Do you remember the scene from Princess Diaries where Mia is driving her Mustang up that giant San Francisco hill for the first time? Somehow, Adventures In Missions moved that hill to their property in Gainesville, Georgia. Most of you know that I have been in Georgia for eleven days for World Race Training Camp. What you may not know is, just like Mia, I panicked and thought I might have to quit.
I have never been met with a challenge I thought was straight up impossible. I am a fairly independent, stubborn woman. I hate saying that I can’t do things. The truth is, I despise feeling like I am not enough. The World Race came along with my impossible challenge. It was a package deal that I wasn’t willing to give up. I had to hike 2.2 miles in 38 minutes with 40 pounds of gear on my back. I am going to be vulnerable and say that I thought this hike would send me home with my tail between my legs. I arrived in Gainesville and saw this impossibly huge hill that I had to hike twice, uphill both ways. I convinced myself that it was over before it began. My squadmates watched me crumble in front of them.
The night before the hike, we heard a talk on holistic lifestyles. I learned how my emotional, physical, and spiritual health all intertwine. This made a lot of sense to me. Satan told me lies that made me feel one inch tall. This influenced my ability to complete a physical task that would allow me to advance into spiritual growth. John 10:10 says, “The enemy comes only to steal and kill and destroy. [Jesus] came that they may have life and have it abundantly.” I didn’t see a way out of the enemy’s path of destruction until our speaker looked at me and said, “You can do hard things.” I am not able to complete that hike in time on my own strength. That is just a fact, but I am able to do it if I rely on the God that created me to sustain me in abundant life.
The next morning at 7:12, I got over the hill for the first time. I was already tired. I yelled, “I can do hard things in Christ,” over and over again until I started to believe it. Somehow, I got separated from my team. I was alone with God and I was terrified. I was exhausted by the time I approached that second lap. I saw the hill in front of me and said, “There is just no way.” I got to the top and hyperventilated for a minute. I pushed forward. I groaned out the lyrics to worship songs as I ran. I was determined not to let Satan win this time.
About three quarters of the way through the hike, I passed my trainer Beka. Despite her motivating words, the look in her eyes told me I wasn’t going to make it. My heart dropped, my throat got tight, and I started to panic. Was the enemy really going to keep me from doing Kingdom work this easily?
Not long after accepting my defeat, my squadmates came back for me. Heather and Viktoriya practically pushed me toward the finish line. I have never fought harder in my life. I crossed the finish line with two minutes to spare, my teammate pulled my pack off of me, and I immediately hit the ground. I felt euphoric. God was faithful to defeat the enemy. I was so lightheaded. I cried when I realized that it was because the lies were no longer swirling around in there.
I didn’t just pass a fitness test. I overcame a spiritual and emotional hurdle when I overcame my physical hurdle. God taught me to trust him in a whole new way. He taught me how to cast out the enemy from a spiritual battle I am fighting. He taught me to allow the Church to help me when I am weak. He convinced me that I am capable of doing hard things through Christ.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is headed at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:1-2
