their hardships.   This helps other people learn about Christ and help grow the body of Christ.  

There are many verses in the Bible about prayer.  One example is Romans 8:26 which says, “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”  Sometimes we don’t pray because we don’t know what to say.  We don’t know how to best put into words what we are trying to pray for, either what we are struggling with or what we know we need to pray over others.  This verse can give us confidence because it shows truly how much God loves us and wants to build a relationship with us.   He even sends the Holy Spirit to help us pray and talk to Him when we don’t know what to say.  

The challenge for this week is to spend some alone time in prayer.  I hope you can find a nice quiet place to get out all your thoughts and emotions to God.  The second part of the challenge which goes with the first is to see if you can spend some time in prayer over some missions or missionaries who are spreading God’s Word.  That is the main way his love and knowledge will spread is through our prayer and commitment to talking to Christ.

I have been continuing my study on the book of James, and I still appreciate the book of James because of its practicality and its best tips to live a Christ centered life.  One of the last sections I have read recently was all about the two kinds of wisdom that exist.  First, there is wisdom in the world, and there is Holy Wisdom or the wisdom God wants to give us and provide to us as his followers.   

I would say I spend a pretty good amount of time on the internet.  I really enjoy listening to podcasts and listening to funny drama shows.  However, the problem with that is sometimes I can gather a lot of worldly advice.  This advice is a lot more selfish, and a lot more focused on getting the best out of life for yourself personally as opposed to looking to actually be better or wiser.  

This worldly wisdom also includes not forgiving someone when they have hurt you a lot.  There even now is a big push to excommunicate people from your life completely.  Now, I am not saying this shouldn’t ever be done, but it does need to be done with the Lord’s help and guidance.  There can also be still love and forgiveness in one’s heart for someone even if you are not in much communication with them.

Godly wisdom looks very different.  For one example, I mentioned earlier, there are times we need to take time to forgive those around us.  This can be incredibly difficult.  I know there have been many people I have encountered in my life who have hurt me, and who I have really struggled to forgive or still do struggle to forgive completely, with my whole heart.  I also am a person who has not been abused or assaulted by anyone, gratefully, so I am not going to pretend I know everything.  I have not been hurt the way others have been.  However, I do know it is important to give your mind a peace and that is the peace only forgiveness from God and forgiveness given to others can give you.   

Other things the world tells you is to work hard at your job.  This could be very Godly wisdom or advice.  However, it is important to evaluate the reasons or the desire for you to work hard.  While the world will tell a person to work hard to get ahead, God’s wisdom is all about serving and caring about those you work with and for.  When you work hard, is it to serve God and the people around you to the best of your ability or is it fuel your ego?   Is it all about looking good and important?  Or is it about being humble and a servant at your job? 

I just love how the wisdom of God is described, right out of the book of James.  James 3: 17-18 says, “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.” I love these two verses.  This is a great way to describe God’s wisdom and advice.  The Lord’s wisdom is very kind and also filled with peace.  A way to make this peace amongst everyone is to be full of mercy or considerate as well as to be filled with righteousness and above reproach completely. 

I will be honest when I say I seek both types of wisdom at different times.  When I am really angry or frustrated with someone or something in life or at work, there are times I will seek out those who I know won’t give me Christ centered advice.  I don’t always take it.  Maybe I am more looking to vent and to feel validated for my feelings, but it is still important to be aware of those times as well.  Surrounding oneself completely with worldly wisdom will ultimately make you as a person more likely to start following it in the next problem.  But I also do have a mentor who I meet with regularly who fills me with God’s love and wisdom.  

The challenge for this week is to be reflective on wisdom.  Wisdom is essential for everyone to thrive in life.  However, we should think about where we get this wisdom from? Are you seeking your wisdom from someone you believe to be worldly or someone who you believe is a follower of Christ and who will give you Christ centered advice?  Then the next challenge for this week is to spend time asking for advice from any Christian in the area who could give you advice on any problem you may be having.  This could be any problem from work related, family related, or friend related. Just take the time to get some insight and thoughts on how to be overall God centered wise.  

I am continuing on with my book of James.  I love the book of James because it provides practical advice for all believers, new and old.  One of the big things brought up in the beginning of the second chapter was the idea of favoritism and treating everyone the same, whether they are rich or poor, strong or weak, small or big, etc.  It is important because we were all made in the image of God and he wants to make sure we treat all believers and future believers with the same love and respect. 

James 2:1-4 says, “My brothers and sisters, believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ must not show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in filthy old clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, “Here’s a good seat for you,” but say to the poor man, “You stand there” or “Sit on the floor by my feet have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?”

These verses do a really good job describing how the Lord cares about all people and he expects all his disciples to care about all the peoples of the world.  I do believe this is why Jesus actually came in a way that someone who is usually considered to be important wouldn’t.  He came in a manger as a baby, as opposed to coming to earth as a king.  He was living in a small town, in a small family.  His family was respected for being kind and being Godly, for the most part, but they weren’t well renowned or considered to be the most important. I believe God chose to come to earth in this way to show how important it is to take care of those who are poor or who are considered to be the lower parts of society.

Then when Jesus spent time making friends, he did not start making friends with those who were considered important.  He even had some friends who were at one time controversial figures such as tax collectors.  Jesus would often be getting into arguments with those who were considered to be important or the religious leaders because of the friendships and the relationships he had made or how he acted towards others in society.  The Bible also often reminds us to make sure to take care of the widows and the orphans.  

I think there are definitely times when I am not necessarily the best at treating everyone the same.  It isn’t always when it comes to the rich, but rather is those who I think are annoying or a bit weird at times.  It is so easy to treat those who are a bit weird differently than those who we seem to believe act normal, or we think act in a way we deem highly.  Sometimes when there are a few individuals who we easily get annoyed by, we can definitely end up treating them differently than others.   

The challenge for the week is to spend some time thinking about you and your relationships.  Are you treating everyone the same? Are there certain individuals you do not like on certain principles such as where they work, how much money they make, what they wear, or where they live, etc.?  Is there a particular individual or a group of people who we don’t care about as much?

I do believe the best way to go about treating everyone the same is to spend time with the Holy Spirit and in prayer with God.  He is the one who best offers assistance and help when it comes to us treating everyone the same and spreading love around the way we should.  I pray we are all able to make waves treating everyone the same.  This may be one of the best ways we can showcase God’s love.  The Lord is the one who can help us show love to the ones who we struggle to love.  We are given so much extra help with the Holy Spirit.  We can learn to love anyone with his help and assistance.

I have been finding myself at times lately not having the best attitude.  I think in part is because I have felt really busy and my to-do list seems never ending.  I am getting married in a bit over a month, and I do have some final planning to do.  Then I am also doing RAGBRAI (Register’s Annual Bike Ride across Iowa) a few weeks before my wedding, so I am making sure I have most of the wedding stuff done before I go on that trip.  I also have some anxiety when it comes to doing this event as well.  It is very fun, but it is very exhausting as you are biking across the whole state in a week.  

Overall, I have a lot going on.  I know I am probably preaching to the choir right now.  There are probably a lot of you reading,that have even more going on and in your own extremely stressful situations.  Also, I am speaking about very exciting events and things I am looking forward to, so there really shouldn’t be a lot of negative stress attached.  However, I have really wanted more time to relax and have the opportunities to focus on these two upcoming events, while I still have my job to do and other volunteer obligations.  

However it is important to remember to care about all these day to day obligations including work or volunteer opportunities with the same good attitude as I am approaching wedding planning and my RAGBRAI trip.  I just want to work on those things and get myself mentally and physically ready for both, but I need to remember this desire to work at the office or when I am volunteering at church or various other organizations.  

One verse I want to highlight is Romans 12:2 which says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”  I love this verse because it is a reminder to not live like the world tells us to but rather to live like the Lord has expected.  The Lord has expected us to care and work hard no matter what.  We shouldn’t just focus on a few small things. We also need to have patience and to have a good renewed mind for all things. 

I do need to remember to have patience as I prepare for all the pieces of these next two months.  Yes, I have a lot going on, but I just need to remember to look to the Lord for guidance and patience.  He will help me out and be there for my comfort.  I do need to look to Him for strength as opposed to looking to other places.  I also need to go to Him for any attitude adjustments when I don’t want to work hard on something.

I especially need to remember to have a good attitude when it comes to opportunities to share God’s message with the world.  For example, one of the big things I had going on this week was getting to work on VBS or Vacation Bible School for my church.  It was actually called Sports and Arts Camp this year, so the kids got the chance to try different sports and different arts throughout the week.  I am in charge of teaching the track section.  I got to work with kids running and doing some relays.  

Even though I was a bit stressed out and at one point in time I was wishing I hadn’t signed myself up for help with VBS this year with everything going on.  However, this has been a great time for me to meet with kids who are at my church to learn about sports, arts, and the love of God.  I am so glad I had this opportunity this week.  The second day was especially great.  (The first day, it rained, so that was hard).  The second day, I had a group who was so ready to run in some relays as well as do some sprint races.  It brought joy to my face watching them run and work together as a team.  

The challenge for the week is to be reflective over your particular week.  This is making sure you are having a positive attitude whenever it seems like you are starting to fall into a bad one.  This is the kind of attitude that can come up when you just don’t want to do something.  This could be a certain job shift you just don’t want to do, or a time serving you already signed up for, or even spending time with people who maybe you don’t necessarily want to see.  It is important to be a Holy Godly Christian, no matter the circumstance.

I have talked a lot about running during my time writing this blog.  I do still love running and getting to participate in races and the feeling of the runner’s high which can come from a good run.  However, I have been struggling with running lately.  I still love it, but I have been feeling a bit heavy and been a bit slower than I have been in the last few years.  I think this is for many reasons such as a sinus infection I had earlier in the year, to starting new medication, and from just a busy and at times stressful schedule from moving and planning a wedding.  This has been a bit discouraging for me, but I have also been good about still finding time to run and continuing to try to improve. 

Because of this, I have also been really extra excited to run with my mom.  My mom is a very good runner, and she has been very helpful in running with me and encouraging me to run faster. This really showed last weekend when I ran a 10k at the Bridge of Storm Lake with her.   I was able to run the race in under an hour which I would not have been able to do without the help of my mom. This is a good reminder to me that sometimes it is very important to have a partner.  In exercise, it can be really important to have a partner or have someone who can push us forward.  We can push ourselves harder and faster to eventually reach the potential we really want to reach.  

This is also important in other areas in life.  We can have this at our workplace.  I have been really blessed these past two years to work at the Job Foundation where I have been able to grow in lesson planning, working with families as well as working with people who have different perspectives and backgrounds.  I have even got to work with students who I usually wouldn’t have had the chance to beforehand.  I hardly ever, besides in church, got the opportunity to work with elementary students.  Now I get to quite a bit throughout the year. 

I have already seen myself grow in relationships through my relationship with Cole.  I am getting better at communicating and better at compromising, better at thinking of other people, specifically Cole, and better at listening.  This is something really important for not only a long-lasting marriage and relationship, but also to be better at relationships with those I am seeing at church, or those I am working with, or with my family and friends.  Growing in relationships is important, for all areas and walks in life.  

Lastly, we can grow in our relationship with God.  I have discussed this a lot, but this is because it is so very important.  We can only best grow in our relationship with God through other believers and discussing our faith with them.  This is because our God has designed us this way.  He designed us to be relationship based people or to be in communication with others.  God designed Adam and then Eve, so he had a partner.  He did this because he also had good relationships with the other members of the Trinity, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  

These other believers can even help you in other ways.  This can be helpful to help fight any sins, any financial struggles, or any other issues one has been struggling with.  A mentor or partner in the faith can really help you through everything and through any struggles.  This is why it can be so very beneficial to have a mentor be a good guide for you and your christian life.  

One group of verses that discusses fellowship and growing with each other is Philippians 2:1-2 which says, “Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind.”I love this because it is a reminder that as we grow to know Christ, we become more and more united with the Body of Christ and Christ himself.  

The challenge for this week is to spend some time at church this next week to get to know different people.  This is important, so you have the chance to meet possible different mentors and different Christians from all different walks in life to help you in your present walk in life.  This is to give you the chance to get to know people and have the chance to talk to people from all walks in life.  Then the second challenge is to ask advice from someone.  This could be someone you have already met or someone you meet in the first part of this challenge.  Wherever you feel you need help and assistance in your life.  You never know this could really help you in your journey.  

Recently, I had one of my best days ever, and this was my bridal shower.  To give a short bit of context, I have always loved going to Bridal Showers.  I have loved the chance to celebrate the bride with gifts, fun snacks, and playing games, all while wearing fun clothes and taking lots of pictures.  So the fact that I was having my bridal shower filled with the people I love the most and care about, was a day I had been looking forward to. 

I’ll give a little summary.  I had it at the Bridge of Storm Lake where I used to work for seven years.  It was awesome to be able to celebrate a big experience in a place where I grew so much and a place where I have so much love in my heart.  As I am approaching another milestone this special place got to be the host for one of the events leading up to the main event.  

To give a bit of a summary of what the day all consisted of, it had great snack food of chex mix, an amazing charcuterie board, and also beautiful cookies.  The snacks were definitely one of my favorite parts.  Then I also had games where people could decide if the sentence fit me or Cole better.  Overall, most people got us pretty much solved.  Some of them don’t know Cole super well, but they were able to guess by my personality.  Then I also received some beautiful gifts and some cards with wonderful words on them of good tidings.  I am truly very blessed with the words and the generosity from my loved ones.  

This event made me realize I need to be very grateful for the things I have.  I have so many people who are 1. Willing to help set up this awesome shower for me 2. To drive the long way to get to my shower, and 3. Give me kind gifts and words.  How truly blessed am I to receive such great gifts and cards from loved ones.  I can always look back to the gifts and re-read through the cards I received on this day, and remember the love and the joy given to me on this special day.  

This shower overall was a big reminder for me to love the everyday moments and the journey.  I have tried really hard to enjoy all the moments of the engagement season.  I loved getting to pick out my wedding dress with the loved ones who have joined me. (That was the biggest highlight).  I also loved picking out the food for the reception, getting to walk through the reception area, doing the dress fittings, and finally having a bridal shower.  I also will have a bachelorette/birthday party coming up very soon.  

It is important to remember to slow down.  Often we as people are in a hurry to get to the thing we are most looking forward to.  Sometimes we can start counting the days to what we are most looking forward to and we start to miss the little moments on their way to the bigger event.  For example, we can solely look towards the wedding as opposed to all the steps of getting prepared for one.

There are many verses about joy and love throughout the Bible, even about finding those in the simple moments.  One example is Proverbs 3:3-6 which says, “Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. 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.”  I love this verse because it is a reminder to never let love and faithfulness leave you.  Have them constantly in your heart.  This is during both the good times and the trying times. 

The challenge for this week is to spend some time thinking about two things.  The first one is to spend some time thinking about the people who are in your life who you really love.  Who are the people you have been blessed with?  Maybe take some time to even say thank you to these individuals.  Then the second thing is to spend some time in appreciation and in happiness for the little life moments.  This is important to remember the little times or moments in life.  We can’t just be happy or excited for the big moments or for the moments or days most looked forward to, whether this be graduation, wedding day, start of the new job, etc.  The little moments can even be today as you are reading.

I was just at the Iowa state golf meet to cheer on my fiance’s team he coaches.  This was a very good time.  I had a really good time getting to talk and cheer on the student golfers, the chance to talk to a lot of families of the golfers and see their many victories  throughout the two days.  The best news was that the team won! They are state champions! I was so proud of them and all they accomplished.  Cole was also really happy for the girls.  He wanted this for them so badly. 

The road to being a champion isn’t always very easy.  In fact, I would say, most of the time, it is very hard and there are many ups and downs.  There are triumphs and defeats.  While an effortless win or championship would be nice and relaxing, there is something about coming together and achieving something after the many setbacks.  It is feeling as though you saw something through to the end, even when there were obstacles that tried to step in your way.  

This team certainly had their hurdles.  One of the biggest obstacles was that one of the golfers wasn’t able to golf for a majority of the season due to a knee injury.  She was a good leader and cheerleader for the rest of the girls while she recovered, but she wasn’t able to include her score or be able to practice.  However, she was able to come back at the very end of the season, during the team’s second regional golf meet to help propel them to the state golf meet. She was the second golf score at state for the team, so her comeback made a huge difference. 

There also were some other big giants in their competition to the top.  There was a team who had been undefeated all year, and their scores were incredible.  Then there was another school who won the prior year and was back again at state, and this team also had a 3-year school individual champion.  There were definitely some intimidating factors out there.  However, Day 1 the team shot their best score in school’s history, and this propelled them to the top.  

The hard thing was keeping their score up for the second day.  They needed to make sure no one would come up behind them and take their number one spot.  It was very important they kept focus to keep up their scores.  They needed to be confident, but not overly confident that they made some easily overlooked bad decisions and mistakes.  The one team did get closer in the score, and there was definitely some stress and anxiety for all those watching.  However, the athletes and the coaches kept their cool and completed the course with the ultimate lowest score, propelling them to the top and victory.  

God highlights championships in the Bible as well.  God loves to acknowledge when people have completed and achieved the hard things.  There are hard things people, especially Christians have to overcome throughout their lives.  However, we should all strive to be champions of Christ one day.  One example of a verse highlighting being a champion is 2 Timothy 4:7-8 which says, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”

The challenge for this week is to focus on your particular course.  What is your particular path the Lord has set in front of you?  What has God created and planned for you to complete?  What is the way you can best complete this challenge?  Is there a challenge God has given you, you need to overcome?

I would say my course currently right now is to do the best I absolutely can for the students who are in the Job Foundation.  I know a lot of 125 students who are not in the best life situation and who need more guidance and love.  This includes the students who are easy to get along with and the students who are not as easy to get along with or who need more attention and guidance.  I also need to challenge myself more to spread God’s love with all those who are around me.  I often forget to really spread God’s word and his wisdom to all who need to hear it.  I may be afraid and impatience at times, but this is the course God has set before me, and I hope to be a champion at the end of my days for Christ.  

I have started a new book for my quiet time with Jesus which is, “Restoring All Things: God’s Audacious Plan to Change the World through Everyday People.”  This book is by both Warren Cole Smith and John Stonestreet. This book has been very interesting because it has been bringing up different areas in the world where there are a lot of people, and how Christians can impact those areas. 

One chapter was all about education and how it is a big piece of sharing God’s message and God’s Word with others. This can come in different ways, but they all can make a difference.  Some are starting their own Christian private schools bringing up their own students to know Christ is the one and only God and teaching those students that we are to serve Him.  Others have used public education and to make sure their platform of being Christian to the students in their class.  

Two quotes I really loved about education were, “To learn is an act of worship.”  Then another quote was “We learn so we can more fully become who we were created to be.”  Education does help us  know everything about God and all his creations in the world.  I really loved these quotes because it is a reminder we can worship God in any way, even through education and learning.  When we spend time learning and appreciating, we are worshipping and appreciating God. 

There are some limits to this, however.  It is very important we don’t spend a lot of time learning about unholy or unGodly things.  It shouldn’t be an excuse to learn about things that would be very dishonoring and not loving to God.  I personally love learning about a wide array of topics.  However, I also sometimes find myself interested in pop culture and the things that are happening in the world.  This is especially true when it comes to some of the podcasts I listen to or the shows I watch.   

I personally love education, and I have always enjoyed going to school and learning.  College is where I made the best memories.  I was able to make memories with friends, yes, but at the same time I was also able to make memories with learning in the classrooms or having big discussions, or working on big projects.  I loved getting the chance to spend time learning at college.  

I also have loved getting to work with students and getting to spend time educating youth.  I loved the chance to teach for four years, teaching Spanish.  I also have loved working at nonprofits and getting to be an education coordinator where I can work with students from Waterloo and give them financial literacy education.  Getting the chance to spend time with students and working on lessons has been really helpful to me, reminding me of the importance of education and learning. 

There are many verses about wisdom and paying attention to instruction.  One of those verses is Proverbs 1:7 which says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”  It is really true that those who really care about God and not wanting to be a fool will be those who will look at instruction.  Those who are really caring about being a kind and loving God-follower will make sure to follow instruction and do more research and learn more about the Lord and all that His Word has to show.  

The challenge for this week is to spend time thinking about how you feel about knowledge and wisdom.  Is there a time when you find you are good about learning and trying to be closer to God through education.  However, are there times when you don’t spend a lot of time learning and working with education? Are there times you don’t feel as though you need to care about instruction or following the rules and learning?  I want to challenge you to care more about instruction and to care more about the love of learning and the importance of instruction and instructing others.