Early this lovely, cool morning, I stepped outside to take in the beautiful Arkansas countryside. As I often do, I walked down my private drive to the low part of my property to walk back up the incline. It’s a great workout, and great for cardio. I had a flashback of me walking up this incline when we were building Heasley Manor 30 years ago. Whoa! It wasn’t easy at all back then and, yes, I was 30 years younger.

I remember chugging up that drive time after time, thinking how difficult it was, breathing hard by the time I got up to the top. But I was determined that incline wasn’t going to get the best of me. I made the decision to condition myself to be able to make it without gasping for air halfway up the drive. So, I went to the bottom of the hill, turned around, and chugged up the incline. I did it a few times a day. I did it frequently. I didn’t stop. I didn’t let a crazy heart rate and heavy breathing deter me. I continued this routine for months.

And then one day, I was rolling the trash down to the bottom of the drive for the trash truck to pick up, and I turned and headed up to the house. My gait was strong, I didn’t slack at all. I didn’t lose strength. I didn’t huff and puff. My breathing changed, yes. My heart rate escalated, yes. But I was totally comfortable with the incline and I had a quick, solid pace which I stuck to every step. I was good! I had conquered the incline. In fact, it was fun. I loved challenging my body and seeing it respond.

Faith-Fueled Determination: Rising Above Life’s Struggles

Early this morning, while walking up my incline, a thought dropped into my mind of life—MY LIFE, my amazing 68 years of life that hasn’t always been easy, but that I have managed. The “uphill’s all the way” stand out in so many areas of life (Education-Careers-Marriage-Family-Motherhood-Ministry-Friendships-Mentoring).

So let’s take a stroll together up a challenging hill called MY LIFE. Why avoid the inevitable? Let’s look at those challenges and your decision to stay away from those inclines in your life.

Without Jesus Christ, I have no life. “…the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.” Galatians 2:20 NASB.

When I read this scripture, I see the game-changer in my life is FAITH. I can choose to live in fear, insecurity, low self-esteem, anger, revenge, malice, or hopelessness, or I can choose to live by faith. More simply put, I can live at the bottom of the hill, never escalating to higher heights. Sadly, I know many people who are satisfied living in low places; low self-esteem, low income, bad health, bad habits, isolated from family and humanity altogether. Why? My opinion is, that no one has ever told them that they had potential or value.

A Heart for Others: Lifting People Up

I want to be the person that leaves the room with people who now feel better about themselves. I want to build up, to restore self-confidence and hope of a future. As church members, that should be our goal, elevating those around us, encouraging the defeated, the downhearted, the sick, the depressed, and the poor. We are, after all, the Body of Christ; His hands, His feet. We need to be the ones to help those around us to climb inclines in their lives, so they can discover TRUE LIFE at the top of the hill.

I cannot imagine staying content in MY LIFE, just looking up toward the incline and telling myself it is too difficult. Climbing time and time again in challenging situations wasn’t easy, but I look back and thank God for every challenge, every incline in MY LIFE. I grew in self-confidence. I grew in knowledge. I grew in wisdom. I grew in experience. I grew in love. I grew in faith. I grew in trust. I grew in knowledge of the Word. I grew in strength.

We all have the potential to be mentors, and mentors have to walk the path first so that others can follow.

Following the Father’s Lead: A Life of Trust and Growth

In MY LIFE, I have climbed and climbed and climbed in order to change, not just my destiny, but the lives of people whom God placed in my path. When I was a young girl, my daddy would take us camping in the mountains of New Mexico. We would climb a different mountain every day. No really–every day! We all loved it and couldn’t wait for the next challenge, and challenge it was. We just followed our father, and he would get us to the top and back to the campgrounds safely. So following my Father God has been no different. It’s been a matter of trust. I trusted my daddy, and I trust my Heavenly Father.

By golly, I am determined to never stop running up the inclines in the paths of this thing called MY LIFE. And I will always encourage those whom God places in my path to climb their inclines as well so that they will be strong and fulfill their destinies. You can make a decision right now to take on those inclines that God has placed before you to make you strong and to fulfill everything He designed you to do in THIS LIFE—YOUR LIFE.