Breathless

So I love following Pastor Steven Furtick's blog and I always get something out of it but today's blog was a huge encouragement to me! It hit home in a huge way. His blog posts are very easy to read and to the point and life-changing! I really encourage you to take like 2 minutes and read it!

Here's the link to it: http://www.stevenfurtick.com/personal-development/high-mountains-and-low-valleys/

He talks about how high mountains (success) can be just as challenging as low valleys (difficult, almost depressing times) in our life. He says, "The times of success in your life and the times when God is blessing you can be just as challenging as the times in the valley. Just in a different way, because now you’re going uphill." He goes on to say, "The goal of life isn’t to make it to a point where we can breathe easy. It’s to get to heaven breathless." 

You can read the entire blog (please do, it's amazing!) but I wanted to share why this resonated so deeply within me.

God has blessed me tremendously throughout my life but the favor since this past year (2010) on my life has been more clear than ever before. But through all the blessing, I guess I thought life would get a little easier. I know, crazy right? ;) For example, with Woodlawn soccer this season I was blessed financially in a huge way - more than I could have dreamed of. I knew season would have its ups and downs again but with all the money, we were going to be able to buy these kids all the soccer gear they needed plus so much more. But with that blessing came responsibility. And I found myself at times thinking, why is this so hard? I prayed and prayed for God to give me wisdom in how to use the money and I'm trusting I used it the way he wanted me to, but wow, I would never have imagined it to be that hard. And the same with coaching. While I know the Lord is moving and we've made huge steps from last year, this season feels almost harder! With marriage, you wait years longing to be married thinking life will be easier when there are two of you doing it together. Marriage is a blessing but once again, with it comes responsibility, and I feel like the enemy's attacks on me are way more than when I was single.

You see, when you are building something for the glory of God, the enemy is going to do everything he can to ruin it. So it makes sense. Why wouldn't it be harder when you are climbing versus standing?

I love my life but I long for that day when I will collapse into Jesus's arms and rest, breathless from climbing mountains during my time here on earth. And then...I can breathe easy :)