connect MAGAZINE
SPRING 2017
Beth Roberts Has...
O H
E P
Did you know that God doesn’t give us Fear?
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GETTING BACK UP INCOMPREHENSIBLE SIMPLICITY
FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT SPRING 2017
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A WORD FROM MITCHELL
WELCOME TO
connect You know spring is possibly my favorite time of year. It
seems as though everything is creating new life. Trees and bushes are sprouting new growth. Birds that seemed to have disappeared during the winter are sounding their chirps once again. And the smell of fresh cut grass is a sign that grass has once again come to life.
Without the resurrection it’s just a great story...
Because of the resurrection, it’s the Gospel.”
But while spring is a great time to celebrate nature’s renewal, it’s also time to celebrate another death to life story. Jesus! Over 2000 years ago, God sent His Son to live on this earth for 33 years. In many ways, He was just like us. He walked like us. He talked like us. He had emotions like us. He was happy like us. He struggled like us. He was tempted like us, and He prayed like us. But unlike us, He was Perfect. Jesus was without blemish. His record was clean. But yet, at His Father’s direction, he traded Himself as payment for the souls of anyone who believed in Him. Many believed, but many doubted in what He said would happen just three days later. On that Easter Sunday over 2000 years ago, as Mary was preparing to visit the body of Jesus in a borrowed tomb, something happened that would forever change this world. Instead of seeing a dead body, Mary found herself face to face with the Son of the Living God, Jesus Himself. He is alive! He is who He said He is. As Peter correctly stated in Matthew 16, “He IS the Christ”, and everything He said is true. This Easter season, I encourage you to pickup a copy of God’s word. Pick a Gospel (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John) and read the story of a man named Jesus. Understand that Easter Sunday (the day we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus) is what validates everything we read in these passages because without the resurrection, it’s just a great story. BUT because of the resurrection, it’s the Gospel!
Happy Spring Everyone! Mitchell Hebrews 12:1 James 1:2-4
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features
D E P A RT M EN TS
6 Runner Spotlight: GETTING BACK UP
10. DEAN’S THOUGHTS: Facing The Wind
14. Incomprehensible
18 I nstructor Spotlight: A FUTURE OF HOPE
Simplicity
24. Behind the Scenes 27. Sticky Notes 28. DEAN’S THOUGHTS: G od Didn’t Give Us a Spirit of Fear
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STARTING YOUR DAY WITH A RUN? START YOUR RUN WITH GOD Pick up your copy of
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DEVOTIONS TODAY! RUNFORGOD.COM
Copyright © 2016 Run for God, LLC. All rights reserved.
CO N T R I B U T O 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. 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 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.
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Runner Spotlight
Getting Back Up
We’ve all fallen. We have all had a time of weakness, when we felt like it was just too hard to keep moving forward. Sometimes it lasts a day, sometimes it lasts a lifetime. Getting back up after we are knocked down is part of life for all of us. Kevin Tankersley is one of us. He’s human and he has been knocked down, but he has gotten back up. And,
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isn’t that what counts?
He’s human and he has been knocked down, but he has gotten back up. And, isn’t that what counts?
SPRING 2017
Kevin has struggled with his weight since graduating from high school. By 2009, he had gained far more weight than he ever thought he would, eventually getting up to well over three hundred pounds. It didn’t feel good, but to make matters worse, his grandmother, Evelyn, was very active and health conscience. He knew she was disappointed in him, because she had often invited Kevin to go out and walk with her. He wanted to be more like his grandmother. In June of 2010, he won some back stage passes to a wrestling match and met Diamond Dallas Page, who had developed a new form of exercise called
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DDP Yoga. He soon saw a video of a Gulf War paratrooper veteran who had lost a lot of weight through the unconventional exercise. Not exactly what it sounds like, it combines some yoga moves with dynamic resistance. He thought, “Why not?” After seeing great results he decided to try running too. He ran a few feet, stopped and caught his breath, and tried some more. He would run as much as he could, alternating walking and running. He had heard about a 5K race in downtown Dalton, GA in October of 2010 and decided to sign up and see if he could cover 3.1 miles. He did, and it snowballed from there. If he could finish a run/walk 5K, could he run the entire way next time? Sure he could, and he proved it at a fund raiser 5K for the victims of the Ringgold tornado disaster of 2011. After crossing that finish line, he was elated and chose to keep running 5Ks. He had lost an incredible 131 pounds and he felt great! That lasted until his grandmother passed away in September of 2011. His encouragement was gone, but he decided he could honor her by completing a half marathon
Kevin had to rediscover the source of his encouragement. Now, IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING! The marathon awaits...
in October. He crossed that finish line with a sense of great accomplishment, but with a heavy heart as well. He and his grandmother were close and he missed her terribly. That would be his last run for quite some time. He had been knocked down pretty hard this time. Over the next few years, he put on more weight than he had lost and was at his heaviest in 2014. With a blood pressure of 220/112, he realized that his grandmother would not be happy with his current fitness level, not to mention he had a daughter and wife to live for and he wasn’t going to see many more years in that condition. It was certainly tough at first, but he was determined to honor his grandmother and live for his family. So, he got back up from a low place and began running and DDP Yoga again. That journey involved purposeful running and the process of becoming a Certified DDP Yoga Instructor. His first returning race was the Run for God
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LISA, EVELYN, AND KEVIN TANKERSLEY
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Runner Spotlight JFest 10K in East Ridge, Tennessee in 2015. He kept working, lost 120 pounds, and was finally living again. His wife, Lisa, who was always there to support him, was proud of the direction his life was taking. Through some internal motivation and a tremendous amount of Godprovided strength, he was back on a path his grandmother would be proud of, and Kevin was able to spend more quality time with “little” Evelyn, his daughter who had been named after his grandmother.
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The Goal of
Marathon. Shortly after getting back to the finish area, he posted a video to Facebook to explain that he
finishing that
would be back. The mountain had
first marathon
was a renewed determination to
still burns hot months later. be a beautiful setting with enough
not been fully climbed, but there scale the same mountain in exactly one year. This time, when he was knocked down, he was barely on the mat before getting back up. Instead, he thought of another verse, one familiar to nearly all runners, that would sustain him through training, “I can do all things through Christ
He began to think about the next
spectators to “help” him along. In
step. He had conquered the 5K,
November of 2016 he would take
10K and half marathon , in addition
that step that would earn him the
to becoming a certified DDP Yoga
accomplishment of being called a
The goal of finishing that first
Instructor, so there was only one
“Marathoner.”
marathon still burns hot months
logical step remaining; the marathon. He signed up for the Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon in 2016. It would
When race day came he prayed that he had done enough to complete the distance. He began with a positive outlook and was buoyed by his favorite motivational verse of scripture, “For He shall give His angels charge over you, To keep you in all your ways.” Psalms 91:11. As he left the start line, he felt good; it would be a good day.
Grandmother Evelyn was the original souce of inspiration.
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hung it up after the Dalton Half-
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who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13.
later. Looking back on his experience he realizes that God was trying to tell him a few things. Both his training and his eating habits had suffered a little during the hot summer months. He knows that God wants us to be completely sold out for Him, but he also wants us to put our resources to good use in other areas of our lives. This year he will follow through on the execution
But it all changed around 8 miles.
of his plan, lose a few more pounds,
His legs became heavy, his pace
and rock that marathon! And it
slowed, and he had to focus hard to
will be a little easier; his four year
keep moving. He was able to keep
old daughter has taken an interest
himself going for another 8 miles,
in running. How much more
but at 16 miles, it became clear that
motivation could he possibly need
he couldn’t make to the finish line.
than a cute little four year old girl
His day was over, but this was a
named after his past inspiration
different Kevin than the one who
sharing his journey with him?
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FACING THE WIND Imagine a world without wind. Lakes would be calm. Falling leaves wouldn’t blow in the streets. Trees would always look like a photograph, standing motionless. But in still air, would you expect trees to suddenly fall over?
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That’s what happened in a three-acre glass dome built in the Arizona desert. The trees growing inside a huge windless bubble called Biosphere 2 grew faster than normal until suddenly collapsing under their own weight. They grew faster because of the “perfect” conditions, but were the conditions as “ideal” as one would think? Project researchers eventually came up with an explanation; trees need wind stress to grow strong. The perfect conditions weren’t so idyllic after all. It’s the same way with running. We can become pretty good runners by just running every day, but we run the risk of falling over if we haven’t faced any wind. In other words, we are at risk for injury if we don’t face stress. So, what does that wind look like to a runner? Here are some things that will help to make you stronger: Running fast from time to time There are a million ways to create stress on your body through running
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faster than usual. You only need to pick up the pace once or twice a week to see substantial improvement. You could try intervals; periods of fast running with short “rest jogs” in between. Start easy by doing a total of a mile of faster running, like 4 times 400 meters on the track with 2 minutes of rest (or 200 meters of jogging) between. You can build up to doing more. Unless you’re running marathons, usually 2 to 4 miles is plenty. Running faster forces your body into a more economical running form that strengthens all the right muscles.
others depending on your goal. Great forms of cross training for runners are: Cycling, elliptical machines, swimming, yoga, Zumba, or anything that works on flexibility and strength. The more closely related to running (like the elliptical machine), the more
Simple strides are another way of running fast. At the end of a regular
beneficial it will be specifically to
run, throw in 6-10 repetitions of 100 meter-long near sprints. Run relaxed
your running. The further you get
and fast at a pace that is not a full sprint, but pretty close. Wait for your
away from running form, the less
breath to return to near normal between each rep.
it will have a direct impact on your
Hill Training
running, but those forms of cross training will help you to build a
There may be no better way to find running strength than through hill
strong core that will help insulate
training. Frank Shorter calls it “speed work in disguise.” Once again,
you from running-related injuries.
running uphill forces your body into a more economical running position that is much easier on your joints while, at the same time, being tougher
Weight Training
on your running muscles. You can simply run on a hilly course focusing
The aforementioned Crossfit falls
on running hard uphill, or you can run hill repeats. Find a 100 to 400
into this category as well. For
meter hill and simply run up the hill hard and either jog very easily or
a long time, there were many
walk on the way back down. Repeat 4 to 20 times depending on your
who thought weight training
fitness and the length of the hill.
was detrimental to running,
Remember to avoid leaning forward from your waist when you run hills. It will put more pressure on your quads and your lower back and won’t be as beneficial. Instead, lean forward from your ankles, just as you should do when running on flat ground. Cross Training
but it depends how you use it. If you’re training like a bodybuilder you won’t find many benefits to your running and you could find increased exposure to injury. However, if you are lifting lighter or moderate weight with
Crossfit is a huge craze right now and there is a reason for it. I’m not suggesting you join a gym to participate in Crossfit (unless you’d like to), but the reason it is so popular is that it creates a more well-rounded fitness. The use of many types of exercise is key. Any workout other
higher repetitions you could see significant increases in strength and therefore, insulation from injury.
than running is considered cross training, though some are better than
“A RIVER CUTS THROUGH ROCK, NOT BECAUSE OF ITS POWER, BUT BECAUSE OF ITS PERSISTENCE.” —JAMES N. WATKINS RUNFORGOD.COM
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SWIMMING
FAITH BODY WEIGHT DIFFERENT STRESS
The more strength training you do, the shorter your muscles become, so stretching and keeping the fibers aligned and as long as possible will only make your strength training more effective.
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ZUMBA
CROSS TRAINING
RUN FAST
“
WEIGHT TRAINING
YOGA
CYCLING
HILLS
Think of body weight type exercises, like pushups, for example. If your weight training is something that enhances these types of exercises, it is good for your running. Of course, body weight exercises are sufficient for building strength too. Focus most of these body weight exercises on your core to strengthen the muscles that help you to keep good running posture (abs, glutes, hips, lower back). Yoga or similar exercise Other than strength, the most important thing you can do to stay injuryfree is to keep your muscles loose and long. Stretching and Yoga-type exercises are great for keeping you flexible. The more strength training you do, the shorter your muscles become, so stretching and keeping the fibers aligned and as long as possible will only make your strength training more effective. It seems that very few runners take the time to stretch after workouts, but the ones who do have a much better chance of remaining on the run. Don’t miss the opportunity to be stronger just because you don’t want to take the five minutes after a workout to stretch. Just like a tough workout will stretch the limits of our bodies, Satan will test the limits of your faith. If your faith is strong, it will be easier to resist the temptation he exposes you to every day. That strength training comes from a firm foundation of Biblical knowledge and an intimate relationship with the one and only True God. The extra time we take to make our bodies stronger to avoid injury is well worth it. Isn’t the extra time we spend with God in the word and in prayer even more important to our well-being?
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Come Join Us! 2017 Race Schedule April 15, 2017 Run at the Mill 5K, 10K, Half Marathon - Dalton, GA April 15, 2017 Virtual Run at the Mill 5K, 10K, Half Marathon Anywhere, USA May 20, 2017 JFest 5K Festival - Chattanooga, TN July 22, 2017 Dalton Parks Triathlon - Dalton, GA August 19, 2017 The Pinky 5K - Dalton, GA August 19, 2017 The Virtual Pinky 5K - Anywhere, USA RUNFORGOD.COM
SPRING 2017
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Dean’ s Thoughts
INCOMPREHENSIBLE SIMPLICITY
The story of Naaman in the 5th chapter of 2 Kings gives us an interesting picture of who God is and how we should look at our relationship with Him.
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Naaman was the captain of the
to live in one of these colonies. Surely it was something that occupied
army of Aram which was situated
his mind constantly. The idea of leaving his lavish lifestyle to join a
just northeast of Israel. Though
group of outcasts must have been terrifying. Fortunately, his boss,
they were neighbors, they rarely
the king, liked him and wanted to see him taken care of.
got along. Aram was growing in power and would, occasionally, raid Israel to cause confusion and problems for them. On their successful trips to Israel, they would sometimes bring back captives. Naaman had a servant who was one of those captives. She was an Israelite girl who seemed to genuinely care about him. It turns out that Naaman had leprosy, a dreaded disease that varied in degree and forced many people to live outside of the city in leper colonies if their case was severe enough to be seen by others. It seems clear that his case was either mild or in its early stages, otherwise he may have been sent
In today’s language, Naaman said, “Seriously dude?... RUNFORGOD.COM
Back to the servant girl: Even though she was taken from her native land, she cared enough about Naaman to mention that she knew of a prophet in Israel who could heal his leprosy. Of course, when he heard about the prophet, and because he knew the outcome of living with leprosy was never good, he went to the king, and asked if he could go to the prophet to see if he could be healed. The king granted him the request and sent along money to pay for the service and a letter to Israel’s king explaining Naaman’s predicament. The king had a vested interest in the health and well-being of his army captain. When Naaman arrived and gave his letter to the king of Israel, the king didn’t know what to do. He was angry that the king of Aram had apparently thought he could cure leprosy. He was angry because he felt that this was an attempt to pick a fight with him. When the prophet Elisha hears about the dilemma he offers to help. He tells the king to send Naaman to him and he will take care of the precarious situation. So Naaman pulls up to Elisha’s door with great fanfare and flashy chariots. He gets down from his chariot and stands at Elisha’s door with the expectation that he will come and call out to the God of heaven, wave his hand over his disease and he will be healed. But that’s not what happened. Elisha sends a messenger to the door to give him a simple message. Naaman was told to go to the Jordan River and wash seven times and his disease would go away. He was mad. In today’s language, Naaman said, “Seriously dude? I thought you were going to heal me. The rivers where I come from are much nicer than that nasty Jordan River! I could have stayed home and done that! Apparently you don’t understand how serious this is.” Naaman was going to head home until one of his servants spoke up and said, “What will it hurt to try it? If he had asked you to do something spectacular, you would have done it. Why not give it a go?” So, he went down to the muddy Jordan and dipped himself seven times and he was healed. Of course, he changed his tune then.
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It’s that way with salvation. It requires a simple act, but has a profound impact. It’s easy to do, but it’s hard to follow through. The message is uncomplicated, but it takes more than a lifetime to understand.
He went back to Elisha to tell him
but it takes more than a lifetime
that he now understood that there
to understand. It’s why super-
was no other God but the God
intellectual people often have a
of Israel, and to pay him for his
hard time with Christianity. They
service. Elisha would not take any
believe that nothing so important
compensation.
could possibly be that simple. But,
There are many lessons in these first 19 verses of the fifth chapter of 2 Kings but I want to focus on one. The thirteenth verse says, “And his servants came near and spoke to him, and said, ‘My father, if the prophet had told you to do
it is. It always has been, and will always be. God loves us and wants us to spend eternity with Him and He gives us an unpretentious, straightforward way to get there. Don’t miss the message by trying to make it too complicated.
something great, would you not
Running is similar to our salvation
have done it? How much more
in this way: It’s simple. Step one:
then, when he says to you, ‘Wash,
One foot in front of the other. Step
and be clean’?” Naaman seemed
two: Repeat step one! At the
to be looking for some grand
same time, lifelong runners know
spectacle, or at least for the hand
there’s always more just over the
of the prophet to physically touch
horizon on the next run. There
him. What he failed to see is that
can be a lot to think about. Am I
the ceremony or the act means
hydrated? How many miles should
nothing other than to prove that
I run? Am I eating the right foods?
he believed. God doesn’t have to
Should I do speedwork? How do I
create a huge production, though
prepare to run in the cold? What’s
sometimes He does, to get His point
my playlist going to be? What’s
across. He simply wants us to
that pain in my calf? All are valid
understand who He is and that He
thoughts and questions, but don’t
is in control.
miss the simplicity of running.
It’s that way with salvation. It requires a simple act, but has a profound impact. It’s easy to do, but it’s hard to follow through. The message is uncomplicated,
Do you think a dog thinks about his form or what he ate when he’s running? No, he just runs for the enjoyment of it because God made him that way. Sometimes we just need to run like a dog.
SOMETIMES WE JUST NEED TO RUN LIKE A DOG 16
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Instructor Spotlight
A Future of HOPE
Depression nearly took her life before her journey to real health and fitness would begin. Beth Roberts remembers the first time a doctor said something about her weight. In the process of her 6th grade physical, the doctor commented, “I see you’re taking after your mother.” Subsequently, the struggle for control of her weight would plague her for the next 35 years. The issue had far-reaching effects that stretched far beyond the constant gain weight/lose weight cycle so typical for those who struggle with corpulence. Depression nearly took her life before her journey to real health and fitness would begin. To those of us who have never ventured into the depths of severe depression, it simply cannot be understood. I didn’t meet Beth until her depression problems were behind her. I thought, how could a sweet lady with a passion for Jesus and for fitness ever have gone through such a horrific encounter with evil? But she did. In December of 2004, she was at work when she decided that her family would be better off without her. She left her desk with a box cutter, a tablet and photo of her children. She locked herself in her car, wrote three letters, propped her children’s photo in front of her and began cutting herself. After two hours, her boss found her in the parking lot and went to get help. While help was on the way, she drove off and found a parking
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For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11 RUNFORGOD.COM
lot in front of a large store and
She saw her mother, who was overweight, diabetic, with heart disease
resumed cutting her wrists, elbows
and arthritis, struggling with her health. She had developed sores on
and neck. She would pass out, come
her feet that required daily care. Beth became her “visiting nurse,”
to, and begin digging at the cuts
tending to her wounds and watching her struggle for her next breath
again. Finally, a store employee
as she walked down the hall and labor just to climb back into her
found her at 11 p.m. and called 911.
bed. Beth realized that she was looking into the futuristic mirror that
When they took her to the hospital,
would become her world if she didn’t do something about her weight.
everyone knew who she was because they had been looking for her all day. The nurse at the hospital was dumbfounded as to how she had survived such a suicide attempt. According to medical professionals,
In November of 2011, she learned that she would be starting a new job in January. That would be the perfect time, in her mind, to begin a new diet and exercise plan and travel down the road to better health. But she was knocked off course by her mother’s death in midDecember.
Beth Roberts should have died that
When she opened 2012 with her new job, the last thing she wanted
day.
to do was think about diet and exercise. Simply going to work and
God carried her through that attempt, and would have to carry her through five more years of depression-related medical issues,
making it through the day was enough of a burden with the freshness of her mother’s death still palpable in her mind. It was a couple more weeks before God would send her the message that would change the direction of her life.
but He was not done with her. At the
A memo came to her desk from the Wellness Committee announcing
end of those dreadful five years, God
a walking challenge. Seizing on the opportunity, Beth signed up
began to lift the fog away from her
immediately and on January 30, 2012 began to wear a pedometer
circumstances and she began to see
throughout the day. In addition, she began journaling her food intake.
things more clearly.
There was no special diet, but rather a determination to make better food choices and to give up soda and drink more water. The weight
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Instructor Spotlight
“
I discovered truth in Jeremiah 29:11. That “whim” to run I felt on June 27, 2012 was God. He knew why I decided to run that day. ... And He knew that I’d see the Run for God post and want to be a part of it. And He knew that it would bring me back into an intimate relationship with Him.
Beth and Keith Roberts
began to drop. The more she walked, the better she ate, the faster the weight came off and the better she felt. On June 27, while walking, she decided to try running from one intersection to another, a distance just over a quarter of a mile. Six months prior to that date, she couldn’t walk up a flight of stairs without panting for the next breath, but that day she ran over a quarter of a mile without stopping! She carried the excitement of her accomplishment home with her and told her husband, Keith, what she had done. His response? “That’s great! Are you going to keep running?” She hadn’t thought that far ahead! His question prompted her answer with her actions. She kept running and making better food choices and the weight continued to fall off. On October 6, 2012, her 46th birthday, Beth ran her first 5K. She was now 75 pounds lighter and was able to finish way under her 40 minute goal, running under 33 minutes! That was it, she was hooked for good!
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But, she was not done confronting her
life being hot and cold in her relationship with God. When her running
demons.
journey had begun, she was going through a “cold” spell. She knew she
God had completed stage one of His plan by lifting her up to a place higher
wasn’t comfortable there so her family chose to begin going to a new church.
than she had ever been, but He wanted
Though the church was new, the pastor was not. Robert Brody had
to show her an entirely different way
been their pastor at another church they had attended so, with that
to approach her running. People would
familiarity, she e-mailed Pastor Robert one day asking for some spiritual
say things to her like, “If you can do it,
guidance to get her back on track. With credit card in hand, expecting
I can do it.” And, “You have inspired
a book or devotion recommendation, she was disappointed in the reply
me.” But, Beth didn’t want to inspire
from the pastor. He suggested that she get involved in the church again.
others to run, nor did she want running
She thought, “He probably had positons open that he was looking to
to be minimized into an “anybody can
fill.” What a typical pastor response! They weren’t even an official
do it” mentality. It was HER thing, she
part of the church at this point, so she reluctantly agreed to a one-time
had worked hard for this, and she liked
commitment.
it that way.
While waiting for his recommendation, she happened to see a Run for
After a year and a half of running,
God post and she was intrigued. She became excited at the prospect of
finding a new body, a new hobby
meshing her love for running with her walk of faith, e-mailing Pastor
and more happiness, she realized
Robert the link to Run for God and hoping for a positive response. The
that something was missing. She
church was traditionally conservative and she wasn’t sure they would
was raised in church, but spent her
approve.
BEFORE
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AFTER
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Instructor Spotlight He knew that I’d see the Run for God post and want to be a part
Keith and Beth’s Mariage is stronger than ever as they grow closer to God.
of it. And He knew that it would bring me back into an intimate relationship with Him.” Now 120 pounds lighter, Beth and her husband Keith run together and have taken up a challenge to run a 5K in every state. Beth maintains a Facebook Page called Healthy for Him to help others who are traveling down the same unhealthy road she did. Their children Emily and Austin support their parents 100%. Emily is getting married later this year and Austin, the baseball player, has overcome some serious injuries in the past couple of years.
The church enthusiastically approved Beth
In addition, Keith and Beth’s marriage is stronger than ever as
to become a Run for God instructor and
they grow closer to God. Keith has been preaching from the
lead a 5K Challenge class! In September
pulpit and they have become a deacon couple. Beth says she owes
2014, the first New Danville Mennonite
her spiritual development to the Run for God “kick start.” The
Church Run for God group began.
Roberts’ road has taken a decidedly deliberate turn down God’s intended path.
The next twelve weeks saw 12 incredible people come to enjoy running, even
Once again, God proves that He can use our talents and the things
continuing to run today, often together.
we love to help others draw closer to Him. All we have to do is
But, more importantly, they became
yield to His urging when He playfully says things like, “Betcha
spiritually stronger and closer than any of
can’t run a quarter of a mile!”
them would have imagined. And that lady who selfishly wanted to keep her running to herself found more joy in sharing running than she had thought possible. She says, “Some of my greatest running moments now include running alongside graduating Run for God members as they cross the finish line of their first 5K.” Most importantly, God had completed stage two of Beth’s journey to a closer walk with Him. He had showed her that it is okay to love something, but to share that love with others is even better. She says, “I discovered truth in Jeremiah 29:11. That “whim” to run I felt on June 27, 2012 was God. He knew why I decided to run that day. He knew when my husband asked if I was going to keep running that I was going to keep running. He knew when I asked Pastor Robert for help that I’d be advised to get involved in church. And
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Friend for a Day When Beth found this man struggling in the middle of the race, her encouragement took him the rest of the way home.
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GET YOURS TODAY! RUNFORGOD.COM
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A PICTURE OF
Faithfulness
BEHIND THE SCENES
By Gaye Coker
F
rom the very first Run for God class Mitchell taught, Shannon Coker has been actively involved with the Run for God ministry. Today, from behind the scenes he is the set-up and take-down man for our Run for God races. Did you ever wonder who places and picks up all those tables, water coolers, cups, and signs along our awesome race courses? That is Shannon. He quietly travels along the course in the early morning dusk before the runners arrive, to make sure the course is ready for that all important bull horn to announce the race start. He then goes along behind the last runners to pick up and clean up the course. Shannon absolutely loves to talk to runners. You can find him at each of our packet pick-up/registrations, helping others who are not familiar with the layout of the course.. Shannon has run each course many, many times over the years and knows each twist, hill and turn. He is a wealth of information to those who are seeking help for that all important race day.
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BEHIND THE SCENES
His favorite thing to do is encourage runners. You will find him often
His wife often reminds him he does
commenting on Facebook whether on the Run for God Instructor’s page,
have other shirts in his closet. But
Run for God - Run Club page or the Run for God Facebook page with
Shannon insists on wearing his
words of inspiration as others are moving forward in their Run for God
Run for God shirts daily.
journey.
Shannon’s faith in God is an
Not a runner in January 2010, he stayed the course as Mitchell led that
inspiration to everyone he knows.
first group. Shannon now has hundreds of miles and hundreds of races
He serves as a Deacon at Grove
behind him. He has even been through back surgery, and completed 2
Level Baptist Church and is
Run for God Triathlon’s!
diligent in making certain the
He has taught several Run for God classes and rest assured, Shannon is praying for this ministry daily. He looks forward to hearing from you as you shine Jesus through your running accomplishments.
Preschool Department is secure as his wife is the Preschool 1 Director. He loves to serve others and is faithful in his walk with the Lord.
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:
For more information about becoming a sponsor contact Dean Thompson at Dean@runforgod.com
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Book Review:
Time Trials BY: ERIC SMITH
S
ST I CK Y NOT ES
building as I ate the race sponsored dinner. The story is about Wes Strong who grows up in tough circumstances but overcomes them to earn a scholarship to Clemson University in the Cross Country and Track programs. An injury forces him to begin taking painkillers which leads to the increasing need for them. Even though Wes has a good heart and wants to do right, a couple of bad decisions lead to a tragedy that lands him a correctional facility. His life seems over until he meets the mysterious Preacher, who helps God guide him to redemption beyond anything Wes had ever seen. After a few years in prison, he seizes on a chance to help others avoid the same life he has lived by working at the Bowers-Rodgers Shelter for Abused Children. He meets Roxie who encourages him to begin running again as a way to motivate the children. One thing leads to another and Wes ends up
I LIKE TO PICTURE GOD REACHING DOWN TO EARTH AND GENTLY MOVING PEOPLE CLOSE TOGETHER LIKE CHESS PIECES AND THEN SITTING BACK AND SAYING, “WATCH THIS!” I think that’s what He did last fall when he brought Eric Smith and I in the same room to see what happened. Eric was at packet pick up for the Chickamauga Battlefield Marathon, and I was working as a volunteer pacer explaining how pacing works to those who had questions. I just “happened” to be wearing a Run for God shirt, and he began to ask questions, not about pacing, but about the Run for God program. I found out that Eric had written a Christian running-related fictional book called Time Trials. I asked if he had one with him, and of course he did. Being an avid reader, a lover of all things running-related, and interested in anything Jesus-related, I was instantly insistent that I own a copy! I began reading it before I even left the
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running the Boston Marathon as a gift from his co-workers at the Shelter. The story is grounded in Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” It is a picture of what can happen to us when we are sold out for Christ and walking in obedience to His Word. It is an uplifting, page-turner, that will have you sympathizing with Wes, crying for Wes, and cheering in support of Wes as he travels an often tough, but ultimately glorious road. You don’t want to miss it. You can order yours from Eric’s website www.weswriter.com for the special offer of $15 which includes shipping. ERIC SMITH IS A CHRISTIAN AUTHOR WHO RESIDES IN GREENWOOD, SOUTH CAROLINA. HE WAS ON THE ORIGINAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE BOWERS-RODGERS HOME FOR ABUSED CHILDREN IN GREENWOOD. A LONG TIME MARATHONER, HE IS ALSO A FIVE-TIME FINISHER OF THE BOSTON MARATHON, INCLUDING 2013. IN ADDITION, HE IS CURRENTLY LEADING HIS FIRST RUN FOR GOD 5K CHALLENGE CLASS.
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Dean’s Thoughts
God Didn’t Give us
A Spirit
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t of Fear J
ust before the end Of the
twentieth century, there was a nationalistic uprising in China. The government was crushing
any and all western thought of freedom and Christianity. It was a horrific time for Christians as they were slaughtered through firing squads, beheading or any other method that suited the enforcers, and bodies were stacked in huge piles. Missionaries and Christians would set up communes where they could work together for their own protection and safety. Eventually, though, many of these compounds were found and stormed by troops. One such complex contained 100 missionaries and Chinese Christians when it was discovered. The Chinese military descended on the complex and locked all the doors except one. The troops drew a cross in the dirt just outside the open door and residents of the compound were commanded to walk out the door one by one and stomp on the cross, denouncing their faith, and they would be allowed to go free. If anyone refused he or she would be killed at the point of a sword immediately. Fearing
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We often look at Peter’s lack of faith that subsequently caused him to begin sinking when he took his eyes off Jesus, but what about the fact that he had the gumption to leave the boat?
to prepare for a race, or any number of other things. Sometimes we’re motivated by fear. It could be the fear of what can happen, like being ridiculed for being different, or the fear of what may not happen, like not finishing a marathon. Either way, fear is a very popular motivator. It can lead to positive results, like the fear of gaining weight if I don’t run, but fear is never a good long-term motivator. And it’s wrong! 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” Fear is not of God. It sounds harsh, but most fear is sin. Of course, we all experience fear because we’re human, but it doesn’t erase Paul’s words. God doesn’t give us fear. We will always find things we fear, but it’s how we react to that fear that is the key. When Jesus came to the disciples walking on the water in a storm, Matthew 14:26 says, “And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, “It is a ghost!” And they cried out for fear.” It was the unfamiliar scene, the impossible scene, playing out in front of them that caused them to have doubt and
for their lives, the first seven out the
be fearful. Isn’t that how we react to unfamiliar territory?
door did as they were instructed. They were allowed to walk away. The eighth
But, Peter chose a different path than the other 11 disciples. He said in
person through the door was an eight
verse 28, “Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.”
year-old Chinese Christian. As she came
We often look at Peter’s lack of faith that subsequently caused him to
through the door, she knelt before the
begin sinking when he took his eyes off Jesus, but what about the fact
cross and prayed. Then she rose and
that he had the gumption to leave the boat? His faith might have been
carefully stepped over the cross. She
too weak to continue walking on the water, but look at what his limited
was immediately put to death. The
faith did. He set an example for 11 men and teaches us a lesson about
remaining 92 people all followed her lead
faith 2,000 years later!
and did the same thing, with the same result.
God intends for us to follow good examples, but what about the times
We all make choices. An old song lyric
we follow less than Godly examples? What happens when there are
by the group Rush says, “If you choose
no Godly examples present? He wants us to be leaders that have an
not to decide, you still have made a
impact on those around us. Jesus’ last words were, “Go therefore and
choice.” They’re all choices. Every
make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the
day, we make hundreds of choices, and
Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe
each of those choices is motivated by
all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always,
something. When we decide to go for
even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20.
a run, for example, we’re motivated by something. It may be losing weight, meeting with a friend, pure enjoyment,
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We will all go through life either following the lead or being the lead.
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We call it The Great Commission and Jesus didn’t use weak language. He says, “Go.” He doesn’t say, “Go if you feel like it” or “Go when you get time.” Here are some tough questions: What kind of a lasting
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impact are you making on the world? How many
If you’re a typical runner, many of the people around
people will arrive in Heaven and tell of the time
you know that you run, and chances are pretty good
you shared Christ with them? I tremble at the
that many of them are inspired by what you do. If
thought of facing an omnipotent God and thinking
you have been a long time runner, you probably
about the answer to that question. That’s fear.
know someone who began running because of that
But, here’s the toughest question of all: Am I
inspiration. It’s amazing how impactful we can be to
going to use that fear to motivate me to share
those around us by providing an example to follow.
Christ, or am I going to give into the more worldly fear of rejection or ridicule?
So, here’s the thing; you’re a runner. You’re already different, if not a little off your rocker, for being a
According to Running USA, there were 7,643,600
runner anyway. You already have it in you to stand
5K finishers in 2015. The population of the United
out. Since we are a fraction of the population we are
Sates is roughly 320 million. Only 2.4% of the
a select group. Can we be the small percentage of
population finished a 5K in 2015. If we assume
the population who take the time to share Christ with
that for every person who crossed a 5K finish line,
others too? But, even more special, we are all loved
there was another person who runs but did not
(runner and non-runner) by a Holy God who wants to
complete a 5K, that’s roughly 5% of the population
see us take up His plan for our lives. He’s clear about
who are runners. Out of a random group of
what He wants us to do, but it’s up to us to find the
twenty people, you are the only one who is a
path to get there. Pray for God’s guidance and live
runner. You’re pretty special.
without fear and that path becomes clear.
LIKE US ON FACEBOOK TO
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FOR ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS CONTACT DEAN THOMPSON AT dean@RunforGod.com or 706-264-7101
WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?