Pit Pastor #2: Plateau
By: Troy Wong
03/03/07

So a while back I'm at Cahuilla to celebrate Motomom's [Laurie Cary to those of you not on the PanicRev message board] 29th birthday. PanicRev's own Scott Parkinson is there, but he takes off for school leaving his new KX250F with his brother John. Now, even though John has been bikeless for some time, works a lot, doesn't ride much, and is there to chill, his chill-speed is way faster than my top speed. I decide to go out and ride with him, or maybe he decided to come out with me, heck I can't remember ? whatever? we get out on the track together. Okay, pause, I gotta explain something. For a few weeks prior I was frustrated with myself, I knew I cornered slow, but I felt like I was cornering as fast as I could. I had hit a plateau, a flat-spot and I was stuck. I just could not breakthrough. Back to Cahuilla, I get behind John for a few laps (thanks for waiting up for me, bro) and something wonderful, magical, and graceful begins to happen, I begin to brake later, smooth out, and exit stronger. Following someone smoother and faster provided just what I needed to rise above the plateau I was stuck on. End result: before Cahuilla, cornered at a snail's pace, now I'm definitely up to turtle speed! [SMILE]

Switch context to spiritual life: When Trev & Kristen (my youngest two kids) were younger, I'd do one-on-one devotionals with each of them. When they got into middle school the homework load went way up and we just kinda dropped the one-on-one action. I missed those times, but didn't know what to do. I was stuck. I drop them off to school in the morning; on the way there I ask them prayer requests so I can pray over them. Guess what? Every single stinkin' morning it's the same stinkin' generic prayer request! Sheesh! They were stuck and so was I.

Switch again: A brother named Alan wants to interview me regarding a ministry issue. He's about 10 years older than me with kids about 10 years older than mine, and he's totally on fire for our Lord. After the interview, we're chatting and he mentions that every morning at breakfast he'd read a Psalm then pray that Psalm over his children. Bing! The light bulb goes on. Since that day, every morning in the car I have one kid read a Psalm, then I pray that Psalm over them. Plateau broken, smashed, demolished. We're now in the word praying prayers that are not rote, boring, pre-fabricated, but alive with power and perspective.

So what's my point in this column? If you want to continue to grow as a rider, ride with people better than you. If you want to grow in prayer, hang with prayer warriors. Want to know the Word better join a Bible study that is above your level. Want to get better at evangelism? Partner up with a person with that gift. Bottom line: surround yourself with people that will challenge you to grow. Never be satisfied with where you're at, especially spiritually!

As iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27.17)