In training......

I was deeply touched by an older woman in bible study last night. This particular lady has one of the sweetest spirits that I've witnessed. She is in her early 80s, but still has a thirst and desire for the Lord. She is at our ladies bible study weekly eager to learn, but also able to offer encouragement and wisdom to some of the younger ladies such as myself.

Last night, she asked for prayer. There has been a younger woman that has been a regular visitor in her home on a weekly basis. She finally gained the courage to ask this young woman if she had a church she was part of.

To answer her question, the younger woman responded that she didn't and hasn't had a church before. The older woman left it alone at that point.

She confessed to all the women present in bible study that night, that she had a deep desire to be able to share Christ with people and knows that its what we are called to do, but she has never been able to get to that point because she is overcome by fear. And she wasn't alright with that fear knowing that souls are at stake.

She also acknowledged that no one comes to Christ by man's best efforts, but are drawn to Him by Himself (John 14:6). And she stated that there have been many times where she simply wasn't obedient in sharing Christ with others. This story is a little all too familiar for me as well.

I sat there and listened to her care-worn voice echo what was in her heart. They were words of someone finishing this life well.

Someone who was still desiring to please God in all she says and does.

Someone, who although is very wise, still realizes that they have areas to grow in.

Someone who wasn't done training for the race that she has yet to finish.

I was so blessed by this. I was reminded, yet again, that we should be constantly growing- physically and spiritually.

Physically growing or aging is inevitable and can't be stopped. It occurs naturally.

But, our spiritual growth is different. According to scripture, we can stay infants purely on milk and not ready for substance (Hebrews 5:12), or we can grow up in our salvation (1 Peter 2:2). Our growth is directly related to how much we press into Him. We grow by trusting in Him, spending time with Him, learning about Him, and training for the race set before us (Hebrews 12:2).

So that in the end we are able to say before Jesus:

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith." 2 Timothy 4:7

This may sound so simple. I love it when the Lord speaks simple truths over me. And although it may be simple to understand, its implementing and living it out that becomes the struggle.

I pray that I am mindful of what I am training for and the race that I'm running. I pray that my actions reflect that I am in a race running with Him, for Him, and to Him.

Below are some images of 'firsts' in our home this week.

KK asked me if I would 'swaddle her baby to her body'. It was so cute. I wore Laney Rae in a sling constantly.

Laney Rae is learning how to eat with a fork. You might think I'm a terrible mom for giving my child a real fork and not those plastic baby ones, but she won't have anything to do with the plastic baby forks.

......MOMMY IN TRAINING.......

......UTENSIL EATER IN TRAINING........