It is Preparation Time: Are You Ready for Victory?

Academically:

My recent experience of watching my grandson walk across the stage to receive his

diploma with honors filled me with immense pride and joy. I watched as he lifted his arms

in victory for what he painstakingly accomplished. That moment sparked deep reflection

and introspection. How long ago did the preparation for that specific moment begin? This

was not just my grandson's victory; it was also a win for my daughter and son-in-law, and

their parents' victory. It represented the triumph of everyone in his lineage who came before

him.

I remember walking across the stage to receive my first-degree decades ago. With each

step I took, I had flashbacks of my own journey to college and the anticipation I felt at the

prospect of achieving that goal. However, it did not unfold exactly as I had imagined. There

were bumps in the road, potholes, and huge craters that I never thought I would overcome.

I faced roadblocks, detours, and unexpected twists and turns that I had not anticipated.

I realized that I would never have made it without proper preparation. My preparation began

long before I arrived at that moment. Like my parents before me, my parents equipped me

with the emotional, mental, and spiritual tools necessary to overcome obstacles and lead

a successful life.

My parents instilled in me the values of hard work and perseverance by demonstrating a

strong work ethic and an unwavering belief that, no matter the challenges, it was essential

to get up every single day and take steps toward achieving our goals. They equipped

themselves for the battles that came with each day; for them, that meant preparing for

their customers the night before, and then facing daily challenges head on with flexibility,

creativity, and tenacity. As I walked across the stage to receive my degree, I had a moment

of reflection and gratitude and said, “Thank you, God, for giving me the parents who

prepared me for victory!” I can only imagine that some of these same thoughts and feelings

came to mind for my grandson as I looked at his face and watched him walk across the

stage.

Professionally:

Entering the marketplace as a young professional and with a desire to become an

entrepreneur was also a time of preparation for countless challenges and a myriad of

victories, some realized and some that are still unfolding. I have learned over the years that

every experience, battle, and triumph will always be preparation for victory. The challenges

we face, from toxic work environments to unclear or unfair expectations in our role as aprofessional, having to follow a leader without vision, or just plain ole’ burnout, are all part

of the training ground and your preparation for victory.

The time to prove your worth and to display your value will come as long as you can remain

steadfast during this time of preparation. Remember, the battle has already been won, and

now you have to show yourself approved for the victory by demonstrating a strong work

ethic, good character, and your faith in Jesus, the one who has already trained, fought, and

won the ultimate battle! So, show up, unapologetically, and authentically. Be the

triumphant, victorious leader that you are made to be.

Personally:

The journey of self-discovery and learning who you really are is one of the hardest and most

rigorous training grounds. However, the victory of you becoming who you are and why you

are, is one that brings clarity of purpose and peace of mind that is rooted in all your life

experiences. Your pursuit to discover your higher self and who your Creator is, why He

created you, and the unimaginable love He has for you are components of this part of your

training. Your experiences in relationships may come with unthinkable, hurtful, devastating

events, some with unspeakable joy and fulfillment, others that may take a while for you to

process, and still other relationship experiences that you may never understand. Just

remember, it is all for your preparation for victory.

The personal relationships that God allows you to experience and grow from are endless: a

parent, a sibling, a spouse, a friend, a colleague, a mentor, and so on. I have learned to do

the work that calls for me to see the value in individuals that God has placed in front of me,

for whatever the length of time that I may know them. In this fast-paced world of all the to-

dos we have on our list in a day, this could sound daunting. It sounds like too many

additional steps to take to be victorious in our personal lives. But, as I reflect on the

gospels and the various stories of Jesus, one of the things that stands out to me about Him

and His character is that every meeting, every encounter, whether it was with a multitude

or a single individual, He added value. He left people to think deeper about themselves,

their relationships, their purpose, and their Creator. Every relationship mattered because

He was selfless.

Please know that I believe being selfless does not mean you forget about yourself. Learning

about my self-care, self-determination, and how to engage in my own self-examination was

a big part of my rigorous training. Self-examination and motive for doing and being require

more than I want to touch on in this brief excerpt. Just believe me when I say it is an integral

part of your personal development and personal victory.Spiritually:

Your spiritual victory is a direct conduit to every other victory you experience throughout

your life. Your spiritual training ground and spiritual journey are also filled with highs and

lows. That spiritual mountain top is the place I aspire to be on and remain there one

hundred percent of the time. However, I must admit that is not the case. I wish I could put

that spiritual sweet spot in a bottle and just reach for it whenever I need it. The quick, easy

answer…read your bible, study the Word of God, and pray and worship Him.

One of my dear sisters in Christ gave a quick reminder at one of our Encounter Worship

evenings. She gave cause to pause as she explained how easy it is to lose or mislay

temporarily that which is necessary to have victory spiritually. Your Spiritual training ground

requires you to be persistent and consistent in seeking His face and communing with Him.

This training ground not only requires the action of doing these things, but it also requires

you to become these things. There is a difference between doing and being. As humans, we

tend to want to default to doing certain things or routinely acting in a certain way and

believe this to be the prerequisite for spiritual victory. There is more to it than the activity of

doing; this part of the preparation means becoming the embodiment of the characteristics

of who Jesus is. Talk about this part of the work being exhausting at times?

During this time of preparation, this is where your fellow trainees on the road to victory

become so very important. These cohorts will be standing on the sidelines with a drink of

water and words of encouragement. Others will literally come off the sidelines and start

running next to you to keep you from petering out or giving up. Those are the ones that will

cheer the loudest for you when they see you on the mountain top because they know what

your training was like, they experienced some of the challenges with you, and they know the

cost of your oil. Your victory becomes their victory, and their victory becomes yours!

I know that my grandson has been prepared for the victory. I will not forget some of our

conversations during his high school years, when he faced challenging times and now we

can look ahead as he prepares to become a young adult professional who aspires to be a

successful real estate investor. He will have to continue to prepare himself to take the

professional victory and as he keeps his eyes on God while building meaningful

relationships with others.

On that breezy Georgia morning while smiling and teary eyed, I gifted my grandson an

inscribed Bible on his graduation day to remind him where to find the answers to the many

questions that will inevitably pop up. It was a special moment for both of us. My grandsonis being equipped emotionally, mentally, and spiritually by my daughter and her husband,

who I know hold true to the values and characteristics that my parents diligently gave to

me. There is victory in the legacy. Are you ready to lift your hands up in victory?