It is funny how something so small(literally) eventually brings out a big meaning. This not so surprising revelation came to me on Friday as I sat on a bench coaching volleyball. My team could have easily been compared to David when he went to face Goliath. We were smaller, younger, and less experienced then most of the teams we had faced and our final opponent on Friday was clearly Goliath. Before our match the girls found out that our opponent had beaten a team 25-0. Surprisingly this didn’t affect them at all. They knew the team was very skilled and the chances of winning were slim to none, but as I watched the first few points I was dumbfounded at their ability to stare their Goliath in the face and smile.
They laughed, screamed, jumped up and done and to the astonishment of the entire gym put up an amazing fight. I wish that I could say we defeated the team, but unfortunately all the points didn’t go our way. Instead we lost by just a few points and the girls gained something my assistant and I yearned from them to gain; confidence. They are 11. ELEVEN and they are already skilled volleyball players. Until this point they had no confidence in that..key words, until now! They had finally realized to trust themselves, their own ability and the ability of their teammates. My team had faced Goliath and won. They overcame themselves and proved to everyone in Orlando that they were strong, athletic, loud, enthusiastic volleyball players that will always put up a fight.
As I listened to my kids scream, at a decibel I have yet to understand, I thought about my own ability to overcome my Goliath. The World Race is slowly bringing out my own shortcomings and the places where I feel inadequate. My 10-12 year olds taught me a valuable lesson this week. Have confidence in yourself. Don’t be afraid to smile and laugh in the face of fear, and most importantly have faith. There are so many unknowns on the race, but I refuse to not trust God and know that He is in control.
Proverbs 3:5-6 says:
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.
In the coming months, as my squad and I prepare for launch, I pray that I have the strength and faith to continue relying on Christ and the finished work on the cross. I will trust in our Father and His own strength in my life. I know that these things will not come easy, but I am not alone. My kids had a team of 8 to help them through their struggles in volleyball. I have a squad of 35(and growing!) that are my support system and community. 11 countries will sure bring out all of our shortcomings and the struggles that we have all faced in our lives, but it will also bring out the best in each of us; our strengths and our faith in the unknown.
1 month and 1 week until we launch on the race!
Time for some bold, crazy, surrendering to our extraordinary and powerful God!
I have seen the power of David defeating Goliath in the faces of eight 10-12 years.
If they can do it, so can we (might need to get some balloon hats too!)
Let’s do this X-Squad!
