If you haven’t heard yet, the 2012 Summer Olympics will take place in London from July 27-August 12. The qualifying trials have already started. Our TV has been tuned into track and field, swimming, and diving. We’ll be watching more this summer. Our kids are excited about the different sporting events, the athletes, and the competition. They really are amazed at what folks can accomplish when they invest their time and energy!

It’s no accident that the theme of this Olympics is “Inspire a Generation.” I’m  drawn to the Olympics because of human stories of hard work and dedication, both on the part of the athletes and their families.

Many have had to overcome major obstacles to get where they are. It’s also interesting to consider the amount of time they’ve invested into their sport.

I was reading an article that cited Author Malcolm Gladwell, who says that people who are fabulously successful have almost always put in more than
10,000 hours of practice time in activities related to their success. I’ve thought about that when it comes to anything that I seek to do well, and I’ve used it in talking to my kids about practicing a skill. It’s a big number!
And then there’s the question: What if we applied this rule to the practice of living faithfully as Christians? How do we practice enough to be faithful Christians? Thankfully, we know it’s a journey that we make with God, in Jesus Christ, and yet the challenge is before us, to keep on practicing our faith.

Hear God’s Word from Hebrews 12: Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. (NIV)

I hope that you’re inspired by God’s grace to live faithfully, to continually put your faith into practice. If you’re looking for a church home, I invite you to join us on Sunday mornings this summer at 10:00 a.m.

Pastor Mary Ivanov
Cedar Springs United Methodist Church
140 S. Main St., Cedar Springs