What skiing taught me about life

For those that know me, you know that I love analogies. I try to find ways to explain concepts or thoughts through stories and symbols. Please bear with me as I share my analogy about skiing. 

Last weekend, I went skiing for the first time in my life. Most of my friends that went on the trip with me had grown up skiing or at the very least had gone before. My friend Chloe and I had both never skied and we first learned how to put on our skis, to walk in them, and to slow down. We then ventured to the top of the bunny hill and made our first attempt down the hill.

It was a weird sensation – I felt like I was sliding out of control but in reality, I was gliding across the snow. If there’s anything I learned about skiing, it’s that it is much more of a mental sport than I ever realized.

We went down the bunny hill a few times, gradually challenging ourselves to learn how to turn instead of just flying down the hill. We felt fairly confident and proud of what we had learned that morning.

We took a lunch break where I suddenly became very discouraged as I was hearing about all the black diamonds my friends were skiing on. Comparison is the thief of joy, isn’t it?

After the break, our friend Kelsey went down the bunny hill with us to see what we had learned. We then decided to go on a more advanced hill – an easy green. We took the ski lift up and I experienced a steeper incline which made me feel more out of control, and yet I made it down without falling. I went down again and was practicing turning and saw how I was improving.

I then felt ready to challenge myself more by going to the top of the mountain. Kelsey and I rode the ski lift up and I was blown away with the views along the ride (not to mention how much faster it went!). I love heights and was taken aback by the view of the mountain and the beauty of the snow.

It was then time to go down. I started my way and was hearing Kelsey say, “good job!” as I went. We reached a steep incline and I ended up falling wiping out, but I got back up and kept going. I fell again. I got back up and finished my way down the mountain, feeling proud of the risk I had just taken.

We went up again. While I expected this time to be better (and overall it was), I still fell a few times. After each time I fell, Kelsey was there and encouraged me and I kept going. I learned more in those two runs down from the top of the mountain than I had the whole morning on the bunny slope.

As I reflected on this experience, I realized how this is a lot like our journey in life. We start out knowing nothing and having to learn how to walk in our skis.We learn and develop and eventually feel confident to go down the bunny slope. We ski down a few times and get comfortable – perhaps too comfortable if we don’t try something new. It’s easy to get caught up in the motions, but if we were to stay on that slope the whole time, how would we improve? We would never see the potential of who we could be or what we could accomplish.

I also related this experience a lot to my faith. As I continue to learn more about God, who He is and who He has called me to be, my life is more challenging than the original incline I once experienced. I’m no longer living on the bunny slope because He’s called me to step out and go down more challenging trails. And with those steeper inclines come more risks – the risk to be hurt, to look different, to deal with unanswered prayers. While going down the mountain, I fell harder and faster than I did on the bunny slope, but I also learned more and could see how I was growing because of that challenge. Similarly, I want to be bold as I follow Him and be faithful to where He’s called me as I strive to live in my fullest potential.

Sure, I fell (a few times). But I laughed because I could see my growth and improvement. Isn’t that how it should be with God? Instead of being afraid of stepping out in faith or joining a church or praying a bold prayer, let us take on that challenge and press in to discover the potential God has for us. Let us surround ourselves with people who will encourage, challenge and uplift us (Thanks Chloe and Kelsey). As we get turned around and even as we fall, let us laugh as we get back up and keep going to learn more about the character of God. Let us not be held back by fear but instead experience the full beauty and splendor of His faithfulness. 

“The LORD directs the steps of the godly. He delights in every detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will never fall, for the LORD holds them by the hand.” (Psalm 37:23-24)

Praise God that He cares enough to be present with us and even when we fall, He is holding onto us and providing us with a way to get back up. Always.