We do Hard Things Together

Years ago, a friend from my small group at church started a fitness class. I didn’t join until years later, but what started as a workout has grown into something pretty special and now I get to be a part of it.  

Every weekday morning, a group of women meet to build strength, fitness and friendships at a nearby park. We put in the work, sweat a lot, complain occasionally, and keep showing up.

And we do hard things together.

We’re all in different stages of life. Some have little kids at home. Some are raising teenagers. Some are launching kids into college. And some are retired.  We have different schedules, different strengths and different things weighing on us when we arrive.

But for an hour, we meet in the same place.

We lift heavy things. We push ourselves. We encourage each other. We pray together. We know when someone’s walking through something hard. We celebrate the good things. And sometimes we just sweat it out next to each other without needing to say much at all.

There are plenty of mornings when I don’t particularly want to go. It’s too cold, it’s too hot, the mosquitos are too bad. Traffic is terrible. A kid has an appointment. My to-do list is already too long. Sometimes I look around my house and think about everything I could get done if I just stayed home.

But I go.

Because somewhere along the way, I realized the workout is only part of why I’m there.

Yes, I want to be strong. I want to take care of my body and stay healthy and active as I get older. I want to keep lifting heavier weights and doing things that are hard.

But I also want this.

Women beside me who are doing the same.

Women who push me when I could probably give a little more. Women who notice when I’m not there. Who know what’s happening in my life. Who pray when someone needs prayer and laugh when someone desperately needs to laugh.

There’s something really good about finishing something hard together.

I almost always leave sweaty, tired and behind on whatever I could have been doing at home.

And I almost always leave glad I showed up.

Maybe staying healthy in this stage of life isn’t just about finding the perfect workout.

Maybe it’s about finding something worth showing up for - and people worth showing up with.

abide & flourish 💪🏼