Why ME?

One of the people I admire most in this world is Valorie Kondos Field, or Miss Val as she's most commonly known. She is the head coach of the UCLA women's gymnastics team, but that's not the only reason I love her. She puts education and character and life skills ahead of athletics. She loves well. She's compassionate. She's entertaining. She challenges others. She's a risk taker. She's selfless. She loves God. She's fun to be around. She takes the best selfies! I could go on and on.

When Miss Val had breast cancer, she asked perhaps the most common question, "Why me?" But, she asked it with a completely different perspective than most. Instead of asking "Why did I have to get cancer?" she asked, "Why ME? Why do I GET to get chemo? Why do I GET to have great doctors? Why do I GET to live?" Wow. That'll challenge your perspective on life! Watch her share her story below:

In addition, Miss Val has her own website where she posts the occasional "musing." Seems innocent enough, right? Be warned: if you start reading her musings, you'll be challenged--challenged to change your thinking, your attitude, your every day living. She posted one such musing today entitled ACT AS IF. Click here to read it! After reading this latest musing, I was challenged to consider my own "Act As If." I commented with it on Miss Val's post, but I'll also add it below:

As I was pondering my own “Act As If,” a few ‘buttons’ rolled around in my mind—encompassing everything from exercise to my career—but I kept coming back to one particular “Act As If” button: Act As If I’ve Been Chosen. And, wouldn’t you know, Miss Val, you had something to do with this as well. Let me explain. 

My plan after college was to get a job, get married, have kids, and “live happily ever after.” Well, I graduated from college more than seven years ago, and I’m still living at home with my mama with no prospect of things changing anytime soon. Although I know I’ve gotten to do some incredible things in these last seven years, that longing never went away, and I’d often find myself asking God, “Why me? Why haven’t you allowed me to be married with a family? Why haven’t you chosen me for that life when (seemingly) ALL of my friends are married with babies? What’s wrong with me?” Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t crying myself to sleep every night, but there were days when I struggled to be content where God had me. 

Enter: Miss Val. After watching your interview with Danusia about your breast cancer story and learning about your positive twist on the “Why me?” question, I began to pause and reflect on my own “Why me?” question. For the first time, I changed my question from “Why, God, haven’t you chosen me for that life when (seemingly) ALL of my friends are married with babies?” to “Why have you chosen ME to be single for this time when everyone else around me is married?” For the first time, I was able to look at my life quite differently. 

God has CHOSEN me for this time for HIS purposes—teaching and loving my students, traveling to serve in Romania, spoiling my friends’ babies—I may not know exactly why, but He does, and I can rest in that. Whatever He has planned for me right now can only be accomplished as a single woman. He CHOSE me for this. How can I not delight in that? 

That doesn’t mean I don’t still long for a family—I definitely do—but, I can continue to “ACT AS IF I’M CHOSEN” so that I may be content where God has me right now—ready to fulfill His purposes for me each day. 

So, in the spirit of Miss Val, what's YOUR "Act As If" OR how can you change your "Why Me?" Comment below or go to Miss Val's page and leave her some love.

Thanks, Miss Val, for having such a positive impact on my life and therefore impacting those around me. Love you!