champion chick

"Hang in there. Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." ~ Thomas Edison.

When you hear the word strong, what is the first thing you think of? Holly immediately thought of muscles. We associate muscles with strength because it's a very visual image that we can picture and touch.

However, in order to accomplish all that we are intended to do, we require more than just physical strength. We need spiritual and mental strength to get it all done.

"She girds herself with spiritual, mental, and physical strength for her God-given task, and makes her arms strong and firm." ~ Proverbs 31:17

Remember, we are a force on the earth. It is time that you adopt the characteristics of a Champion Chick!

1 - Champion Chicks are spiritually strong. Good news ladies, you can throw your hand weights out for this one! In order to be spiritually strong, you must, MUST hold on to what you know is true. I can't stress this enough.

With this, though, you must be willing to grow where you need to. I hate to say this, but I believe that you will never be done growing in Christ. Just like every relationship, there will always be areas where you need to grow. Why you ask? Because the relationship is growing and requires you to grow as well! This is a good thing! My wise pastor has continually reminded our church that whatever is healthy will grow. Think about that. If a plant is healthy, it grows. If it has been neglected, like my plant right now, it will be wilty and not growing at all. Relationships are the same way, and so are you, both physically and spiritually.

You also need to love God more than yourself. Read it again, out loud if need be. Your God loves you more than we will ever know on this Earth. And, He longs for you to love Him. Through this love, you will be able to exchange your strength (or lack thereof) for His strength. By loving God, you will be able to love others. Remember, you are an irreplaceable, loved-beyond-measure daughter of the King. By keeping this in your heart, you will be able to love God more than yourself!

Champion Chicks are also continually producing good fruit. I'm not talking about children. I'm talking about your actions and your words. You are a wealth of goodness, and others know this about you.

So, without further ado, how do we do it?

YOU CAN'T DO IT ON YOUR OWN!!!

You weren't created to go out into the wilderness all alone. We're a social breed. We thrive when others around us are lifting us up.

Our Spiritual Strength comes by being connected to the House of God - church.

I was a new Christian when I went to college. I went to a "Christian" college. You know, the kind that is a "dry" campus, but within walking distance to the nearest bar. The one that celebrates Gay and Lesbian Week. The "Christian" college that turned our prayer chapel into an "interdenominational" chapel. WHAT?!?!?! Here I was, armed with my Bible and what I could remember from Summer Camp. I was lost. I had no foundation. I had nothing to stand on and no one to hold me up. I started to church hop, but couldn't find what I was looking for. The longer I looked, the "loster" I got. I really struggled.

My senior year I student taught in Minneapolis, MN. I was determined to plug into a church. I'm an outgoing gal when my friends are with me, but all alone, I tend to blend into the walls. But, off I went. Sunday morning. Back in church. I sat down by myself in the middle of a row near the back. Right before the service began, a couple asked if they could sit next to me. Of course! Absolutely! PLEASE!!! After the service they apologized that they couldn't stay longer, but he had to get to work. Oh, where do you work? I play for the Minnesota Vikings. ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? I loved the Vikings! Before they left, they introduced me to a few other families. Did I go back? You bet! Did my life turn around? Oh yeah! I had people surrounding me with Christ's love.

When I returned for the second semester, I had what I was missing for the past 3 years. I had a foundation. I was able to stand alone, long enough to get plugged into a church back in my tiny college town. Was it everything I wanted it to be? No, but, it was something. Needless to say, I ended my college career with a bang, and back in the saddle!

You will only be a FORCE when you are spiritually strong. LINK your arms with other women and take your place as a Champion! Think of it as a spiritual Care Bear Stare! The Care Bears were useless unless they joined arms, stood tall, and Care Bear Stared at whatever evil force was in their way! Right now I've joined the Early Morning (or 5 AM) Club. 8 ladies, who I don't think know each other except for the comments they've left on the blog posts, are banding together and committing to waking up early and praying for each other. We are also praying for our families, and the needs of our friends and nation, but we are holding each other accountable. We are Care Bear Staring.

2 - Champion Chicks are mentally strong. You need to learn to manage your reactions to stressful situations. Often times our first response is to freak out. Kevin Leman tells us that we need to Respond, not React. You are capable and intelligent. The Lord designed you that way. Use these two attributes to your advantage. THINK before you act.

Again, you must constantly be willing to learn new things. I'm a learning this as a mother. I know that I have not arrived as the greatest mother in all of humanity. Therefore, I like to challenge myself to try new things, or ask my friends what I could do differently to help my daughter and I get through the current situation. Please, don't have a defeatist attitude toward yourself. Pick yourself up and try something new. By learning, you will help cultivate your ability to mentally handle new situations.

You also need to be willing to think new thoughts. Champion Chicks want to learn and grow. We want to be coached. By allowing yourself this, you will know how to improve. Now, just because you ask someone for help in an area does NOT give that person an open door to slam you in every area of your life. Make sure that you are choosy when you ask for someone's opinion or help. This is to help you improve yourself, not sink further into the depths of destruction.

Learn to manage your emotions. We're girls. We've definitely got the right parts to become an emotional wreck! My pregnancy hormones were somewhere off the regular charts. For some it's the PMS. For others, it's just a way of life. Please don't get wrapped up in excuses for your emotional state. Yes, we all have moments where we're just not quite right, but this is not a time for you to be nasty to your friends and family. Buck up! We can't do everything we feel like doing. This doesn't mean that you can't confide in your dearest friend what is going on. This doesn't mean that you lie and say all is well. It means that you are honest. "I'm struggling right now." You don't need to go into detail, but you can at least let your friends know that you're not right.

3 - Champion Chicks are physically strong. Alright, pick up those hand weights. It's time to buff up! Which way to the gun show???

You must have physical strength to exist! Physical strength will help your actual body be strong enough to handle what you should be handling. You need to take care of your body. Watch what you eat! Please know that as I'm writing this, I'm longing for a piece of pie (I love pie!). A donut would suffice...or perhaps just some chocolate. "BE STRONG!" Obviously this is something that I am working on as we speak. Prayer Club, you could put this on my list of prayer needs!

My favorite song right now is "Slow Fade" by Casting Crowns. If you have not listened to the words of this song, you must! It is so true. "Be careful little eyes what you see." It is so important that we guard ourselves with the things that we watch, read, and listen to. You might be alright watching a movie with ladies running around in skimpy bikinis, but I have a feeling that this probably isn't a movie that you want your husband watching. We might not stumble if we listen to certain music on the radio, but do you want these songs filling your kid's hearts? Think about the junk that enters your body.

It is important to keep yourself away from the things that will HINDER you from "running your race" with excellence. So, think about who you spend time with. When I taught, my friend who taught next to me used to tell the little boys with their pants hanging off their little tooshies, "If it looks like a duck and walks like a duck, then it's probably a duck." I've also heard someone say, "Look at your friends and you'll see who you really are." When you spend time with a person, they are leaving their mark on your heart, whether you like it or not.

Please, embrace the destiny that you have been given and the King who gave it to you! He created you to be unique, and He loves what He created. I bet He even puts you up on the refrigerator to show His friends His masterpiece! He takes pride in you.

Hypothetically speaking, let's say hard times hit you. Will you have the strength to get up and even start over if you have to? Where is your strength going to come from? If you are going through a difficult time right now, you can exchange your strength for you Lord and Savior's strength. I promise. He will provide if you ask. If you are not going through a tough time, now is a good time to begin developing your strength by surrounding yourself with a support system, as well as growing your relationship with Christ.

Holly Wagner reminds us not to become easily offended. Just as you make mistakes, I can guarantee you that everyone around you will as well. One of my dear friends told me once that the problem with church is all the people. She's exactly right! We live in our flesh, and we will do something wrong sooner or later. If you are on the receiving end of someone's mistake, please don't get all huffy about it. Remember, WARRIOR CHICKS forgive! Keep your focus on where you are heading. Remember, the King's daughter's have a new identity. Being offended is another hurdle that you will have to get over (this is why it's ultra important to be very bendy).

My Champion Chick's parents went through a horrible ordeal when their son was in a terrible car accident. They weren't sure for weeks if he was going to survive. Apparently, the church they were attending didn't step up and offer to help them through this tragedy. Where are they today? Their son is in rehab, not for his accident, but for his addictions. The mom and dad no longer attend church, and now they are victims of their choices. They were burned, and now they have placed themselves in a position where they will never be burned again.

Please don't be a victim. It is imperative that you get over your past, or whatever your current circumstance is. Bitterness will haunt you, and prevent you from fulfilling God's call on your life. Focus on where you're headed while acknowledging your past. Know where you came from and what you have accomplished, but keep moving forward! YOU ARE A FORCE!

Here's the cold hard truth: You need to break the quitter cycle. Life will become boring or mundane at some time. This doesn't mean that you just quit. Your marriage will also go through a spell where you wonder how long "til death do us part" really means. But, I hope you plugged away at it. Life, marriage, work will all be boring and routine at some point. Again, put your goal in front of you. Move towards it. Even little baby steps forward are better than big steps back.

If you find a goal, and seriously begin the process of reaching it, you will face obstacles. They could be boredom, inconveniences, or difficulties. Wagner liken a goal to childbirth. The end goal is obvious - to get that baby out! But, the process is not always easy. It could be a long day. There could be some inconveniences (like a baby who is facing the wrong direction and causes her mama to be up on her hands and knees for an hour at a time...). There could be difficulties that mean you are going straight to the OR because that baby needs to come out immediately. But, you've got to keep going. You can't stop and say, "I'm done. Let's go home. We'll have a baby later." Sorry sister. You're in to win! You should persevere towards you personal goals in the same way.

What is perseverance? PERSEVERANCE is the ability to continue a course of action in spite of difficulty. Rely on your Champion Chick friends and Care Bear Stare the difficulty right outta there!

I'll leave you with this. God doesn't get glory in what you start - only what you finish. My mom started a Christmas stocking for me when I was in grade school. 20ish years later, I have yet to enjoy my stocking. Wagner reminds us that there are amazing women who have come before us. We have grown from their victories and learned from their mistakes. Don't deny the Champion Chicks to come the opportunity to learn from you. Don't drop the baton girls!