“I don’t believe in God,” he said, the words that broke my heart to hear.
“Do you believe in the skis on your feet?” I asked. He looked down at his skis, which I noticed were a very expensive brand.
“Sure. These are from Austria. The best of the best.” He crossed his arms; his ski poles going out in both directions.
“Did someone make them?” He squinted again.
“Well, of course. They are handmade by an expert artisan. Someone who spent years learning the trade and became a master at the skill,” his voice softening as he spoke.
“So, if there’s no God, who made all of this?” I put my arms up and marveled at the beauty of the area we were standing in. From the large mountains to the snowy aspen groves; the sky was bright and the sun was shining, creating a sparkling on every surface around us.
“There’s this thing that we call ‘The Big Bang’,” he started to say.
“Ah. So, nothing created everything?” He tilted his head from side to side after I asked that question.
“I mean, I wouldn’t explain it like that. There’s more to it.”
“Like what?” It was at this point of conversation with men that they usually started to get annoyed. I had found in my experience that people do not like to question the things they have been taught or believed their whole life to be false.
“I can’t explain it. I just. . . know it to be true,” he said quietly.
“Sounds a lot like faith,” I said. “Have you ever heard the gospel?” I asked as he looked up behind him, searching for his way out assounds of people shredding in the snow could be heard around us.
“I’m not really into religion,” he said.
“Jesus isn’t a religion; it’s a relationship,” I said. “I don’t mean for that to sound cliche, but it's true. God created the heavens and the earth and everything inside of it. He sent His one and only son, Jesus Christ, to earth, and Jesus was put to death, dying for all of our sins. When we accept Jesus into our hearts and lives and repent of our earthly ways, we are born again. Living for God means having a personal relationship with Him.”
“And you have this? A relationship with Him? Or do you just think you do?” he asked. I couldn’t tell if he was being snarky or genuinely interested.
“I have it. He speaks to us all the time. It’s just a matter of whether you are ready to listen,” I said. He shrugged.
“Well, I better go.” He firmly gripped his ski poles and started to glide away.
“Will you consider what we talked about?” I asked, calling out to him. He didn’t respond.Lord, I don’t know what that was—I did not have “witness someone immediately after a fall” on my agenda for the day, but I pray that seed produces fruit.
As I started to slowly go down the terrain in front of me, I smiled. The Lord really does work in mysterious ways. Here I was, thinking He sent me someone right after that wreck. But instead, He sent me an opportunity to add another soul to eternity with Him.
“Lord, once again I am reminded that all things work together for the good of Your glory, not mine. And I thank You for that opportunity, and I pray that I can be ready if another one arises.”
The double Black Diamond run turned into a Blue after I got out of the tree grove, thankfully. My tired body was ready to have some lunch and get ready to spectate the Winter Games.
Sadly, I felt that things were done with Ford and me—not that they ever had started, I meant. But I had so very much hoped that they would have been starting. Like that night we did the puzzle together—he was so sweet to join me. Or, when we had hot chocolate in the lodge. We had a spark—or so I thought. There was banter—or maybe it was his one-sided annoyance.
Ford had a past, but didn’t we all? From what I knew about him from the internet and what he’d told me, he had some emotional hurdles to jump. And I prayed that when he did, andhe was ready for a relationship, the right woman came along for him. I just wished that it had been me.
Once I reached the bottom, I skied until I ran out of snow and walked back to the chalet. It was time to get ready for the Winter Games.
Chapter 10: Ford
Cowbells & Comebacks
Walking through the athlete performance tent this morning was surreal. As I looked around, I felt the excitement racing through everyone's veins, including my own. Could this have really been my last competition? Was God putting it on my heart that I was ready to move on, or was I choosing to give up? Would waiving the white flag of surrender and walking away from fame have been for myself or would it have been for God? I had so many things to consider.
Inherently, the sport was not against God. But my life these last several years had been, even when I didn’t realize it. It had been against Him because it wasn’tforHim, and that’s what I was set out to change now. I didn’t see that fully until now. When I decided to walk away from skijoring, it was not because I was sick of the sport. It was because my soul wasyearning for something greater than I had to live for.Thank You, God, for showing me that.
Today, I would race as I had the last several years in the Winter Games. I would not worry about tomorrow or what was to come in my future. If I left the sport, so be it. If I stayed and competed again, it would be for God’s glory.
And to think how spending a few days with a stranger—the woman whom God had placed in the chalet next door—opened my eyes to what had needed to be done all along.
