Chasing Life Abundant

The long road of maintaining a rigorous training regimen, mental preparation, and fierce competition finally came to head last weekend in Chicago at the 2011 CrossFit Games North Central Regional. In the fallout of my 12th place finish and Team CFSs 3rd place finish I'm left with so many emotions stirring within myself. Gratitude. Gratitude to the many friends, family, and competitors who helped me push myself far beyond my perceived limitations. I have joy and pride in the accomplishments of the community of athletes and coworkers I've been so blessed to associate with from CrossFit Springfield. And most of all, praise, reverence, and humility to my God who gives me life and breath and all ability.

With our second child to be born this July, both Jenny and I know the dynamic of our lives will again change. It is the knowledge of this upcoming season of life change that guided my decision to compete this year at regionals as an individual. Above all, I was drawn to the opportunity for personal and spiritual growth by taking on the challenge of facing the top competitors from our region in the flourishing sport of CrossFit.

Throughout this process, I've come to realize the awesome potential that can be fulfilled in my life when I simply trust God and honestly seek to be used by Him. It's a life strategy which must be revisited every hour of every day in order to be effective. This is so much easier said than done. In the pursuits of life, we all desire to receive attention for our good deeds done, adoration for our accomplishments, and glory for our victories. Don't misunderstand me, there is nothing wrong with accepting this attention with humility. The problem is that when we seek to fully absorb these things, we diminish our ability to acknowledge He who is the giver of these good gifts. Our talents become less like gifts and more like prized possessions. Ultimately, prized possessions must be locked away if their owner wishes them not to be stolen. Let this be an encouraging word to you: Go out on a limb. Seek to fully comprehend the many gifts God has given you. And then, USE THEM. Use them to give hope to those who are hopeless. Use whatever talents you possess to be a light in an oftentimes dark world. You'll find more reward and fulfillment in living life this way...3..2..1..GO!!!

Here is some gameday footage of me tackling Event 3 at the 2011 Reebok CrossFit Games NorthCentral Regional- Enjoy!