A Fun Day by the Pool after Swim Lessons - June 8th

Brooklyn with her cousin Brianna

 and friend Ashley.

After Swim lessons today Brooklyn was swimming around like a little fish. This is the first year we will not use any kind of life vest, swimmies, or floats. Brooklyn even overcame her BIGGEST FEAR today in the pool...she jumped off the side of the pool all by herself. No help from Mommy or daddy! We were so proud of her for overcoming that fear.

A Verse Brooklyn has hidden in her little heart that she is encouraged to use when she is weak so that He may be strong:

"I can do ALL things through "Christ" who gives me the STRENGTH"

Philippians 4:13


 

Moments with Mom:

As I reflect back on the progression Brooklyn has taken in her swimming abilities over the past 3 years God asked me a very strong & thought provoking spiritual question. ..

As a fearful first time mom, at One years old, I SO bubble wrapped Brooklyn when she was at the swimming pool. She wore a life vest & arm rings. If that girl ever fell into the pool she was so protected that she could have bounced back out of the pool the moment she hit the water.  My baby girl was NOT  going to go under.  

At age 2 Brooklyn got braver (& so did I). I began to let her take a little of the bubble wrap off & I let her swim in arm rings & a small green ring float. By the end of the summer we both started letting go of our fears & she was fearlessly running & jumping into the pool with "just" the little green float.

Now my precious daughter is overcoming her fears & is little by little standing, swimming & even jumping into the pool without ANY safety gear.

David & I pray every night that our daughter will love Jesus with all her heart & that she will let Christ be her daily strength!

Question:

How are we like Brooklyn? When we are in times of distress & feel so weak that we are not sure if we can do it…who /what is our strength in times of weakness? What do we use as our “Safety/Life vest” to make it through the deep waters of life? Has God become our strength & portion (Ps 73:26) or have we become self reliant depending on our own strength?

Have we developed dangerous coping mechanisms? Have we have put on our own safety gear of arm rings & a life vest, that in the end has hindered our dependence on Christ & has stunted our spiritual growth & maturity. Have these “arm rings” given us a false sense of security? Have we never really learned how to swim through life depending on no one or nothing else besides our Heavenly Father, who desires to be our daily strength & portion!

“My flesh and heart may fail. But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” –Psalm 73:26

 What “safety gear” can we take off & remove today to make God our daily strength & portion?