We have four little ones at home. They are all rather close in age . . . “stair-step children” if you will. And perhaps our very own personalized set of nesting dolls considering how much they look alike. (There is a hung jury as to which parent each of them resembles more, but there is a clear verdict that all four of them are clearly siblings.) These four little people that we have been entrusted with are the joy and the challenge of my everyday life. There is a great burden in knowing that God has called us to train up these little people to go out into His world and do good. And yet there is an equally great honor in knowing that God has allowed us the privilege of being the parents to each of our unique children. I enter into this calling confident that God will equip my husband and me for the task at hand.

This holy calling of parenthood demands a day-in and day-out, moment-by-moment choice to show up. One means through which God has enabled me to better make this choice is through my love of being active. Physical activity allows me to maintain my sanity amidst the noise, chaos, and seemingly never-ending demands of motherhood. I am without a doubt more present and actively engaged with my children when we are being active together or when I have made the necessary effort to get a workout in during the day. This decision to commit time to my physical fitness has continually reaped not only physical health benefits but also emotional and spiritual benefits.

My passion for fitness and health has also provided a unique opportunity to teach my children timeless Truths through my participation in fitness activities, particularly running. I have a personal goal to run a marathon in every state. I have completed 16 thus far, leaving 35 to go. Accomplishing this goal has no real tangible value . . . there is no money to be earned, no endorsements to be had, no status to be attained, no prize for completing each race . . . just the satisfaction of accomplishing what I set out to do. However, and perhaps more importantly, striving toward this goal with four little pairs of eyes watching has provided and will continue to provide great teaching moments, both for myself and for my children.

Throughout my training, my children have seen me succeed, but more importantly, they have also seen me fail. They have watched me complete countless Beachbody programs where I am unable to perform the full range of motion or complete the full 60 seconds. They have seen me revert to the modified version of the exercise and then still struggle with that to the end. In those moments, they have seen me choose to do my best. They have seen me try something new for the first time. They have seen me try, try, and try again until I master the technique. They have seen me be horribly uncoordinated in my attempts to dance, yet even in the midst of my feeling like an incompetent fool in the privacy of my own home, my little audience has simultaneously made me feel brave, strong, and free.

One consistent and clear message in my fitness journey is that of perseverance. Perseverance, as defined by Webster’s Dictionary, is “steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.” This characteristic has been vital to my aspirations in marathon running and completing Beachbody programs and is equally relevant in my parenting journey. Showing up. Doing the work. Committing to the process. Trusting that progress IS being made despite the difficulty, setbacks, disappointments, and failures has marked many of my training runs, workouts, and races. And the same is true of my everyday experience as a mother. There are countless examples each day where the setbacks, inefficiencies, short-tempered responses, failures to show grace, and missed teaching opportunities all accumulate so quickly that my instinctive response is to quit. To check out. To throw in the proverbial towel. To stop striving. But perseverance through God’s grace proves sufficient every time.

Just recently I was reminded of the concept of grit, a term that is perhaps even more fitting for these simultaneous journeys of fitness and parenting that I endeavor on. Grit is defined as “firmness of mind or spirit; unyielding courage in the face of hardship or danger,” thus combining the attribute of perseverance with that of character. Angela Duckwork, a fresh-on-the-scene psychologist, has brought grit to the forefront of education. She committed to researching this concept, hypothesizing that success in a variety of life’s arenas is not driven by genius, intellect, or talent, but rather through a unique combination of passion and perseverance for long-term goals.

Strength of character + perseverance—these are two qualities that every parent desires for their children. Don’t we all hope that our children, when met with a struggle or trial, will demonstrate a willingness to show up, do the work, and keep on keeping on until that work is complete? This isn’t a desire to see them be the best at everything they do, but rather a desire that they are willing to be courageous enough to try new things, learn new things, and experience new things with a mindset that is not set on perfection but rather on potential, progress, and proficiency.

As a believer in Christ, I have been given an example of someone who exhibits this strength of character + perseverance perfectly, and He does so on behalf of His children. Our God is relentless in his pursuit of those He loves. His character and standard of holiness are unchanging, yet He is steadfast in His pursuit of us despite our unwillingness to surrender everything to Him. And He remains persistent in this life-long transformation of His people through the power of the Holy Spirit.