Exercising is still an uphill climb for me. I have to remember that aging will take a toll on what few abilities remain. Losing an entire summer of workouts due to illness may be something past my attempts to overcome. This does not mean I will stop trying to get better. One of the qualities of getting older is accepting limits. But this does not mean those limits have the last word. Not everyone is created to be athletic. That is a statement in which I include myself. No one will ever mistake me for a competitive athlete. My goal is to just keep moving forward rather than backwards. So my plan is to keep plugging away in my efforts to be healthy.

My admiration level is very high for those men and woman who can truly get the most out of their bodies. Discipline is required to continue the process in even the most gifted athletes. If you ever read of the intentional efforts of great athletes you will be amazed at how far they push the limits. There are no champions who slacked off in the preparation time. Building a life takes time to build up all of the tools needed to be a success. You will have to push past limits you thought could not be broken. You will have to learn to move past pain in order to keep a focus on your goals. You will develop habits that are unique to your task. You won't have to think about actions as they become ingrained into your life. The person you are at the end of your quest will be far different than when you began.

Scripture speaks more than a few times about how discipline in our spiritual journey makes the difference in its outcome. There is more to being mature in our faith than waiting for God to overwhelm us with His presence. Don't get me wrong. Times like that are great but they are also infrequent. Jesus would tell His followers to daily be a disciple that becomes new. God works through our spiritual efforts to transform us into His image. Curbing our temper or our tongue may call for small, daily actions of faith until we become new people. Spending time daily with God is not for a select few super saints but is an invitation to all who know God. Remaining true to God even in difficult times will alter our heart and our mind in ways we cannot imagine. It's been said that the believer who is big in small things will never be a small believer. That is indeed a very true statement. It is also the path for those who want to be better at being a believer.

Bro. Trey