I wanted to write about a story that, although not my own, made a real impact on me and on my outlook towards life, especially the hard times of life. This story was shared by Mike Gibson.
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All hands meetings are already a highlight of being on the Agile team here at OIT. I love getting to know the team better and learn from my team and leaders. But I feel this last time was especially good. Mike got up to share professional development tips from his long and successful career as a father, businessman, and BYU alumni. His simple tips turned out to be hard-hitting life lessons. One lesson and story he shared really stood out to me.
“The Hill is where you Win.” That was the one-liner hook of his beautiful story. The story of a devoted cross country coach that shaped the life of Mike’s younger years and, in effect, his entire life.
Mike was, and still is, an avid runner. When he was in high school he ran for his school on the cross country team. During his time running on the team, he improved in his abilities, largely in part to the wonderful coaching he received. His coach was wonderful and took the time to train his team to become winners. As most good coaches do, he had a mantra to accompany his teaching. His was simple - “The hill is where you win.”
Mike probably heard that simple phrase a hundred times in his time running for the school. But, Mike soon discovered, and continued to learn over the course of his life, that deeper meaning is found in that simple phrase. “The hill is where you win.” The meaning of that phrase becomes evermore meaningful when you are yourself, literally or figuratively, running up a hill.
It’s when your legs are burning, lungs bursting, and the run is getting steeper and steeper that you make the decision to keep going – and win. It’s when life starts feeling like a marathon and one more step seems too much. It’s when “uphill battle” starts to take on personal meaning. It’s when your tank is empty and you are running on fumes.
That’s when you win.
Not when you cross the finish line and not when you pass the person in front of you. You win on the hill. Mike’s coach understood that. His mantra was more than encouragement to win a race, but a lesson on when our efforts matter the most. When perseverance leads to victory.
Unfortunately, Mike’s coach tragically passed away recently. Mike made a song to commemorate his life and he sang that song in our meeting. It was fantastic. Words can’t describe how the Spirit filled the room. Everyone listened intently and even halted their incremental bites of delicious J Dawgs to listen to the beautiful melody. It’s impossible for me to convey through writing the emotions he delivered when he sang, but I hope the message has been received. “The hill is where you win.”
Thanks be to Jesus Christ who climbed the Hill of Calvary while carrying the pains and sorrows of every one of us. Because of Him, there is hope to finish the race – although it may feel like the finish line is too far and everyone else is passing you. Because of Him, we never have to run completely alone – although it may feel like we are completely isolated. He is our perfect coach and I am sure when He sees us struggling to topple our own individual hills, no matter how big or small, He is repeating the same mantra of Mike’s coach. The Hill is where You Win.