Today I Conquered My Mountain.

I am so excited to announce that today I climbed Mount Coolum.

This may not sound like such a great achievement as to most it really isn’t that challenging.  Many people of all ages, shapes and sizes have climbed the trail before me.  I even saw an old man with a walking stick on his way up today.

So why should an average sized, able bodied, 40 something female be so excited at accomplishing something seemingly so easy?

Mount Coolum is a landmark that dominates the skyline throughout many parts of the sunshine Coast.  It is only 208 metres high and takes on average 45 minutes to climb. In the 5 years I have lived here it has often been in my view looking at me, taunting me that I will never conquer it.

The Instagram selfie spam of friends at the top looking fit, healthy and refreshed and barely broken out in a sweat was a constant reminder of my limitations.

For a number of years I was too sick to even attempt this climb.  My body was constantly stuck in a ‘fight and flight mode’ for unexplained reasons.  This meant that my resting pulse rate was very high and my blood pressure and blood sugar would have sudden drops with any activity.

Exercise would exhaust me to the point of collapse and even digesting food would often exert too much energy.  I could only manage a gentle walk.

A Mountain can symbolise something that you see and admire but is out of reach.  This for me was Mount Coolum.

My health has gradually been making improvements over the past year so I decided at the start of a new year that now is the time to take this baby down!!

A new year, a new season, a new me.

I was accompanied by 2 others,  one of whom has also had her own personal health challenges last year.  She is now just 8 months post open heart surgery.  We decided to join together and not just climb this mountain but claim the mountain in our minds that said “I can’t do this”.

Today meant so much more than just exercise it was a defiant fight back at our limitations and an honor to God for the journey He has brought us both through.

‘I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength’

Philipians 4:13

The climb was not without its challenges and there were moments where again my heart was pounding above normal and I wondered if I would ever be able to reach the top.  But, regardless of how long it took, how quick we climbed and even how we felt when we got there, the important thing is, we made it!

We conquered the biggest mountain in our mind that said:

 “You will never make it”

What is the mountain in your mind that stops you from taking ground?  What is standing in your way?  The Bible tells us we have the power and authority to command that mountain to move.

Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the seas,’and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.

Mark 11:23

So whatever your mountain is whether it be physical like mine or perhaps it’s financial or relational, I challenge you to begin to speak to your mountain.  Stop listening to what it wants and start telling it what you want.   Then you too can overcome and make your climb to victory.