Answering God's call

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior.” Mary said these words after the angle Gabriel came down to tell her that she would be giving birth to Jesus Christ. I can't even begin to imagine how she felt - an unmarried women giving birth to the Son of God! "Why me of all people???" she must have said in her head a hundred times. But she answered God's call and I admire her remarkable faith. Sometimes God will call us to make history like Pope Francis or Nelson Mandela or Mary, but more frequently, he calls us like a whisper in the ordinary moments of our day. How did I answer God's call today? I woke up feeling congested and thought I would try to get a sub for my 12 noon spinning class today. I'm glad I was strong enough to teach. There were two members in my class that were brand new to spinning and I like helping newbies get started and comfortable - any new class can be intimidating when it's your first time. So I walked them through adjusting their bikes, figuring out their power meters, and encouraged them throughout the class. They stayed for the entire class (which doesn't always happen!) and I admired their effort. Towards the end of the class, I introduced them to the regulars and we gave them a round of applause! I really wanted them to feel welcome. Who knows if they will come back, but in a small way, I answered God's call today. On a side note, I was given a bottle of champagne for Christmas from one of my regular members. Totally unexpected but very sweet at the same time. It feels good to feel appreciated - and this is yet another call from God for me to pay the appreciation forward to everyone in my life that helps me become the best that I can be.