Against the Wind

Theme: Against the Wind

Verse: Mark 6: 47-48

Have you ever run against a strong wind?  I have several times and believe me it is no fun.  And it seems that even though you start and end in the same spot running WITH the wind never quite fully compensates for the struggle we face going INTO the wind.

The disciples faced a serious wind challenge after Jesus preached near the Sea of Galilee.  They went out on the boat while Jesus napped (a man after my own heart).  Meanwhile, the winds increased, and the disciples were very afraid.  So afraid they woke Jesus up pleading with Him to save them.   According to Matthew 8, Jesus rebuked the wind and waves leaving a great calm.

The disciples were amazed to see the elements obey this man.  It demonstrated that God, as creator of all things, is in control of all situations.

The winds represent the trials we face.  We often find ourselves, like the disciples, trying to handle these trials alone relying on our own strength.  Exodus 14 and Isaiah 54 tell us to nrely on the Lord to get us through.  Jesus is always in the boat with us, He will never forsake us.

This time of year is a good time to be reminded of this truth.

Happy New Year and have a great week!

If you want to read or send someone to read previous devotionals, they are posted at:

Runner's Church — New Hope (findnewhope.com)

Crepe Myrtle

Theme: Crepe Myrtle

Verse: Isaiah 55:13

How often do you stop to admire nature?  For me, it is not often enough. God has placed all kinds of beauty around us with the invitation enjoy it as we experience His glory.

Of all the foliage around us, one tree has a profound lesson for us - the crepe myrtle. Known for a long blooming season, the crepe myrtle comes in a variety of colors and can withstand rather extreme climate conditions producing a beautiful flower for us to appreciate.

Isn’t that what we would like for our world?  For each one of us to “blossom” in our own way, despite the earthly challenges we face, to bring beauty to the world as we reflect God’s glory to those around us. 

This week’s challenge as we spend time with our family and loved ones is to consider the crepe myrtle.  Be resilient to the challenges of the world and let those around us see God’s reflection in us!

Merry Christmas and have a great week!

Run Like a Girl

Theme: Run Like a Girl

Verse: Matthew 28: 7-8

I have been outnumbered in my house by women for the past 30 years, so I must tread lightly on this one. 

One of the great t-shirts I’ve seen at races is this one. On the front it says, I RUN LIKE A GIRL! Then on the back it reads, TRY TO KEEP UP! 

Women were important pace setters in telling the story of Jesus’ life and ministry. In fact, women were crucial in describing the key moment of his time on earth, his resurrection. God did not use the male guards who were present, He chose Mary, Mary, and Joanna, to deliver the message that the Messiah had risen from the dead. 

The story says they were so excited about the news that they ran so quickly, that only Jesus himself could keep up with them. 

These ladies were given a great privilege, and they enthusiastically carried out the task sent through the angel. It took “running like a girl” to deliver the most important news report in world history, the resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus. 

So, the next time someone tells you that you “RUN LIKE A GIRL,” you can smile and know that you are in very good historical company. 

Have a great week!

Muscle Memory

Theme: Muscle Memory

Verse: 1 Corinthians 9:26-27

Occasionally the circumstances of our lives cause us to have a break in our exercise routine.  Maybe it is a short illness, or a change in work situation, or the classic; maybe you just had a baby (yes, this is in here for my daughter).

All the effort you put in BEFORE a hiatus helps bring you back quickly.  It’s called muscle memory.  I’m not going to go into the science behind it, but it is worth noting that athletic coaches use this when developing training programs.  They want their athletes to repeat effective motions so when the time to perform comes, their bodies will know exactly how to perform.

We can use this concept in our spiritual lives.  Like a good coach, Jesus gave us good spiritual habits to follow; study, prayer, worship, rest, serving, celebrating, and giving generously to name a few.

Our scripture tells us to “run the race to win” (where winning is the eternal prize, not necessarily an earthly one). It also asks us to “run with a purpose in every step to train our bodies (as well as our mind and soul) to do what we should.”

Habits take time to develop.  So, consider getting a jump on 2023 New Year’s resolutions and develop some good spiritual (and physical) muscle movements.  You will be “running with a purpose” both in life and on the running trails.

See you out there and have a great week!

Mental Toughness

Theme: Mental Toughness

Verse: 2 Corinthians 10:5

Marathon races are not for the weak minded. They take not only physical stamina but also an element of mental toughness to get through the ordeal.

Somewhere along the 26-mile journey you will have to summon up something extra to continue. From that perspective, the marathon is the perfect race as a metaphor for our lives. Each of us is certain to have times when the road is hard to travel, BUT when you exercise mental toughness and get through the trial, the reward on the other side is so, so sweet!

In our scripture, the church at Corinth was having problems with false apostles trying to shake their faith. Paul encouraged them to be ready for battle by fitting the loose thoughts, emotions, and impulses into the structure of life shaped by Christ. We can apply that during our times of trial by staying grounded in the truth of Christ Jesus. It will help us have the required mental toughness to go through the challenge before us.

So, on your next marathon (or other long run) or some other great challenge in our life, keep your eyes on the prize, throw out the negativity by staying grounded in the truth we know in our Lord, Christ Jesus.

Have a great week!

Walk, Run, Soar: A 52-Week Running Devotional by Dorina Gilmore Young

Running towards the Rock

Theme: Running towards the Rock

Verse: Psalm 62: 6-7

“Grief is messy!” 

Possibly the most iconic line from the movie, “We are Marshall”.  For those that are not familiar with the movie, it tells the story of one of the horrible tragedies in sports; the plane crash that took the lives of 75 members of Marshall University’s football family in November 1970 and how a small college town dealt with the aftermath of that loss.  That story has some good messages for us. 

This week’s devotional is relevant for me as one of my co-workers is going through this right now as his wife passed away last Saturday after a long bout with cancer.  This weekend is also the weekend my father passed away in 1995.

No one is exempt from experiencing grief.  When we experience it, our scripture provides hope.  “He is my Rock and my salvation, my fortress, I shall not be shaken.  On God rests my salvation and my glory; my mighty rock, my refuge is God.”

In these situations, you may feel like you are drowning in waves of grief or struggle or pain.  You may also feel like you can’t get to the finish line.  When grief inevitably happens in your life, just run to the Rock.  The waves of grief will ebb and flow, but our God will provide a steady refuge.

Have a great week!

Resting

Theme: Resting

Verse: Matthew 11:28-30

Rest is important!  Whether it is running, other exercise, or other aspects of our lives, we all need it!

It is hard to say “NO” to perceived important things and in the process, we may find ourselves running ourselves into the ground. 

Some may find it difficult to make time for self-care and when we do often the rest is not the kind of rest we really need. 

So how do we do it?  Our scripture provides then solution when it asks, “Are you tired?”  then provides the solution, “Come to Me.  Get away with me and you’ll recover your life.”

While our kind of vacations are nice and can be useful, why don’t we try more frequent times of getting more restorative rest by spending time routinely with God.  Find something that engages your soul and discover the unforced rhythm of rest in Him.

Have a great (and restful) week!

Follow your Coach

Theme: Follow your Coach

Verse: Proverbs 27:17

Coaches are important!  They teach good technique. They inspire us to go beyond our preconceived limits.  They pick us up when we fall. 

I’ve had lots of coaches in my life.  Many of them didn’t even realize they were “coaching” me at the time.  I appreciate each one of their efforts to shape my life over the past 60 something years.

You can find coaches in places other than the sports field.  You find them at work, in the classroom, and even in our spiritual walk.  And whether you think you can or not, you are probably a coach in some way.

Our scripture talks about “As Iron sharpens iron, so to one man sharpens another.”  When we do life together, we sharpen each other’s skills and hold each other accountable which makes everyone grow. 

This week’s challenge is to think back on the coaches in your life.  If you have the chance, reach out to a few of them to thank them for what they have meant to you.

Have a great week!

Training Together

Theme: Training Together

Verse: Hebrews 10: 24-25

Running alone has its place. It’s gives you time to meditate.  But I’m always encouraged when I see group of people running together. Whether it is 2 people or 20 people, they have formed their own community that encourages each other, motivates them to work harder, and hopefully provides the whole group some collective wisdom.

We need groups in all aspects of our lives. Trying to do this life alone is a fool’s errand. Our scripture encourages us to spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

Sometimes the group is good for simply getting us to participate, but often bring part of a group leads us to perform better reaching heights we never considered possible.

If you are not in a group in a certain aspect of your life, I encourage you to find one for that area, give it an honest try for about 90 days and see if it doesn’t have a positive impact on how that part of your life goes.

Go Air Force, Beat Army!

Have a great week!

Jackie - 6 months

This week we are making time to remember Jackie Okun who went home to be with the Lord six months ago this Saturday. She was an inspiration to all who knew her and a friend to everyone she met. Here are some verses that will help us as we remember her.

Matthew 5:4 God blesses those people who grieve. They will find comfort.

It’s okay to grieve. We love strongly, and we grieve strongly. Fortunately, God will comfort us in our grief when we turn to Him.

Philippians 4:7 God will bless you with peace that no one can completely understand.

Once we can truly give our grief to God and be comforted by Him, we will know the peace from His promise of everlasting life.

Hebrews 11:1 Faith makes us sure of what we hope for and gives us proof of what we cannot see.

With our faith, we have proof that our loved ones are okay.

Philippians 2:15-16 Try to shine as lights among the people of this world, as you hold firmly to the message that gives life.

We’re still here on earth for a reason, to make it His kingdom. We know Him and know what it means to truly live.

For those of you that did not know Jackie, she was one of a kind. She was 67 years old going on 30. A great competitor, a super athlete, a tremendous teacher, but most of all a kind person. In a world in which we sometimes wonder where we made a wrong turn, Jackie’s life represented a road that knew exactly where it was headed, and the path was the right one.

We all have experience loss, and it is never easy to cope with. It is just a difficult part of the human experience. Trying to understand things in human terms is impossible. Only when we put the situation in God’s hands can we understand.

So, as we remember Jackie’s life and remember her this weekend let’s rededicate our lives to try to live our lives as she did; seeking God, exuding kindness, and being an inspiration to others.

Running to Worship

Theme: Running to Worship

Verse: Romans 12:1

Have you ever watched the movie “Hoosiers”? For those that haven’t, it is a Hollywood-ized telling of the story of a small-town high school basketball team overcoming the odds, and many bigger schools, to win the Indiana state basketball championship. (That small town school, Milan High School (enrollment 160), did win the championship in 1954 over a school more than 10 times its size.)

Anyway, there is a scene in the movie in which the local preacher’s son, nicknamed Strap, one of the bench players finally gets in a game in a critical spot. He proceeds to immediately score a couple of baskets by driving to the basket and making it look easy. When the coach gets to talk to the team during the next timeout he asks his young player, “What’s gotten into you??”  

Strap: “It’s the Lord. I can feel His strength.”

Coach: “Well, feel His strength in the dribble, alright?”

The point is we have a chance to feel God’s presence in all sorts of places. At work, doing household chores, and yes even when we exercise. I often find myself worshiping during my morning workouts. 0500 is generally a time of solitude that gives me ample opportunity to meditate on what God has in store for the day.

Try it. It doesn’t have to by 0500, but the next time you are exercising use it as a time of meditation.

Have a great week!

Under His Wings

Verse: Psalm 91:4

We all need protection in our lives.  It starts when we are Babies when we learn to trust our parents for everything while the parents prepare them for their independent lives down the road.

But even when we are independent, we still need God’s protection.  Our verse highlights that God is our Protector, our Comforter, our Shelter, and our Strength.  That strength might be in our running/exercise life, but more likely it will be in other aspects of our lives; our relationships, our jobs, our riding out storms like we did in Florida last week.

The visual our devotional gives us is a bird, which is perfect. The feathers provide the bird insulation from the cold and in many cases have oil on the feathers to protect the bird from rain and snow.

Like the bird is protected from the elements, if we let him God will protect us from the enemy keeping us in a safe place.

Have a great week!

Hitting the Wall

Theme: Hitting the Wall                                                                                                    

Verse: Psalm 40:1-3

Have you ever “Hit the Wall” in a race? If you haven’t, you will at some point and let me tell you it is the worst feeling. Your body is simply out of energy (glycogens) and there you are out on the course will nothing left and still some race to run.

Our lives can be like that sometimes as well. Maybe we have anxiety or fear about a new job, a new relationship, or a move coming up and that anxiety simply shuts us down.  We feel as if we cannot continue. When those things happen, it is a good idea to put things in God’s hands and let him fill us up to continue the race. Our scripture tells us that He will lift us up and set us on solid ground.

So, whether it is in your run training or in our daily lives, we can be assured that God is there beside us to help us when we Hit the Wall.

Have a great week!