The Grind

I title this blog post “The Grind” because it’s that time of the year. The first full week of classes has everyone just a little more stressed, anxious, and busy as they try to get in the swing of things. Assignments pile up and practice times get more cut throat as we only have a few hours together each day. In the midst of the crazy, it is important for me to remember that these responsibilities and stresses are normal and natural. I truly believe that as we’re in the thick of it, we don’t realize that, someday, we will look back and yearn for the times we have right now. We will wish for the times where things were overwhelming, exciting and where we were learning so much about not only God’s world, but also ourselves.

                  A big part of appreciating these hectic times has to do with taking a step back, taking a deep breath, and taking in all of the little things. God has a way of speaking to each and every one of us in unique and powerful ways; if we let ourselves get too engulfed in our responsibilities, and never slow down and listen, we’re going to miss all of the amazing little things around us. These little things can come in all shapes and sizes, and I have committed myself this week to be intentional in looking for them.

A few of the little things this week that have kept me going include:

·       Keilahna offering to refill my chocolate milk out of the goodness of her heart at dinner

·       Coach Rey saying every time I go up to hit, “stay behind the ball”, because this shows me how much he cares

·       And how exciting Coach Rey gets when I finally hit the angle he’s been telling me to

·       the sound of Jessica Jackson’s voice screaming “Go AK!!” to encourage me through a tough drill

·       a defensive specialist, Rachel Herrera, who plays baller defense, commending my back row play

·       Kelly Bos pulling me aside in the middle of a match and reminding me of how confident I should be

·       The solid and firm high five from a fired up Tessa or Laura after they get a kill that leaves my hands hurting a little bit J

·       And so much more! Each and every one of my teammates and coaches do little things to make others around them smile and feel appreciated…

                  To top it all off, Laura Bindon’s blog post (which you should read if you haven’t), puts everything into perspective perfectly! After reading her post, I am affirmed of what a blessing it is to be a part of Calvin volleyball on and off the court. Having coaches that love, support and pray for their players regularly is something that I often take for granted.

It is in these crazy, busy moments that God sweeps us off our feet through both the little and big things. A few closing thoughts is that you don’t want to miss these little moments when God is speaking to you, and that you never know how your nice  gesture, no matter how small it is can impact someone’s day.

Anna