Keeping your chin up really does keep your head above water

There are days when, let's face it, cliche's just work. And, to be honest, they are often right on the money. I remember learning to swim. It's a long, stressful and somewhat painful recolection. :) But I remember with unbelievable clarity the coach taking me from the shallow end to the deep end (somewhere along the line even he couldn't touch the bottom which was cause for great concern). I was kicking and paddling with all my might to tread water... which really was more like flailing and struggling... and he kept saying to me keep your chin up. Keep your chin up! And it worked.... if I made the effort to lift my chin, I was able to consistantly keep my head above water.

I'm definately not the world's best swimmer. But I can keep my head above water... in my pool and in life. Right now, with my ministry there are so many ways in which I feel like I'm flailing. Exerting an awful lot of energy to kick and paddle but I still keep going down occassionally. This morning, through my devotion time, God reminded me of my swimming lesson... Keep your chin up! It will keep your head above water. And I even feel encouraged that I might take some strokes today -- make a little progress. If my ministry is a little better tomorrow because of my efforts today then I will sleep well tonight.



....so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Eph. 6:13 b (NIV)