Tender Mercies at a Track Meet

           "...Behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance" (1 Nephi 1:22). What are tender mercies? And why do they mean so much to us?

To me a tender mercy is just a little thing that happens that lets us know that the Lord is still watching over us and, despite everything that is going on around us,  he cares about us and truly wants what's best for us. I went to efy this last summer for the first time and my efy counselor reminded us constantly to watch for the tender mercies of the Lord in our lives, especially while we were participating in the spiritual and uplifting week.

This really got me thinking about the tender mercies that happened all around me in my day-to-day life. As I started to think about it, I noticed more and more how much the hand of God was really in my life. Suddenly I saw tender mercies everywhere.

I was at a track meet yesterday for my high school. I am a senior and this is my fourth year running track, my second year running hurdles. The day before the meet I had tried so hard to be able to finish a 100 hurdle race, but I couldn’t. I would stutter-step and trip over the last two every time I tried. I stayed after practice and kept trying but before long decided I was just too exhausted, so I left the track and drove home.

At the meet I was terrified! I wasn’t about to just skip out on the race because I am not a quitter! But I was also very sure that if I did run in the race, I would fall. I warmed up with my team and was put in the second heat. We said a quick prayer as a team and lined up. I watched the first heat go and immediately became scared all over again. So I said a prayer in my head: “Please just let me make it through this race. I just want to finish.” Right then I received a little bit of comfort. But the butterflies in my stomach didn’t completely go away.

I set my blocks and did a stride out really fast. “Runners take your marks!” I did a couple high knees in place and slowly lowered myself into my blocks  and tried to relax. “Set!” I tensed up and leaned forward so my face and momentum was over the line but my hands were still in place behind it. “GO!” The gun went off and I started running. My foot hit the first hurdle and I thought I was going down, but luckily I kept my balance and began running again.

“Just me and the hurdles, me and the hurdles.” I tried canceling out all the surrounding noise so I could concentrate. People were cheering for me, but I didn’t hear them. I just kept going. “One hurdle at a time. One at a time.” My competitors too faded away and I was concentrating hard on just finishing the race. By the time I reached the last two hurdles, the ones I had always stumbled over at practice, I felt strength in my legs and finished the race just fine.

I know prayers are answered, and I know our Father in Heaven cares so much about us. Even the little things in our lives, like finishing a track race, matter to Him. He loves to see us happy and he loves to see us succeed! I challenge you all to look for the hand of God and the tender mercies of the Lord in your lives! It really does give you a whole new out look!