Stretched

Last weekend I was having dinner with my family on the back porch and out of nowhere we started reflecting on the year so far. You see, at the beginning of the year we chose a word for our family for the year. A word that would challenge us and something we could pray that God would do this year. The word we chose was “stretch.”

I knew that if we chose this word, we could expect many opportunities for God to stretch us individually as well as stretch us as a family. The year is not even over, but we can already see how we have had those opportunities to be stretched in big ways and small ways. Some of these ways will seem insignificant to most people, but to my people, they are big.

My husband, Levi’s stretching has come in a big way. His stretching includes stretching for our whole family. Early in the year, he was given the opportunity to serve in our state as the leader of evangelism. He actually told them no at first, but as we thought and prayed about it, we sensed that was the direction God was leading us. To leave pastoring a church we adore and that has been nothing but good to us was unbelievably hard. We have served together as a family and love doing ministry together. This was not an easy stretch for any of us. In June, Levi stepped out of pastoring and into this new role, trusting God in the stretching. For our family it means supporting his ministry in different ways while continuing to serve ourselves.

Our oldest son, Garrison, wrestled for a few years and was excellent. It only took one wrong move for a career ending injury. Because of that injury, he will never be able to play contact sports again. He loves sports and still wanted to be involved, so he decided to try out for the high school baseball team. This was a stretch for him for a few reasons. Because he had focused on wrestling, he hadn’t been playing much baseball and he was still recovering from the wrestling injury. He had spinal damage as well as shoulder damage and still couldn’t use his left shoulder, meaning he could pitch, but he couldn’t bat. I remember preparing him to be cut during tryouts. You know, in a gentle mom way. 😉 I just didn’t know if coaches would take a chance on a kid with a bum shoulder. Garrison worked hard and made the JV team as a pitcher only, meaning he didn’t have to bat! When the team list came out, I had to eat my words. I was so proud of him for stretching himself and trying, no matter what the outcome. After the season he had surgery to fix his shoulder and God continued to stretch him as he went through the surgery and therapy. I know Garrison has been disappointed not to wrestle, but I pray he will see that God is stretching him and putting him exactly where He wants him to be.

Our oldest daughter, Mattie, decided as an 8th grader to pick up a new sport. She had never touched a volleyball, but decided to attend a short clinic and loved it! By 8th grade most kids have figured out a sport that they like and are in that lane. I was so proud of her and some of her friends for going for it! They were not afraid to jump in and try something brand new. They had the best time together and had a great season! Recently, she tried out for a play at school and got the lead role. I’m proud of Mattie and how she isn’t afraid to be stretched and try something new. I hope that even in trying new things in middle school, she will learn that she can overcome fear and doubt and continue to try new things in life.

Our second son is Gavin and his stretching may seem silly to most people. He had a goal to learn to do a backflip on the ground. He watched videos about it and how to train for it, practiced on the trampoline then moved to a mattress on his floor. This whole backflip thing was ongoing through the entire summer. He would say, “I’m just so scared” (as was I!!). However, he never stopped working on it. Just last week he got the backflip! He was so proud! This backflip has been a stretch for him. Physically he was stretched as well as mentally. He had to overcome fear and commit to doing it. You can’t decide after you make that first jump that you don’t want to do it- that will lead to injury. Once you take that leap, you have to commit to the whole thing. His stretching has carried over to school as he started a new school with new kids this year. It hasn’t been a walk in the park, but we keep reminding him that this too is God stretching him. The same principles that he applied to the backflip apply at school and in life. Face your fears and press through it.

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Our youngest daughter is Marlee and she has also experienced stretching this year. She has never wanted to participate in sports or extracurricular activities. She has been the shyest of the bunch and used to say, “I don’t want everyone looking at me!” She decided in the spring she was going to sign up for the kayaking team. Again, for most kids, this is no big deal. They sign up for a new activity and jump right in , no problem. But for Marlee, it was a big deal. She would say, “I’m going to stretch myself this year and sign up for kayaking!” She was nervous about it and had her reservations, but she did it and loved it! For her, this was a game changer. That stretching has opened her eyes to other ways to be stretched and her fear is dwindling and her confidence is growing. I have friends that have said, “Marlee is coming out of her shell! She is a new person!” I think it has to do with the fact that she stretched herself and trusted God to be with her through it.

Then there is me. My stretching is still occuring. I would equate myself to a super thick, super small rubber band. I am really hard to stretch! 😉 I don’t like it. I want to stay the same and just be the cheerleader for all of the other stretching going on in my family. God doesn’t leave us to stay stagnant though. He calls us out on the water, giving us opportunities to trust and grow. My stretching has taken place alongside Levi. Making a change with our ministry has been a huge stretch as we have served in local churches since the day we started dating. It’s been a challenge for me as I couldn’t “see” what the next steps would look like. I want to see the entire plan in front of me before I take the first step, but that’s not how it works. I’m learning to trust God with the very next step he gives me. For me, stretching has meant making changes in my job, being more present with my family, being open to ministry opportunities around me, and even trying new things myself. I entered a 3 mile paddleboard race last weekend and even that morning thought, “now, why did I do this?” Paddleboarding is a fun hobby, but for me it was about stepping out and trying something new- win or lose, fast or slow. I don’t want fear or doubt to be a hindrance to anything that is in front of me.

As I think about being stretched, I can’t help but think about Peter in the Bible. Peter was stretched a few times that we know of, and no doubt more that we don’t. Peter was stretched when Jesus asked him to change his occupation. He asked him to resign immediately and go into ministry! He was stretched when he volunteered to walk on the water to Jesus in Matthew 14. Poor Peter often gets criticized for sinking as a lack of his faith, but he was the only one to even get out! Just stepping over the side of the boat required so much faith. Peter was stretched when he was asked if he was a Jesus follower three times and he denied that he was. This was an opportunity to be stretched and to stand up with courage, but Peter failed. Thankfully, Jesus didn’t disqualify Peter from future ministry. I’m grateful to have his example. God also gives me opportunities to be stretched where I fail because of fear or insecurities. That is not the end for me though. Failure did not affect Peter’s fruitfulness. The same is true for us. Peter went on to be the foundation of the church, a powerful preacher, and God used him even more than he did before he stumbled. In this process of stretching and growing, my failures don’t affect my fruitfulness in the future.

Today is a great day to start stretching! Ask God to show you areas where you can step out and you have to depend on him. It’s nerve racking and a little scary, but completely worth it!

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