Strong(er) in February

I realized this month that I have been equating strength with "hard." It can be hard to make time and find focus to read my Bible. Sometimes I want to listen to another podcast before The Bible Recap (and sometimes I think I have.) 

Selflessly serving my spouse is hard. Not arguing is hard. Accepting help is hard. Sometimes we find it hard to fit in dates (though thankfully we fit in a few this month).

Pulling-up to the top of the pull-up bar is hard (and I cannot even always physically do it). It is hard to push paces in run training. Fitting in physical therapy is hard. 

Life is not all hard, though. And there is that saying, "Choose your hard." I have chosen to prioritize reading my Bible. I chose my spouse when I married him. I decided that I wanted physical therapy to work, so I committed to work the exercises. I reminded myself on a workout this week that I get to run. No one is chasing me.

Is all my hard work building strength? Maybe not in externally obvious ways yet, but surely they build mental strength, something I did not aim to build, but nonetheless benefits me. To be fair, I did see my work pay off in the 10K, and I thought I saw muscles in one of my race photos. For as many years as I have spent picking my body apart, this made me proud. I also managed to convince my physical therapist that I had gained enough strength to graduate and do exercises on my own again.

Thank you, Lord, for this body. Thank you, Lord for this life. It may not be easy. It may just be hard, but you give me the strength to endure, survive, and sometimes even thrive day to day. I praise you!