Have you ever been ice skating? Or even just watched a movie of someone ice skating? Watching others on tv or even figure skating as a sport looks so effortless as they glide across the ice.
The truth is though everyone started somewhere, maybe as a child or perhaps an adult at one defining moment a pair of skates was put on for the first time. For those who compete and whose livelihood revolves around skating I bet they look back and are thankful that through every fall and every bruise they kept coming back to the ice.
The ice is similar to us with life and with dreams or goals. We have to start somewhere and when we do it can look intimidating, it can hurt us, it can feel useless and we can appear to be so badly failing that we don't want to ever try again. We may feel as if we would rather never put the skates back on or never try again or never go to church again - whatever it may be. Just because it looked easy and now that you're in the middle of it and it isn't doesn't mean it will always be this way.
There will come a time where the shoe fits, the puzzle piece works and life seemingly ushers you along a smooth sailing surface. The way those competitors glide on the ice is not by mistake or happenstance but rather with skill and direction from years of practice. It was likely choppy and rough at first but after years of continuing to show up things are beautiful now.
Keep showing up. Show up for life. Show up for Jesus. Show up for your dreams and careers. Keep moving forward and walking in peace. Walk forward in the trying seasons and the not quite there yet seasons. You won't ever be great if you don't stay with it.
If you fall down, pick yourself up, dust yourself off and simply start over again!
See you out on the ice - the ice rink of life that is!
- Alana Murray
