No Former Glory

Have you ever been in need of restoration? Lately, I have been longing to return to my former glory.

In 2011, I was in the best shape of my life. After three years of focusing on my fitness, I was a spin and cycling monster, training kettlebells, pilates and yoga, and doing strength training with my workout partner and a trainer a few times a week. I was on point with my nutrition, and losing weight and toning up. I felt the best I'd felt in my life. It had taken me three years to get there!

On the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, 2011, my instructor moved our kettlebell class to the rock climbing room with a highly unstable surface of large foam cubes. After class, I couldn't resist the urge to do some tumbling on the soft surface. The unthinkable happened - I was landing from a spirited cartwheel and I felt a tearing and popping in my knee. In that moment, I knew that when I landed, it was not going to be good. It wasn't.

On December 1, 2011, I had a full reconstructive knee surgery on my ACL, meniscus, and ligaments/tendons. I have a cadaver knee in my left leg, donated by a 19-year old young man who died in a car accident. The surgery was so extensive and painful they wanted to split it into two surgeries. But I knew if the first one was bad, I would never do the second. So I told my doctor he had one shot at my knee, I wanted everything done at once, I'm tough and I can take it. So that's what we did.

Without warning, my training regime ground to a sudden and painful halt. I couldn't even walk, let alone train. Overnight, I went from being in the best shape of my life to simply hoping I could one day walk without a limp! Following surgery, I was in excruciating pain for a couple weeks. But by New Year's Day 2012, I was on an electronic knee-bending machine for 6-8 hours a day, and in aggressive physical therapy.

I begged my doctor to clear me to go back to the gym. But for weeks, and then months, I was not released for anything but upper body weight work. Finally, I was cleared to get in the pool and back on my bike. But quite honestly, after months away, it was a challenge. Then I went through a series of moves, some of which took me far away from my gym.

In all honesty, in the years since my accident, I've been striving to return to my former glory. Today in the gym, God reminded me of a scripture I've been studying on lately. I mentioned it recently in another post, but it bears repeating. Isaiah 43: 18-19: Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?"

The last time I mentioned this scripture, I was talking about the condition of my heart. Today, it applies to my physical fitness. Like the painting depicted above, something that was once glorious is in need of some serious renovation. Can I patch it up and pull it together so it resembles what used to be? Do I even want to do that?

God has showed me that, in terms of both my heart and my fitness, He does not desire for me to go back. He wants me to rely on Him to move me to "a new thing" that will be so much better than what I had before. There is a totally new thing in the works, and the excitement and the peace of God's work propels me forward. I am ready for God's NEW THING in my life! God gives good and perfect gifts to His beloved children.

So, my challenge is this: Instead of saying (like I did!) "I wish I could back to my former glory " say "God, I thank you for the heart you've given me for new things, so please use past glories to prepare me for the excitement that lies ahead!"

Enjoy embracing the new things in your life, and until next time,

Praise Crazy!