Last Sunday I got to go to CrossFit and as soon as I got there, my friend, who is the coach, was very excited because he created this awesome workout with something called over unders. First, I thought we were going to be using the jump rope. There was jumping involved, but no rope. What he did was use a PVC pipe and put it on top of a box so the pipe is sticking out and then we were supposed to jump over the pipe and then crawl under it. Of course, there was other stuff like power cleans, a run, snatches, and push press. For some reason, though, I just could not jump over the PVC pipe. It could have been the thought of me falling to my face as I trip over the pipe or the fact that I’ve jumped on the box before and still have the scare to show where my shin hit the box. Either way, it’s amazing how the mind works. When something dramatic happens to us we might physically forget it but it’s mentally still in our heads.
I was on my run yesterday and that song “Sweet Sacrifice” from Evanescence came on. There's a lyric that says fear is only in our minds. I so get that, because even though I knew that that height is something I can do since I jumped on a box that high before, my mind was like “no you can’t” because of the fear that I had. Fear can stop us from doing things which could be a good thing. I’m afraid I’m going to get hit by a car so I wait until the light is red before I walk across the street. But then there’s other fears that stop us from doing anything like the fear of rejection from others so we don’t truly be ourselves or the fear of being hurt by someone we love and so now we’re not going to date anybody ever again. Those are crazy fears but they’re real. So how does one get over fear?
Psalm 34:4 - I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.
Right now I’m reading the book of Acts which is the history of a movement called Christianity (it’s in the Bible). Jesus’ followers were telling everyone about Him everywhere. People were believing and following Jesus even though He already ascended to Heaven (Acts 1:9-11). Persecution comes, people are arrested, beaten and killed yet there’s no backing down. It doesn’t state in Acts if Peter (follower of Jesus) was afraid but he did pray a daring prayer.
Acts 4: 29 Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word,”
They prayed, gathered strength from God and kept telling people about Jesus. Simple as that!
So, fast forward over 2,000 years into the Sunday WOD. I and some of the ladies with me had a choice to make. Jump or don’t jump. Simone tested the jump out with several one legged attempts while Betsy jumped right over the stick suspended in air. I, unfortunately, didn't attempt it but I got a small box to jump over. The box was about half the height. I figured that any hurdle to jump over was better than no hurdle at all (baby steps). Would I have done things differently? Uh Yeah!! Pray first. Attempt second. Perhaps I would have succeeded at jumping the 22 inch hurdle:) There's always next time!
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