Celebrating Strength

I am only as strong as the cocktails I drink,

The hairspray I use,

And the girlfriends I have.

Yep, this is hanging in my house. It is a cute saying - and it can be very true in different parts my life. Let's face it, there are days where all we need is a cocktail. The others I need every day - my girlfriends and some good hairspray.

Let's face it. Throughout the past 6 weeks, we faced some challenges. I faced quite a few - with work, with relationships, with myself. It wasn't until about the 5th week of the journey that things started to change for me. Yep, I was relying on all of the above listed items to keep me going - especially my girls. But think about it, after too many strong cocktails, you don't feel so great. Yea, I may have great-looking hair, but every time I wash it, it takes a lot of work to get it to look good again. And I have the best girls in the world to support me, but some times you can hear all the right things and still not believe it.

Over the past 6 weeks, I was reminded of the things I need to be doing daily, but especially when time are tough.

Play - sometimes you just have to let it go and have a little fun.
Pray - talk to God, listen to God (yea, don't get me started on that one)
Train - just press play and keep going...we are running the big race here.
Study - read up on the Bible to have the support of these truths when trouble comes.
Serve - share with others: your gifts, blessings, Gods' love.

With these disciplines in  my back pocket, I will be ready for whatever life brings your way. As a disciple, I realize I have a lot to improve on these things. Yes, I do them here and there - especially when I have a card to check off my list, but do I incorporate them in my everyday life? No. Even after the journey, I have seen how easy it is to slip. So as I celebrate the end of a trying, encouraging, growing 6 weeks, I am celebrating that I now have the right training regimen to grow even more as a strong disciple - so that I can serve and disciple others.

Yes, there are times when we still need our cocktails, our hairspray and of course our girls. But we have a great support that nothing can take down - a loving Father who wants nothing but the best for us. And that is all I need.