He is there

"Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence? If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast." Psalm 139:7-10

I used to worry a lot. I used to be afraid to try new things. I used to be scared. I used to be a woman living her life apart from Christ. Praise God I am no longer any of those things. I rarely worry, I'll try anything new, crazy or seemingly impossible that God calls me to and I am not scared of many things besides snakes and spiders. In all these things, God is there. It's knowing that God is with me at all times and wherever I may travel that gives me this peace. Francis Bacon once said that knowledge is power. How true that statement is.

There is nowhere we can go that His Presence will not follow us. As far North as we can travel, He is there. As far South as we can travel, He is there. As far as the East is to the West, his hand is there to guide us. He is there. In fact, v.5 says, "You hem me in behind and before, and you lay your hand upon me." Not only is He with us wherever we may go, He goes in front of us to guide us and behind us to protect us. Knowing this, is there anything that should make you worry or make you afraid? Joshua 1:9 reminds us, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

Isn't it great to have the knowledge that nothing can separate us from the love and protection of Christ? Whatever worry or struggle that you have today, did you know that God already knows it? He knows it and he cares and he will be with you through it. 

Heavenly Father, thank you for your presence in our lives. It is an awesome thing to know that you are with us wherever we go. And it is humbling to realize that you love us enough to be with us when we are at our worst and love us despite our lack of worthiness. Thank you for being such a loving friend and Father to us. We love you and thank you Lord. In your precious name we pray, Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

www.TEAM413.org

Psalm 139 - Mercy Me

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrYILn0KtXA

Press on

"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:12-14

Wow, it's the first day of a new year.... a year full of new beginnings and days to achieve the goals you may be setting for yourself. Setting goals is the first step in achieving them. And then comes the hard part - working toward them. Regardless of what your goal may be, one thing is certain. You will have to "press on" to make it happen. Simpler said, you must take action. Proverbs 13:4 says, "The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied." If you do nothing, your ambitions are mere words on a page.

Paul knew the importance of reaching "the goal to win the prize" for which he had been called. He also knew that time spent looking back would do nothing but distract or dismay him. He knew that by focusing solely on Christ, "forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead", he would "win the prize." Those principles are true today and of our pursuit of what God has called each of us to. Looking back is only beneficial when we are either counting our blessings or learning from our mistakes. The past has passed, the present is now and our future is being determined by the choices we make today.

Isaiah 43:18-19 says, "“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!" Amen to new things, new beginnings and the new year. May yours be blessed.

Heavenly Father, thank you for another year. Every day and every breath you give us is an undeserved gift. Although there's nothing we could ever do to repay the kindness. love and mercy you have shown us, may we glorify you in all we do. May our mouths declare your praise and our actions show your love. It's in your precious name we pray, Jesus. Amen. Happy Running!!!

www.TEAM413.org

Press On - Building 429

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9pv5wVS7yzk

the Temple

"Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God--this is your true and proper worship." Romans 12:1

It's no surprise that the leading resolution made is to lose weight and get healthy. The CDC reports that more than one-third (34.9% or 78.6 million) of U.S. adults are obese. And this extra weight and sedentary lifestyle can wreak havoc on our bodies causing all kinds of health problems including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 gives us great insight into God's view of how we are to treat our bodies, "do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own. For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body."

The bible uses the word temple - not home or residence - to describe our bodies as the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. Unlike either a home or residence where people live, a temple is a sacred place in which worship takes place. It's the place where God resides and is glorified.  When we begin to view our bodies in this way, it's hard to imagine not treating ourselves with great care. After all, we wouldn't dream of letting our church, the place we worship and where His Presence resides, fall into disrepair would we?

Rather than making resolutions this new year to change habits, why not make the decision to change your life...for good? To live the way God intended you to live? Making the decision to glorify God in your body will lead to better choices and a healthier "temple". 

Heavenly Father, thank you for the chance to make changes to be healthier. May our resolutions to live a better life be focused around our desire to glorify you in our bodies. May we be the temple where your Spirit resides and may we take care of it knowing that it is sacred to you. Help us as we begin this journey and give us the strength and willpower to achieve our goals. It's in your precious name we pray, Jesus. Amen.

Happy Running!!!

www.TEAM413.org

Welcome Holy Spirit

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

Wait on the Lord

"but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:31

I've heard it said that faith in God requires faith in his timing. In a world of drive-thru restaurants, high speed internet and online next day shopping, we have grown accustomed to having what we want when we want it. It's no wonder then that so many people have a hard time with patience. But, waiting on the Lord and His timing, gives us so much more than that. We are stronger each time we put our faith in God, trusting that He knows what's best for us - even when we can't imagine why it is taking so long.

How can waiting on God's timing make us stronger? A mother, waiting for the birth of her child, has the time to learn to love the life within her. Her love grows stronger day by day as she trusts God to keep the baby safe within her womb. Training for a marathon can't be done in a week, it requires time, patience and trust in God. Each day developing the strength needed to run the race. Ever faced an injury or illness, every day spent trusting God and having patience with his timing, is a day that strengthens your faith. We certainly do renew our strength when we hope in the Lord. Psalm 27:14 reminds us to, "Wait for the Lord, be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord."

As you are preparing to welcome in the new year and make that set of resolutions, why not resolve to strengthen your faith? To trust in his plan and seek his will for your life? Trusting and hoping in the Lord is the best way to start the new year... and every day. God gives us this promise, I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you." Psalm 32;8. 

Heavenly Father, thank you for caring so much for us that you would guide our steps to keep us from stumbling. May today be the day that we choose to trust your timing and purpose for our lives. May we have patience when life is impatient and may we have faith in you when the world says to do your own thing. Only You are worthy of our praise, our hope and our love. It's in your precious name we pray, Jesus. Amen.

Happy Running!!!

www.TEAM413.org

Wait on the Lord - Fred Hammond

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7_rse8HZIQ

Spiritual training

"This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." Joshua 1:8

I was blessed to have been able to run another marathon Saturday. Although the temperatures were in the lower 30s with a moderate sleet/snow mix, the day was actually quite enjoyable. There were several distances offered including a half marathon and marathon with the distance each particular runner had chosen to complete noted by the color of his/her running bib. How nice to know the length of your race... makes it easier to train and be prepared doesn't it? It certainly makes it easier to endure the added hardship of running in less than ideal conditions. Somehow knowing how long a trial will last makes it less arduous.

In the race of life, wouldn't it be great to actually choose your race distance? It would certainly be helpful to select the conditions in which you ran it in too, wouldn't it? Unfortunately, we are in charge of neither. The bible reminds us that our "life is like the morning fog--it's here a little while, then it's gone."James 4:14. And 2 Timothy 3:12 tells us that, "everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.". It only makes sense then that we should be prepared at all times to travel the course God has prepared for us. And, to not only run the race, but to run it well regardless of the trials, troubles and storms that will come.

Training begins with simply opening the training manual - the Bible - which has everything you need to persevere. After all, as 1 Timothy 4:8 reminds us, ""Physical training is good, but training for godliness is much better, promising benefits in this life and in the life to come." Bodily training requires repetition to gain strength and endurance. Our spiritual training requires the same..."meditate on it day and night... and then you will have good success."

Heavenly Father, thank you for giving us everything we need to prepare ourselves to run the race with endurance. May we strive to be spiritually ready at all times to persevere through any trial, tribulation or challenge as we strive to show Christ to the world through our actions. May we never give up, back down or shy away from any "job" you would call us to but rely on your strength to complete it.  When the victory is won, may we know full well that it was by You, through You and for You and may your name be praised! It's in your precious name we pray Jesus, Amen.

Happy Running!!!

www.team413.org

Misty Edwards - I will Run

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

Run for the Ranch 2014

"I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us." Philippians 3:14

What a day for a race! The 10 am race time was a welcome change from the usual 7 am marathon race starts. Not only did it allow for warmer temps, it also gave me a few hours to sleep in. I had come down with strep throat and was on day 2 of antibiotics so the extra rest was a blessing. Against all advice, I chose to run the race. I did, however, wear a face mask, something I never do in temps above 30 and it was the key to finishing.The race offered a marathon relay and a half marathon, marathon and 6 hour endurance run. The course consisted of a 3.3 ish loop that was to be repeated as many times as necessary to achieve the mileage to complete each runners chosen event. The marathon would require 8 loops. By the end of the first loop, I felt I had made a huge mistake in even starting the race. As I prayed for God's guidance though, I soon started feeling better with each additional lap. I knew from experience that if it was His will, the "gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Matthew 16:18. And, so in the words of Forrest Gump, "I ran."

A drizzle/snow/sleet mixture was present throughout the race. No one complained about it though. It was just "one of those things" when you choose to run a race in December. Kinda like with Christmas presents, you get what you get. And, so we all ran...together. The loops created a camaraderie of sorts as we passed each other several times in the course of the race. The volunteers were very encouraging, especially considering they were out in the cold and rain for at least 6 hours. Some of the young men from the Good Samaritan Boys Ranch (one of the charities this race supports) were at the main aid station and were a blessing to all the runners. With cold and smiling faces, they offered water, gatorade, bananas and gels and picked up the cups without complaint. What a great day it was!

Many runners completed their first races this day and it was humbling to witness it. The medals were worthy of the effort by all as was the post race food. God willing, this is a race I would love to do every year. What a great way to continue the celebration of the birth of Christ, not by spending it in a mall but, by running a few loops with friends and supporting some fabulous charities.

TEAM 413 member Cheryl Shores

The boys from the "ranch"

These guys were completing their first half after training really hard. They were so encouraging to others. 

A fellow TEAM 413 member, Timothy Durk

My new "ninja" running look - praise God I was even running!!

My friend, Nii, leading a blind runner in the Marathon

The stone

"The stone that the builders rejected has now become the cornerstone. This is the LORD’s doing, and it is wonderful to see.This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it." Psalm 118:22-24 (NLT)

This is the day the LORD has made. Could there be any day better described as such than Christmas? After all, without the birth of Jesus, there would be no cause for gladness, joy or celebration right? Surrounded by family and friends yesterday, I couldn't help but think of the many people I have met over the years, people even within my own family, that have rejected Christ -and those who claim to know Him but haven't built their lives upon His foundation. 

In Old Testament times, the cornerstone was the main stone placed at the corner of the structure. It was usually the largest, most solid and always the most carefully constructed stone of any in the edifice. What's most important is that it had to be the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones were set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure. The building could not be built or stand without the cornerstone. Jesus came to give us this firm foundation, to be that cornerstone - the reference to how our lives should be built.

Have you placed Jesus as your cornerstone? In your life, is He first with all other things set in reference to your relationship with him? If not, it's not too late to rebuild. 1 John 1:9 says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." and Colossians 2:6 says, "Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him". Through Christ, we can have a fresh start... and a new day to build a life centered on Him. 

Heavenly Father, thank you for not giving up on us when we have built our lives on things other than you. Forgive us and cleanse us. Help us to rebuild our lives with you as the cornerstone, the foundation of what we should be so that every day we can declare blessed is the day the Lord has made and rejoice and be glad in it. In your precious name we pray, Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

www.team413.org

Today is the day - Lincoln Brewster

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