Just over 2 years ago, I found myself in Colorado Springs, CO. Man, what a beautiful place! I had been there before thanks to my time traveling with Life Action. This time, Life Action was once again the reason I found myself back in that area in 2019, and during this trip I had a little more freedom to do some exploring.
Backstory!
The previous time I had been there, I stumbled upon “The Incline” with one of my friends. We hadn’t eaten breakfast or had anything to drink but coffee. We were just out and about seeking an adventure. The sign at the bottom of The Incline warns of the extreme nature of the hike.
.88 miles…not too bad!
2,768 steps…I do that every day!
Almost 2,000 feet elevation change….OK hold up! That changes things!
A notice that it can take 3-4 hours for medical attention to get to you should you need it….oof!
We knew we really weren’t prepared for the hike but we ventured up about a fourth of the way just to say we hiked part of The Incline.
Fast Forward to 2019…
I knew going into Colorado once again, that in addition to teaching kids about Jesus, the ONE thing I really wanted to do was conquer The Incline.
So one morning, I dropped my roommate off at the church, and I headed out on my adventure. This time, I had eaten a hearty protein filled breakfast. I had water. I had some kind of sports drink and snacks. I stretched, and then I started to climb. It honestly started out pretty easy, until I realized that the point that my friend and I had reached previously wasn’t close to the hard part! By the time I got to the “opt out” trail, I was already pretty tired. But I wanted to finish! At points in that hike the trail takes a 68% grade, which almost felt like hitting a wall.
To say the hike was hard would be an understatement, but I can tell you, that when I crested the top of that trail and was able to look out at the incredible valley below and the mountains in the distance, every step was worth it! And you better believe that I bought a t-shirt to commemorate such a feat!
You may be wondering what on earth this has to do with this month’s theme in Promiseland? Well, this month our big question is “What is Sanctification?” Man, that’s a long word, and I bet as parents it could be kinda fun to listen to your kids try to say it! But when I think of sanctification, the first thing that comes to my mind is my hike up The Incline.
On the way up, at the top, and during my reflection of that adventure, it was like God took me on that journey just to help me understand more about sanctification. If I can be honest, I needed it too, because as a former perfectionist, sanctification was still something that I struggled with.
So what did God teach me through that hike about sanctification?
- Sometimes it’s a faster process. Sometimes it’s slower.
- Sometimes it means taking time to be refreshed physically, emotionally, and spiritually after hard stretches in the journey.
- Sometimes people are near-by to help you go further. Sometimes you must find motivation in seasons of loneliness to keep the pursuit of following Jesus going.
- It’s better to look at the next step because looking ahead at where you want to be is overwhelming. Eventually, taking those individual steps will get you to where you want to be.
- It takes determination to fight through doubt, pain, and fatigue!
- At the end, there is breathtaking reward!
Honestly, I’m sure there are still things I could pull from that day that ties into this whole idea of sanctification, but as I wrap this post up, I wanted to share this from my heart:
I’m a process.
You are a process.
These kids are a process.
It wasn’t too long ago that God convicted me of holding kids to a standard of where I thought they should be in the sanctification process instead of just being willing to meet them where they are at and encourage them to keep growing. Yes, it can be so frustrating when we see or experience failure time after time after time. But we must be aware, lest we end up losing sight of how much growth has been achieved.
I’ve learned that sanctification is just as also a product of God’s grace as is our salvation.
- We still don’t deserve it.
- We still can’t muster it up on our own strength.
And just as we have the opportunity to share God’s grace with others in hope that they will come to know Him, we have an incredible opportunity to share and show God’s grace to those around us who are most likely in a place of sanctification that looks a bit different than our own.
We’re on a journey friends! Let us continue to encourage one another, including our kids, as we pursue Christ and fight the good fight of faith together!
Love,
Miss Olivia
