My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.
Psalm 73:26
Back in the late 70’s I learned how to downhill ski. It was exhilarating. I think what I enjoyed the most was the fresh air and views. Devils Head ski hill, in Wisconsin, has the most gorgeous overview. Yet, Vail ski resort in Colorado displayed several breathtaking runs. I was no Olympian at the sport, but I was strong and enthusiastic.
It was shortly after those years I was introduced to Jesus, my Savior. I had never read the Bible. I new of the basic biblical stories, but thought they were something which happened years ago. In ways, I was still trying to earn my way to heaven.
In the 90’s, as I was raising a family, my husband and I took up cross-country skiing. It was affordable, plenty of local areas to ski and a lot less equipment to carry. Maybe motherhood overwhelmed my thoughts for downhill skiing. Or a back injury took the stream out of the excitement of surfing the slopes. They were wonderful years of shushing through local woodlands. Plus, an occasional hill to glide down.
During those years, I taught children the Word of God. Along the way I was learning so many things myself. There’s no better way to get familiar with the Bible than to teach someone else.
Somewhere after the turn of the century, I’m starting to sound old now, I hung up the cross-country skies for snow snows. The slower pace suited me. Crunching through a quiet wood and inhaling the serenity before me brought peace.
Around this same time something else happened, I fell in love with the Word of God. It was more than just knowing of Him, but truly seeing Him. If that sounds familiar, they are the words of Job. I spent over a year in study of the book of Job. It was a wonderful experience.
The purpose of this post is to show how the physical body has its limits. As decades unfold the physical body declines. Yet, the spiritual part of us can grow with strength. Do I miss those downhill skiing days? Yes, especially this last week as my son, Dan, has sent me photos of his time in Vail. Yet, I have the quiet of a snow covered woods and a cozy corner in my house where I can get lost in the Word of God.
The body grows weak, while the spirit thirsts for more. May you see God more and more.
P.Wolf; skier & snowshoer
Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
2 Corinthians 4:16-18
He is worthy of your trust, and your trust is all he asks of you. He is able and willing, because he died for you. He only ask you to believe that he is able to save you and wants you to trust yourself to him.
C. H. Spurgeon (Life in Christ)
Patti Wolf 