Gone astray

"We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all." Isaiah 53:6 NIV

Ryan Roush experienced what most runners would consider a nightmare on Sunday at the Pro Football Hall of Fame Half Marathon in Canton, Ohio. After having battled hard to lead the race for thirteen miles, Ryan entered the Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium intent on being the first one to cross the finish line directly inside. Unfortunately though, he turned right instead of left before descending onto the stadium turf, allowing Mick Iacofani to take the lead and win by two seconds. Roush was so upset at himself for taking a wrong turn and veering off the path that he left the stadium immediately after finishing.

And as disheartening as this was for Ryan, it's a sobering reminder of just how easy it is to go astray, or off the right path or route, if we aren't paying careful attention. In fact, the Bible tells us that, "We all, like sheep, have gone astray" and that every one of us, at one point or another, "has turned to our own way." Thankfully though, the Bible also tells us that we have a God who loves us so much that He will do whatever it takes to find us and bring us back home - no matter what we've done or how far we have wandered away. 

Perhaps today though, you, like so many other people, feel that you have gone so far astray and are so worthless that God wouldn't bother to search for you? If that's you, I want to tell you that you are absolutely wrong! There's no shadow He won't light up, mountain He won't climb up and no wall He won't kick down to come after you. That's the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love that God has for you my friend.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder of your great love for us. I pray that if there's anyone reading this that feels as if they can never be reconciled to You because of the things they have done, that today is the day they stop running and surrender to You. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Reckless love - Cory Asbury

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RF0SndijL18

Patient endurance

"Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God's will. Then you will receive all that he has promised." Hebrews 10:36

When one of my beloved friends decided to do her first 50 mile ultramarathon Saturday, I was honored at the request to come alongside to help. Knowing what was in store (since I had done several before), I warned her that there would be times when she would feel like giving up - but that if she would keep her eyes on the Lord and keep going in spite of her feelings, the temptation to quit would pass and we would finish the race under the cutoff time of 12 hours. And you know what? This race was indeed hard... very hard. But by patiently enduring those periods of pain, hunger, discouragement and fatigue that are a normal part of ultrarunning, Sheri pressed on and finished with 22 minutes to spare.

And you know, just as in ultrarunning (or running distances longer than the standard 26.2 mile marathon), trials and discomfort are a normal part of life. Everyone, at one point or another, will experience them and feel like giving up. But that's when we, as the Bible tells us, need "patient endurance" so that we "will continue to do God's will." And this patient endurance, or the ability to withstand prolonged hardship or adversity calmly or without complaint, is only acquired by spiritual training. You see, each and every time you and I make the decision to do "God's will" for our lives in spite of the struggle or our desire to quit, we acquire greater "patient endurance" and are more faithful and steadfast in our Christian walk.

So while you and I might not enjoy suffering or see any good in it right now, take heart in knowing that it is training us to have the "patient endurance" that will, one day, allow us to "receive all that he has promised". And for that my friend, it will have been worth it. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that, although it will be hard, patiently enduring until the end will be worth it. Please give us the strength and the desire to continue serving You as we are called that we might influence our families and all those around us to come to the foot of the Cross. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Hard love - NEEDTOBREATHE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ClBToJfO9xo

Near the end and keeping the joy. 

She was thankful to cross that finish line after almost 12 hours of running!

All smiles as we claim our prize and give Him all the glory. 

The best prize awaits

"And now the prize awaits me--the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing." 2 Timothy 4:8

Eliud Kipchoge made national headlines Sunday when he won the London Marathon in a blazing fast time of 2:04:17. As impressive as that was though, there was, in my opinion, another winner in this iconic 26.2 mile race - a man who made very few headlines and received no medal. Using a ReWalk exoskeleton suit, Simon Kinleysides became the first paralyzed man to walk the London Marathon, crossing the finish line 36 hours after he started. But because he completed the race a day late, he wasn't eligible to receive a medal. He didn't mind though. You see, he didn't do it to garner any prize. Simon did it to raise money for The Brain Tumor Charity and so counted the race as a success. 

And you know, as this story shows, not all hard work is honored with awards or accolades. The apostle Paul certainly understood that. In his steadfast and loyal service to the Lord, he had worked tirelessly and tenaciously to win the lost to Christ. He had faithfully endured persecution, imprisonment and beatings, not receiving nor expecting to receive any earthly recognition or badges. You see, Paul knew that mans’ praise and the worlds’ medals meant nothing - and that the ultimate prize, the "crown of righteousness," was what mattered and what would be waiting for him in heaven. "And the prize," he wrote, was not just for him "but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing." 

So while Paul wrote those words to encourage Timothy to stay faithful and keep fighting, they should inspire and encourage us to do the same. Because no matter what difficulties you and I might be facing in our Christian walk today, you can bet that if we keep pressing on to the finish line, we will be given a "crown" of infinite value. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that serving You will not always be easy. We will face hard times, trials and discouragement in our walk with you. Please continue to remind us that if we stay faithful, our hard work will one day be rewarded. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Faithful - Ryan Stevenson

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhCb094cGO4

Seek His face

"Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always." Psalm 105:4

Jamie Watts, a 36-year-old runner from Virginia who has completed more than 100 5k races, will be running her first marathon this weekend. And while a 26.2 mile race is tough under the best of conditions, it will be downright grueling for Jamie who will be using a cane because of her Cerebral Palsy, a developmental disability that affects movement, posture and coordination. And since it will take more than the standard allotted time to complete the run, the New Jersey Marathon organizers have arranged for her to start at 10:00 p.m. on Saturday night, well ahead of Sunday's 7:30 a.m. start time. That means Jamie will already have been running for nine-and-a-half hours before anyone else even begins! Talk about determination. When asked where she gets her tenacity, or strength of purpose from, Jamie said, "I look at the people who've lifted me up in this process." 

And while Jamie might look to people to provide the strength she needs, the Bible is very clear that our strength comes from the Lord. David clearly understood that saying, "Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always." You see, it's only when you and I tenaciously, devotedly and insistently seek to find the Lord always, or at all times and on all occasions, that we will find the strength needed to complete this race of life - a race (filled with disappointments, heartaches, trials, and periods of isolation) that will be exponentially harder than any marathon. 

So you see, if you and I want to run well enough to hear the words "well done, good and faithful servant" when we cross the finish line one day, we will need His power to do it. So remember to always look to the Lord my friend...  and always seek His face.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the promise that You will give us strength if would continually seek You. Help us to realize that this is something to be pursued no matter what obstacles might get in our way. May we seek You above all else. It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

One Desire - Kari Jobe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WatxR5Z4HMY

Restore me

"Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you." Psalm 51:12 NLT

Police in New Haven, CT, are investigating after a woman was robbed at knife point early Sunday morning while she was out running. The 25-year-old woman, who didn't want to be identified, said she was running near her home when two men got out of a parked car and one of them asked her the time. The victim said she ignored the man but he grabbed her sweatshirt and held up a knife. After a brief tussle, she says, she fell to the ground and the man stole her cell phone. 

But you know, as frightening as this story was, it's comforting to know that our chances of being robbed at knife point are very slim. Unfortunately though, many of us allow ourselves to be robbed of something much more valuable than a cell phone every day... our joy. David certainly understood that. After committing adultery with Bathsheba and having her husband killed to hide it, David was confronted by the prophet Nathan and convicted of his sin. Overcome with guilt and in desperate need of redemption, he called out to the Father. And you know what? God heard David's prayer and forgave him. And while David still had to face the consequences for his actions, his relationship with the Lord was restored - as was the joy he so desperately craved. 

So if you, like David, have allowed your joy to be stolen because of sin, I urge you to pray as he did, "Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you." 

Heavenly Father, thank You for the promise that you will restore the joy to all those lacking it if they will simply confess their sin and turn back to You. Remind us that a right relationship with You always comes with the peace and happiness our hearts crave. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Restore me - Anthony Evans

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

Carry the weight

"Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." Galatians 6:2

Very soon, Will Kocken, a runner who is raising money for the 4th Hooah Wisconsin, a non-profit group that raises money for veterans and awareness about mental health and suicide, will be attempting to break the current Guinness world record (6:47:03) for the fastest 26.2 mile race completed while carrying a 100-pound rucksack. And while bearing this heavy of a load to help others might sound insane to most people, Will said "Some people call it crazy or stupid, whatever you want to call it, but it's more about raising funds to help more veterans than it is about being breaking the world record." He hopes to raise $10,000 by completing the Cellcom Green Bay Marathon on May 20.

And you know, when it comes to bearing the load of fellow believers, Paul said that we are to "carry each other's burdens" thus fulfilling "the law of Christ." You see, the law of Christ compels us to love one another so much that when we see others struggling under the weight of worries, problems or sin, we lift them up with correction or encouragement - thus placing the weight of their burdens on our own shoulders for a while.

So if you know or suspect that someone you know needs help today, won't you reach out to them? Because no matter how heavy the load our brother or sister might be carrying, when we carry it with them the load will always be lighter. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that we weren't made to carry our burdens alone. And while we know that You want us to cast our cares on You, we know that we are to cast them on one another as well. Thank You for giving us fellow believers to lighten our load. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Brother - Need to Breathe
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRSLz_KgUsM

The A Team

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?... No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." Romans 8:35,37

Just recently, two friends in the running group I am blessed to be a part of experienced unexpected tragedies. Nicole suffered a complete loss in a house fire that destroyed nearly everything she and her family owned and Elaine lost a child she had so desperately been trying to conceive for 11 years. And while these events might have spiraled many people into a depression, Elaine wrote, "Praising Him even when it hurts, even in my weakness. He is so so so good to me." And just days later, while working alongside Nicole to clear the charred debris that was once her home, posted, "We both had a rough month. She lost her house in a house fire and I lost my “embaby”. But we are still the A-TEAM! Romans 8:35-39."

And if an A-TEAM can be defined as a group of main characters who seem to always survive everything, whilst all the other characters around them die out, I would say they are indeed on that team. You see, these followers of Jesus Christ know that no matter what they experience in this world, whether it be "tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword,” nothing can separate them "from the love of Christ." And with that knowledge, not only can they survive when others around them may not, every other believer who stands on the promise can too.

You see, when trials come, you and I don't have to be defeated by them. By surrendering our lives to Jesus and placing our faith in Him, "we can be more than conquerors." We can be a part of that team, or body of believers, that not only survives everything but thrives in spite of everything. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for the power that You give each and every one of your believers. You have equipped us to withstand the hardest trials and the strongest storms. Help us to lean into You during these times that we might rise above our momentary losses and heartaches as we trust in Your plan for our lives. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

I will sing - Elaine Wright

https://www.facebook.com/elaine.wright.12/videos/10155185661916050/