Joe Halbert is a friend. Joe pastors a church in Covina, CA. Joe has run marathons. Scaled mountains. Rode bikes over many miles. He has done this to raise funds for many worthy causes.
Over the years all of this physical activity has worn on his body. He has had a hip and knee replaced. These surgeries have reduced and limited his activity. What it has not done is stop his activity. When he is able, he will get back at it. Maybe not at the same level, but active he was, and active he will be.
In a recent FaceBook post he wrote, “Forward is a pace.” I have no idea if it was original with him. But I am giving him the credit. What I do know is that he models it. He moves forward.
I’m not sure I know of anyone who has not had a setback. Things happen in life. Plans go awry. Situations change. There are a myriad of things that have the potential to derail us. We can get knocked off our pace. What do we do?
What we do is get up. We step back. We reengage. We move forward. The forward motion is a pace. It may not be the pace we had. It may not be a pace we are content with. It may not be a pace that others view as favorable. But it is a pace.
Some view progress as moving backward slowly. Backward is not a pace. Backward is slippage. Backward is regression. If you find yourself moving backward, change your direction.
Move forward. It doesn’t have to be fast. It doesn’t have to be long strides. It can be small steps. It can be incremental. Whatever it is, make sure it is forward.
Missionary David Livingston said, “I’ll go anywhere provided it’s forward.” Forward is a pace we set. We decide. We can move forward.
Start your pace today. Move forward!