A strength that wasn’t my own
It was race day. My skis were set, my poles were planted, and my anticipation was building. Despite the excited, nervous buzz, I felt a moment of stillness at the starting line.
Then came the thought that tuned everything else out: “Let go; let God.” With a few deep breaths and those four words, I became less anxious and remembered to trust God. This simple statement, which I had first heard from my mom and granddad years ago, has helped me to ground myself spiritually before every race. To me, it’s more than just a saying; it’s a reminder to release any feeling of personal pressure and lean on something much greater than myself: God.
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Cross-country skiing is one of my greatest passions. I love the atmosphere of racing—and the challenge of it. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve competed at higher levels, and this past season had brought unexpected obstacles that disrupted my training and made me question how well I would be able to do during the rest of my season. During the lead-up to Junior Nationals—the most competitive and important race of the year—I felt uncertain. I worried constantly about whether I’d be able to perform on race day.
I worried constantly about whether I’d be able to perform on race day.
Having attended Christian Science Sunday School, I knew I could rely on prayer to help me overcome any problem. My prayer in this situation focused on Hymn 139 from the Christian Science Hymnal. I replaced the first line, “I walk with Love along the way” (Minny M. H. Ayers, © CSBD), with “I ski with Love along the way.” This hymn was significant to me because it reminded me how much I love skiing and that this love is an expression of God, who is Love.
As a Christian Scientist, I’d learned that God is the source of all strength, health, and peace. I have always understood that concept, but was beginning to learn that it is real and practical rather than theoretical. And saying the words “Let go; let God” before each race was actually a prayer that helped me let go of fear and pressure and grounded me in what’s really true: the fact that my ability doesn’t depend on my physical condition, but on understanding my unwavering spiritual wholeness as God’s reflection.
Throughout the season, with support from my family’s prayers as well as my own, I began to separate out the fearful thoughts about limitation and replace them with thoughts that I knew were from God because of the peace they brought me. My strength didn’t come from muscles or physical effort, but from God. After all, He is always present and unlimited. Understanding these spiritual ideas amplified my natural joy in and pure love of skiing. Instead of obsessing over what could go wrong, I focused on my true source of strength.
Everything in me wanted to slow down. But then I remembered that my source of strength wasn’t physical; it was God, Spirit.
When race day finally came, I felt a surprising amount of comfort. The conditions were perfect; the excitement was high; and I was steady. I took deep, calming breaths and reminded myself, “Let go; let God.” During the race, whenever moments of pain and fatigue crept in, I reaffirmed that God is my source and I express Him.
When I began my second and final lap, I felt completely spent. Everything in me wanted to slow down. But then I remembered that divine strength is infinite. My source of strength wasn’t physical; it was God, Spirit. With that mental refresh, I pushed through my final lap to the finish.
Soon after, the results came in. I had exceeded my expectations and accomplished my goal of finishing in the top ten and earning an All-American title.
I was so grateful! Not just for the result, but for the way I got there. Underneath all the excitement from my coaches, teammates, and family, I felt a deep, quiet peace. Ultimately, this wasn’t simply about a medal or ranking, but about a spiritual victory. I had prayed through fear and pain, put my full trust in God, and discovered a spiritual strength that wasn’t my own.
This ski season taught me to turn away from discouraging thoughts and listen for what God, divine Love, is saying. Whether in sports or in life, putting our faith in God opens the door to healing—and victories.