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Struggle and Triumph: Olympians' StoriesSample

Struggle and Triumph: Olympians' Stories

DAY 18 OF 33

"Discovering Who She was Created to Be"

By the time she was 18, Kelly Clark had accomplished everything she had set out to do as a snowboarder.

“I had money, I had fame, I had an Olympic gold medal, I had won every major snowboarding event I had ever dreamed of winning when I was a kid,” she says. But the thrill was gone. “If this is what life is, if this is everything: I don’t want to do it anymore.”

This emptiness is what started Kelly on a search for God and meaning in life that lasted for the next four months. That is when, at the end of her season, she realized that she didn’t want to go another day without God in her life. She invited Jesus to come into her life and live life with her.

“That was a huge shifting point for me where my snowboarding became this amazing expression and fun thing, rather than this thing that I had to do. It became this thing that I was made to do and I could actually enjoy,” Kelly says.

Kelly discovered the path of life and the joy that comes from living in the presence of God and walking with Him on that path. She was joyfully doing what God had made her to do.

Questions: How about you? Do you ever find yourself bored with your sport or wondering if this is all there is to life? Where is God in the equation for you? Take some time today to think about Jesus and what He has done for you. Invite Him to go through the day with you and direct you on your path. Allow Him to fill you with the pleasure of His presence.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, open my eyes today and help me to realize Your constant presence with me. Show me the path of life that You have for me, and help me experience the joy of living life with You as an expression of who You created me to be.

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About this Plan

Struggle and Triumph: Olympians' Stories

Learn from the stories of Olympic athletes who have endured difficulty and trials to experience victory through their reliance on God. This month-long reading plan explores how the Word of God can speak to our hearts in our most devastating struggles and amazing triumphs.

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