You be You and Let Them Be Them!
Theme: You be You and Let Them Be Them!
Verse: Romans 12:4
The great thing about running / walking is there are so many ways to participate. Littleequipment is required, and success can be measured in a variety of ways. In my mind, the most important thing is not speed or volume of miles, but consistency.
This is not unlike our spiritual journey. You don’t need any specialized training or equipment. Just an open mind, an open heart, and a little bit of consistency to be successful. Each person has their own set of spiritual gifts.
If you are a good speaker, maybe you can preach. If you are a good listener, maybe you can be a comforting ear to someone who just needs a friend. If you are a coach, maybe you can teach something. The point is everyone has some talent to share. And we need ALL those talents to be a fully functioning community.
Don’t try to be something that you are not. Just work hard and consistently within that talent set that God has given you.
Have a great week!
Adapted from They Will Run and Not Grow Weary by David Alan Black
Everyone is Called!
Theme: Everyone is Called!
Verse: Matthew 28:19
The NFL draft is next week. Over the course of three days, 259 young men will hear their name called. With that, each one will have an opportunity to change their history. While I’m fairly certain no one reading this will receive one of those 259 phone calls, I am certain that each of us will be CALLED, nonetheless.
Each of us is called to serve the kingdom of God. God has appointed the entire church for ministry to and for the world. You don’t have to be the next Billy Graham to serve in this capacity. Local communities never run out of ways for those willing to be the hands and feet of Jesus to serve. There are hungry or homeless or sick or lonely all around us who would embracea simple act of kindness in the name of Christ.
Our church has a rather simple, but profound, mission statement. “Make MORE and BETTER followers of Jesus.” While we often focus on the quantitative aspect, bringing more people to Christ; the qualitative aspect, refining those who already believe to be more like Christ, is equally important. Being the hands and feet of Jesus is step in that direction.
So, while you wait to see what the Buccaneers do with the #19 pick in the draft, consider what you can do to be a top draft pick for God. Answer HIS call by finding a way to serve others in your community.
Have a great week!
Adapted from They Will Run and Not Grow Weary by David Alan Black
Looking Back to Go Forward!
Theme: Looking Back to Go Forward!
Verse: Hebrews 12: 1-2
I lost my aunt this past week. She lived a very full life and I rejoice that she has gone home to be with Jesus.
These moments are a good time to reflect on those that have guided us along the way. This would include parents, aunts, uncles, teachers, pastors, co-workers, and even exercise partners. I have fine examples of all of these in my life.
The small town where I grew up is one you can’t find very often these days. My Dad was the local newspaper editor. My Mom was a piano teacher. The schoolteachers taught me well enough to get me through high school, college, and a marginally successful career in the United States Air Force. I played sports for some of the finest coaches one could ask for. They taught me more than how to hit, catch and throw a ball. They taught me to be part of a team, win with grace, and lose with dignity. Many of these same people were Sunday School leaders in the local churches where they taught us many of those same lessons. I can honestly say I would not be anywhere in this world without the collective effort of a small-town community that raised a generation of kids along the Mississippi River in Missouri.
This is a shout-out to Crystal City, the town that raised my mother and aunt, then in the next generation, my sister and me. People there strived to make their town better than they found it. My assessment of that goal is MISSION ACCOMPLISHED! I hope those I grew up with, realize what a special place we had. As our generation takes the baton to complete our race, if we do it half as well in our communities as our elders did along the banks of the Mississippi, our kids and grandkids will be just fine!
Have a great week!
Adapted from They Will Run and Not Grow Weary by David Alan Black
We are All Winners!
Theme: We are All Winners!
Verse: 2 Corinthians 12:9
The beauty of running is that success can be measured in so many ways. In the Olympics, running is a competition in which one person is the Gold Medalist. But in the world of mere athletic mortals, where everyone in this group except Destiny live, success might be a somewhat less lofty standard.
Maybe you define success as placing in your gender and age group. Or maybe it is hitting a personal best. Or if you are just starting out / coming back from injury maybe success it simply finishing the race.
The point is regardless of how long it takes you to finish, you are victorious in that you were in the game and made the step across the finish line.
Each step in our life is the same way. Each day we are in a race in which we discover something new about God’s will for our lives. The moment when we accept and reject the limitations of our earthly lives and realize that with God we can do all things is the moment we know we on the right path and have become a WINNERS in the race that really counts!
Have a great week!
Adapted from They Will Run and Not Grow Weary by David Alan Black
Persevere to the End
Theme: Persevere to the End
Verse: Romans 5:4
It’s appropriate that we have a devotional about on this subject today. Two sports seasons that are all about perseverance take center stage this weekend. One is ending and one is just beginning.
You may have heard something about a couple of college basketball tournaments going on the past couple of weeks. These are all about perseverance. The student-athletes play approximately 30 games over 4 months to qualify for the tournament. Then, in the span of about 17 days, need to win 6 (or for some, 7) more games against the best competition to be declared the champion. It’s a grueling road!
Then, there is baseball. This weekend marks the start of the 162-game season for 30 MLB teams. Another arduous journey that takes teams from coast to coast and from north to south severaltimes until October. Then, a handful get to play on to get to the end.
Both these seasons present obstacles to the participants, and that is not unlike our lives. We are all human with weaknesses causing us to fall short of God’s standard for our lives. Yet, He loves us unconditionally! He loves us even when our life gets in the way, and we are incapable or unwilling to love him back.
When we find our horizontal relationships (earthly ones) are in disarray consider that there may be something to fix in our vertical relationship (with our Heavenly Father).
Have a great week!
Go Rays! Go Cards!
Adapted from They Will Run and Not Grow Weary by David Alan Black
Learn to Rest, Not Quit
Theme: Learn to Rest, Not Quit
Verse: Genesis 2:2-3
This is for me more than anyone else on the planet. So, the rest of you can read along while God speaks to me!
Rest in an important part of any training plan. It’s built into any I’ve ever seen, including the one in the Bible, (See our feature verse!)
It might sound counter-intuitive, but rest helps you achieve your goals. It creates a rhythm of life that includes renewal. Nature (God’s handywork) has several examples of rest and renewal.Plants have a production cycle for their fruit. Bees and ants harvest in certain periods of production. Bears have long hibernation periods. But humans? Well, we have created conditions that allow us to operate outside the natural cycle. For example, lighting in our homes allows us to stay awake far longer than we would naturally.
From an exercise perspective, including a rest component will help you stay committed. It avoids exercise getting stale and will keep you from giving up or giving in.
When you are doing your work, give it everything you can so you get the most impact out of the time you are committing. The same applies to rest. Schedule it and commit to it! You will get re-charged and be ready to attack your goal the next time out.
Have a great week!
Adapted from They Will Run and Not Grow Weary by David Alan Black
Balance Body and Soul
Theme: Balance Body and Soul
Verse: Philippians 4:11
Life Balance is a struggle for most of us. Put serious training for a long race in the mix and things can really get out of whack!
Time is a scarce commodity for each of us as we have only 168 hours each week (we actually had only 167 hours last week due to daylight savings time). The point is we must fit a lot into the time we have and there are no do-overs with time (unless you are a member of the Soviet 1972 Olympic Men’s Basketball Team).
We should consider maintaining fitness a kingdom activity, and not forget that fitness is a whole-body experience. Our muscles and our minds. We need to feed both to enable us to do effective kingdom work. That balancing act is difficult to manage, but be aware that the potential for imbalance exists if more than half of the battle.
So, what if we aren’t Jack Lalanne, Suzanne Somers, or Richard Simmons and not a seemingly perfect physical specimen? The good news is that we all have imperfections, and it’s through those imperfections that God has an opportunity to work through us in this world.
Have a great week!
Adapted from They Will Run and Not Grow Weary by David Alan Black
Plotting a Path
Theme: Plotting a Path
Verse: Proverbs 16:9
Those who know me accurately accuse me of being an over-planner. It’s a blessing and a curse. Planning (or preparing) for a race takes some effort. Most people follow some sort of training plan before venturing into a race distance they have not done before. My nephew, Casey, (an All-American college QB), tried to run a half marathon without any training and will tell you that was one of the great miscalculations of his athletic life.
The community of runners is a particularly encouraging bunch. I suppose that’s because each one of us has been at the beginning of the run journey, so we remember those first scary steps. Here are a few characteristics found in most people in the running community.
First, they have examined their motivation. Few people simply get up in the morning, and decide to run a 1/2 marathon that day or week. Almost without exception, that is a decision each person has given a considerable amount of thought to.
Second, almost without exception, runners plan and prepare. My nephew learned his lesson and at the next opportunity, he actually did the training and shaved about 40% off of his half-marathon time. (But he still has not caught his uncle.)
Next, there is some level of discipline in runners. Getting up at 4:00 is not for the faint of heart. One needs a good level of discipline to avoid rolling over and enjoying the warmth of the bed.
Fourth, most are part of a group that provides a tremendous level of accountability and encouragement.
Finally, (and this is hard sometimes), runners evaluate the risk of the activity they are undertaking. We all like to think of ourselves as Superman or Superwoman, but in reality, we are each just regular Joes or Janes. The truth is we will falter and need to regroup so that we can run another day.
These characteristics of runners can be applied to other aspects of our lives. Go plot your path and have a fantastic journey.
Have a great week!
Adapted from They Will Run and Not Grow Weary by David Alan Black
Adventures
Theme: Adventures
Verse: 2 Corinthians 11:26
What is the biggest adventure you have been on? Maybe you climbed a mountain or dove into a beautiful sea and saw brilliantly colored fish. Perhaps you visited another continent and learned about a different culture. Whatever it was, I’m confident your adventure was a little exciting and possibly a bit scary as you charted out into an unknown place.
As you go along your personal journey you may find God calling you to do something seemingly impossible. Maybe it is running that first 5k, 10k, ½ marathon, or yes even that 26.2 monster, the full marathon. Or maybe it’s not a run. Maybe it’s an opportunity to serve people in a way you never considered before. Whatever it is, it’s good for us to step out into the unknown to test our limits and comfort zone. God has wired us to do just that.
I recall when my good friend, Ron, invited me to join him on his Saturday morning ritual, a 12-mile run. The night prior I had trouble sleeping wondering what that was going to be like since at the time I had not gone beyond 6 or so miles. Four o’clock AM rolled around, I got ready, drove to the meeting spot, and off we went. About 2 hours later, I was coming up the now familiar Nature’s Way Blvd at the conclusion of the run and realized that what seemed so daunting was not so bad. I’ve been doing some version of that run every Saturday now for the last 20 years.
The point is, what seems like great challenges, once tried, typically are not as impossible as we make them out to be. We just need to take the leap, trusting that God will guide us and give us the strength we need at the moment.
Go find your adventure and have a great week!
Adapted from They Will Run and Not Grow Weary by David Alan Black
Healing Power of Challenges
Theme: Healing Power of Challenges
Verse: Romans 5: 3-4
Maybe I’m biased because I went to college on the Front Range portion of the Rocky Mountains, but I think running or hiking in the mountains is probably one of the most glorious experiences one can have.
Did you ever wonder why mountain peaks seem so majestic? Consider that it might be because they rise above sets of deep valleys.
Most people that get to my ADVANCED age (I’m well entrenched in my 7th decade of life) have had their share of valleys on the way to where they are. And almost anyone that has gotten to that point will tell you that whatever peaks they have reached would not have happened without the lessons they learned while going through the valleys of life.
God uses our challenges to remind us that He is sovereign over all. He never gives us more than we can handle, and the challenges allow us to reorient our lives guiding us to our higher purpose (1 Corinthians 10:13).
I don’t wish adversity on anyone because it is painful at the moment. But when you inevitably encounter it, be thankful for the lessons you will learn in the valley and how those lessons will guide you to a mountain peak on the other side.
Have a great week!
Adapted from They Will Run and Not Grow Weary by David Alan Black
Running the Ultra Marathon
Theme: Running the Ultra Marathon
Verse: 2 Corinthians 4 7-10,
Ultra-marathons (and other extreme sports) are the newest athletic craze. As if 26.2 miles (full marathon distance) is not enough, these events go anywhere between 31-100 miles. Yikes! These are a test of your body and your spirit.
Jesus’ final journey was like an ultra-marathon. After the Passover feast where He expressed his love for the disciples by washing their feet, He fed them bread and wine and explained what was about to happen to him. He moved on to the Mount of Olives and Gethsemane. Up to now, this was like the beginning of a long race; settling in and enjoying the steady pace.
Then the “fun” began!
His back half of his final journey took him through Judas’ betrayal, Pilates’ lame attempt at freeing him, and his eventual crucifixion. It had to feel like the portion of long races known as THE WALL. For those of you that have not experienced that, THE WALL is not a good place to be.
But just like a great ultra-marathoner He was, He worked through the pain and got to the other side, where He appeared to a few select people before going to spend eternity with HIS Father.
The visual I get is that the inevitable trials in our lives are nothing in comparison to the ordeal that Jesus endured. I’m inspired to know that He experienced and overcame human pain coming out fine on the other side.
The finish line is a glorious sight at the end of a long race. It is there for each one of us. We just have to endure.
Have a great week!
Adapted from Walk, Run, Soar by Dorina Gilmore Young
Finishing Well
Theme: Finishing Well
Verse: Acts 20:24
It’s not how you start that’s important, but how you finish. Attributed to Army Reservist and Christian Author, Jim George.
On January 1, 2019, the St Louis Blues had the worst record in the National Hockey League. Later that year on June 1, the Washington Nationals were in 4th place and eight games out of first place in the National League East Division of Major League Baseball. Neither of these situations screamed eventual League Champion, but that is exactly what happened for both of those teams that season. In both cases, this was their first, and to date only, championship.
Paul often addressed crowds often using running metaphors. In our feature verse, he said, “My only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me - the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.”
This is an invitation for us to focus on the finish line, whether that is in a race or in life. We are all born into different circumstances and our routes will be unique going to diverse destinations. Despite those earthly paths, one destination we all seek is time in heaven with our Father and Lord, and Savior Jesus Christ.
We have no idea how many races we have left in us, so try each time you are in one to FINISH WELL! See you at the “post-race” celebration!
Have a great week!
Adapted from Walk, Run, Soar by Dorina Gilmore Young
Dealing with Disappointment
Theme: Dealing with Disappointment
Verse: Isaiah 43: 18-19
In 2016, baseball fans on the northside of Chicago did not have to say at the end of the season, “Wait until next year!” as the Cubs rewarded one of the most loyal fan bases with a World Series title for the first time since Teddy Roosevelt was the President. (For those that are not Presidential Historians, that would be a LONG TIME.)
We all deal with disappointment and not just in our sports teams. Maybe we didn’t run as fast in a race as we wanted, didn’t get the job promotion we expected, or didn’t get into our dream college (Annapolis and West Point need students, too). The point is, disappointment is just part of the human experience. Learning to deal with that occasional disappointment is important. Fortunately, our Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth (BIBLE) provides some help!
Our feature verse says, “Remember NOT the former things, nor the things of old. I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” While this was in the context of encouraging the Jews to return to Jerusalem, it can provide us wisdom on how to be courageous in face of our present-day challenges. Don’t dwell on the past (learn from it, but don’t DWELL on it), and know that God provides us hope for a new way forward.
The next time disappointment enters your life, know that God is in all situations and will never give you more than you can endure. Allow your disappointment to propel you to a new beginning instead of holding you back. Thomas Edison had nearly 10,000 failures before literally, the light bulb turned on!
Have a great week!
Adapted from Walk, Run Soar by Dorina Gilmore Young
Resting as a Part of Training
Theme: Resting as a Part of Training
Verse: Psalm 62:5
I know my family is going to get a kick out of this one. It seems like this one was written just for me.
If you talk to world-class athletes, they will tell you that rest is an important part of their training regimen. Their daily lives go something like this, “Wake up, Workout, Eat, Nap; Wake up, Workout, Eat, Nap; Wake up . . .” You get the picture!
We don’t live those sorts of lives, but we do need to incorporate rest into our daily and weekly schedules. For me, I often find myself taking a short afternoon nap (maybe 15 minutes) before my afternoon workouts to reenergize myself from my day.
Rest is also Biblical. The Psalms talk about the rest for the soul that only God can provide. Psalm 62:1 “Truly my soul finds rest in God, my salvation comes from Him.” Psalm 62:5 “Yes, my soul, find rest in God, my hope comes from Him.” and Psalm 46:10 “Be still and know that I am God.”
I encourage each of you to plan for REST periods in your daily and weekly routines. It is just as important as that next mile or set of bench presses.
To paraphrase Emil Faber, founder of the mythical college in the movie “Animal House”, “Rest is Good!”
Have a great week!
Navigating Injuries
Theme: Navigating Injuries
Verse: Psalm 38:15
This one is really speaking to me. Now that I’m WELL into my 7th decade, this seems to be a more frequent challenge.
I am coming back from an injury right now, so it is indeed topical. Cutting back my activity and ibuprofen have been my friend over the past few weeks. Physical pain can be overcome using some earthly solutions, but what about some other sorts of pain we all experience; relationship, psychological, emotional? Where do we find relief for those other real kinds of pain?
The Bible has several examples of God standing with his faithful in their moments of pain. In our scripture, David put his hope in God while he was hurting, discouraged, and burdened. Other examples are found in Exodus: The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still. 1 Peter: Have the same attitude as Christ; for those that suffer in the body are done with sin. And finally, 1 Corinthians: Our momentary afflictions prepare us for an eternity of glory BEYOND COMPARISON.
Now, I don’t want you to go out and intentionally get injured just to experience pain so you can get closer to God. Rather, when the inevitable pain comes, turn to Him, and know he is not giving you more than you can endure and when you come out on the other side, you will be stronger for it.
Have a great and injury-free week!
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:
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