It's A Marathon, Not A Sprint

It's a marathon, not a sprint.
But sometimes these moments go by so fast, they sure feel like a sprint.
I remember this boy entering 4th grade and thinking about all the fun preteen years we had ahead of us.
And now?
We're nearing the other side.
About a year from this moment, my preteen will officially become a teenager.
How did we get here so fast?
I can look back now and see so many sweet memories we've made during these years. Adventures we've shared. Conversations we've had. Lessons we've learned. Opportunities to disciple him, encourage him, challenge him, and watch his own faith continue to grow.

I've done my best to stay in the game with him.
To be present.
To train and prepare him.
To give him more responsibility as he's grown.
To cheer loudly.
To guide when needed.
And to slowly prepare myself to shift from directing so much of the journey to coaching him through what's ahead.
And I'm not done yet. ❤️

Right now, we're actually training for a skating marathon together.
Mile after mile.
And somewhere between the training days, tired legs, sweaty helmets, and moments like this one, I've realized there's a pretty good discipleship lesson here, too.

So, fellow Preteen Champions:
Pace yourself well.
Hydrate yourself spiritually.
Encourage often.
Stay focused.
Rest and recover when you need to.
Keep showing up.
And keep training for the miles ahead.

Some days of parenting may feel like a sprint.
But discipleship is a marathon.

We're preparing our preteens one mile at a time for a faith that we pray will carry them far beyond these few short years with us.
So help them get ready.
Keep preparing them now.
Keep pointing them toward Christ.
And don't move so quickly toward the finish line that you miss the sweet helmet-kissing moments along the way. ❤️

If you want someone to journey alongside you as you intentionally champion your preteen through these foundational years, message me. Let's journey together.