Finish strong

"I am still as strong today as the day Moses sent me out; I’m just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then. Now give me this hill country that the Lord promised me that day. You yourself heard then that the Anakites were there and their cities were large and fortified, but, the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said.” Joshua 14:11, 12

The Washington Post recently reported that Dixon Hemphill, 92, was narrowly defeated by Orville Rogers, 99, in the 60-meter race at the USA Track and Field masters indoor championships on February 18. In a photo finish, Rogers out-leaned Hemphill, winning in 18.00 seconds to Hemphill’s 18.05. Of his narrow loss and plans for a rematch, Hemphill, a fixture in the Washington-area running community for over half a century said,  “I just want to run faster than I’m running. My training is not complete. I’m not doing long distance running. I want to add at least two to three miles. . . . Orville Rogers is doing more mileage than me in a week. That’s not right in my mind. I should be doing more. I think it’ll make a difference.”

Wow. These nonagenarian runners are further proof that great things can be accomplished with the right attitude and faithfulness to keep training even into old age. Caleb son of Jephunneh certainly knew it too. At 40 years old, he was one of only two spies (among 12) to return from Canaan with the favorable report that the giants could be defeated. For his faith, Caleb was promised a personal inheritance of land. Forty-five years later, Caleb, whose faith was still unwavering, was given the land. And even though the land still had giants, he confidently declared, "I'm just as vigorous to go out to battle now as I was then... the Lord helping me, I will drive them out just as he said." 

You know, you and I would do well to study and follow the example of Caleb who was faithful from start to finish-never wavering in his belief that, with the Lord helping him, there was nothing he could not do. That attitude, my friend, would most definitely make a difference in all our lives.

Heavenly Father, thank you for the strength you have promised to provide if we would only have the faith to ask and receive it. Help us to remember that, until we reach Heaven, our training and our work is never complete. With your help, we can conquer giants at any age. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

www.team413 org

Strong finish - Jonathon Nelson

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

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/dc-sports-bog/wp/2017/02/28/92-year-old-runner-cant-wait-for-a-rematch-after-video-of-race-goes-viral/?utm_term=.0e0f669e9a94