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News of the Week

This newsletter is late!

And honestly...

I'm okay with that.

Because Saturday I worked 7am–7pm.

Sunday...

7am–7pm again.

And yesterday afternoon, around 4:30pm...

The final bridge girder was installed.

And fuck me...

What a weekend. 😂

If you've been following along, you'll know I'm currently working on my first bridge project.

I've been a Surveyor for 16 years.

I've worked on roads.

Airports.

Structures.

Bus lanes.

But never a bridge.

And until this project...

I'd never surveyed a girder installation either.

So this weekend was a big fuckin deal for me.

The operation itself was daunting.

Huge girders.

650T Cranes.

Multiple teams working together.

Long shifts.

Constant checking.

And from my perspective...

A very simple objective:

Don't fuck it up. 😂

I was stressed.

Mentally exhausted.

Nervous.

There were moments where the weight of responsibility felt HEAVY.

But girder after girder...

The team executed.

And thankfully, from a survey perspective...

No issues.

Then yesterday afternoon I watched that final girder go into position.

And I felt something beyond relief.

Gratitude.

There's a quote I've seen online:

"God gives heavy loads to warriors."

I understand the sentiment.

But I've been thinking about it differently.

I don't necessarily believe every hard thing happens because God looked down and decided:

"Ryan's strong. Let's give him something heavy."

Life is more complicated than that.

But I DO believe that sometimes...

The opportunities we pray for arrive carrying weight.

We pray for growth.

But growth brings responsibility.

We pray for opportunity.

But opportunity brings pressure.

We pray to become stronger.

But becoming stronger usually requires carrying something we couldn't carry before.

We ask God to use us...

Then get surprised when we're given something that requires more of us.

Sixteen years ago, I couldn't have stood on this project and done what I did this weekend.

I wasn't ready.

Professionally.

Mentally.

Probably emotionally too.

But that's the thing about growth...

You rarely notice who you're becoming while you're becoming them.

It's happening quietly.

Through the ordinary days.

The mistakes.

The difficult projects.

The uncomfortable conversations.

The training sessions.

The failures.

The times you wanted to quit but didn't.

The prayers nobody heard.

The moments where you had absolutely no fuckin clue what you were doing...

But figured it out anyway.

Brick by brick.

Then eventually life hands you something heavier.

And you think:

"Fuck... can I actually handle this?"

Maybe you've felt that too.

A promotion.

A new baby.

Starting a business.

Marriage.

Parenthood.

A health challenge.

A bigger responsibility.

Something you once wanted...

But now that you're carrying it, you're wondering whether you're actually capable of it.

And maybe the question isn't:

"Why is this so heavy?"

Maybe it's:

"Who do I need to become to carry this well?"

Because I've realised something.

I don't want an easy life.

I want the capacity to handle a meaningful one.

As a Surveyor.

As a husband.

As a father.

As a coach.

As a man of faith.

I don't pray for a life without responsibility.

I pray for the wisdom, strength and character to carry the responsibilities God has placed in front of me...

and carry it well.

That's different.

Standing there watching those girders this weekend...

I thought about everything that had to happen before they could carry a road.

Foundations.

Planning.

Engineering.

Measuring.

Checking.

Preparation.

Most of it happened long before anyone could look at the bridge and say:

"Wow."

And maybe we're not that different.

God may be doing work in you right now that nobody else can see.

Building your patience.

Your discipline.

Your faith.

Your resilience.

Your character.

Preparing you for responsibilities you haven't even encountered yet.

And one day...

Something heavy lands in front of you.

Not necessarily because you're being punished.

Not because you've been forgotten.

Maybe it's simply your opportunity to discover:

"I'm capable of carrying more than I thought."

Not through my strength alone.

But through everything I've learned...

Everyone around me...

And the God who's been with me through all of it.

This weekend was hard.

Stressful.

Mentally exhausting.

And I'm bloody glad it's done.

But I'm also grateful I got to experience it.

Because 16 years into this career...

I got to do something for the first time.

And when that final girder went in...

I could look at it and think:

We did that.

Another challenge carried.

Another lesson learned.

Another piece laid.

And maybe another reminder from God:

You're still becoming.

Brick by brick.

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​Quote of the Week

Recipe of the Week

BAKED FETA PASTA

Serves 4

10.6 oz. (300g) cherry

tomatoes

2 shallots, sliced

2 cloves garlic, smashed

2 tbsp. olive oil, divided

salt

pinch crushed red pepper

flakes

8 oz. (225g) feta cheese

3 sprigs fresh thyme

10 oz. (280g) pasta of choice

zest of 1 lemon

4 tbsp. fresh basil, for garnish

What you need to do

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

In a large ovenproof skillet or medium baking dish, add the

tomatoes, shallots, garlic, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Season with

salt and red pepper flakes and toss to combine.

Place the feta cheese into the center and drizzle with the remaining

1 tablespoon of olive oil. Scatter the thyme sprigs over the

tomatoes.

Place the dish into the oven to bake for 40-45 minutes, until the

tomatoes start to burst and the feta cheese is golden on top.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta to al dente, according to package

directions.

Add the cooked pasta and lemon zest to the feta cheese and

tomatoes and stir until combined. Garnish with basil and serve

immediately.

Question of the Week

What emotion do you avoid the most -

and what is it trying to teach you?

If you got any value from this newsletter...

​Let me know what you think of it please?

Your Coach,

PS – If you're carrying something heavy right now, instead of immediately asking God to take it away, maybe try asking: “God, what are You teaching me as I carry this?” Sometimes the weight isn't the end of the story. Sometimes it's where the next version of you is being built.

Here are 3 more ways I can serve you:

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