Article September 8, 2014 Issue

Pole vault perfection

Ali Marsh

This past spring I attempted to launch myself over a bar with a bendy stick. I learned how to pole vault.

Pole vaulting was an amazing and challenging new experience for me, and what I’d heard about injuries didn’t stop me from trying out for the high school team.

Once I’d made the team, however, I quickly found that doing the same thing over and over again, striving for perfection, could be very discouraging. So I began to pray to know that because I’m God’s image and likeness (see Genesis 1:26, 27), I express all of God’s qualities. I also tried to express just as much life, enthusiasm, and gracefulness as a professional athlete. Soon, I had some huge breakthroughs. I learned to run faster and jump higher, and I cleared the bar a foot higher than I had been able to before.