Let your joy inspire people

“Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!” Psalm 100:2 ESV

On August 8, Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge, a fan-favorite of many around the world because of his constant joy and infectious smile, went down as the the greatest marathon runner in history and one of the greatest Olympians of all time by winning the Men’s Marathon in Sapporo, Japan. In a move that spectators have learned to expect, he began to smile as marathon-mad Japanese fans, who defied Olympic organizers request to stay away due to COVID-19, lined up the streets of Sapporo and cheered him on to the finish line. “That smile is the happiness,” he said. “I have fulfilled the legacy by winning the marathon for the second time, back-to-back. I hope now to inspire the next generation." Asked in July whether this race would be his last, Eliud said, “The end of my career will come automatically that’s for sure, that’s in front of my mind, but for now I want to compete more. I still want to go around the world and run, inspire people.” 

And you know, I have no doubt that Kipchoge has inspired hundreds and maybe even thousands of people around the world to run. The joy he exhibits while training and competing makes what he does appear to be fun and effortless (although every long-time runner knows that it’s not always fun or effortless) which inspires those watching to follow his example. But that’s what gladness and joy do; they influence and motivate others to share in the activity that exudes such positive emotions. Which is one of the main reasons you and I should always strive to “serve the Lord with gladness.” Especially when that service might be hard, unpleasant or even dangerous. You see, people are always watching us—even more so when times get tough, times like now—and when we serve the Lord with cheerfulness, pleasure, willingness and joy, we will inspire them to do the same. 

So knowing that our greatest mission is to lead others to Christ, let us “serve the Lord with gladness” and “come into his presence with singing!” This will not only inspire the lost to seek the One who fills us with this great joy but will inspire our brothers and sisters to smile and serve with gladness too... which will in turn influence countless others to do the same. How’s that for an ultimate win? 

Heavenly Father, thank You for your Word that tells us how we are to live and work. Help us to always serve You with gladness, especially when the Christian race gets hard, so that others would be inspired to join us in the race to the ultimate finish line. It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Keep yourself from deliberate sins

"How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don’t let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin." Psalm 19:12-13 NLT

In a Fox News Flash yesterday, the following was reported: A French marathon runner is getting some flak online for appearing to knock over a row of water bottles at a hydration station during the latter half of the Olympic men’s marathon on Sunday. In a video, Morhad Amdouni, 33, can be seen in a cluster of other runners as he approaches the station. He then reaches for a water bottle, knocking an entire row of them off the table like dominoes before grabbing the last one and leaving nothing for the runners behind him. The report went on to say... The video has sparked debate on Twitter as to whether or not the move was intentional. Some argued that he was in an awkward position, sandwiched between others in excessive heat while trying to reach for a water bottle. And while it remains unclear as to whether Morhad's actions were really deliberate or willful, one thing is certain, Amdouni ultimately finished in 17th place—leaving some people to say that he got what he deserved. 

And you know, when it comes to intentional or willful sins (those we commit with the full knowledge that what we are doing is wrong), David asked the Lord to cleanse him from the sins he committed unknowingly but pleaded, "Keep your servant from deliberate sins!" Why? Because he knew that he would be purposely and defiantly opposing God, that deliberate sins had the power to control him, and that engaging in these sins would not only create a wedge between himself and the Lord but would ultimately leave him plagued by guilt, despair, emptiness, and regret... as intentional sin always does. 

So if you are deliberately and consciously engaged in any type of sin or sins today, stop and ask for forgiveness my friend. You will not only "be free of guilt and innocent of great sin" but will reap the rewards of a renewed relationship with Christ... and then be able to live a life free from the feelings of sadness, shame, and remorse that sin always brings. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that our sins, especially those we commit deliberately, always have consequences. Cause us to confess any willful sins we have committed, to repent from them and to turn back to You. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Be happy with those who are happy

“Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep.” Romans 12:15 NLT

One of the hardest things a newly injured runner will ever do is encourage and support their runner friends when all they want to do is throw themselves a pity party (and I say this from experience). But that’s the very thing my dear friend Rebecca did yesterday morning. “Good morning gorgeous,” she texted. “Even though I am not going to be able to do the Katy 50k, I am still going the night before and staying at the hotel. I can crew you guys at whatever spot you need me most.” Upon reading this, I must admit that I had to fight back tears recalling the message I had received from her the previous day, “I got the MRI results. Will see orthopedist again to determine what now. All of my hard work and now I don’t know what is going to happen. I have anterior and superior labral tears, gluteus minimus tendon tear, and bilateral gluteal and hamstring tendinosis.” Does that make you tear up or what?

But you know, as hard as this joyful attitude Rebecca exhibited is to muster when things aren’t going as planned, it's the very attitude that you and I, as believers, must have. We must "be happy with those who are happy..." I mean think about it... Rebecca's actions after the grim diagnosis that curtailed her running were completely contrary to the way the world would have reacted. So opposite in nature to the world, in fact, that people will recognize that there is something different about her. And this is the very thing that will cause non-believers to ponder, "How can a person be joyful when they should be anything but?" Do you see how this attitude could lead people to Christ? 

So "be happy with those who are happy" my friend. Rejoice with those who rejoice, knowing that doing so will not only bless the person you are rejoicing with but will also influence those who are watching to seek out the One who can provide this joy in the midst of sadness and gloom. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us a joy that is not based on changing circumstances but on the unchanging relationship we have with You. Cause us to remember that all things work for the good of those who have placed their trust in You and that all things--the good, the bad, and the ugly--ultimately serve the purpose of making us more like You and leading the lost to seek You. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Have a little faith

"He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.'" Matthew 17:20 NIV

In an article posted by NPR titled, "An Olympic Runner Fell During the Last Half of the 1,500. She Still Won the Race," Dutch athlete Sifan Hassan's race was hailed as "unbelievable." It seems just as she was entering the final lap of her 1,500-meter heat on Monday, the runner in front of her tripped bringing Hassan crashing to the ground. Suddenly well behind the leaders, she stood up and turned on the gas. Eleven of the world's fastest runners stood between her and victory. With astonishing drive, she blazed by them one by one, rapidly making up ground. On the final straightaway, Hassan surged and passed the front pack of five runners. She'd won the heat. Hassan, 28, will compete in the semifinal of the 1,500 meter on Wednesday. She came to the Olympic Games aiming to make history with golds in the 1,500 meter, 5,000 meter and 10,000 meter — something no man or woman has done at a single Olympics. Wow right? Hassan didn't let anything stand in the way of her victory. 

And you know, when it comes to being triumphant in our Christian race, there will always be things, or difficulties and problems, that will stand between us and our victory too. And while those hardships, struggles, and troubles might be a little different for everyone, they will all seem insurmountable. In fact, they are insurmountable without the help and strength that comes only from God. We just have to believe it. We just have to, as Jesus said, "have faith as small as a mustard seed," so that we can say to the mountain (our difficulties) "move" and they will move. You see, a minute amount of faith can accomplish things bigger than our imagination when that “small” faith is placed in our great and mighty Lord.

So put your faith in Jesus Christ today my friend. Look to Him and only Him to lead you, to protect you, to guide you, and to move those mountains that stand between you and the finish line. "Nothing will be impossible for you" if you do. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us that You are bigger and greater than we could ever comprehend and Your power is immeasurable. Help us to have faith in You when those mountains are in our way and we cannot get around them. Help us to pray boldly for You to move them and believe that You can so that we might declare victory in You. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

BASS PRO MIDWEEK MOTIVATION-TRAIN LIKE AN OLYMPIAN

Hello runner friends!

Welcome back to the Bass Pro Fitness Series

MIDWEEK M😊TIVATI😊N blog!

Now let's get started by talking about how training like an Olympic athlete can inspire you to reach your fitness goals. 

Now before you say, "Melissa, I don't have the time, energy, will or the talent to train like an Olympic athlete," consider this... all training plans and methods are meant to be modified to fit into your life and tailored to suit your individual goals, fitness level, and skills. So with that being said, consider these things Olympic athletes do to equip and motivate themselves to get results and work them into your life and your training routine as needed to get the results that you desire. In addition, rather than sitting on the couch watching the Olympians run this year, cultivate some of the habits that got them to the games in the first place and get out there and crush your own goals. 

Train Every Day. Now don't confuse that with Run Every Day. Training every day simply means that you should be doing something that gets you closer to your goal, whether that be running, cross-training, or taking an active recovery day. And let me remind you, recovery days can work in your favor if you make them active ones (consider aqua running, massage therapy, or anything else that will speed up your recovery and help you run better.) And a bonus to this? You won't kill yourself on the weekend trying to log all those miles that should have been spread out over the week.

Keep Your Focus on Your Goal. This is a no-brainer. Olympic athletes have a specific goal and we must have one too. Whether that's completing the 15k, 25k or 50k trail runs at Dogwood Canyon or the Bass Pro Half or Full Marathon, our goals are just as important as those of an Olympian. And if you've yet to set a goal, set one and get signed up for it! Putting some of your hard-earned money down to register will motivate you to get out of bed like nothing else can. 

Be Specific in Your Training. This is crucial. Training for a trail run like Dogwood Canyon? Check out the terrain and elevation climb and train for it. Run trails! Prepare yourself to encounter rocks, roots and rivers. Olympians have a clearly defined goal and adopt a clearly defined training plan to meet that goal. So run those hills! Prepare yourself for some water crossings. And if trail running isn't your thing and your goal is a road race like the Bass Pro Marathon, make sure you're running on pavement! I can't stress this enough. I have encountered many runners over the years I have been a running coach who trained inside on a treadmill and then nearly died when they encountered the heat, humidity and hard pavement that comes with road racing outside. So specifically train for your specific run taking into account the distance, the surface, the temperature and the time it will take to finish. 

Fuel Your Body for Peak Performance. So once again, you need to be specific here! Fueling your body well, for peak performance as Olympians do, means doing some research and being proactive. Food is fuel friends! Put in junk and junk is what you'll get out. And remember this, "You can NOT outrun a bad diet." I've tried it and it doesn't work. So remember that you'll not only need to take in the right amount of calories but you'll need to get them from fresh and whole foods that will also supply the vitamins and minerals you will need to undertake your specific training and to recover well from it. Food matters!

Know When to Rest. Olympians walk a fine line between peak performance and burnout and they know when to throw in a few extra recovery days, whether that be to rest physically or mentally (they are connected). Burnout can happen for many reasons, with over-training being at the very top of the list. Not getting the proper rest for an Olympian will not only lead to injury but can mean the difference between winning or losing. And while you might not be winning races, skipping rest when it's needed can mean the difference between a good run and a run spent on the struggle bus trying to keep the wheels from falling off. More importantly though, it will lead to injury and a forced rest. And believe me, a forced rest is no fun! On a side note though, remember this... if you will take a few days off at the onset of an injury or at the first sign of pain, you could quite possibly save yourself from weeks or even months of rehab and downtime. I'd love to say that this knowledge didn't come from personal experience but I'd be lying. Olympians also have this experience, which is the very reason you'll even see them drop out of competition mid-race. Sometimes you just have to know when to save the effort for another day or another race. 

Get a coach. Now before you think you have to spend gobs of money on hiring a certified coach like Olympic teams do, finding a "coach" is as easy as finding an experienced runner  in your running group or maybe even in an online group that is willing to mentor you. Now they might not be able to give you a specific training plan but they can help keep you on the right path and answer general questions. And face it, everyone could learn from someone who has more miles under their belt right? 

So there you have it friends. Whatever it is you're training for, thinking like an Olympian can help you get the most out of each and every workout. And when you find yourself losing momentum or motivation, just remind yourself that there is an Olympian training harder than you at any given moment to reach their dreams. Your dreams might seem smaller in comparison to theirs but they are no less important. So in true Olympics style, learn, embrace and adopt the Olympic motto, "Faster-Higher-Stronger" and strive to get better each and every day by training like a pro. 

Happy Running!!!

Get some air

"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever." 1 Thessalonians 1:16-17 NIV

In a new study published in Scientific Reports, it was suggested that the speed of elite runners comes not only from their forward momentum but their bounce, something they seem to have much more of than most runners, even those who are highly trained. Researchers had 10 sub-4 minute milers and 10 highly trained non-elite participants run on a treadmill outfitted with a pressure plate under the belt, which indicated the amount of time they spent in the air compared to in contact with the ground. They found that elite runners are in the air longer than non-elite runners, but it’s not because they’re pushing off from the ground at an angle. Instead, they bounce upward. The study’s lead author, Geoff Burns, Ph.D., a sport science postdoctoral research fellow at the Performance Research Lab at the University of Michigan, told Runner’s World the takeaway here is that elite runners have conditioned their bodies to behave as “stiffer” mechanical systems. And then added that runners who try to emulate this stiffness in their stride consciously should approach with caution. It’s not a matter of changing your stride to get more air; the whole body needs to work together in a specific way, rather than just a few parts of it. The gist of all this? Training "to get more air" is worth the time and effort. 

And you know what else is worth the time and the effort? Following Jesus no matter the cost. Why? Because the Bible tells us that the Lord is coming back for His church (that's you and me) and "with the trumpet call of God.. the dead in Christ will rise... " But here's where it gets good! "After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever." Talk about getting some air and speed! Those that remain faithful to Christ until the end will receive the ultimate reward of spending eternity with the Savior! Is that amazing or what? 

So go ahead and do some bounce training if speed is what you desire my friend. But if you desire to "be with the Lord forever," and I hope that is your greatest desire, train yourself in the Word each and every day so that at the proper time you will meet Him “in the air." Oh what a glorious day that will be!!

Heavenly Father, thank You for the blessed assurance that this world is not all there is. Help us to live each day as if it were our last so that we would be both bold in sharing the Good News and living ready for Your return. Oh Lord cause us to long for Your returning so we would live for You today. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running !!!

Serve with gladness

"Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!" Psalm 100:2 ESV

I couldn't help but smile early Saturday morning as I pulled into the parking lot where my running group was getting ready to set out for our weekly group run knowing that I would have company. After signing up for another hundred-miler, I can honestly say that I appreciate this bunch of crazy runners more than ever. Especially the ones, like my dear friend Gretchen, who are also training for ultras since they will hang with me for an insane number of miles; which makes logging the increasingly longer distances in our training plans much easier and way more enjoyable. The encouragement we provide one another is priceless... and it's this encouragement that Gretchen needed around mile 17 when she began to struggle. So with 6 more miles to go and to boost her morale, I looked at her and said with a smile "Just remember. We don't have to do this. We get to do this." And that was just the reminder she needed to press on. Amazing what a change in perspective can do right? 

And you know, this change in perspective is something many Christians need today as well. You see, serving Christ is something that you and I should, as the psalmist said, be doing "with gladness." Sadly though, many believers see service to God as something they have to do--like a chore that needs to be checked off an invisible to-do list that will please God. But get this my friend... serving the Lord is not a chore that we have to do but something we get to do. God doesn't need our service but rewards all those who serve with a joyful heart, because serving "with gladness" always brings us "into his presence" which will have us singing! 

So knowing that serving the One who created us is a privilege rather than a chore, let us serve "with gladness" to the greatest extent that we can. And let us not merely wait for opportunities to serve but let us search them out with happy hearts and a renewed perspective that says, "I don't have to serve. I get to serve!"

Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us that serving You, the Maker of the heavens and the universe, is a privilege that we should cherish. You are in need of nothing Lord and yet You allow us to use the talents, gifts and resources You have blessed us with to glorify You with acts of service. Help us to realize what an honor that is Lord that we would gladly serve You all the days of our lives. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!