Jessica Levy Books

I focus my eyes the target. Take a breath and let it out because later even the rise or fall of the chest will take it off center. The nock is locked in. The string pulls easily in my hand as it bends both ends in my direction. Keep the left arm straight and steady. Both eyes open, line it up. Let it go.

Few things are simultaneously exciting and relaxing like archery. If you haven’t ever done it, stop reading and go now. Just kidding, don’t stop reading. Go when you finish.

I like physical activity. I used to play hockey, which held its own merits, but when you are in the fast-paced game of hockey, all you can think about is the fast-paced game of hockey. With archery, the stillness can be the best part.

God finds me in the stillness. Or I find him, I guess. He probably never lost me. But he gets me when I’m still. And he speaks. He talks about lining up to targets and how missing the bullseye can still look like hitting the target. He talks about what happens when we don’t aim and how the arrow only flies where we do aim. He talks about what happens when we know we are armed versus when we feel defenseless.

I realized awhile ago that as I trained my arrow on the target, God was training me, his warrior. He was training me, not only through archery, but through life. He was training me how to arm myself with the weapons he gave me. To fight in the army of the Lord and to never forget my position.

To never forget that I am in battle.

Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

Ephesians 6:13 ESV

I recently had a challenging week (the evil day) at work with several demands and changing schedules. I worked for two days to create something that was two days later unraveled by the decisions of a co-worker. I had to start over again and I got so frustrated that, honestly, I cried. Nothing wrong with a good cry. But I might as well have cried the rest of the day, the way I moped around, grumpy and grumbling.

When God got a hold of me later that day, I realized I had missed his target. I had dropped my armor and my sword and had a little self-pity party in the middle of the battle. Daily frustrations sound small, but they can add up to something big, especially when we forget we are warriors.

Sometimes I wish a power ballad would crescendo in the background when I’m in the battle (like in the movies) so I wouldn’t hang my head like I wasn’t made for victory.

I visited a small park in Eastern North Carolina a few weeks ago called Fort Macon (see my recent post the pit to learn more). It was an active fort mostly during the Civil War. When you enter the fort, this is the first sign that greets you:

I smiled when he said it. Jessica Levy was made for war not safety.

Go ahead, put your name there.

I don’t know about you, but I want to live with this warning sign on my life. I want to live like I know I am made of something greater than the frustrations I face at work. That I am made for something more than giving in and crumbling. That I am made to stand up and fight the battles ahead of me, to stand firm.

That I am made to be a warrior in the army of the king.