In gymnastics there is a term, stick the landing. It is the act of controlling your footing following a vault, tumble or dismount. When gymnasts have completed their skill or performance, points will be deducted if they do not stick their landing. Its almost like more focus is placed on their landing than on what happened prior to the landing. Your landing... How have you been sticking your landing following your upsets, crisis and trials? Have you mastered the art of sticking your landing?
I do not always stick my landings. I start out excited, focused and strong. But as life would have it, as soon as trials come in, so does worry, fear, and discouragement. Soon I begin to give up, lose hope or just simply hide from life. Have you ever done that before? Hide from life? Shriek back at the possibility of disappointment? Because you've been hurt so many times before, you go into protective mode to protect the fragments of your heart that are left. Only to realize that again... the landing did not stick.
But oh the story doesn't end there. There is hope. Are you ready to stick your landing once and for all? Let me share a bit about where I am in life at this moment. I am a single mom of two really amazing kids. Wow I really hit the lottery with these two. But even with two really great kids, life is not always a ride in the park. I've experienced losing a child, separation, infidelity, financial hardship, defamation of character, abandonment, rejection, abuse, and near fatal illness. Most do not know my testimony. But I've gone through enough storms to know what I'm talking about here. So I've perfected the skill of hiding from life. I know how to detect impending pain when it is yet afar off. My timing is impeccable in that by the time it finally reaches me, I am already safely hidden behind the iron clad walls I've placed all around me. But the fallacy in this is that those same walls keep out the blessings, peace, joy, abundance, and love that God desires for me to dwell in. Plus, those walls hindered my solid landing. They interfered with my remaining in the peace that surpasses all understanding. That was until I began the process towards healing.
I began at the foot of Jesus. Jesus has been the one true constant in my life through it all. There have been times I felt I could not go on. The pain was so amplified that I just could not bare another fake smile and insincere script of "I'm blessed and highly favored", while feeling completely shattered inside. At the foot of Jesus, I call it my tears ministry. There were moments, when I tried to pray, all I could do was sob. I would lie on my floor or at the foot of my bed, close my eyes and picture myself lying in the lap of Jesus. I would pour to God until I felt the heaviness of the moment begin to lift. Most times, the pain would be so intense that I could not speak. The weight was so heavy, I had no words. But God in His infinite wisdom, understood. HE UNDERSTOOD! Without speaking one word, my tears spoke volumes. The Holy Spirit would comfort me and give me what I needed to face the next day and go through the storm. Oh sweet Jesus. Precious Jesus, He is to me. This is when I began my intimate relationship with The Father.
I also began to change my environment. I removed any negative people. I had to. I was in a battle to stick that landing. It’s like having a closed gymnastic practice. Only those in the competition were allowed on the floor. I surrounded myself with people ready to encourage me and root me on. I had people that were in similar trials, but also had that bulldog tenacity faith. The one that says, I won't let you go until you bless or deliver me. I read everything that I could get my hands on that was an encouragement. I pasted scriptures and positive affirmations all around my house. I even had scriptures and affirmations based in scripture pasted in my car. I built my vision board. The vision board displayed all of the trials I was going through in the future tense. I displayed images as I wanted my outcome to look. I listened to inspirational messages and music, such as THE SECRET and others. I was in the fight to stick my landing.
Gradually, I began to notice my faith strengthening. I could go on in spite of my circumstances remaining the same. Although my circumstances did not immediately change, God would send little glimpses of grace. This led to my final stage, journaling. I had two journals. One I call, IN THE LAP OF JESUS. This one I use to pour out, unedited. I lay it all out on the line. It’s electronic, which helps me to feel free in unloading on the pages. I kick, scream and have all out tantrums in this one. Then I sit and wait to hear what God has to say. Most times He will lead me to a scripture that is exactly what I need. My other journal is LITTLE GLIMPSES OF GRACE. This one is the testimony chronicles. I write this one in list or stanza form. Things I am grateful for. On my down days, I list all of the blessings currently active in my life. Or I chronicle a moment when God kisses me on the cheek with one of His moments of Favor. You know those moments when something happens and there is no other way to explain it except it must be God.
Through this process...this journey...I'm getting stronger...better at sticking my landing. Its amazing to look back at where you were in comparison to where you have evolved. I may have stumbled a few times before. But this time...I will keep pushing. Keep believing. Keep doing everything I need to do to stick that landing. Oh...and I'm going to stick it. You just watch...you'll see. {{all smiles}}
Be blessed and encouraged!
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