Hanging On to What I Know / Guest Post by Dawn Harter

“Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” -  1 John 3:2

All my walking life I have enjoyed being on the ice and the connections it has brought me. It was my father that first taught me to walk on the ice as he brought me and my three other siblings to the local ice rink. It was the community at the rink in the middle of a hot desert in the Middle East during my teen years that helped me establish relationships that still exist to this day. It was a place where I was able to bring and teach my own children in a new town where I didn’t know anyone and then be able to coach a collegiate figure skating team.

Being on the ice has been a place of comfort for me, so you can imagine the ache in my heart when the Lord asked me to give up my coaching position. Could I put all of that aside just so abruptly? I felt like I was just abandoning everyone. He was asking me, “Do you love me more than all of this?” It was a very hard decision to make because I was already preparing for the next season and excited for what the Lord was going to do next. Over the years, I had put a lot of time, love, and energy into coaching, into building relationships, and to be honest, I didn’t want it to end.

When I look at the big picture, I recognize that it all comes from Him. What do I have to lose by releasing what He gave to me at the start? If I hold on to my position, my money, my _________ (you fill in the blank), then I have allowed it to become my identity or idol and I have not allowed God to be my ALL. In addition, I would be keeping someone else from stepping into their next assignment! If I have surrendered ALL to Him, then I have to trust what He wants to do with my life next.

It has now been two seasons since I stepped down from my coaching role. The Lord has connected me to amazing people like Danelle Arturet (check out her recent blog) and the first FCA on Ice club out in Oklahoma. It was a delight to be able to travel out there and spend some time with them on and off the ice. I love being able to pour into the lives of my former athletes, some of whom are the new coaching staff for the team! I have no idea what else He has in store for me, but this verse sums it up:

“But forget all of that—it is nothing compared to what I am going to do.” - Isaiah 43:18

What is the Lord getting ready to do next in your life? Whatever it is, trust Him—He sees the big picture!