Both girls are bases, or back spots, on their squads. This means it's their responsibility to make sure the flyer (the cheerleader in the air) doesn't fall and to make sure the flyer gets in the air. No. Matter. What.
Before each of them were released to their coaches to warm up for their performance, I looked at them in their eyes and reminded them. "YOU are the strong one. Whatever happens, don't let your flyer fall. Get her up, hold on to her, and get her feet back on the ground. If she falls, YOU fall under her." While I have these short pep talks with them before every competition, it's important to reminder them. The pressure to perform is one thing. The pressure to make sure your flyer gets up and stays up is another.
By the second day of competition, everyone was tired but excited. Gracie's squad was performing well in the beginning of their routine, but something was slightly off with the first stunt. Her flyer went up and began to wobble slightly. I was videoing all of this and in my mind shouting at the same time, "Get it together! Hold! Hold! And, YES!" Her stunt group pulled it together to make sure the flyer stayed up and didn't fall. They finished their performance to our cheers and applause and landed in 5th place at the competition. Her team and coaches were thrilled!
While making the long drive back home, we had plenty of chat time in the car. I asked Gracie what she was thinking when she saw her flyer wasn't stable and was at risk of falling. "I just kept telling myself, not on my watch! Nope. Nope. Nope. She will NOT fall," Gracie said. "And then I pushed with everything I had,"
The pressure is on us every single day. And the more you live the Christ-centered life, the pressure will only intensify. It's hard pushing through the tough times when everything else around you says to give in.
Joshua 1:9 says, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” Notice where God will be with you...wherever. Wherever could be in your workplace with an unpleasant co-worker, in the middle of a difficult discussion, when you're wondering how you're going to pay the bills, or when you're waiting on the results from the doctor.
Just like Gracie discovered how the pressure to make sure her flyer didn't fall made her more determined than ever, the pressures you and I go through can do the same once we believe and embrace that God will be with us wherever we go.
The enemy measures your life by how many times you've fallen. The enemy measures your life by how much gossip is said about you. The enemy will say, "That's it. You're done this time." But God looks for how many times you get back up. God has the last word. If the enemy knew what God was producing in you while you're under pressure, the enemy would leave you alone!
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