Exactly as planned

"The LORD God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it." Genesis 2:15 CSB

I had to laugh as I listened to my favorite radio announcer, who happens to be my favorite running buddy as well, explain on air last week how he made it into the Boston Marathon but his friend, Melissa Martinez, had missed the cutoff by ten seconds saying, "May we have a moment of silence in this matter." After laughing a little himself he then said, "She's totally okay with it though because she said God wants her somewhere else." 

And you know what? I am totally okay with it! Why? Because I know that God's plans are always better than mine, that He always has something better in store, and that He will put me in the exact spot to do the work He has prepared me in advance to do. How am I so certain? Consider what the Bible tells us about Adam, "The Lord God took the man and placed him in the garden of Eden to work it and watch over it." He could have put Adam anywhere but he placed him in the exact spot, at the exact time, to perform the exact work He wanted him to do. 

So isn't it exciting to think that when our life isn't going "as planned" that God's perfect plan for our life is working itself out exactly "as planned"? That means that you and I can embrace those times when our plans are disrupted and look forward to the better ones ahead. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that your plans are always better than the ones we make for ourselves. Help us to remember that as servants of the Almighty, our life is not our own and neither are our plans. Help us then to joyfully surrender our will to yours. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Have it all - Bethel Music

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WPbs7N-E0Q

Pass on the knowledge

"And the Israelites served the LORD throughout the lifetime of Joshua and the leaders who outlived him—those who had seen all the great things the LORD had done for Israel... After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the LORD or remember the mighty things he had done for Israel." Judges 2:7,10 NLT

As a coach and longtime runner, it blesses me tremendously to pass on things I've learned to help younger runners 'finish the race'. So when one of the youngest members of our running group was preparing to pace his first marathon, I passed down everything I, myself, had learned about pacing (leading runners to finish in a set amount of time). Among the many things I told him were, "Write down your mile splits on a piece of paper, laminate it and tape it to your pacing stick. Keep your pace at all times as it is the runner's job to keep up with you not your job to slow down for them. Make it to the finish line within 90 seconds of your pacing time and not one second later. And most importantly, give God the glory." As I told him these things, passing on my knowledge to the next generation, I envisioned a kind of passing of the baton. 

And when it comes to passing the baton, consider that believers have been commanded from the beginning to pass down their knowledge of God to the next generation that they might walk also walk faithfully with the Lord. And also consider the immense repercussions of one generation failing to do that as described in the book of Judges, "the Israelites served the Lord throughout the lifetime of Joshua... After that generation died, another generation grew up who did not acknowledge the Lord." They had failed to pass the baton and had suffered the consequences of their actions!

So may you and I be diligent in passing down our love, knowledge and passion for the Lord that the next generation might take hold of it and, one day, pass the baton themselves. After all, life is a relay race in which we all have our turn. Don't drop the baton my friend. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that it is the job of every Christian to teach the next generation about You. May we take that command so seriously that we would continuously sing your praises and tell others about You and the things we have learned by studying the Word at every opportunity. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

I will sing of my Redeemer - Selah

https://youtu.be/5mA8j81Xcu0

Two by two

"After this the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go." Luke 10:1 NIV

Washington News Post recently reported that Wendy Martinez, 35, was fatally stabbed last week while running alone in D.C's Logan Circle Neighborhood. And while not much is known about what led to her death, two local running coaches say it's a reminder about the importance of running safety, specifically of the importance of running in a group or with someone else. "Running with other folks is an automatic  protective mechanism that allows people not only to feel safer, but they are actually safer. Even the most experienced runners have to keep safety in mind every time they head outside." 

And while some Christians might joke that the Christian life would be easy were it not for other people, a "solo Christian" is in danger. Not only are they more likely to be swayed by false doctrine, overcome by pride or attacked by the devil who preys on the weak and lonely, they lack the encouragement, wisdom and companionship a fellow believer can provide to spur them on. Knowing that we are much more effective and less vulnerable as part of a team, Jesus appointed seventy-two messengers "and sent them two by two" as an example for us to follow.

So resist the effort to walk the Christian life alone my friend. Even the most "experienced" Christian needs the safety of others. Find a group of believers that will not only help you grow, but will motivate you to be all that God has called you to be. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that there is safety in numbers. Help us to employ the biblical principle of working together as a team to accomplish more for the Kingdom. And I pray that the Martinez family would find comfort in You today. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

We are Your Church - Celebration Worship

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6Rgu_Wg4qU

God has a plan

"And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns." Philippians 1:6 NLT

Jordan Hasay, America's second fastest female marathoner, was crushed when, midway into training for next weekend's Chicago Marathon, she got injured and had to take time off saying, "It is pretty devastating and unexpected. But I’ve been through a lot worse personally with my mom. (Hasay’s mother, Teresa, died in November 2016, at age 56.) In 2016, I was so bummed I didn’t make the Olympic team. But that was when I came home and decided I was going to move to the marathon. I got to spend some extra time with my mom when I would have been away in Rio, and I think about how those were her last couple of months. You don’t really know the reason until later sometimes, I definitely think there’s always a reason, and God’s got a plan."

God indeed has a plan for each one of us and that plan is to make us more like Him which He does through spiritual training. That spiritual training, or "good work within," started when we first believed and "will continue... until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns." And while we may not always understand the reason we're faced with trials or heartache, like Paul, we can be absolutely "certain" that God will use them to conform us into His image. 

Knowing that God has a plan for us should then give us a new perspective on trials don't you think? Micheal Youssef says it like this, "Seeing life's trials as a blessing starts with having the right perspective. God's perspective. That perspective is this: God allows trials in your life to help you grow up...to mature you in Him. In other words, you will never grow in your walk with Christ without trials. God uses them to be your teacher and to make you into the person He wants you to be."

Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that we are never alone. You are always there working in our lives and orchestrating circumstances to helps us to grow and become more like You. When we don't understand Lord, help us to trust. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Remember - Lauren Daigle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9TE8D5Vs8k

The bogus claim

"Such people claim they know God, but they deny him by the way they live. They are detestable and disobedient, worthless for doing anything good." Titus 1:16 NLT

Like thousands of other runners this month, J.D. Greening, a one-time candidate for the Washington State Legislature, submitted his qualifying marathon time to the Boston Marathon in hopes of being accepted into the iconic race. And with a time of 2:43:23 (well under the qualifying standard for his age and gender of 3:05:00), he seemed to be a shoe-in right? Wrong. While J.D. did actually cross the finish line at the race and time he avowed, he only ran the half marathon there prompting this headline, "Runner Lands on Boston Entry List With A Bogus Marathon Claim." To make matters worse, he even started a GoFundMe page asking for donations to cover his travel expenses. Makes you wonder how he thought he could get away with it. 

But you know, people make false claims all the time thinking they can get away with it. Sometimes they get caught and sometimes they don't. Some people even claim to be Christians but are not. Oh they might be able to fool those around them for a little while, but you can bet their lifestyle will eventually expose them. You see the Bible is very clear that, although some people will "claim they know God... they deny him by the way they live." And those people, Paul writes, "are detestable...disobedient" and "worthless for doing anything good." 

And since our behavior is the best indication of our faith to others, would you say the way you live supports your claim to know God? Or would others, by seeing the things you do and say, consider your claim bogus? The answer is very important my friend because it could either lead people to Christ or lead them away. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that the way we live will most certainly expose what's in our hearts. If anyone claims to know You today but is not living that way, I pray today is the day they make the decision to dedicate their lives to You and allow You to ignite a fire within that brings about a true lifestyle change. It’s in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!! 

Heaven on Earth - Stars Go Dim

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

Arranged meetings

"Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear." Philippians 1:12-14 NIV

If you have ever prayed the prayer "use me" and meant it, you have probably found yourself in places or situations you wouldn't be in otherwise. As was the case for me. For the last three weeks (due to injury), I have been simulating my runs in a pool. And since it's very early in the morning, I am usually alone- except for when the maintenance man comes to quickly perform his daily checks. Having made only small talk with him in the time I had been there, I was on high alert when he actually sat down at one of the tables for nearly half an hour to read a letter. As he rose to leave, visibly shaken and near tears, I knew this was what I was there for and spoke up. And after listening to the man's story, I told him about a Father who loved him more than he could ever know and cared about what he was going through. So much, in fact, that he sent me to pray with him today. And then, taking his hand in mine, I began to speak, "Father God, thank you for arranging this meeting...." 

And while I would much rather have been pounding the pavement outside, I know that as a servant of the Most High, my life is not my own. Paul understood this as well. And knowing that God would put him where He needed him most, allowed himself to be used in the darkest of places. Consider this... when Paul was imprisoned, he was guarded by the infamous Praetorian Guard, the elite soldiers who guarded Caesar himself. Paul could never have gotten close enough to witness to these soldiers had the Lord not arranged it. And it was because he was "in chains" that Paul could write, "most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear." 

So if you find yourself in a situation or place that is totally out of your control today my friend, rejoice and look around. It could very well be that God is going to use you and this circumstance to "advance the gospel." 

Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that many of the circumstances we find ourselves dreading and praying to get out of are the very ones You have orchestrated to reach the lost and hurting. Help us to stay joyful and patient in the midst of these trials that we might be used "to advance the gospel." It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

I will go - Casting Crowns

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eP6L2J6MCoU

Practice what you preach

"'The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach." Matthew 23:2,3

As I woke up early and settled in for Bible study before heading to the pool and then work, I was immediately struck by the words written in red. The very words that Jesus used to convict the Pharisees were the very same words that were now convicting me. You see, not only had I been personally training directly contrary to the way I advise other runners to train, with continuous high mileage weeks and no rest (leading to a hamstring strain and subsequent rehab), the Lord revealed that there were other areas in my life where I was not 'practicing what I preach' as well. Ouch. 

If we're honest though, most of us will admit telling people, especially our children, what they should do and then doing the opposite. Am I right? It might be something as small as commanding our kids to practice patience when we ourselves get irritated for being held up in the checkout line for more than five minutes. Or something as big as ordering people to obey important rules that we ourselves do not obey. Which is exactly what the Pharisees did, prompting Jesus to warn the people, "do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach."  

So knowing that we are Christ's ambassadors and representatives, the last thing we should want is for our actions to not match our convictions my friend. This will serve to not only ruin our witness and jeopardize our integrity but to turn others away from the Lord. And that's the last thing we ever want to do. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that we preach more of a sermon with our actions than with our words. Help us to impact our children, our workplace and our world by being men and women of integrity who never compromise on our beliefs or do things contrary to what we teach others to do. It's in your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Let them see You - JJ Weeks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uOg-1JjAdGk