I Think I Can

Mrs. Emily Smith was my kindergarten teacher. She had a classroom set up in her room where we went to school for 3 hours a day. It was private so I have no idea how my poor parents afforded it. I have a feeling my dad traded off surveying work for all of us kids to attend.

Mrs. Smith was a lovely woman who fed us chocolate milk on Fridays and read books galore and wiped the scrapes on our knees. What I remember most was that we would gather around her chair and she would read "The Little Engine That Could" fairly often. It was my first introduction to thinking about endless possibilities and tenacity. "Perseverance and diligence," she said. And I believed her. After all, she was Mrs. Smith, and no one was more perfect in my five-year-old mind.

Many teachers over the years taught the same message. It wasn't about what we learned as much as it was about how we learned to learn and loving to learn. "Keep at it," they said. And I believed them.

More importantly many significant people in my life have pointed me to Christ and encouraged me to "keep the faith." Stay strong and just put one foot in front of the other. In fact, I've said those exact same things. And they are true. But, they are hard. Very hard.

This past week was my very first time to try and run again. I run because God impressed it upon my heart several years ago. It is NOT from me. I can think of many other things I would/could choose to do, but none of them involve exercise!

It was difficult. Did I honestly think I would just be able to run 5 miles again? Apparently I did, or so I realized after I was disappointed for a few days.

But in my quiet time, I've been studying the book of Hebrews. That's just a book full of good stuff. The main theme of Hebrews is that Christ is superior to everything else - angels, Moses, Abraham, the old covenant, all priests, Melchizedek, etc. - and He is sufficient. He is ALL we need. He is our All in all.

And I believe that (not that what I believe matters in light of the truth). He is enough. And He is good. And He has a plan for me which involved surgery and recovery. And running again. I have to trust that He will enable me to do just what He desires in His timing. So, I run for Him and no one else. I run for His glory. May He receive all the praise and honor and glory for what He chooses to do.