Stepping Stones: You Need Skateboard Camp!

Transformational Thought

My eleven-year-old daughter, GiGi, is learning to skateboard. She is just starting and is weak regarding the basic techniques and skills, so she keeps falling. I went to watch her at the last day of skateboard camp yesterday and she was allowing the instructor to hold her hands and guide her down a high ramp. I was so proud of her great progress.

Because of her weakness and her excitement and motivation to grow, she was open, actually very excited, to go to camp and expose her weaknesses to other campers and submit to the instruction of expert camp counselors. By the end of the week, after lots of sweat, bruises, lumps and falls, she was going down high ramps and on the brink of landing the difficult “drop in”!

God’s Word tells us that when we are at our weakest, He is at His strongest. We pray for and expect strength in times of weakness … we pray for and expect God’s healing power.

I recently went through a time of extreme weakness and brokenness. It didn’t feel good; no one wants to be there. Through the guidance of Christian friends, I learned to accept my weakness (but not my behavior) as a gift … a great opportunity, because it created the need and situation to experience the beauty of living in total dependence on God.

What is your area of weakness? What situations give you the most fear or worry? We all blink to protect our eye from damage or pain, or help lessen existing pain. Can you identify a blink of yours that is really self-destructive rather than self-protective? We need to be motivated and excited to change. Don’t blink and cover-up. Reach out to God and others for help and guidance. Next comes the most important decision, following His guidance and the Godly guidance of others, like GiGi did.

Today, trust God to grow and comfort you in your weak areas without reflexively doing something harmful. Look at areas of struggle or wrong decisions you make. These are prime areas for God’s strength to shine through. Will you humble yourself and admit your self-instruction isn’t enough? Practice self-control today when you are uncomfortable and think before you react when. GiGi is doing more tricks, rarely falls, really enjoys ‘boarding, and loves her counselor. You can experience success in your weak area with your perfect Counselor, God. Your decision, choose well. WITHIN REACH helps you do this.

Prayer
Dear Father, I am learning to recognize my weaknesses. Acknowledging and accepting my them keeps me looking to You … You are my strength. As I witness Your presence within those around me, I am learning that abundant life is not wealth. Abundant life is living in continual dependence on You. Instead of trying to fit my day into a preconceived idea of what it should be, I am learning to relax and to be constantly on the lookout for what You are doing within me, and those around me. This approach frees me to enjoy You and to find out what plan You have for me today. This works so much better than trying to make everything work according to my own plan. I pray this in the name of my Rock and Counselor, Jesus Christ; and all God’s children say – AMEN!

The Truth
I can do everything through him who gives me strength.… And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 4:13 and 19

And Asa cried to the LORD his God, "O LORD, there is none like you to help, between the mighty and the weak. Help us, O LORD our God, for we rely on you, and in your name we have come against this multitude. O LORD, you are our God; let not man prevail against you."
2 Chronicles 14:11

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10