Set an example

"In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In your teaching show integrity, seriousness" Titus 2:7

Inspired by 80-year-old Ken Syring, the patriarch of the Syring family, four generations of the Syrings celebrated their recent family get together in a most unique way last Saturday. They all ran the Healthy Human Race 5k at Soldiers Field where the oldest and the youngest placed second in their age groups. According to Ken's daughter, Debbie, the example was set by her Dad. She explained that running became an extension of the value of hard work their dad instilled in them as children and an ethic they in turn have passed on to their children and their spouses. 

Wow! It's quite amazing how the actions of one person can influence future generations isn't it? But that's exactly what Ken Syring, who began running in college, did. He set a "good" example for those around him to follow and they, in turn, did the same. And shouldn't this be what every Christian strives to do?  Paul certainly thought so, urging young Timothy to set "an example by doing what is good" so others might see his good deeds and copy them. 

So if we want to win others to Christ, may we live "good" lives worthy of following. May our lives serve as examples of what it truly means to follow and obey the Lord. After all, as Albert Schweitzer wrote, "Example is not the main thing in influencing others, it is the only thing."

Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that people are watching us and that our actions have the power to lead them closer to or further away from You. Give us strength to live with faith and integrity in a world that is sorely lacking it. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Lead me - Sanctus Real

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLr6G8Xy5uc

Rise up

"And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Matthew 16:18 ESV

East St. Louis track and field athlete Willie Johnson said he remembers well the feeling of disappointment of not being able to compete at the IHSA competition earlier this spring after a fight that broke out during the Southwestern Conference Meet led to a suspension of his team for the remainder of the season. "It was tough. I cried my eyes out a couple of times,” Johnson said. “But what happened to us in the spring, that really pushed me even harder this summer. It really motivated me." I would say it motivated him! Johnson, 16, captured the 15-16-year-old 400 meter title on August 4 and earned All-American honors. 

And you know, just as Williams' story shows, failure can either knock us down or motivate us to try harder and rise up stronger. Consider the life of Peter. The Bible tells us that he denied Christ three times. And yet, because he showed remorse and vowed to never repeat his mistake, he went on to fulfill the words Jesus spoke to him, "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." History shows that Peter went on to be the first great leader at the church of Jerusalem and developed a faith that was unshakeable. Talk about using failure as a stepping stone!

So if you feel as if you've failed miserably in your spiritual life today, don't give up my friend. Rise up instead by remembering that Peter's failure didn't mean he couldn't be used and neither does yours’.  

Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that where sin abounds, grace abounds more. Help us to see our failures as stepping stones that we might use them to learn from and build on. And help us to see that true repentance wipes away our sins and gives us a fresh start. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Champion - Bekka Shae

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJHtLlk_oQs

Be weird

"John wore a garment of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey." Matthew 3:4 BSB

Two months ago I was blessed to start what I can only describe as my "dream job." The hours were perfect, I could run before work and use the company shower before clocking in, and the organization was there to serve and improve the health of the community. Not being one to sit for long periods though, I purchased a stand-up desk soon after starting my new position. And while eating my lunch standing up and working at my computer last week, a coworker walked by and said jokingly, "You are so weird! You eat salads, you run all the time and you never sit down." 

Have you ever thought that being called weird was a compliment? Well it is! Consider this... "John wore a garment of camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey." John the Baptist was different from anything natural or ordinary, and could most definitely be defined as weird to those around him. But his strangeness is the exact thing that attracted people to him! They all wanted to see this man who was so different from everyone else that they gathered to hear the daring words he spoke, "Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven has come near." 

So if you are a Christian, stand apart my friend! Be different. Be weird. Let people see that you follow Jesus at all costs and are most definitely anything but ordinary. After all, being strange and unusual may be the very thing that draws people to you and the Message. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that as followers of Jesus we are to be set apart and totally different from the world. May we be so different that others would be drawn to us that we might share the Good News of the gospel with them. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!

Jesus Freak - DC Talk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQBIS2zWEz8

Go and tell them

"And then he told them, "Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone." Mark 16:15 NLT

Last week as I was driving home from work, I realized that my favorite Christian radio station was off the air. "Hmmmm..." I thought, "perhaps I should tell them?" No, I quickly decided, someone else surely has or will and it will be back on in time for my early morning run. Well guess what? "Someone else" didn't call and, because of my unwillingness to speak up, not only did I miss out on hearing my favorite DJ's, a lost person scanning through the dial might have missed the opportunity to hear about Jesus and His saving grace. Feeling the guilt, I immediately informed them and the station was back up within hours.

Sadly though, if you and I are honest, how many times have we kept quiet assuming, or even being relieved that, "someone else" would tell the lost about Christ? Well guess what? Waiting for someone else to share the Good News is not what Jesus called his followers to do. In fact, He clearly told the disciples, "Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone." That means you and that means me! And if go means to travel or move in order to engage in a specified activity, that is a direct order for each one of us to go wherever we are called for the specific intent of sharing the Gospel. 

So if you're waiting for "someone else" to go and tell your lost neighbor, friend or coworker about the Lord, don't wait my friend. Get moving today and preach the Good News to them and then to everyone else you see.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that every missed opportunity for someone to hear the Gospel is a missed opportunity for them to come to the foot of the Cross and be saved. Help us to truly grasp that so we would be willing to go into all the world and preach the Good News as you have commanded us. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Good News - Mandisa

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzcvUvCmVZ4

You can know

"I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life." 1 John 5:13 NLT

Hundreds of runners and walkers participated in the Cameron Bean Memorial Run on Saturday to mark the third anniversary of the day Cameron, a passionate and talented runner, died after being hit by a car while running on Hamm Road in Chattanooga. And while his mother Lisa says she misses his vibrant personality, she also said, "He was the life of the party. Just a good, funny, loving person. He loved God, he loved people, he loved our family. That's how we could say early on we don't have any regrets with our family. We loved each other, he knew it and until we see him again, we're looking forward to that day."

Looking forward to that day? Can you imagine having that kind of peace and assurance in the midst of such tragedy and loss? If you believe in Jesus Christ you can. John knew it and wanted other followers to know it too. So much so that he penned these words, "I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life." Did you get that? If you have accepted Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you can be one-hundred-percent certain that you will one day enter into heaven. And if a loved one has gone before you, you can be just as certain that they will be there to greet you. 

So if you have recently experienced a loss or questioned the existence of heaven, take heart my friend. Not only has God never left your side, He has prepared in advance a place for all who believe in Him to one day enter in. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that death is not the end but the beginning of a new life. Help us to live our lives so on fire for You that others would have no doubt, upon our death, where our eternal place of rest will be. There could be no greater hope to leave a loved one. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Come though fount - Matt Boswell

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuHyQaicPBY

Only when

"Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do." Joshua 1:8 NLT

Runner's World magazine recently published an article titled, "6 Ways Meditation Benefits Every Part of Your Body” in which Mike Roizen, M.D., and chief wellness officer at the Cleveland Clinic said, "I recommend all people—that includes all patients I have—learn which [meditation] techniques work for them, and then practice it routinely." Making this one change in your routine, he says, improves mental health, reduces harmful inflammation, controls food cravings, gives your brain a boost, fights premature aging, staves off colds, and helps you deal with pain. Those are pretty good reasons to meditate then, don't you think?

And when it comes to the very best technique and reason to think deeply or carefully about what God is trying to teach or tell us through the Bible, Joshua was clear that meditating on "this Book of Instruction continually" was the key to obedience and prosperity. You see, it's only when you and I ponder the Word deeply and carefully "day and night" that we can grow closer to the Lord and learn to discern His will for our lives. And it's only then, after we have discerned His will and then aligned ours' with His, that you and I will "obey everything written in it" and succeed. 

So take time to read and study the Word my friend, asking yourself, "What does it say? What does it mean? What does it mean to me?" And then truly contemplate, consider and ponder the answers as you go about your day. I promise, that by doing so, you will reap benefits both now and for eternity. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that reading the Word and then meditating on it continually is crucial to a successful Christian walk. May we truly grasp the importance of it that we would make it a normal part of our routine. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Jeremy Camp - Living Word

https://youtu.be/p6-KKBxaFJk

Remember to remember

"I will remember the deeds of the LORD; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago." Psalm 77:11 NIV

Two-time Olympian and American record holder, Kara Goucher, recently admitted that she has struggled with confidence throughout her running career - and said that the night before a race was always difficult until she began keeping, what she calls, a confidence journal. This logbook is where she records her training and makes reviewing it part of her pre-race routine. Of incorporating this practice into her program, she said, "It’s a way to put it all out there on the table and realize how much work I’ve done, how I have prepared, and how I deserve to be competing. Even when times were hard, I still pushed through. If tomorrow’s race is hard, I know I have what it takes to succeed."

And you know, just as Kara finds the confidence and strength to push through hard times by finding a way to remember that her training is sufficient, you and I can find the confidence to press on by remembering the "deeds of the Lord." The many times He has given us victory over situations that looked hopeless, the many ways He has provided when there seemed to be no way, and the many times He has revealed His presence and power when we felt we were alone and weak. 

So when you meet new trials that threaten your confidence that God can see you through, remember this my friend... "Remember the way He led you up to the top of the highest mountain. Remember the way He carried you through the deepest dark. Remember His promises for every step on the road ahead. Look where you've been and where you're going and remember to remember." 

Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that You are forever faithful and that the same God who carried us through the storms of yesterday will carry us through the ones we will face today, tomorrow and forever. Thank You Lord for all your marvelous deeds and for loving us so much that You would personally care for us. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Remember to remember - Steven Curtis Chapman

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJz_rv5qC4s