thejoyfilledrunner

Thursday, May 8, 2014

Races and Prerace prayer

"Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us,

too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone." Colossians 4:2-6

Runner's World recently asked the question, "Should races begin with a group prayer?". This is a question that had many different responses. The most common reactions to the question were:
http://www.runnersworld.com/general-interest/should-races-begin-with-a-group-prayer?cm_mmc=Facebook-_-RunnersWorld-_-Content-Blog-_-DebateRacePrayers

Makes me comfortable
It's unconstitutional (it's not)
It's a waste of time
It offends more than it accomplishes and might water down the value of prayer

While any point could be valid with the right audience, as Christian runners, we cannot and should not compromise our values. We believe that Jesus died to save us. We believe that He alone gave us the ability to run. And we believe He is worthy of our praises and prayers. That being said, we should be careful not to offend anyone intentionally. We need to always "Be wise in the way we act toward outsiders" and respectful of other people's beliefs.

When we tell others about Christ or pray publicly, we should be gracious in what we say. Our best attempts at sharing Christ fail if done with a haughty or in-your-face approach. Remember this if you wonder how you might come across to others-Salt enhances the natural taste in foods making us want more and it also makes us thirsty. Our speech should be full of spiritual flavor causing others to want more. By making sure our speech is "seasoned with salt"-not too much or too little, we can tell others about Christ without offending them or turning them away.

So, prayer before a race? Absolutely and always. God is the same yesterday, today and forever. The times may have changed but we can not change. "Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think." Romans 12:2

Heavenly Father, we realize that this world has many people that don't know You. Help us be the people that bring the Word to others. Guide our steps, our speech and our heart as we step out in faith. Give us the words we need when we need them and the courage to be bold in situations where we aren't welcome. In your precious name we pray Jesus, Amen.

Happy Running!!!

Be bold!!!! Add this one to your playlist for sure!

Wednesday, May 7, 2014

Let your light shine

Me and my daughter Hope

“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven." Matthew 5:14-16

My friend Sheri shared with me this story yesterday, "A different shirt story for me this morning and a great morning chuckle. As I was walking out of the gym an older gentleman said "I was laughing at the back of your shirt". I asked why he was laughing and he said it USED TO BE his life. I asked why not currently and he said sometimes you drift away. I told him I certainly understood and said to have a blessed day and we got in our cars. As he pulled out of the parking lot I was behind him and we both turned on the same street to go home. Turns out he lives just down the street from me. He smiled at me and waved. Love your neighbor right? "

Sheri is a dear friend of mine and also a member of TEAM 413. She wears her TEAM 413 shirt, with Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" emblazoned on the back, every time she runs, works out or may have the opportunity to witness to other athletes or to be seen. As Christians, we all have the command to be a witness, "And he ordered us to preach everywhere and to testify that Jesus is the one appointed by God to be the judge of all--the living and the dead."Acts 10:42. He did not, however, say that there was only one way to do it. Do what you can with what you have-whether you're at work, the grocery store or even the gym. The point is, do something!

We are to be the light of the world. If we live for Christ-where we are using what we have-we will glow like lights. We hide that light when we fail to let it shine for all the world to see. Can you hide a city that is sitting on a hill? No way. In the darkness, its light can be seen for miles. So be a light to someone today. Like the man in Sheri's story, so many people are hurting and thirsting for God's love. We need to be the ones to tell them that hope is not lost, there is peace in this troubled world. Wherever you are right now, at this every moment, is exactly where God wants you to be. Knowing that, look for ways you can let your light shine.

Heavenly Father, thank you for Your presence in our lives. May we be bold in proclaiming all the good things You have given us, namely Your son, Jesus Christ, who died on the cross to save us from our sins. Help us to find ways to let our light shine so that others may see You in us and be saved by Your grace. I pray we have a longing to do this each and every day wherever You place us. In Your most precious name we pray, Amen.

Happy Running!!!

Tuesday, May 6, 2014

Running in the Heat

"Blessed is a man who perseveres under trial; for once he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which [the Lord] has promised to those who love Him." James 1:12

Oh my, it got really hot really quick didn't it? Ran in the 50s-60s all last week and today it was 94! I checked the calendar to be sure, but Summer doesn't start for another six weeks. I'll admit it...I'm not ready for this. It takes approximately two weeks of running in the heat and humidity to acclimate to warmer conditions (24 hours just doesn't cut it). Of all the adversities that runners and marathoners face, heat is the number one offender. This is because it can bring on two conditions that can negatively affect your performance… Overheating and Dehydration.

Sometimes in our Christian race, we get overheated and dehydrated too. It usually happens when we face trial after trial without being equipped to fight and not remaining full of Living Water . God says in James 1:2, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds." Notice that He does not say if but when. And he doesn't say a trial but many. With our physical bodies, we become dehydrated when we lose too much fluid through sweating and overheated when our bodies cannot keep up with the demands of the sweating process. To avoid this, its important to monitor our performance, the conditions around us and the demands of the course. We should treat our spiritual bodies the same way-paying constant attention to clues that might signal we need help or are in danger of not finishing the race.

Christianityabout.com gives 10 ways to avoid getting off track or not being able to finish strong......

Here's How:

Examine your faith-life regularly. Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? 2 Corinthians 13:5
If you find yourself drifting away, turn back immediately. See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. Hebrews 3:12-13
Come to God daily for forgiveness and cleansing. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9
Continue daily seeking the Lord with your whole heart. And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father, and serve him with wholehearted devotion and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. If you seek him, he will be found by you; but if you forsake him, he will reject you forever. I Chronicles 28:9
Stay in the Word of God; keep studying and learning daily. Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life. Proverbs 4:13
Stay in fellowship often with other believers. You can’t make it alone as a Christian. We need the strength and prayers of other believers. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near. Hebrews 10:25
Stand firm in your faith. Expect difficult times in your Christian life. All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. Matthew 10:22
Persevere. Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. 1 Timothy 4:15-17
Run the race to win. Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training ... we do it to get a crown that will last forever. 1 Corinthians 9: 24-25
Remind yourself of what God has done for you in the past. Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised … we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.

Heavenly Father, we praise You for Your faithfulness in our lives. When we get off course, thank you giving us everything we need to get back on track. Thank you for forgiving us and being the God of second chances. We love you and we praise Your Holy Name. Amen.

Happy Running!!!

This is a must have for your playlist!

Monday, May 5, 2014

He is the gardener

"He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful." John 15:2

Wow, yesterday was such a beautiful day. After a long and cold winter, the sunshine and warmth was a blessing. With new growth sprouting out on the branches of the trees and bushes, it was sadly evident, as I finished my run and examined my yard that most of my rose bushes did not survive the extreme cold of last winter. And the ones that did would most likely need to be trimmed almost completely to the root. You see if the dead branches are left on, they will choke out the living part and either the bush will die or it will not produce much fruit - in this case roses.

I thought about the way God works in our lives, pruning, cutting and shaping us into the creation He made us to be - cutting "off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful." You see, God deals with us the same way a gardener tends to his grape vines. Anything that does not contribute to our growth and the purpose He made us for is removed (sin, pride, conceit, addiction, selfish ambition). This sounds painful, and at times it is. Sometimes it may even look as if the plant is dead (I can relate to that). But as extreme as this seems, the ultimate result is when the growing season returns, the branches put out more and better fruit than before. We are better for the experience!

Staying close to Christ then, like a branch attached to the vine, is the only way we will grow my friend. When we produce fruit, He is glorified. Just as He sends the rain and sunshine to make the vine grow, He gives us all we need to grow and blossom too!

Heavenly Father, thank you for helping us to grow in You. I pray that we produce fruit as you intended us to as we stay firmly planted in your Word and attached to you as a branch to the vine. Help us to grow strong and bring You glory through it. In your precious name we pray Jesus, Amen.

Happy Running!!!

Saturday, May 3, 2014

God's plan

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm 139:14

I got my latest issue of Runners World in the mail today. After briefly glancing at the cover, I placed it in my "to read" pile on top of the last issue of the magazine. I had to laugh about how I used to devour the magazine in an attempt to gain knowledge that would turn me into a world class runner. And then I realized that I will never be a world class runner. Not that my feelings were hurt. I kinda suspected it when I took a long look in the mirror at my short legs and stumpy body. Ok, so I wasn't designed to be a world class runner. But, what God designed me for is even better.

Jeremiah 1:4-5 tells the story of Jeremiah's calling, "The word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” Jeremiah was called to become a great prophet to the people of Israel. God may not want us to be prophets like Jeremiah but He has called each of us to do specific work here on earth.

Some of the assignments he gives us are not fun, grand or glorious. In fact, some may be downright difficult and slow in producing fruit. But when we keep pressing on in faith, we find that God is faithful and His plan for our lives is perfect. Start by seeking out God's will for your life and then follow it. You can be sure He has a plan just for you and will help and encourage you as you do it.

Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us a plan for our lives. We know that we are fearfully and wonderfully made to be exactly what you need us to be. Help us to embrace the way we are and to search to find Your will for our lives. We love you and we praise you because your works are wonderful. In Your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen!

Happy Running!!!

*If you feel called to fulfill the Great Commission through your gift of running, check out TEAM 413 at team413.org. "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit" Matthew 28:19

Friday, May 2, 2014

Why God gave us friends

"Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!" Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

The reason we race isn't so much to beat eachother....but to be with eachother.-Christopher McDougall, Runners World

One of my favorite things about running races is meeting up with old friends and making new ones. It's such a pleasure to be among people that share the same love of running as I do. We talk about training plans, goals, injuries and any and all things running related. We also talk about our lives, our families and our faith. Running alongside someone has a way of eliminating pretenses and cutting to the core of a person's personality and heart. Fellowship within a runners group of friends is an amazing thing and a gift I treasure. And something I'm thankful for every day.

Why God Gave us Friends
(by Barbara Burrow)
... Then in His wisdom,
God looked down the corridors of Time and foresaw the special needs of human hearts.
He saw how often we would need someone to share our inner thoughts and motives..
someone who hears not merely the words we speak, but our deeper feelings, for which there are no words..
someone who knows the worth of silence and listens without judging.

That's why God gave us friends.

He saw that sometimes we would need relief from the frantic pace of competitive living ..
someone with whom we could drop all pretense,
who will love us, not for what we may one day become, but for what we are right now..
someone who will close his eyes to our human frailties and see only that which is good in us.
He knew our hearts would sometimes be burdened with sorrow and disappointment ..
and that we would need someone who knows just when to speak and when to stand silently by,
giving us strength and comfort by simply being near.

That's why God gave us friends.

He saw that there would be times when we would become tired and discouraged ..
and would need someone to encourage us to reach our highest potential..
someone to cheer us on and bring us face-to-face with our better selves.
He saw that there would be times when we would stumble and fall ..
and would need someone to help pick ourselves up and try again..
someone who would teach us to laugh at our mistakes
and help us find the rainbow after the rain.

That's why God gave us friends.

God saw that we would sometimes have to take a lonely stand because of our convictions and we would need someone to support us when we're pursuing a dream ..
someone to humor us when we're impractical
and to stand beside us when we champion a cause.
He knew our hearts would sometimes burst with joy that must be shared
and that we would need someone to praise us for our accomplishments and rejoice with us in good fortune ..
someone to increase our awareness of the beautiful in life.
He foresaw our strengths, weaknesses - our dreams and longings.
and so God gave us friends, that we on earth might have a glimpse of the joy of heaven.

Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us the gift of friendship. We pray you bless these relationships and that we lift one another up in prayer and encouragement. I pray that through our friendships, we grow closer to you. In your precious name we pray Jesus, Amen.

Happy Running!!!

Thursday, May 1, 2014

The DASH

"Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain." 1 Corinthians 15:58

I ended my run this morning the way I often do with a few laps around the cemetery. It's peaceful, quiet and a stark reminder that life does not go on forever. As I ran through the paths between the headstones, I found it interesting that some people lived long lives while others didn't. Some headstones are plain while others hold a brief description of that person's life. One thing they all have in common though, is that dash-the symbol marking the period between life and death. The dashes are all the same size whether the person lived 20 years or 100 years which made me think that the time you lived isn't what matters when you're gone, but what you did with that time. As the saying goes, it's not the years in your life that count but the life in your years.

I want my dash to mean something I thought. I want my life to mean something. I don't want to simply live my life in expectation of the next one. 1 Peter 1:24 says, "For, All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall". Life is short, there is no disputing that. So, while I have breath, I want to give myself "fully to the work of the Lord, knowing that I did not "labor in vain."

James 4:14 reminds us that we may not have tomorrow, "Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." When that final date is engraved in stone and I am no longer here, I want others to have known Jesus because of something He has done through me. If it could be written out, I want my DASH to mean Daily Aiming to Serve Him. Serving Christ...now that's a life lived with meaning and purpose.

Do you ever wonder if your life here is meaningless? Do you question your purpose? Do you feel like you're not making a difference? Until that final date is determined, you have the power to change that. God has given you everything you need to serve Him right now. Hebrews 13:21 says that God will "equip you with everything good for doing his will". Be a blessing to someone. Make your DASH count.

Heavenly Father, thank you for the gift of life and for being here with us. I pray that this life will not be lived in vain but that we would give ourselves fully to your work Lord. Help us to be a blessing to someone today and to live our lives in such a way to bring You glory. In your precious name we pray, Jesus. Amen.

Happy Running!!!

Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!-Psalm 100:2