You Didn't Miss the Starting Gun
“You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today. And then one day you find ten years have got behind you. No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun.” - Pink Floyd
HOW HARD COULD IT BE?
I stand on the slopes with rental skis, boots, and poles ready to go. I look good with my cool new jacket, pants, goggles, and gloves. It really is about how you look on the slopes, or so I thought. I’m ready to step, or slide, into this new chapter of my life; Jason the extreme skier.
My body surges with the adrenaline as I stand in line for the lift of the “bunny hill". The fact that I’m in this line is humbling for a 19-year-old, but I suspect we would only be here for 1 run, maybe 2. I just need to quickly get the feel of skiing before we move on to bigger and better. Glory awaits! I always pick things up pretty quickly, and skiing would be no different. This is just a warm-up for greater things to come. Everyone starts off on the “bunny hill” and I have to pay my dues. I wait patiently for my turn, surrounded by little kids.
Up to this point in my skiing career I realize that I have never actually skied downhill. That reality hits pretty hard as our lift approaches the top of the run. The first sign of things to come is my dismount. I stand up confidently only to experience one ski going left and the other right. It’s not a pretty picture watching a 6’ 4” man do the splits immediately getting off the lift. I was never meant to do the splits. I’m lucky if I can touch my toes on a good day. For some reason, the snow doesn’t take my inability to stretch into consideration as it launches me into this new adventure called the “bunny hill”.
I hear the lift slow down to a stop behind me as I try to compose myself on the exit ramp. That’s going to hurt tomorrow, I think to myself. I can hear the kids on the chair, now suspended in the air behind me, complain to their parents about the lift stopping. I can hear the parents frustrated responses as they comfort their children and use it as a teaching moment to explain that everyone falls down sometimes and their turn would come soon. This is my first reality check of the learning curve of snow skiing, but one mistake does not make a theme, yet.
I recover and “pizza slice” my way out of the way to meet my friend who is trying to hold her composure and keep an encouraging attitude. “Pizza slice” is when you keep the tips of your skis together and push the backs out to form a wedge, slowing down your descent. “French fries” is when you keep your skis parallel to go downhill and gain speed. If you’ve ever been on the “bunny hill” of a ski resort, you’ll hear parents or instructors calling out “pizza slice” and “french fries” all day long. You typically only have to worry if you hear a frantic “pizza slice” from someone behind you. That means a kid is “french frying” their way faster and faster down the slopes. They can’t stop and you better get out of the way.
Unknown to me, this would be the beginning of a very long and humbling day. My friend has skied her whole life and is being very patient as she waits for me to catch-up to her 15 years’ experience in 1 day. If you’ve ever experienced what I’m talking about and can resonate with this story, you know how discouraging it is to see little kid after little kid ski circles around you as you try to figure out “pizza slice” and “french fries” for yourself. It’s harder than you think.
I ended the day very frustrated. Had I only understood my love / hate relationship with the idea of success and failure, I would have probably been more patient in the moment. That whole experience screamed failure at me and my mind was a non-stop self-accusation. “Why is this so difficult for you to figure out?” “What makes you think you can keep up with someone who’s been doing this for 15 years?” “You’re never going to be able to do this, you missed the starting gun!”
THE CLOCK IS TICKING
Pink Floyd has a song called Time which seemed to me like it was from the perspective of an old guy warning a young guy not to let life slip away. There’s a lyric in the song that has always resonated with me for some reason. It goes, “You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today. And then one day you find ten years have got behind you. No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun.” When I first heard that lyric it almost put me in a state of panic. It was as if someone was screaming at me from the future, warning me to get moving or else I wouldn’t live up to my potential. As much as I enjoy this song, it can be certainly put me in a state of fear.
When I was younger, I often felt torn. On one hand there’s the sentiment of this song that would lead me to believe I wasn’t going fast enough or accomplishing enough in life to make the most out of it. On the other hand, I felt as if I hadn’t lived enough life to be prepared for what the risks were, or to be taken seriously by others. Maybe you’ve felt this way. If so, I have great news for you.
God has plans for your life, has uniquely created you to reflect His love to this world, and it’s been decided before you ever took your first breath. God wants you to look toward the future with hope, wonder, and excitement. If He’s telling your story, you never know what’s around the corner.
Secondly, God loves using the “foolish” things of this world to shame the wise (1 Corinthians 2:17). I don’t know about you, but that gives me hope. Here’s an example of what I’m talking about.
How old do you think the 12 disciples of Jesus were when He called them to follow Him along the path of ushering in God’s upside-down kingdom into this world? If you’re like me, you would assume they’re in their 20’s or 30’s, have some sort of life under their belt and qualifications for the God of the Universe to use them to establish His kingdom. I would have certainly believed that when I was in my late teenage years. If you’re like me, you would have been wrong.
Scripture tells us in Matthew 17:24 that temple tax collectors came to Jesus asking for their tributes. Not having any money, Jesus tells Peter to go fishing and he will find a shekel in the mouth of the fish he catches to pay the tax. Peter does what Jesus asks, and finds the money just as Jesus said. Crazy story! What’s fascinating is when you dive into the context. The temple tax that was being asked of was mentioned in Exodus 30:14-15. This passage mentions the tax that Jesus was asked to pay for His crew. The tax required was half a shekel for each person over the age of 20. Jesus was able to satisfy this tax with a single shekel which means only 2 of them were over 20. We know Jesus was in His 30’s. It was probably Peter, the married guy, who was older than 20. The rest of them would have been between 13 – 19 years old.
Isn’t that wild? Jesus placed the future of His kingdom in the hands of teenagers and one guy in his 20’s. Guys who didn’t grow up “skiing.” They were thrown into the deep end right out the gate. No training. They probably didn’t grow up with aspirations to change the world, and yet Jesus chose them to carry the good news of God’s Kingdom coming in power into the world. They were the ones responsible for being witnesses to the entire world for all that Jesus had done. They wrote a bunch of the Bible. God’s ways are not our ways. His thoughts are far above our thoughts. There is no stopping His kingdom. Teenagers couldn’t even mess it up, and trust me, they messed up plenty.
Even at your age, God sees your potential to make a difference in this world. He has created you for incredible things; works prepared uniquely for you from the beginning of time. It’s an adventure and it costs everything. Let me tell you that it’s worth every last cent. You’re invited to trade comfort and predictability for uncertainty that leads to adventure. You’re invited into a story greater than yourself by a God who is bigger than you could ever possibly imagine. Don’t let the idea that you’re too young be a barrier to meaningful action in the Kingdom of God. Don’t let the lie that you’re “too late to the party” to stop the story God is telling through you. What you do today matters and has eternal weight. He’s ready for you. The story has already begun. Now the question becomes, “Do you trust God?”
TO GIVE UP OR NOT TO GIVE UP, THAT’S THE QUESTION
It could have been really easy for me to give up on skiing after that experience. Everyone around me had been skiing their whole lives. I was a California boy thrust into a winter snow sport that I had no idea how difficult would be to learn. Because of my fear of failure, I’m hard wired to not try if I don’t think I can succeed. I’m my worst enemy and it is a fatal flaw of mine.
The truth is, God is not surprised by your situation, circumstance, and where you find yourself today. That’s good news. He’s been preparing you for the good works He’s uniquely created for you. That means He will take you down the right paths when the time is right to get you ready for the work ahead. You don’t have to believe the lie that you’re too late to the party. The story is being told, and if you’re trusting God, you are part of that story. You are uniquely created by God with inherent gifting and perspective that this world needs to understand God better and experience the incredible, sacrificial love of Jesus. You are needed.
I GOT BETTER
It took some time and commitment, but I was able to get better at skiing. It started with being able to get down the “bunny hill” without falling. It transitioned into going down longer and steeper runs. Boundaries began to be pushed over time. Confidence grew, maybe a bit too far. We started hiking and skiing down fresh snow. We would go down runs that seemed to be more about controlled falling instead of skiing. Over years of practice, I’ve learned to truly enjoy time on the slopes and time in the mountains. I’m so glad I didn’t give up that day. I would have missed out on some really amazing experiences over the years with people I dearly love.
What is the thing that you think you’re too late to the party to learn? Is it a language? School? A career you’ve always wanted to do? Do you want to become a pilot? Nurse? Missionary? Pastor? Husband? Wife? Mom? Dad? Has God stirred your heart for things or given you dreams? What are you waiting for? What’s holding you back? What are the lies you believe about yourself that are holding you back from all God has for you? What are the lies that the enemy whispers to the fears you hold so dearly? We all have them. It takes recognizing them for what they are and taking a step of trust toward a God who has an adventure for you. It’s time to get on with it!
Take some time and write down some of the dreams and aspirations you have or have had in the past. Pray about them. Ask God to confirm them and start to take steps toward them. Trust is your act of worship toward a God who loves you deeply. It’s time to get excited!
HOW HARD COULD IT BE?
I stand on the slopes with rental skis, boots, and poles ready to go. I look good with my cool new jacket, pants, goggles, and gloves. It really is about how you look on the slopes, or so I thought. I’m ready to step, or slide, into this new chapter of my life; Jason the extreme skier.
My body surges with the adrenaline as I stand in line for the lift of the “bunny hill". The fact that I’m in this line is humbling for a 19-year-old, but I suspect we would only be here for 1 run, maybe 2. I just need to quickly get the feel of skiing before we move on to bigger and better. Glory awaits! I always pick things up pretty quickly, and skiing would be no different. This is just a warm-up for greater things to come. Everyone starts off on the “bunny hill” and I have to pay my dues. I wait patiently for my turn, surrounded by little kids.
Up to this point in my skiing career I realize that I have never actually skied downhill. That reality hits pretty hard as our lift approaches the top of the run. The first sign of things to come is my dismount. I stand up confidently only to experience one ski going left and the other right. It’s not a pretty picture watching a 6’ 4” man do the splits immediately getting off the lift. I was never meant to do the splits. I’m lucky if I can touch my toes on a good day. For some reason, the snow doesn’t take my inability to stretch into consideration as it launches me into this new adventure called the “bunny hill”.
I hear the lift slow down to a stop behind me as I try to compose myself on the exit ramp. That’s going to hurt tomorrow, I think to myself. I can hear the kids on the chair, now suspended in the air behind me, complain to their parents about the lift stopping. I can hear the parents frustrated responses as they comfort their children and use it as a teaching moment to explain that everyone falls down sometimes and their turn would come soon. This is my first reality check of the learning curve of snow skiing, but one mistake does not make a theme, yet.
I recover and “pizza slice” my way out of the way to meet my friend who is trying to hold her composure and keep an encouraging attitude. “Pizza slice” is when you keep the tips of your skis together and push the backs out to form a wedge, slowing down your descent. “French fries” is when you keep your skis parallel to go downhill and gain speed. If you’ve ever been on the “bunny hill” of a ski resort, you’ll hear parents or instructors calling out “pizza slice” and “french fries” all day long. You typically only have to worry if you hear a frantic “pizza slice” from someone behind you. That means a kid is “french frying” their way faster and faster down the slopes. They can’t stop and you better get out of the way.
Unknown to me, this would be the beginning of a very long and humbling day. My friend has skied her whole life and is being very patient as she waits for me to catch-up to her 15 years’ experience in 1 day. If you’ve ever experienced what I’m talking about and can resonate with this story, you know how discouraging it is to see little kid after little kid ski circles around you as you try to figure out “pizza slice” and “french fries” for yourself. It’s harder than you think.
I ended the day very frustrated. Had I only understood my love / hate relationship with the idea of success and failure, I would have probably been more patient in the moment. That whole experience screamed failure at me and my mind was a non-stop self-accusation. “Why is this so difficult for you to figure out?” “What makes you think you can keep up with someone who’s been doing this for 15 years?” “You’re never going to be able to do this, you missed the starting gun!”
THE CLOCK IS TICKING
Pink Floyd has a song called Time which seemed to me like it was from the perspective of an old guy warning a young guy not to let life slip away. There’s a lyric in the song that has always resonated with me for some reason. It goes, “You are young and life is long and there is time to kill today. And then one day you find ten years have got behind you. No one told you when to run, you missed the starting gun.” When I first heard that lyric it almost put me in a state of panic. It was as if someone was screaming at me from the future, warning me to get moving or else I wouldn’t live up to my potential. As much as I enjoy this song, it can be certainly put me in a state of fear.
When I was younger, I often felt torn. On one hand there’s the sentiment of this song that would lead me to believe I wasn’t going fast enough or accomplishing enough in life to make the most out of it. On the other hand, I felt as if I hadn’t lived enough life to be prepared for what the risks were, or to be taken seriously by others. Maybe you’ve felt this way. If so, I have great news for you.
God has plans for your life, has uniquely created you to reflect His love to this world, and it’s been decided before you ever took your first breath. God wants you to look toward the future with hope, wonder, and excitement. If He’s telling your story, you never know what’s around the corner.
Secondly, God loves using the “foolish” things of this world to shame the wise (1 Corinthians 2:17). I don’t know about you, but that gives me hope. Here’s an example of what I’m talking about.
How old do you think the 12 disciples of Jesus were when He called them to follow Him along the path of ushering in God’s upside-down kingdom into this world? If you’re like me, you would assume they’re in their 20’s or 30’s, have some sort of life under their belt and qualifications for the God of the Universe to use them to establish His kingdom. I would have certainly believed that when I was in my late teenage years. If you’re like me, you would have been wrong.
Scripture tells us in Matthew 17:24 that temple tax collectors came to Jesus asking for their tributes. Not having any money, Jesus tells Peter to go fishing and he will find a shekel in the mouth of the fish he catches to pay the tax. Peter does what Jesus asks, and finds the money just as Jesus said. Crazy story! What’s fascinating is when you dive into the context. The temple tax that was being asked of was mentioned in Exodus 30:14-15. This passage mentions the tax that Jesus was asked to pay for His crew. The tax required was half a shekel for each person over the age of 20. Jesus was able to satisfy this tax with a single shekel which means only 2 of them were over 20. We know Jesus was in His 30’s. It was probably Peter, the married guy, who was older than 20. The rest of them would have been between 13 – 19 years old.
Isn’t that wild? Jesus placed the future of His kingdom in the hands of teenagers and one guy in his 20’s. Guys who didn’t grow up “skiing.” They were thrown into the deep end right out the gate. No training. They probably didn’t grow up with aspirations to change the world, and yet Jesus chose them to carry the good news of God’s Kingdom coming in power into the world. They were the ones responsible for being witnesses to the entire world for all that Jesus had done. They wrote a bunch of the Bible. God’s ways are not our ways. His thoughts are far above our thoughts. There is no stopping His kingdom. Teenagers couldn’t even mess it up, and trust me, they messed up plenty.
Even at your age, God sees your potential to make a difference in this world. He has created you for incredible things; works prepared uniquely for you from the beginning of time. It’s an adventure and it costs everything. Let me tell you that it’s worth every last cent. You’re invited to trade comfort and predictability for uncertainty that leads to adventure. You’re invited into a story greater than yourself by a God who is bigger than you could ever possibly imagine. Don’t let the idea that you’re too young be a barrier to meaningful action in the Kingdom of God. Don’t let the lie that you’re “too late to the party” to stop the story God is telling through you. What you do today matters and has eternal weight. He’s ready for you. The story has already begun. Now the question becomes, “Do you trust God?”
TO GIVE UP OR NOT TO GIVE UP, THAT’S THE QUESTION
It could have been really easy for me to give up on skiing after that experience. Everyone around me had been skiing their whole lives. I was a California boy thrust into a winter snow sport that I had no idea how difficult would be to learn. Because of my fear of failure, I’m hard wired to not try if I don’t think I can succeed. I’m my worst enemy and it is a fatal flaw of mine.
The truth is, God is not surprised by your situation, circumstance, and where you find yourself today. That’s good news. He’s been preparing you for the good works He’s uniquely created for you. That means He will take you down the right paths when the time is right to get you ready for the work ahead. You don’t have to believe the lie that you’re too late to the party. The story is being told, and if you’re trusting God, you are part of that story. You are uniquely created by God with inherent gifting and perspective that this world needs to understand God better and experience the incredible, sacrificial love of Jesus. You are needed.
I GOT BETTER
It took some time and commitment, but I was able to get better at skiing. It started with being able to get down the “bunny hill” without falling. It transitioned into going down longer and steeper runs. Boundaries began to be pushed over time. Confidence grew, maybe a bit too far. We started hiking and skiing down fresh snow. We would go down runs that seemed to be more about controlled falling instead of skiing. Over years of practice, I’ve learned to truly enjoy time on the slopes and time in the mountains. I’m so glad I didn’t give up that day. I would have missed out on some really amazing experiences over the years with people I dearly love.
What is the thing that you think you’re too late to the party to learn? Is it a language? School? A career you’ve always wanted to do? Do you want to become a pilot? Nurse? Missionary? Pastor? Husband? Wife? Mom? Dad? Has God stirred your heart for things or given you dreams? What are you waiting for? What’s holding you back? What are the lies you believe about yourself that are holding you back from all God has for you? What are the lies that the enemy whispers to the fears you hold so dearly? We all have them. It takes recognizing them for what they are and taking a step of trust toward a God who has an adventure for you. It’s time to get on with it!
Take some time and write down some of the dreams and aspirations you have or have had in the past. Pray about them. Ask God to confirm them and start to take steps toward them. Trust is your act of worship toward a God who loves you deeply. It’s time to get excited!
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