Run for God - Connect Magazine - Summer 2016

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LIVING WATER AND THE BREAD OF LIFE THE INCIDIOUS NATURE OF COMPLACENCY

MAGAZINE

GOD’S

True Purpose FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT

A WORD FROM MITCHELL

WELCOME TO

connect Happy Summer Everyone!

Just the other day, I was having a conversation with my two sons. That particular day they had been around some kids who were a little more obnoxious than I’m comfortable with. Nothing terrible, but if you’ve been around kids very much, you know that kids begin to act like those they hang around, and this day was no different. That night, I sat my two boys down and gave them some advice that I thought they needed to hear. It was simply, “Be the kid who doesn’t say much, so that when you do, people listen. Love God, and let your actions speak for themselves.”

be the kid who doesn’t say much, so that

“Be the kid who doesn’t say much, so that when you do, people listen. Love God, and let your actions speak for themselves.”

Do you ever have those moments when God seems to be speaking directly to you through the words that you are telling your children? This was one of

when you do,

those times. No, maybe I don’t find myself spiking a football because of the

people listen.

in conversation that makes me look like an adult version of those kids I was

Love God, and let your actions speak for themselves.”

play I just made anymore. Those years are long gone! But I can get caught up talking about. If you’ve ever been here, then you know exactly what I’m talking about. You get caught up in a conversation, and before you know it, things get out of hand. Maybe it’s gossip, bragging, or just being loud. You lay down that night and as the day begins to play back in your mind, you go back to that conversation and wonder, “What was I thinking”?

Jeremiah 9:23 says, “Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches.” God’s Word is clear in how He wants us to act. Do things that bring honor and glory to Him, not us! Be humble and patient, and love Him with all our heart. It really is that simple!

I hope you enjoy this issue of CONNECT as much as we’ve enjoyed preparing it.

Have a great summer everyone!

Mitchell Hebrews 12:1 James 1:2-4

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features

DE PA RT MENTS

6C ONVERSATIONS WITH FORMER STUDENTS

10. DEAN’S THOUGHTS: L iving Water and the Bread of Life

19. Behind the Scenes

14 I nstructor Spotlight: GOD’S TRUE PURPOSE

22. DEAN’S THOUGHTS: T he Incideous Nature of Complacency

23. Sticky Notes

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STARTING YOUR DAY WITH A RUN? START YOUR RUN WITH GOD Pick up your copy of

Run for God

DEVOTIONS TODAY!

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Copyright © 2016 Run for God, LLC. All rights reserved.

CONT R I B UTO R S

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any other form or by any means without the prior written permission of the Run for God, LLC. Printed in the United States of America Dalton, Georgia If you require medical, fitness, or nutritional advice, you must contact your own health care professional. You should seek the advice of a doctor before starting any exercise routine.

This publication may contain information relating to various medical conditions and their treatment and an exercise/nutrition protocol. Such information is provided for informational purposes only and is not meant to be a substitute for the advice of a physician or health care professional. You should not use this information for diagnosing or treating a health problem or injury.

Dean Thompson serves as the National Race Director for the Run for God Race Series as well as serving as an instructor at his home church in Cohutta, GA. Dean loves to run, loves life, loves his wife Debbie and loves Christ. Look for all of Dean’s stories in Run for God’s Devotions.

To make informed health care decisions, you should always consult your physician for your personal medical needs. Neither Run for God nor its agents, affiliates, partners, or licensors are providing these materials to you for the purpose of giving you medical advice.

For any questions about your health and wellbeing, please consult your physician.

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Dean’ s Thoughts

Conversations with

Former Students Some of the most enjoyable conversations I have are with former students who are still running well beyond the class. If you’ve ever been part of a Run for God class, you may have seen the life changing metamorphosis of former couch potatoes. Or, maybe you were that person!

HAVE YOU EVER BEEN ON A DIET? Was it successful? I don’t mean temporarily.

Were you able to lose weight and keep it off? You probably know that diets fail to make permanent change far more often than they succeed. Likewise, many students who are part of Run for God classes fail to make a full lifestyle change and eventually fall back into their pre-class sedentary habits. That’s why it’s so exciting to see those who have chosen to make a permanent change that will affect their heath forever. I’d like to point out a few of those. I remember when

Pam Shinnick Pam Shinnick ran in our class for the first time. She was able to complete each run, but it was a struggle. Her goal at our graduation race was to be able to run

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the entire distance without stopping. That’s exactly what she did, but she didn’t stop when she finished that race. With support from her running partner, who also happens to be her husband and the mayor of our great town, she has continued to run. They don’t participate in a lot of races, but they get out on the road or track three to four times a week and keep putting one foot in front of the other. I recently had a conversation with Pam where she was pointing out how hard it was to run a quarter mile and now she covers two to three miles with relative ease. You may be able to find her today down at the track walking her very large, very strong dog. For most, that would be enough exercise, and it certainly would have been enough for Pam a few years ago, but not today.

... now she covers two or three miles with relative ease.

She’ll go back out and run later, because she’s a runner now.

Krista Shields Krista Shields has only been running for a few years, but you wouldn’t know it based on what she does today. You can find her running nearly every day. If you find this weekend’s local race, she’ll probably be there. That’s who she is today, but it wasn’t always that way. Krista had never been an athlete in the past. By the time Krista had joined a class, she had already quit smoking and began eating nutritiously. She was meticulous about her food and careful to get the right amounts of the things she needed for her body to function better. She felt much better, but something was missing.

She knew she needed to exercise and she found her thing in running. Now she encourages others and is an inspiration to those around her. Her main running partner had been running for years, but would take the winters off so she didn’t have to run in the cold. But, since Krista is one of those ͞all in͟ type people, she didn’t see any reason to stop just because it was 20 degrees outside. On a cold winter day, you can now find Krista and her partner running in the park!

She knew she needed to exercise and she found her thing in running.

Randy I’ve known her husband, Randy, longer than I have known Krista. He is so proud and supportive of her that he’ll even lace up a pair of running shoes himself occasionally. He has always been a sports nut, reading the sports page of the

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Dean’ s Thoughts

newspaper like it’s critical to his life,

much weight he has lost. It doesn’t

so being able to see Krista so active,

matter how many times he says it,

happy and healthy has been an

it never gets old! Pam, Krista and

inspiration to him too.

David have something in common, and it’s more than simply sharing a

David Rose

passion for running. They have found

Finally, David Rose is a personal

purpose in their running. Though they

friend and deacon at our church. He

are three very different people with

is a Vietnam veteran and all-around

diverse personalities, they see and

inspirational, positive guy. He tried

feel the benefits of running. It is not

our Run for God class the first time,

difficult to see and feel the benefits of a

not too long after retirement, looking

relationship with Christ. The problem is

for something to lose weight and feel

that many people don’t work at it long

better. He and his wife Shelia were

enough to get there. Like many would-

both casualties of that class,

... you can find him on the track any day of the week...

be runners who try to run for a week

unable to finish for physical

or two and find it too difficult, people

reasons. David had felt

are looking for instant gratification in

good during those initial

all they do. A relationship with Christ

classes, so despite my

becomes deeper and more meaningful

warnings, he went to the track in between classes and ran extra. The additional

the longer you’re in it. Praying a prayer and saying you believe is great, but it is only the beginning. You can only reap

running took its toll on his over-60

benefits of being a Christian when you

year-old body. For many people,

are putting into the practice the things

that would have been enough, but

you believe. You could say you believe

not for David. He joined our last class

running is good for you all day every

and, not only finished, but you can

day, but it doesn’t make you any more

find him on the community track any

fit. You have to put in the effort to make

day of the week running his couple

it the best it can be. Our relationship

of miles a day. He tells me over and

with Christ is very similar.

over again how good he feels and how

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THE TRAINING PRINCIPLES IN

DAVE CHRISTIANO WAS the number one runner on his Waterloo High

School's section 5 cross country championship team in New York State back in 1973. It was the first ever Sectional championship for his high school at the time. Later, Dave ran a year in college and continued to follow cross country on the national scene.

In 2009, he was able to coach cross country for one season and his West Henderson's girls team made it to the North Carolina 3A state meet. They finished 10 th with 4 freshman in their top 7.

DIRECTOR DAVE CHRISTIANO

During that time, Christiano studied the training methods of many highly respected coaches such as Jack Daniels and Clyde Hart (Baylor), plus anything he could find on Bill Aris (Fayetteville-Manlius).

Dave’s coaching philosophy was also influenced by Dave Wottle’s even-paced famous 800meter final in the '72 Olympics. “I was watching it on TV when that happened” said Dave. “It is still my favorite race of all time”.

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All of the above adds up to the training principles he presents in his dramatic

too fast – and that is a huge mistake.

cross country movie, Remember The Goal, which will hit about 330 theaters

A race is not won in the first 100

opening initially in ten states across the southeastern part of the country on

meters, but it can be lost. You lose

August 26th. The movie will open from Texas to North Carolina with plans for

valuable time late in the race if you go

expansion to other states beyond that.

out too fast.”

Remember The Goal, is about a female Coach, fresh out of college, named

A car gets its best fuel mileage

Courtney Smith-Donnelly (played by Allee-Sutton Hethcoat) who takes over

cruising at 65 miles per hour on the

a good cross country program at an all girls private Christian school, Orange

highway. It uses the most gas when it

Hills Academy. She sets a goal for them to win their first ever state title and

has to make frequent starts and stops.

the movie follows this quest. It also deals with a number of relevant issues

The same applies to running. Set

facing teens today such as low self image, relationships, family problems, and

yourself on cruise control from

purpose in life.

the start.

An important note about Remember The Goal: A filmmaker who was a

The importance of even pacing can’t

successful runner made this movie. Dave Christiano has spent a great deal of

be stressed enough. Many Coaches

time personally researching training methods and is still an avid runner. He

will argue that you have to get out

is passionate about cross country and has a deep understanding of the sport.

fast in cross country so you don’t

“It was very important to me to make sure this movie, especially the running

get caught in the pack, but Coach

scenes, were portrayed accurately and realistically,” states Dave.

Donnelly argues against this. “A 5K

Here are some of the training principles presented in the movie. These are not in any particular order of importance.

TRAINING PRINCIPLE #1 – Even Pacing The most effective way to run a race is to do it with even pacing, or slightly negative splits. This is a very important running principle that is often neglected in cross country.

is a long race and most championship courses are wide open with lots of room to move up. That argument to get out fast doesn’t fly with me because it is not the best way to maximize your total energy over the course of a race.” Take the race horse Secretariat, for example, won the

In Remember The Goal, Coach Donnelly trained her girls to run even paced

Kentucky Derby in 1973. The horse ran

races, which is not easy to do and takes a great deal of practice to accomplish.

the mile and a quarter race in record

Her method called for runners to hit their first hundred meters at a certain time and then maintain that pace the rest of the way, adjusting as needed at the one mile and two mile marks.

time with each quarter mile getting slightly faster for negative splits. It’s a record that still stands today.

“The first 100 meters is the most important part of your race” states Coach Donnelly. “You have to start right. Almost all runners start too fast – waaaay

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“

It was very

important to me

TRAINING PRINCIPLE #2 – Train for the Most Important Races Many runners in high school run too hard, too many times, and in too many races. The results can wear a runner out and Coach Donnelly wants to prevent that.

to make sure this

So her principle is to pick the races that really matter and where you want to do

movie, especially

train specifically for that meet!

the running scenes, were portrayed accurately and realistically,” -Director Dave Christiano

well. Further than that, pick the race where you want to do your very best and

Winning a meet in September may be nice, but winning a Conference title, Regional title, or a State meet in late October or early November is what really counts!

TRAINING PRINCIPLE #3 – Tempo Runs are Gold Tempo runs train moderately and that is a key to successful training. A person doesn’t have to train hard to be good; they need to train smart to be good.

Coach Donnelly did one to two tempos per week with her team, mainly concentrating on cruise interval miles. She set each runner’s pace at 30 seconds below what would be their current 5K race pace and had them do a tempo mile on a carefully measured out flat grassy course. They would run a mile, rest one minute, and then run another mile. Early in the season, she had them do three of them.

As the season progressed, she bumped it to four and then eventually to five by the end of the season. She marked off the first hundred meters and her runners would practice their starts to get the pacing down. For example, if a girl was running a tempo pace of 6:40, her 100 meters time would be at twenty-five

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Remember The Goal will hit about 330 theaters opening initially in ten states across the southeastern part of the country on August 26th. seconds. Coach Donnelly wants her runners to hit that 100 meters as close as they can, adjusting their time as needed if they are slightly fast or slow. It takes practice to do this, but the value of learning it produces great results!

TRAINING PRINCIPLE #4 - Train Slower to Get Faster Clyde Hart has proven this principle over and over. Just look at his results.

Three of his runners have won an Olympic gold medal in the 400 meters. Not one, but three. Courtney Smith-Donnelly applied this as well.

Her season begins in the summer with long runs, day after day, to build up endurance and a strong base. Slow, not hard, but with a couple of key elements in mind. First, pick up the last mile slightly so your body gets used to going a bit faster at the end of a race. Second, the terrain of which her girls run over is very important and will be addressed in principle #5. Also, Coach Donnelly does not believe running girls into the ground gets the best results. Her longest run for her high school team is a seven mile run. Do six of those in one week, with a day off, and you get 42 total miles in that week. This is very sufficient for a high school girl to run and compete at a high level.

TRAINING PRINCIPLE #5 - Hills are King Coach Donnelly made sure her girls ran over hills - up, down, long, and short – but hills, hills, hills! Make those long runs over hills. When you first start training over the hills, have the girls take it really slow, but as the weeks go on and they get stronger, they will also get faster. You can't beat the hills, especially long slow inclines!

TRAINING PRINCIPLE #6 - Always Encourage In the movie, Coach Donnelly tells the story of two of her basketball Coaches.

“I played four years of basketball. My JV Coach was a yeller. He was always correcting me, always on me, very hard to please. My Varsity Coach was the opposite. He was an encourager, a teacher, always cheering me on.” Then she paused, “I really liked my varsity Coach”.

Be an encourager! You'll get far better results. So, there you have it, some of the training principles of Courtney Smith-Donnelly from the movie, Remember The Goal. Coming to theaters on August 26 th . You can read more about the movie and watch a trailer at FiveAndTwoPictures.com.

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Dean’ s Thoughts

Living Water AND THE

BREAD OF LIFE 14

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We began the summer of 2016 with much higher than normal temperatures, which left us little time to get used to the heat.

IT’S TOUGH ENOUGH TO adapt to the

this: The body can live for long periods of time without food, but it cannot

feeling of being so uncomfortable, but

make it without water. Hydration is even more important than nutrition

the additional stress on our system

to running better, but more importantly, to living better. The cells in our

due to the decrease in hydration

bodies require electrolytes to keep the electrical impulses in our bodies

levels left many of us struggling.

flowing smoothly. The most important electrolytes for runners are Sodium,

Obviously, we have to drink more in

Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium, and Chloride. When you sweat, you lose

the summer, but how much more? The

these minerals, so any activity that lasts longer than an hour should include

answer depends upon the intensity

some of them in the form of sports drinks. Without proper hydration levels,

and duration of your runs. If you keep

your body cannot efficiently take up the nutrients from the food that you

your runs fairly easy and under an

eat. If nutrients never get into your blood, there’s no way to get them to

hour long, you won’t feel the effects

your muscles and vital organs. Properly hydrated blood carries oxygen to

of dehydration much, if at all. Intense

vital organs and muscles and carries away carbon dioxide, essential to

efforts and runs longer than an hour

endurance sports. So, why is it so important in the heat? Of course, common

require a little more preparation and

sense tells you that losing water and electrolytes through sweating can

more fluid intake, especially in the

cause problems, but there’s more to it than that. When you run, the body

heat of the summer. Realize, though,

expands blood vessels close to the surface of the skin to release heat. As a

that staying hydrated is important

result, sweating and the expanding blood vessels work to cool you down

year-round. Although the increase in

when it’s hot. Good circulation is essential all the time, but more important

sweating will decrease your hydration

when it’s hot outside and the vessels that carry your blood carry more

level given the same amount of fluid

volume.

intake, it is not strictly a summer activity. Your body is 70% water and the function of your body systems rely on water to keep it working at an efficient level. Every time you use your muscles to move an arm or a leg, you send signals to those muscles through nerves that require water and electrolytes to work. In fact, your digestion, your ability to cool yourself off, breathing, and nearly every bodily function require water and nutrients to work properly. To understand how important hydration is, consider

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Implementation Staying hydrated is not rocket science. Although minor dehydration is common, serious, long-lasting problems from dehydration are not. It’s as simple as this: Drink before you run. Drink during any run over an hour. Drink after you run. In the past, we had a tendency to make it more complicated than that. It was thought that we had to be able to replace the same amount of fluid as we lose while we run, but more recent studies have shown that to be excessive and not necessary. As a matter of fact, it could cause some problems if you’re aiming to drink that much. First, it can simply make you uncomfortable, even bloated-feeling. Second, unless you are the guy who sweats far more than normal range, you may not need to worry about drinking while you run. There is no benefit to replacing all of your fluid. There is an acceptable range, different for

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To understand how important hydration is, consider this: The body can live for long periods of time without food, but it cannot make it without water.

everyone, where performance is not

foundation of our Christian living.

inhibited. Acceptable losses range

If we are truly saved, we will want

from 2% to 4% of body weight. If you

to do whatever God wants us to do,

keep your fluid loss to less than 2%

even those things we may not like.

of body weight, you should be okay.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 says, ͞For the time

Third, unless it is extremely hot,

will come when they will not endure

you shouldn’t need any fluids for up

sound doctrine, but according to

to an hour of activity, provided that

their own desires, because they have

you are properly hydrated before

itching ears, they will heap up for

beginning to run. You can still drink

themselves teachers; and they will

if you like, though. It certainly won’t

turn their ears away from the truth,

hurt! You can drink water for shorter,

and be turned aside to fables.͟The

easier runs, but studies show that

Bible warns us of a time when we

sports drinks are better for prolonged

will seek the things that make us

activity. Sports drinks contain

feel good rather than the things God

electrolytes and carbohydrates which

wants from us. We are living in a time

are essential to performance. Again,

of false teachers who tell us that as

it’s not necessary to drink them for

long as we believe in God, we’re going

every workout, but it is a good idea

to Heaven. They tell us we can do

for intense workouts and long runs.

almost anything that makes us feel

Finally, you have to plan around your

good because God wants us to be

runs to ensure you have adequate

happy. While it is true that He wants

fluids available. Plan routes where you

us to be happy, we can only find true

can find water when you need it. Go

happiness in a relationship with Jesus

out before your run and plant drinks

Christ. That relationship is like the

in strategic locations. Wear a fluid

water and electrolytes in our bodies

belt on long runs. There are many

that facilitate everything we do.

ways to ensure you have enough to drink, but planning is important.

Pay attention to the weather, the intensity and duration of your run, and the proximity to emergency water supply. Staying hydrated is a foundational need for our bodies to function properly. In a similar way, having sound Biblical doctrine is the

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Instructor Spotlight

God’s True Purpose She wanted to pass on a desire to run to others, but she got more than she bargained for.

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“

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever.”

- Ephesians 3:20

fine, but a hernia had taken her down to a point of near incapacity. She had REBEKAH MCGEORGE WAS told after knee surgery in 2006 that she may never

no way of knowing that the procedure

be able run, but the doctor didn’t know that she takes Ephesians 3:20 seriously:

would change her life. Complications

“Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or

related to the procedure took her to a

think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by

place where they asked her husband

Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever.”͟Of course, at the time of that

to call a pastor. It was bad. Not only

surgery, she wasn’t even interested in running, though she admits to having

was the future unclear, there was

had a fascination with the idea of completing a marathon. But, she would

no certainty that there would even

have to run to do that... a lot. Maybe one day...In 2010 she was going to the

be a future. Over the ensuing hours

gym regularly and running laps for the first time. She hated every lap of those

and days she drifted in and out of a

short circuits around the gym, but she knew the cardio work would benefit her

coherent state. In her lucid periods,

fitness level, so she managed to force herself into being an occasional reluctant

she began to pray. She had never

runner. Well, maybe not a runner, but a person who runs. Fast forward to 2013

been so serious about prayer, but the

when Rebekah found herself under the knife again. Her knee was holding up

circumstances focused her like never

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Instructor Spotlight

“

While Rebekah was busy with her own running, her pastor was looking for ways to get people more engaged and out in the community. He knew about her running

before. The passion of those prayers so connected her to God that she felt a calmness, ensuring her that everything

exploits and approached her to begin a

was going to be okay. With her future more clear, God

group that would meet to run weekly. She

posed an attention-grabbing question to her: ͞Is this the

had heard about Run for God and learned

way you want to go, doing what you’re doing?͟She began to think about things that needed to change in her life. All

about the program through the website. If

of those things she wanted to do but had never started

she was going to lead a group, it would only

were now more important than ever. The activities she

be with the Run for God program.

had pondered and thought, ͞Someday I’m going to do that,͟ became actions she wanted to accomplish right now. It became clear, through ͞circumstances͟ all around her that prayers were being answered and that God had a much higher purpose for her life than she had ever dared to think about. It was in that spirit she went back to those thoughts of completing a marathon and decided to formulate a plan to get there. She joined a 10K training program that required her to be able to run at least three miles. She had been running a little at the gym (close enough), so she joined the group and trained to run a 10K. In 2014 she ran several more 10Ks and set her focus on the next step of her plan, a half marathon. She decided she would run her first half marathon in 2015 at the Run for God Run at the Mill, followed by a few more halfs, and then train for a marathon in 2016. She was ready to focus on 26.2. While Rebekah was busy with her own running, her pastor was looking for ways to get people more engaged and out in the community. He knew about her running exploits and approached her to begin a group that would meet to run weekly. She had heard about Run for God and learned about the program through the website. If she was going to lead a group, it would only be with the Run for God program.

She wanted to make sure that there was a focus and purpose to the group. The pastor agreed and with the acquisition of the Run for God 5K challenge leader kit,

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Rebekah began her first class in September of 2014. Since then, she has completed three more classes and begins her fifth this fall.She calls her students ͞the team,͟ rather than her class. They’re in it together. She wanted to pass on a desire to run to others, but she got more than she bargained for. God gave her a true purpose for running that she had never thought about before, and it wasn’t only teaching a class. She had found out why God had planted the desire to do something she had not enjoyed at one time in her life. She has been encouraged as much by her team as she had by running itself. When 2016 came it was time to get ready for that marathon. She chose the Richmond Marathon and needed to begin training, but there was one problem. Another health issue began to interfere with her running. It would require another surgery. Worse yet, the operation would have her off the running trail for at least six weeks. It was already April. There would be no time to train for her November date in Richmond. The surgery date was set for May 12, exactly six months prior to the Richmond Marathon. In addition to the physical battles of running or not running, she had been working her way RUNFORGOD.COM

through struggles at work. She had worked in public education for years only to find some unexplained tension in her job. It had progressed to a point that she knew God was trying to nudge her towards a change. She applied for eight positions in the school system for which she was very clearly an outstanding candidate. After nailing job interview after job interview, she waited for offers, but none came. She finally talked with God and told Him that she didn’t understand why she had to endure both the physical struggles and mental challenges, but she wanted to focus on what and why God wanted her to endure and she asked Him to focus her in the direction He wanted her to go. She prayed for God’s will every day until she came to a point of peace even among the storms of her life.

When He had her where He wanted her, He began putting the pieces together. In March, Rebekah found herself changing jobs, but it wasn’t one of those educational administration jobs she had applied for. She is now the Children’s Ministry Director at New Testament Baptist Church in Vinton, Virginia. She is now closer to home, but more importantly, God is using her for a greater purpose

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Instructor Spotlight

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Ken’s Carstar South 1018 South Thornton Ave. Dalton GA 30720 Ken’s Carstar North 3518 Cleveland Hwy. Dalton GA 30721 than ever before. She had never dreamed of a job in ministry, but God had different plans for her. It has become clear to Rebekah that, “God ͞works all things together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.”͟Romans 8:28. She has decided to go ahead with marathon plans, even though she can’t possibly fit in all the training she needs before November 12. In God’s curious way of revealing His plan, she saw a shirt with this quote; ͞I have a mustard seed and I’m not afraid to use it!͟She has decided that she can complete the marathon with God’s help. When she crosses that finish line in her Run for God shirt, she will have to give all the credit and glory to God, because it will only be through His strength that she can do it. She will live out Ephesians 3:20 in real time. When it’s over she will use the mustard seed quote with a small revision; ͞I had a mustard seed, and I wasn’t afraid to use it!͟ Rebekah says, ”It’s amazing how God will take things away from you in order to give you more.”͟The credit goes to God in all she does, with a big assist from her Run for God Team. She’s certain that all of the events that have led her to the point she is at today were set in motion by a God who answered the prayers of a person who only wants to be in His will.

She has found the place where God wants her today. She didn’t do it by floating through life as if on a lazy river, but by swimming against the

For more information about becoming a sponsor contact Dean Thompson at Dean@runforgod.com

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current and then riding the raging rapids back down. And she wouldn’t have it any other way.

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BEHIND THE SCENES

MORE

Precious

THAN RUBIES “She brings him good not harm, all the days of her life.” Proverbs 31:12 (NLT) THERE’S AN OLD SAYING, “Behind

every good man, there is a great woman.” Although the origination of this saying is unknown, it is especially true for the Proverbs 31 Woman.

Proverbs 31 tells us, “She was focused on her relationship with her Lord…. that’s where she draws the strength for her noble character. She was focused on her husband…bringing him good all the days of her life.”

I want to introduce you to someone on our Run for God Team who is truly just where she likes it, behind the scenes. Holly is the quiet spirit who supports, encourages, and helps keep Mitchell steady as the Run for God Ministry grows. Holly is truly focused on the Lord and keeping her home running smoothly for Mitchell and their two sons Lane 13 and Landon 10. She stood quietly beside Mitchell as he left his Building Business in 2010 to jump with both feet (literally)

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BEHIND THE SCENES

into the Run for God 5k Challenge. I asked Holly what she thought when Mitchell shared this news with her? She said, “I could see how God was putting everything together. It was very obvious it was God’s plan, not Mitchells. I trusted that God would lead us both in the right direction. I had a job at our local hospital as an Ultrasound Sonographer, where I had been for 12 years. I was helping Mitchell out with shipments and emails as well. I would be at work, but I would be wondering if a class was going to get their shirts in time for their race. I was able to come full time with Run for God in 2012.”

I have never known a Proverbs 31 Woman more personally. Sure there are many out there doing tremendous work for the Lord and their family, but I have the privilege of working with this precious young lady each day. She has taught me so much!

• She helps with shipping packages.

• Holly prints many of the Tees that are ordered on the Instructor’s Store and the All-Access Sale.

• Above all she helps Mitchell make major and minor decisions daily concerning Run for God. Both boys are actively involved in the Run for God Triathlon Team that Mitchell coaches, so this keeps the family very busy as well.

Holly wears many hats at Run for God and I have listed just a few of her

Mitchell likes to tell the story of when

responsibilities.

they were young in high school and

• She takes care of our Run for God Instructor’s who are such a blessing to us.

he first saw Holly in the hall. He told her best friend he was going to marry her. And marry her he did! What a

• Most of the time when you “Contact Us” Holly will be answering your questions.

blessing he discovered.

“Who can find a virtuous and capable

• Customer Service

wife? She is more precious than

• She takes care of ordering getting our clothing inventory in so we can get rubies. Her husband can trust her, it out to you as quickly as possible.

and she will greatly enrich his life.”

Proverbs 31: 10-11 (NLT)

• She is responsible for our race registrations on Run for God Race days.

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S

Should you listen to music when you run?

ST ICK Y NOT ES

THERE ARE A LOT OF people who love to listen to music when they run, and

there are those who like to be unplugged. Are there any advantages to listening to music? Disadvantages? The short answer is: It depends. There have been studies that show that listening to music while you run can help you run better, but does it work for everyone? No, it doesn’t. People who enjoy music while running are distracting their mind from running, which has the effect of boosting performance by helping them to ignore the discomfort associated with the activity. But, if you don’t enjoy listening to music while you run, you may find it a little annoying and it will provide a different type of discomfort. So, listen to music if you like, but if not, running without music is great too. In our crazy non-stop world, it can be nice to have time with just you and nature. Also, if you are running where you need to pay attention to traffic, you should leave the headphones at home. It’s critical to be able to hear the noises around you.

Enjoy your tunes, or enjoy the quiet, but mostly, enjoy your run!

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Dean’s Thoughts

The Insidious Nature of

Compla I missed one run and that turned into two, and then three...Before I knew it, I had taken three weeks off and I felt like I was going to have to start all over again.

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cency T

HAT TITLE SOUNDS AWFUL, DOESN’T IT? The dictionary

defines ͞insidious͟ this way: having a gradual and

cumulative effect. Or as it relates to a disease: developing so gradually as to be well established before becoming apparent. I don’t know how many times I have had conversations with runners who are struggling with motivation and they mention how it all began: I missed one run and that turned into two, and then three...Before I knew it, I had taken three weeks off and I felt like I was going to have to start all over again.͟It’s not too difficult to overcome one day off, but it gets tougher each day you miss. Complacency is insidious. If you’re a veteran runner, you have probably experienced this scenario. If you’re new to running, you will, more likely than not, experience what it’s like to have this snowball roll over you! Overcoming or sidestepping the snowball is a test of will and motivation that requires you to dig deep into your inner strength. It usually takes planning and deliberate steps to get back in the groove again. It’s the same way with sin. When we commit a sin for the first time, it is not necessarily difficult to

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recover from, provided we recognize the need to do so. The

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:

difficulty comes when we find ourselves too far from God or simply too busy to recognize the problem. The more we commit the same sin, the more difficult it is to recover from it. For example, I have had difficulty with anger for a good portion of my life. I have had a tendency to lose my temper in situations where I felt pressured or disagreed with something that was happening. I never saw the need to ͞fix͟ anything because I just excused it as ͞that’s just who I am.͟It took me a long time to recognize how destructive that sin is and even longer to realize that I needed to do something about it. Once I decided to change, it was an incredibly difficult transformation, one fraught with repeated frustrations as I slipped back into my same habit that I had ͞perfected͟ over many years of practice.It required deliberate effort to make progress and I still have to work on it today. Make no mistake; that is Satan’s objective. C.S. Lewis’͞The Screwtape Letters,͟ is a great way to imagine how the devil works.

The short book is a series of 21 letters of correspondence between Senior Demon Screwtape and his nephew and Junior Temptor, Wormwood. The younger demon wants to set out causing the ͞patient͟ to commit outrageous acts of sin.

However, the more experienced demon knows that this is not the way to turn him in the wrong direction. Here is what the older demon writes to the younger, ”You will say that these are very small sins, and doubtless, like all young tempters, you are anxious to be able to report spectacular wickedness.

But do remember, the only thing that matters is the extent to which you separate the man from the Enemy [God]. It does not matter how small the sins are, provided that their cumulative effect is to keep the man away from the Light....

Murder is no better than cards if cards can do the trick.

Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one—the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.”

Isn’t that how we fall into the most entrenched of bad habits

For more information about becoming a sponsor contact Dean Thompson at Dean@runforgod.com

and sin? It is a gradual decent to a place we never intended to go, but we are so busy sometimes we don’t take the time to look around and see the light fading away. Once we are far enough away from the light, it is much more difficult to navigate our way back to the place we began. It is important

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to realize that, just like sin can gradually take us

battling him daily. If you are saved you know that, but if

farther from God, repentance is a gradual progression

we talk as if we only have perfectly shining moments in

too. The act of being saved by grace is sudden and

our lives, our unsaved friends and relatives could get the

complete, but drawing closer to God through the

wrong impression. For most of us, it’s not something we

shedding of sin is a process that requires repetitive

do consciously, but it can have the opposite affect we

deposits of time and energy focused on Him. This is

desire, if we’re not careful. Satan and sin is insidious.

such an important distinction, and one that we must

Read that definition again: developing so gradually

share. So many people believe that they are too far

as to be well established before becoming apparent.

away from God for Him to ever ͞accept͟ them. They

Repentance, on the other hand must be dealt with in

think they have to be nearly perfect before they can be

the opposite manner. We have to invest purposeful

saved by God’s grace. But, we are ALL sinners. No

effort to beat back a devil that wants to take us over.

matter how close we get to Him, we are still human

The good news is that we have the power on our side

and will still fail. If we are consistently spending time

when we choose to become a child of God. With Him,

with Him and focused on Him throughout the day,

we can do anything! And, if you’re struggling with the

those failures will become fewer and many of our sins

motivation to get going after taking some time off, you

will fade away, but it doesn’t happen overnight. I think

have to invest that same purposeful effort to get back

we sometimes look at being saved as an end, but it’s

on track. Lethargy is insidious. It wants to take

actually a beginning. Problems and temptations don’t

you over and control you. The good news is that we

just go away because we prayed a prayer. We talk

can overcome complacency because, with Him, we

like we have conquered the devil, but we are actually

can do anything!

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