It's open to everyone

"For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Romans 10:12-13 ESV

As someone who has been blessed to complete the Boston Marathon several times, I can tell you that part of the allure of running the iconic race is the intense work it takes to gain a slot to participate in it. Entrants either have to gain a qualifying time (based on speed, age and gender) and pay an entry fee or raise a five-figure dollar amount and be granted a charity bib. But now, in an announcement made by the Boston Athletic Association, any runner (up to 70,000 of them) can earn one of the coveted unicorn medals by registering for a never-before-held virtual Boston Marathon set to take place this fall. Potential entrants don’t have to worry about qualifying times, cutoff points, or raising five-figure dollar amounts for a charity bib. Any runner could earn a medal from the iconic race, which has long been seen as an exclusive club for the sport’s most competitive athletes. “For the first time in our history, most everyone will have the opportunity to earn a unicorn finisher’s medal for every BAA race in 2021—no matter whether they choose to walk or run,” said Tom Grilk, president and CEO of the BAA in a statement.

Wow! That's certainly good news for the thousands of runners who have always wanted to run the streets of Boston but couldn't qualify isn't it? Want to hear some even better news? You don't have to be an elite runner to qualify for salvation either. In fact, you don't have to be an elite anything. The Bible tells us that the "same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.” Did you get that? A person doesn't have to be good enough to be granted access to eternal life with Jesus, they simply have to place their trust in Him and accept Him as their Savior. Is that amazing or what? 

So if you're struggling to do all you can to be good enough to qualify for salvation and don’t know if you’ve quite made it, quit striving my friend. Your entry was guaranteed and paid for by Jesus' death on the cross. You need only to call on the name of the Lord to “be saved.” Won’t you do that today?

Heavenly Father, thank You that salvation is a free gift that we don't deserve and we could never earn. Help us to truly understand the priceless value of eternal life with You so that we wouldn't take this gift for granted and would be compelled to share the Good News with others. It's in Your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen.

Happy Running!!!

Love moved first

Express your thankfulness

"Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works." Hebrews 10:24 NLT

Like many Christians, I have my moments of doubt when I ask myself, "Does what I do matter? Does anyone even care? Am I making a difference?" And I'll admit that these were the exact thoughts I was struggling with recently while writing several blogs; thoughts that continued to plague me as I drove to meet a group of friends for our weekly group run Saturday morning. But while making small talk with one of the younger runners, Taryn, my doubts were put to rest. "Do you know that I have started doing daily devotions again? It's all because of your blogs," she said. Struggling to hold back tears, I looked at her and said, "Really?" "Yes," came her reply. "I had gotten away from doing them for a while but I am reading your devotions every morning and I really like them." "Oh girl," I said fighting back tears. "You have no idea how much you have blessed my heart and renewed my passion to continue writing them." And with that, I gave her a hug and said, "Thank you so much for sharing that with me." 

And you know, there will come a time in every Christian's life when they, too, will have those thoughts... "Does what I do matter? Does anyone even care? Am I making a difference?" It might be in their home life, at their job or even within their ministry but you can be sure it will happen. In fact, even the most seemingly devout and strong believers will have their doubts. Which is the very reason, you and I should "think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works." Something that can be as easy as approaching a person who has blessed us and saying, "Thank you for (fill in the blank). What you do matters to me and I wanted you to know that." 

So whether it's something your pastor, your child, your coworker, your spouse, your friend, or even a stranger did that touched or encouraged you in some way, won't you take the time to say “thank you” today? Doing so might be the very thing motivates them to press on when they feel like giving up. 

Heavenly Father, thank You for those people in our lives who boldly say the words we need to hear as the Spirit prompts them. Lord, help us to grasp just how powerful our words of encouragement are that we would speak them at every opportunity. Help the church be known as "those people" who are always looking for ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. It's in Your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

All the people said Amen

Nothing lasts forever

“The world is passing away, along with its desires; but whoever does the will of God remains forever.” 1 John 2:17 BSB

Nearing the end of my run early yesterday morning, I looked to the side of the trail I was traveling on just in time to notice a large TV that had been thrown out as garbage some time ago; shattered in pieces no doubt as it hit the ground after a good heave ho. And as I considered the way the televison had met its' final demise, I couldn’t help but think about how, at one time, this expensive electronic device had been valuable to someone. Someone who had no doubt sacrificed their hard earned time and money to acquire it. And now it was worth nothing to them and would lay where it was tossed aside until it eventually rotted away or was cleaned up. “Wow God,” I thought to myself. “Thank you for the reminder that nothing we possess or could ever possess will last forever. All the things we think are important in this life will wear out, rust away, rot, or become outdated and useless no matter how highly valued, important and relevant they were when we set out to acquire them."

But you know, there is one thing the Bible tells us will remain until the end of eternity... "whoever does the will of God." Is that amazing or what? That means the person who is living every day to please God and to do His will rather than chasing the earthly pleasures their heart craves or desires—something that is much easier to do when we remind ourselves that even the most treasured and coveted possessions this world might be able to provide us is only temporary—will have eternal life. 

So make every effort to live for Christ today my friend. Run away from any longing that is more important than your longing to follow Him, keeping in mind that this "world is passing away, along with its desires" and that only the person who "does the will of God remains forever." And remember... nothing, and I mean nothing, on this earth lasts forever. Which means nothing on this earth, and I mean nothing, is worth trading eternity for.

Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us that life is fleeting at best and that our possessions are even more so. Cause us to value our relationship with You as the most important thing we could ever possess so that it would be the thing we pursue with all our heart, mind, body and soul. It's in Your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen.

Happy Running!!!

You never change - Austin Stone

Be ready to move

"But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen." 2 Peter 3:18 NLT

On February 26, Runner's World Magazine published an article that read, "Comfort is king. In fact, some research even shows that when you choose a shoe simply because it’s comfortable, you may be less likely to get injured. So to guide you on your sole searching, we’ve highlighted the models that offer a “made-for-me” sensation. Each shoe on this list was ranked on overall performance and also earned especially high scores from our testers in three specific categories: fit, cushioning, and—of course—comfort." They went on to talk about how to find your most comfortable fit and to explain the way the five shoes that made the list were tested. We work with more than 350 local runners of all abilities, ages, and sizes, for real-world wear-testing on paved roads, dirt paths, and rocky singletrack trails. After a month of running more than 100 miles in their pair of shoes, our testers report back their findings on features like fit, comfort, performance, and ride.

And while "comfortable" is a good thing when describing a shoe. It's not a good thing when describing a Christian. Why? Because being comfortable, by definition, means that a person is affording or enjoying physical comfort. And while being physically comfortable isn't always a bad thing, too much of it can lead to complacency which can make a person unwilling to move from their place of satisfaction and rest... something that can then cause a believer to become spiritually stale, inactive, or even dead. And that’s exactly why the Bible tells us that we are to "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." You see, growing in grace and knowledge requires constant and consistent effort and movement on our part--effort and movement that stems from being uncomfortable with even a small degree of spiritual stagnation.  

So avoid becoming too comfortable my friend. Work tirelessly to grow closer to the Lord each and every day through Bible study, prayer and meditation. Doing so will not only ensure that you are ready to do God's will, but eager and able to do it without hesitation. And as fast as this world is changing, every Christian needs to be ready to move at a moment's notice.

Heavenly Father, thank You for the reminder that Christians need to be ready at all times to move when you say move. Help us to become so uncomfortable with being comfortable that we would study the Word with passion and tenaciously strive to grow closer to You and in our knowledge of You. It’s in Your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Don't get comfortable 

BASS PRO MIDWEEK MOTIVATION-Flexibility is the key to success

Hello runner friends!

Welcome back to the Bass Pro Fitness Series

MIDWEEK M😊TIVATI😊N blog.

Now let's get started by talking about the value of flexibility in getting your workouts done. 

Just what does it mean to be flexible you might ask? And why is flexibility such a valuable character trait to acquire and hone? Well first of all... consider that flexibility is the quality of bending easily without breaking, the ability to be easily modified, and the willingness to change or compromise. Now with that in mind, consider this... when a person is able to bend without breaking (able to adjust to the most unexpected, negative and difficult situations and people without throwing in the towel), is willing to modify the way they do day-to-day things to reach their ultimate goal and willing to change or compromise their attitude or actions as needed to ensure their ultimate success, they WILL reach the finish line. It may not always be as quickly as they planned but it WILL happen... unless they give up. Unless you give up! So determine first that giving up is not an option and resolve yourself to do whatever it takes to reach your goal. 

Now to see what that might look like in real life, consider the words my dear friend Laura Murrieta, a busy mother of three, posted after completing the Taji 100 challenge last month, a 28-day test-of-will to log 100 miles in the month of February presented by TEAM RWB. She, along with many others (including me), was part of the Fort Leonard Wood chapter team and was bound and determined not to let her teammates down. That being said, check out Laura's story... 

Well I did it! I started this challenge already defeated, so many reasons ran thru my head as to why I wouldn't or couldn't finish, but God showed His face so many times this month and made a way for me to accomplish the challenge set in front of me.

Not every mile was created the same, some miles were at 4 am, some slow, some fast, some late, some were up and down a staircase at a hotel because their workout room flooded, some were running up and down a basketball court, some were pushing a stroller and some only as fast as a 1 yr old could run because she didn't want to be in the stroller, some done as I was a "single" parent because daddy was out of town.

In the end, the miles all came together to finish the mission. When motivation isn't enough we must rely on determination. The miles I do this weekend will be the cherry on top.

I started this challenge already defeated? So many reasons why I wouldn't or couldn't finish? Talk about starting off bent! But guess what? Laura didn't allow herself to break. She was ready, willing, and able to adjust to the most unexpected, negative and difficult situations her crazy life could and would throw her way. Do you see how being flexible was a choice? And I guarantee you, like Laura knows, no athlete (that's you) has ever found success without making the choice to be flexible and to not break under difficult situations. 

Not every mile was created the same? Do you just love that or what? Laura was so flexible... she knew that a mile was a mile no matter where it got done, when it got done, or how long it took to get it done! Laura modified her workouts to fit in where she was with what she had! See how being flexible worked to her advantage? And it can work to yours' too. Find ways to get things done knowing that each and every one of your miles adds up!! Keep your eyes on the big picture but remember that there are hundreds, and sometimes thousands, of different-sized and different-shaped pieces that must come together to complete your puzzle, aka your goal. 

 

In the end, the miles all came together to finish the mission? YES! This is my favorite part! Because Laura was willing to change or compromise her attitude or actions as needed to ensure her ultimate success, she was indeed successful. She kept her mind focused on the big picture but looked to find ways each day to make sure the pieces would come together to finish the puzzle, aka the mission! See all the ways being flexible can benefit a person? 

So there you have it friends. As I said in the beginning, the only way a person can truly fail is if they give up. So make the determination today that when anyone says "they" gave up, that "they" doesn’t include you. As that old saying goes, if at first you don't succeed, try and try again. But if you want to increase your chances of succeeding the first time.... be flexible in your approach! Bend without breaking, modify your workouts as needed, and be willing to change or compromise your attitude and your actions to ensure that you reach the finish line. As a runner who has been blessed to cross many finish lines, I will tell you this... the training was never, ever, ever easy but it was always, always, always worth it. Keep pressing on!! You'll be so glad you did. 

Happy Running!!!

Not on my watch

"Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me." Ezekiel 3:17 NIV

On February 17, Laura Feet was out for her daily morning run at about 5:45 a.m. when Hanna Petree, a nurse at Seattle Children's Hospital who passes Laura nearly every day on her way to work, noticed that a man was following her. Sensing something was wrong, Hanna said she pulled over and waited for Laura. "I was going to ask her when she ran by if she was OK or if she knew him,” explained Petree. Then she witnessed something truly horrifying in her rearview mirror as she sat waiting. “I just saw him throw his sweatshirt over her head, and grab her and pull her to him and then fall into the bushes or jump into the bushes. Once that happened, they were out of my view." That's when Hanna whipped her car around and headed straight for the bushes while laying on her horn--an action that most likely saved Laura's life. Speaking later about her actions, Hanna said, "Not on my watch. That’s not going down on my watch. I’m not going to let that happen." 

And you know, if a person is "on watch,” they are said to be carefully looking and listening to what's happening around them so they can warn others of danger or an attack; something we should all be doing, right? But as much as you and I should be "on watch" so we can alert others of impending physical danger like Hanna did, we must be even more vigilant and willing to warn those around us of approaching spiritual danger; something that a majority of Christians are hesitant to do. For instance, how many believers would yell, "Fire!!" to spare someone the pain of getting burned but are too afraid to say "Brother or sister, turn from your wicked ways,” to spare them the pain of eternal separation from God? 

So make no mistake about it friends. Jesus is coming back. And when He returns (which could be very soon), there will be no second chances for us to sound the alarm. We must, like Ezekiel, act as a "watchman for the people" now and declare "Not on my watch. That’s not going down on my watch. Let no one perish for lack of hearing the Word from my mouth.”

Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us that we all are charged with being watchmen. Help us to keep our eyes and hearts on You that we might be ready for Your return and to speak the words and warnings to others that would soften their hearts that they might accept You as Savior and be ready for Your return as well. Help us to love others so much Lord that we can't help but urge them to come to the foot of the Cross. It's in Your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Come let us return to the Lord

We must repent

"The people of Nineveh believed God’s message, and from the greatest to the least, they declared a fast and put on burlap to show their sorrow." Jonah 3:5 NLT

Runner's World Magazine recently asked the question, "Should You Try Intermittent Fasting for Better Running Performance?" which is a question many other runners have asked. And after a series of tests, this is what they said: Researchers looked at 23 male runners who were assigned to either their usual dietary intake or eight weeks of time-restricted eating on a 16:8 schedule, which means they consumed all food within an eight-hour window each day. The remaining 16 hours also included sleep time.They found that fasting resulted in reduction in body mass, but didn’t show differences in any other variables. Researchers concluded that the body mass loss was likely related to lower calorie intake in the time-restriction group, but that fasting didn’t change their overall running performance. So there you have it...  fasting might not help a runners' performance but it certainly doesn't hurt it. 

And you know, when it comes to fasting, the Bible is very clear that purposely abstaining from eating for a set period of time has amazing spiritual benefits, such as helping believers come to and express true repentance--as happened with the people of Ninevah after Jonah went to the city and proclaimed to its’ inhabitants that, because of their wicked ways, they would face God's judgement in 40 days. Thankfully, "the people of Nineveh believed God’s message" spoken through Jonah "and from the greatest to the least.. declared a fast and put on burlap to show their sorrow." And you'll love this part! Because God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, "he relented and did not bring on them the destruction he had threatened."

Sadly our world is just as evil today as it was in the time of Jonah. And the outcome of that sinfulness has not changed which means... the only way our nation, like the city of Ninevah, will be spared from God's coming judgement is to fast, pray and repent of our sins. So don't be silent today my friends. Proclaim "God's message" from the rooftops so that we might receive God's mercy rather than the destruction we so rightly deserve.

Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us that there is still hope for our nation if we would only turn and repent today. Lord, help us to be like Jonah and boldly warn others of the judgement that is coming. Compel us to fast and pray for our leaders God and to urge all those who have not placed their trust in You to do so before it's too late. Have mercy on us Lord. It's in Your precious name we pray Jesus. Amen. 

Happy Running!!!

Hear us from heaven