6 Seconds

It may not seem like much, but 6 seconds is a long time when your talking about a race that lasts less than a minute. Our last swim meet of the season was this past weekend, and my "I don't want to be the last one out of the water" daughter was less reluctant to compete, than she has been in the past. She is actually quite a good swimmer, much better than she realizes, but she's scared of coming in last (which she has never done), she thinks everyone is looking at her (and they're not, just me, everyone else is watching their own kid) and she's afraid she'll lose count on her laps or get disqualified (DQ'd) . In past swim meets, all of the aforementioned fears have paralyzed her, sometimes to the point of tears. On one hand she loves being on the team, but she does not like to compete. Until recently...and that's because prayer is powerful. I got some of my favorite BSF prayer warriors (thanks girls) all over it, and nothing can stand in the way of praying moms. So you can see how I was pleasantly surprised this past weekend when my child comes running up to me all smiles, dripping wet, and says "did you see that mom, I knocked off 6 seconds in the 100 Free!" Of course I saw that, and I was thankful. Thankful she was no longer afraid, thankful that she was not comparing herself to others, thankful she was working to obtain her personal best, thankful that I have friends to pray with, and thankful that God answers our prayers. And here is the verse that has been on my heart through all of this:

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition,

with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6