Navigating Life: Milestones
I enjoy running, and a few years ago my daughter and I trained for and ran in a half marathon.
We joined a running group that had an experienced coach who helped us prepare for the race. The training program involved progressively longer distances over a few months, as well as interval training and the repeated and challenging hill runs.
The day of the race we joined a few thousand other runners at the starting line and soon we were on the course. As the race continued the pack thinned as we encountered the first of many hills that marked the 13.1-mile run. Our coach had encouraged us to “trust our training” and those words proved to be true as we continued on our per-determined pace and even passed runners on the long inclines. With each mile marker along the route, we felt both the highs and lows that we were told to expect. We battled through and soon were within reach of the end.
My fondest memory of the race was the final half-mile of the race which was lined with hundreds of people cheering us on to the finish line. It was an emotional experience hearing our names called as we crossed the finish line. I wondered if that is what it will be like when we finish our life journey and enter into heaven. The Bible tells us that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses who are cheering us on in the race of life:
“..since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.” (Hebrews 12:1-2)
As excited as I was excited to complete the race, I was even more thrilled to see my daughter finish strong. We celebrated the milestone of completing this challenge, individually and together.
It’s really good and healthy to celebrate milestones in our life, family, and friends.
I am thankful for the many milestones God has out in my life. As a parent, I am even more grateful for and cherish the milestones in my children’s lives. It’s easy to race past them when they come—birthdays, athletic and artistic events, school celebrations, and more. However, It’s very important to savor these moments, hold them in our hearts, and cheer our loved ones on in their journey.
We bless our family and friends when we celebrate their lives and accomplishments—whether great, small, or somewhere in-between. We can powerfully affirm their identity and worth in God’s eyes and our own when we acknowledge them by cheering them on in their own life’s course.
Years ago, I wrote and recorded the song “Always There” as a blessing for my children as they graduated. As your children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or friends move into new seasons of life, I hope this song can be your own prayer and blessing for them. Enjoy and share!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6cyLQGNd9Y
God bless you.
Chris Atkins