Once a cheerleader, always a cheerleader, right? I used to love cheering at High School football games, basketball games, volleyball games, you name it! I just loved cheerleading. Well, I only thought those days were over . . . now my daughter is in competitive cheerleading. And I love it! I am such a “cheer mom”. We recently went to her Nationals Competition in San Antonio, TX where thousands of cheerleaders come together to compete. I was all decked out in the team colors, had my noise makers and “Kassidi” signs . . . and in an arena packed with thousands of people, we won!!!! Our team’s performance was the best ever! We were so excited. After they announced the National Champions for our division, each member of the squad got fitted for their own “National Champion” leather jackets. As we were walking out of the Alamodome (with our heads up!!), I saw a little sister of one of the cheerleaders with a big pout on her face. She said, “I want one of those jackets!!!” Her mom said, “Then you have to do what your sister did to get it.”

It made me think about exactly what Kassidi did to get that jacket. She didn’t just show up one day at the Alamodome and tumble and dance and win a trophy. That 5 minute routine represents gymnastic classes 3 days a week. Dance classes. Cheer classes. Warm ups. Practicing long hours. Staying up late to do homework because dance class ran longer. Hours and hours and months and months of discipline and dedication to a dream.

Which reminds me of one of my favorite quotes: “The secret of your future is hidden in your daily routine.” It’s what you do every day that determines where you’re headed. We don’t just wake up one day and find out the plan of God for our lives or our “dream comes true”. It’s little by little as we pursue good habits of time with the Lord, time in the Word and reading good books that build our faith that we discover where God wants us to go and what He wants us to do.

I want to encourage you to go for the “jacket” or the “dream” by doing something everyday that will lead you to it. What is one thing you could do today — just one thing — that would help build you up, strengthen your faith and take you one step closer to your dreams? Decide what that one thing is . . . and do it. Not tomorrow. Today. You won’t regret it. Every day counts. John Maxwell says, “What you are going to be tomorrow, you are becoming today.”