As a freshman in high school one of the things I looked forward to most was playing volleyball. I had watched my sister play in Jr. High and fell in love with the game. I played basketball and softball and loved sports but playing at the high school level was a whole different ballgame.
Volleyball is a fall sport where I grew up so that means before school started for 2 weeks we had practice twice a day, two and a half hours each time. I loved morning practices, we actually got to touch the volleyball, we learned basics, we drilled skills, plays and learned to play as a team.
The second two and a half hours of the day was in the heat of the afternoon and it was nothing but conditioning. We didn’t see a ball the entire afternoon. We ran stairs, we did sit ups and push-ups, we jumped rope and we even did Jane Fonda’s workout. The true torture was the sprints!
Coach Schuler became one of the people whose influence significantly impacted my life. She was the person in charge of our afternoon conditioning. She knew how to push and motivate me beyond anything I could imagine I was capable of.
She ran us so hard there were people that were throwing up. Even that was not a reason to quit, they had to be back to the line by the next set of sprints ready to start or we all had to run more. She timed us every day and challenged us to run faster than we did the day before.
There were many times that I thought there is no way I can keep going. Coach would say hit the line, ready set go and I would do it.
By spending time under Schuler, I learned that I really didn’t know the limits of my physical body. She knew I could do more than I ever dreamed I could.
Learning to understand that I am capable of so much more than I think I am has made a big impact in my life!
I didn’t think I could handle the heartache of having my mom diagnosed with terminal illness(Alzheimer’s Disease) when I was 16. I didn’t think I could handle my marriage coming to an end. I often think I can’t handle watching my dad struggling with Alzheimer’s today.
But I have found that God knows what I can handle even when I think I can’t!
Trusting Schuler to push me physically beyond what my brain thought I could do helped to build a foundation of understanding that I do not know my limits. Not to mention I can trust God to push me beyond where I think I can go. Because He knows me even more than Coach did. He created me.
When I am trusting Him I know I can do all things! I trust Him and I praise Him, even in the middle of times where I don’t think there’s any way I can do what he’s asking me to do.
Yes! I definitely have learned that I can do more then I knew I could when it comes to physical things like running races. It’s an exhilarating feeling. In turn, however, I’ve also been working on recognizing this in other areas of my life as well. Depending on God and relying on him for direction, guidance and strength are always the answer for me. Thanks so much for sharing your inspiring post!
Judy,
Thanks so much for taking the time to share! I’m glad to hear that you are growing in this area of your life. God is soo Good!
Blessings,
Rayna
Great post, Rayna. I sometimes wonder what I can do!! However, God lovingly puts friends in our lives (like you!) to encourages us and role models to push us and provide “Jesus with skin on” to do something new that we would never imagine being able to do on our own. I would not be where I am without Him, my friend connections and role models. With God, all things are possible. I just have to do it “scared.” 🙂
Nancy,
Thanks so much, it is amazing how God provides just who we need in our lives to help us when we do find the end of ourselves.
I love, “I just have to do it “scared.” Taking that first step out of the boat onto the water is just plain scarey but when we know He is the one saying Just do it, we know we can!
Blessings,
Rayna
I learned I had strength beyond my understanding in the aftermath of my husband’s near-fatal car crash. He should have died, but God spared his life. We had five weeks in the hospital, months of not knowing what our new normal looked like and four years of recovery with countless surgeries and rehab sessions. Through it all, God sustained us. He sustained my husband as he worked so hard on recovery and me in being his support, driving, scheduling with doctors, keeping up with insurance, keeping our children’s lives on an even keel. The accident was 15 years ago. We’ve learned so much from that season of our lives. We now use that learning about how God provides in so many ways to support others in their journey. God continues to show us ways He was there and supported us as we walked a path we didn’t think we could manage.
Rhonda,
Thanks so much for sharing your experience! I love that God is still showing you things about that season to encourage and inspire you!
Blessings,
Rayna
In one ten day period in 1997 my youngest child was diagnosed with autism, my husband was diagnosed with leukemia, I found a foster son I was planning to adopt was sexually abusing my youngest daughter and my barn burned down with numerous tools and mechanical equipment. After that for quite some time I kept looking over my shoulder in fear waiting for some other devastating thing to happen to my family. My husband died six months later, my foster son was moved to a new home, my son with autism is 21 in college, working a part time job and living on his own with a roommate in an apartment, my daughter who was sexually abused is happily married and is the mother of three beautiful little girls. I am happily married to yet another wonderful husband. Through all my suffering God drew me closer to him, molded me and shaped me to be more like Christ, and greater love came about in my family. I am trying to write a book to teach others what I know. I’m not a writer I’m a teacher but God thinks I can do it so I keep trying. He sure has made wonderfull things happen with the messes in my life!
Sharon,
Thanks so much for sharing how God has used the many difficult season of your life to grow you and make you more like Him. I look forward to your book!
Blessings
Rayna