“It’s not the mountain that we conquer, but ourselves.” – Sir Edmund Hillary
On May 29, 1953 Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first human beings to stand on top of Mount Everest. An unbelievable feat considering there were no pre-placed ladders for crossing deep crevices, no fixed ropes for traversing the icy, steep cliffs near the peak. It’s an amazing accomplishment today with the help of dozens of Sherpas, radios, crews, and all the equipment money can buy. Back then, following in the footsteps only of people who had died in the attempt, summiting Everest was, and is, one of the greatest accomplishments in human adventuring.
Yet, as the quote attests, the conquering was not the conquering of a mountain, but the conquering of self. What’s inside the self that aspires to accomplish great things? And what’s inside that same self that sabotages our highest goals? This second question is most perplexing.
There is, indeed, something inside us that must be conquered if we’re to do what God is calling us to do. Each one must find his or her way, yet just like Hillary and Tenzing, we can’t do it alone. We need each other’s help in overcoming the darkness within, in accessing the grace that is available to us, in meeting life’s challenges and pressing on to victory!
What in me needs conquering today so I can fulfill my calling?
Flourishing Life 
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