Wednesday, August 13, 2008
3 Things to Win the Gold
It is time to confess. The first step in recognizing a problem and dealing with it is admitting the problem. The problem for me: I am addicted to the Olympic Games. Yes, I know everyone is watching the Olympics right now, but seriously, I found myself glued to the TV last weekend watching fencing or sabers or whatever they call it. I didn't even know it was an Olympic sport and suddenly I spend an hour watching it. (And honestly I didn't have a clue what they were doing!) But now that I've admitted the problem and confessed it to you, let me tell you why!
One of my favorite things is watching the short bios on the athletes. They basically sum up in about five minutes how the athlete has trained and lived for the last four years. Five minutes seems so short! How can you sum up four years in five minutes? Then I watched the bio on Michael Phelps. WOW! So far this guy is the winningest Olympic athlete ever! He now has five world records in five events at the Beijing Games! And to date he has 11 gold medals, which means he has won more golds than any athlete in history! Michael Phelps is set to swim a few more races and may win even more gold and set more records before the 2008 Olympic Games are over!
What makes him so great? What is the secret of the last four years that helps him achieve such greatness in the Olympics? Three things. Yep, that is it, only three. In the bio he said, "I swim, I sleep, I eat." And it showed him doing those three things...yes, even the sleeping part! Well, you know that bio on Michael Phelps just got me thinking about going deeper still with God. What are the three things that keep me going deeper still? If I had to narrow my time down to three things what would they be?
Group Bible Study? Personal Bible Study? Scripture Memorization? Focused Prayer? Christian Music? Service in my church? Worship? Quiet Time? Missions? Ministry? Community with other Christians? Christian conferences and events? Christian concerts? The list could go on and on and on....
And then if you stick with your top three things for four years like an Olympic athlete, how does one's faith grow? What is the impact upon your relationship with Jesus? How does that level of commitment to God impact your community and the world for Christ?
I don't know about you, but I really want a "medal worthy" faith. And if I'm going to take up my cross daily following Jesus (Luke 9:23-24) why not go for the gold! As the Olympic Games for 2008 continue this week, I am thinking about how to focus and train for an Olympic-sized faith. What spiritual disciplines do I need to strengthen in order to go deeper still with God? What about you? What spiritual muscles need a workout?
Las Vegas Deeper Still gals...how are you preparing for God in the coming weeks before September 5-6? Atlanta or Nashville Deeper Still gals...how are you continuing your focus upon God and going deeper still in relationship with Him?
Thinking of you today my sweet sisters in Christ and praying that we are all reaching forward to God's goal and making every effort to take hold of it...Philippians 3:12-14.
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Comments (4)
Michelle Hicks
said...
Way to go Amanda! Aren't we all thankful that Jesus is ready with open arms for us to return to Him...Hope you get lots of extra time with Him in the next few weeks before Deeper Still Las Vegas! Keep pressing forward...let's finish strong!
Posted by Michelle Hicks | Aug 13, 2008 at 10:57 AM
jodi said...
Hi Amanda,
I just received an email about a message Kay Arthur gave at the Atlanta conference about a famine coming to America. Did she give a message about that, or is that just a cyber rumor? Is there any way to purchase that talk? Thanks! Jodi
Michelle Hicks said...
Hi Jodi,
Emails can really make the rounds out in cyberspace! There is an email circulating written by a woman who we believe attended the Deeper Still Conference in Atlanta. It is signed Beth, but is NOT an email from Beth Moore. The email with some notes from the conference does not give the full message.
Kay Arthur explains on her website exactly what she said--Go to
http://www.precept.org/site/PageServer?pagename=gen_AmericaAtTheCrossroads
Kay did reference different current events and related them to scripture and basically said America needs to wake up and stand up for biblical values and morals. Without endorsing a presidential candidate, she also encouraged the women to get out and vote in elections. She told them to research the candidates and actually referenced how both candidates had voted on certain issues. Kay even said that she was not endorsing one candidate over the other but that we all better vote for people who stand up for and align themselves with biblical principles--she compared our nation with the nation of Israel in Jeremiah and Isaiah in the Old Testament. They were given warnings by the prophets and standards to live by in order to protect their nation.
Possibly Kay's ministry Precept Ministrires International is going to make the audio of the message available through their website at some point.
Posted by Michelle Hicks | Aug 13, 2008 at 10:57 AM
Amanda said...
Well, I hope that I'm not the only one, but I've been on a long sabbatical from my personal quiet times and I've been relying on others to keep my "Olympic sized flame" going in my heart (Preaching, bible study lessons, godly counsel/conversations). Not good, I know, but it's the truth. In preparation for DS: LV, I'm not letting myself go to sleep until I've done my quiet time. I always get something out of it, and I'm usually encouraged. God is faithful, and I'm counting on meeting Him at DS: LV in a new and fresh way. Putting my "time" in now will only get the anticipation up and my eyes, ears, and heart ready for Him. I know that I need it, and I know that He knows that I need it! He's so good to me..
Posted by Amanda | Aug 13, 2008 at 10:57 AM