14 Apr

Growing Above Maintenance

posted by Jody Johnston

Rock climbing is my favorite thing to do. It’s technical; every problem is different and requires thought to solve. I also have to be strong enough. I have to rely on my strength to keep me from falling. The type of climbing I do doesn’t use a harness. If I lose my grip I fall. When I climb indoors the floor is covered with padding but outside the only padding I have is a small pad.

I climb once a week. It’s great! I get to climb with other climbers and see the progress we make as we climb from week to week. When I first started, everyone helped me…A LOT. Over time my grip got stronger, and I got better at solving each climb. Now that I’ve been climbing for a while I have to concentrate on maintaining my grip instead of getting it stronger. If I miss a week or more, my grip gets very weak; and as a consequence, it takes me a week or longer to get as strong as I was before I missed. Because I only climb once a week, I can only get so strong. In order to grow as a climber I need to climb more than once a week.

I am only a regular, not an actual, member of the climbing gym I go to. Though I am better than some members, because I climb more, the members who are serious are AMAZING! The growth of a climber is all about how much they put into it. Those who climb throughout the week are incredible! I climb once a week and I am just average; but if I put more into it, I could get better very quickly!

God has been teaching me a lot through climbing. I have learned that just as with climbing, I grow according to what I put into my relationship with Christ. If I just put one day into my relationship with Christ, I will only be working on maintaining my relationship. Though if I have time with Christ all through out the week, I will be growing without choice; it’ll just happen!

“Lord, I thank you for having a relationship with me, and I pray that I will pursue to grow in my relationship with You daily.”

“Therefore, my dear brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always excelling in the Lord’s work, knowing that your labor is not in vain” 1 Corinthians 15:58

Filed in: Relationship, Time

About the Author

Jody Johnston is a 17-year old student, athlete, and worship leader. He attends Hendersonville High School, where he is active in FCA and Select Chorus. In his free time, he loves to play Ultimate Frisbee and boulder.

Read more about Jody here.