A Runner’s
Identity + Crisis
What’s a Mother to Do? Why Am I Not Getting Faster? Don’t Stop on Number Six RUNFORGOD.COM
Read: A Tale of an Extraordinary Runner
FROM YOUR FRIENDS AT FALL 2017
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A WORD FROM MITCHELL
WELCOME TO
connect Hello Run for God Family, How’s the weather in your life?
You know our lives should change just as drastically as the weather when we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior.
It’s official. My favorite time of year is here. The cool mornings, college football, campfires, and yes, PERFECT running weather. But there’s another reason that I love the fall, and it’s because there’s a noticeable change in Mother Nature. The way things look changes, the way things feel changes, and it’s pretty apparent that a drastic change has taken place. You know our lives should change just as drastically as the weather when we accept Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior. The way we talk should change, the way we act should change, and yes our overall outlook on life should change. Ephesians 2:24 says that when we accept Christ, we put on a new self. In other words, we change the climate of our lives. So as we enter a new season of 2017, I leave you with the question that I started with. How’s the weather in your life?
Happy Fall Everyone! Mitchell Hebrews 12:1 James 1:2-4
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features 6 Student Spotlight: What’s a Mother to do? 22 I nstructor Spotlight: An Example of a Faithful Servant
D E P A RT M EN TS 10. DEAN’S THOUGHTS: Why Am I Not Getting Faster? 16. A Tale of an Extraordinary Runner
26. DEAN’S THOUGHTS: D on’t Stop on Number Six
30. One Family’s Race Leads to Olympic Hopes 35. Sticky Notes
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37. RUNNING GOD’S RACE with IRENE: A Runner’s Identity Crisis
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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 Director of Running Enthusiasm for Run for God. He is a lifetime runner who doesn’t plan to stop any time soon. He loves to run, loves his wife, Debbie, but most of all, he loves Christ. Dean shares his extensive running knowledge and love of Christ in these pages as well as in the Devotions series.
Irene Tang is a former elementary school teacher and principal. She and husband Dave live in San Ramon, California where they raised their daughters Natalie and Meagan as well as beagle Oski. Irene and Dave currently own several restaurants that offer healthy, runner-friendly dining. Her biggest life passions are Jesus, running, and writing. You can read more about how God has used running and racing to grow her faith in this issue and on Irene’s website at runninggodsrace.com.
Mary Dulabaum is Director of Communications for Judson University. Judson University is a fully accredited, private Christian institution that shapes lives that shape the world
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Student Spotlight
What’s a Mother to Do? We’ve all heard the story before. A mother gets so caught up in raising children that she forgets about herself. It’s a noble and even Biblical calling to pour everything you have into your children, so Christy Masyr held the proverbial pitcher high and kept pouring. And, she had a lot of hearts and minds to fill. She is the mother of four children, not to mention her husband, Evan. Her children all have different needs too. Samantha (21) and Noah (19) are in college now, while her other two, Faith (12) and Luke (9) are focused on completely separate endeavors. Some say variety is the spice of life, but it can also be exhausting! It was in the middle of that exhaustion that Christy felt God’s nudge a few years ago.
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Student Spotlight
Like many of us have done she figured out the root cause of her increased lethargy: Too many birthdays! The more aged among us know that when those years pile up, our bodies begin to feel the fatigue and weariness more and more. She realized one day that she was not going to be able to keep up with the things that her younger children would soon require of her if she didn’t take some swift action. So, she got a gym membership and began working out the next day, right? Of course not. It’s never that simple, especially when you have four children relying on you to be everywhere you need
“
“Do you mean, literally, we can go from the couch “Do you mean, to running a 5K?” she literally, we can thought. go from the couch to running a 5K?” she thought.
to be to support them. She was already worn out and had no extra time. How would she possibly squeeze in the time to get herself into better shape? Then God showed up. Isn’t that how He works? He sees our efforts to do the wonderful work He puts us here to do, (and raising these four children was certainly in His plan), and then provides what we need to succeed. Coincidentally (NOT), there was word about an upcoming Run for God class. The generic term “Couch to 5K” hit her ears and the gears were set in motion. “Do you mean, literally, we can go from the couch to running a 5K?” she thought. Still, the idea overwhelmed her at first. After all, she had not run since junior high school. But why would God drop the perfect situation right into her lap if she wasn’t supposed to take advantage of it? This was a way for her, not only to get into the shape she so desperately needed, but to also combine it with Bible study and a chance to meet new people. That was three years ago. Today, she is still a vital part of that group. Her husband has been supportive of her Run for God journey from the beginning and takes time to run with her even today. Christy says of her husband, Evan, “I know it sounds cliché, but I really did win the lotto with my husband. He’s the best.” Praise God for great marriages! Her Run for God group is an all women collection who come from many different backgrounds and churches. They meet in a home and renew the 5K Challenge once a year to encourage newcomers to the group, but they continue to meet, only taking a break during the summer. Christy is a member of Newbury
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Student Spotlight some time off from running, but she’s ready to get back to it. In addition, she has had other recent life-changing moments. She lost her father a few months ago, but knows that he finished well and that she will see him again one day where there will be no more sorrow and no more tears. With the children responsibilities, the recent passing of her father, and a new business to get off the ground, one thing remains constant. There is a great group of ladies who continue to support each other no matter what happens around them. They continue to dive into the Bible and apply it to their lives. They continue to take hikes with the same group into beautiful areas and pray for needs that are all around them. They call it Trails for Prayers. One of Christy’s favorite verses of scripture is familiar to those in Run for God circles. Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
Christy and her friends Monique Reynolds and Cathy Wuesthoff traveled to Dalton, Georgia for the JFest 5K.
looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Christy says, “This verse has become a keystone verse for me
Park First Christian Church like the group
since joining Run for God. I have stumbled and have fallen
leader, Cathy Weusthoff, but she loves the diversity of backgrounds of those who come together from different places in their lives. It was after meeting with the group a few times that Christy finally understood the concept of everyone running her own race and that supporting one another without judgement of circumstances is what Jesus had in mind for our walk on Earth. She remains busy today, but has more energy, not only to keep up with the kids, but she is starting her own business as well. It is the time of year for the group to start over, and she admits, she’s taken
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“I know it sounds cliché, but I really did win the lotto with my husband. He’s the best.”
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It was after meeting with the group a few times that Christy finally understood the concept of everyone running her own race and that supporting one another without judgement of circumstances is what Jesus had in mind for our walk on Earth.
Student Spotlight God did not give each of us the same path.” As she says, she’s not perfect, but she does draw her strength from her Bible. Nothing can illustrate that more than the fact that she and Evan adopted their daughter, Faith, from China way back in December of 2005. Her birthday happens to be 1/27. Coincidentally (NOT) one of her other favorite verses of scripture is James 1:27; “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.” The Ventura County Run for God group will continue and
(literally and figuratively), but this verse
Christy will continue to be a vital part of that group. The group
reminds me that God knows what is coming
is full of like-minded ladies who have a heart for each other and
and it is my job to endure and take each step
a heart for others. They talk about it a lot. They pray about it
towards the path he has laid before me. I have
a lot. But, they don’t stop there. Actions speak louder than
learned through my running that my race is
words. Christy will continue to raise Godly children because
my race alone and it is up to me to train for it,
she raises them according to scripture. She’s letting her actions
but others can encourage me or inspire me.
speak louder than her words.
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2 LOCATIONS IN DALTON North 3518 Cleveland Hwy South 1018 South Thornton Ave To learn more about becoming a Partner, contact Dean at dean@RunforGod.com
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Dean’s Thoughts
Why am I not getting faster? Do you know someone who is in his/her prime and they seem stuck? They run and run and they just don’t seem to get any faster. Maybe that person is you! Why do some people improve each year and others never get any faster? 10
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There are many reasons, but let’s talk about the top six things that I see when I talk with people who are struggling with running faster.
1 - Lack of consistency So many people SAY they want to be faster, but they’re actions show that they really just HOPE they’re going to get faster. What I mean is that you need a plan and you have to stick with the plan. It doesn’t mean there aren’t times to change the plan, but those times should be few. And, plans don’t have to be complicated. It could be that your plan is as simple as one hard run, one long run and three easy runs a week. That plan won’t produce optimal results, but it will help make you faster IF you stick with it and execute it. I talk with people all the time who always have an excuse why they missed a run, or even a week of running. I talked with someone in the past week who said, “I was on a boat that day.” I asked if he was on the boat (a bass boat) from midnight to midnight and, of course, the answer was, “No.” He had time during the day, but he was tired. That’s fine, but if you want to get faster, it’s not a valid excuse. Get up early or run late, but run. Another told me that she had a uneral to attend. Again, funerals do not last all day. You have to plan around these things. If you decide to take that day off anyway, can you run on the day you had scheduled off to make up for it? If you run five days this week and then one day next week, you’re confusing your body. It doesn’t know what to expect. Or, if you run 15 miles this week and 25 miles next week, your body is going to rebel! I ask some people how many miles a week they run and
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2 - You’re not going easy (or hard) enough
ARE YOU RUNNING TOO HARD ON YOUR EASY DAYS? they honestly don’t know. If you want to get faster, that is a basic thing you should know. And, those numbers should be consistent. If you need to increase mileage, no problem. Just do it slow and gradual. There are a couple of reasons why consistency is important. First, it lets your body get comfortable. Your body knows what to expect. When you throw stress at your body, it goes into survival mode. If you’ve been running 10 miles a week on three runs per week and then go on a single 10 mile run, your body is going to wonder what’s going on and it will react in a self-preserving way which is not what you want. We could go into tons of details about why, but just know that your body should not be shocked by what you’re doing. A little bit surprised is okay, but not shocked.
If you are persistent you will get it. If you are consistent you will keep it. Harvey Mackay
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This is another big one! There are pace ranges that make sense for each runner based on ability. What I see regularly are people who will go out and run three miles at nearly their 5K race pace. If that’s supposed to be an easy run, they’re kidding themselves. Your easy run pace should be a couple of minutes slower than your 5K race pace. There are many charts that will tell you the exact range for your easy runs. Jack Daniels and Greg McMillian are a couple of online coaches who provide those charts for free. If you’re looking for them, make sure you’re looking at training paces and not pace charts. They will ask you for a recent race time to calculate those paces. On the other hand, many people do not run hard enough on the hard days or even in races. Again, those sites will give you paces to train at to accomplish different goals. If you never spend time running at faster paces, your body doesn’t want to speed up. You’ve got it locked in on one pace! Of course, you shouldn’t spend too much of your time at fast paces. A little mileage will go a long way. Ten to fifteen percent of your total mileage is plenty. Any more than that is too much and can lead to injury.
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3 - Rest is more important than you think
Make sure you rest between runs and take at least one day off a week.
When you perform any exercise, you produce tiny tears in the muscles. The way those muscles become stronger is by rebuilding themselves stronger than before. Most of that rebuilding takes place when you’re sleeping, but allowing your body to run slow also helps with the rebuilding process. If you don’t allow the muscles to build themselves back before you tear them down again, you get weaker, injury prone muscles. You have to rest. Obviously, running hard is going to tear them down more than easy running, so more rest after a hard workout is essential. That’s why you can’t hammer your legs nearly every day and expect to get faster. Some of the problems I see are a combination of not enough rest and running too hard too often. Your muscles never have time to rebuild themselves.
4 - Not paying attention to your weaknesses Runners ignore pain better than 90% of the population. Running hurts, so when we hurt a little more, we just pass it off as normal and keep going. The problem is that the pain is trying to talk with us! If you have pain in your knees, for example, there’s a reason for it. I see so many people who have super-tight quads who wonder why their knees hurt. Their knees hurt because their quads are tight. Their quads are tight because either they’re too weak or they don’t stretch them enough, or both. I have found that most injuries (or pain) are caused by some imbalance that could be corrected. If you’re hamstrings hurt all the time, there’s a good chance that it is either because they are weaker than your quads, or they are much stronger than your quads and they are taking all the stress because your quads can’t handle it. Don’t ignore pain and check to see if you have imbalances that could be causing the problem. The opposing muscles are called “antagonistic” muscles and all of the muscles in your body have antagonistic pairings. There is another kind of weakness. So many runners do what they like to do. If I don’t like tempo runs, I do interval work instead. The problem is that there is a reason I don’t like tempo runs. That is probably a weakness and I don’t like to struggle, so I do intervals instead. Develop those weaknesses, whether they are muscular imbalances or difficult workouts and you’ll see a difference.
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5 - Getting in shape is different than getting faster If you’ve never run before and decide to begin, you’re going to see some rapid initial improvement, but eventually that will level off. You can only improve on a diet of 15 miles a week for so long until you plateau. You have to do something different. Some people are creatures of habit and like to do the same thing week after week. Mile afer mile of the same pace will not lead to improvement on race day. If you’re just looking to stay in shape, that works fine. But, if you want to run faster, you have to train differently. If you want change, you have to change. It sounds obvious, but I’ve talked with a lot of runners who do the same mile repeats and same twelve mile run every week and they wonder why they can’t seem to run a faster 10K. If your body is doing the same workouts every week, it’s going to produce the same race results at race time too.
Simple Rule: If you want to run faster, you have to spend time running faster.
And speaking of the mental side, many of those who struggle with race day execution have talked themselves out of a good race before they even start. Worrying about your sore left hamstring won’t help you run faster. Stressing over what you ate for breakfast will not take seconds off your time. Lamenting the long run that you missed two weeks ago won’t produce results today. Worry takes energy and there’s nothing you can do about it at this point anyway. Like a poker player, you have to play the hand you have in front of you, not the one you wish you had. Will that missed long run make a difference in this race? Maybe, but maybe not. Get your mind on the positive side and you’ll see better results. When you’re driving to a destination, do you concentrate on the road ahead or on the road you’ve already traveled? Get a race day plan together and then just look ahead and focus on execution.
6 - You have no race day plan This is the most specific of the list. Some runners do a pretty good job of doing all the things outlined here, but they still don’t produce results on race day. They often have a goal time in mind for the race, but that’s all. They don’t think about the sleeping, eating and hydrating in the days before. They don’t have any idea what their mile pace should be, let alone a target for the first mile. They haven’t checked out the course to find that there is a giant hill at three miles that they should be prepared for mentally. You get the picture.
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When you read through the Old Testament, you find the Israelites constantly lamenting the past. God kept telling them to remember the deliverance of the past, but to focus on the land that He had already given to them. Their constant worry over the past caused them to have to wander in the desert for 40 years. Nothing good can come of worrying about what HAS happened or what MIGHT happen. God wants us to be prepared for what’s coming, but he
tells us that Satan prowls about like a lion seeking someone to devour. When we worry, we allow a foothold for Satan. Be prepared and know that God will deliver! As runners, many of us measure ourselves by our times. Typically, you can improve your running speed up until about age 40. If you just began at age 40, you have about 5 to 8 years of improvement before you level off. Of course, age will slow you down after that. As Christians, we measure ourselves by how strong our relationship is with God. The good news is that we can improve that relationship forever. Age never stops the progress!
Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. 1 Peter 5:8
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A Tale of an Extraordinary Runner
I
n the town of Dalton, there lives an extraordinary runner. Oh, there are a couple of local boys who are very fast and may make a splash on the national running scene, but they’re great
runners, just not extraordinary. To be extraordinary, one must be special. Not merely special in the way that a singer with a beautiful voice carries a tune, because there are many such singers. To be extraordinary, there
together. Harmony came from a land where they didn’t have an affinity for special little girls. She was born with physical limitations, but her parents knew she was special from the beginning and they decided that any extra work that would be required to care for one such as this would be worth it. Doctors told them that Harmony may never be able to walk. That was many years ago.
must be something “extra” special.
So what does one do with such
You see, this runner is so special that
demoralizing news? On August 26, 2017, Harmony
her parents found her as an infant and decided to adopt her. They named her Harmony because God knew
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that this little girl would have power to bring people
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finished her first 5K cross country race for the Coahulla Creek Lady Colts. She didn’t finish first, or
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walk� ran in her slightly-awkward, but persistent
Harmony also has an angel watching over her. Not the celestial angels
style for over three miles and crossed the finish line.
we associate with such endeavors, but a real life
She had never run a cross country race before and
angel. Taelor Hewitt is a teammate who runs with
the finish line was not clearly marked so she ran 15
her every step of the way. During the race, she runs
or 20 feet past the finish line, just to make sure.
out in front of Harmony and provides a target for her
even in the top 100. But, this girl who “may never
Harmony can bear weight on her right side, but she is unable to push off at all on that side, so she is, essentially, running with one side of her body. Imagine the strain on her left leg! No matter, she runs anyway, maybe even in defiance of her limitation. The
to follow, but nearing the finish line, Taelor backs off. She finishes last. Taelor is an important part of what Harmony is accomplishing, but she’s not the most important part.
Her parents, Allen and Melody Hammontree, are also an important part of what Harmony is doing. Having watched her grow up into
determination on her face is
the beautiful young lady she is,
infectious and it inspires her
it would be easy for them to
teammates to run harder.
worry about the possibility
Extraordinary.
of Harmony falling on the
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They named her Harmony because God knew that this little girl would have power to bring people together. cross country course, and to suggest that she should not run. But, they don’t do that. They encourage her, just as they have from the first moment they laid eyes on her. One would have to assume that they are the main reason why
Harmony has a cross country angel named Taelor Hewitt to protect and encourage her!
Harmony is able to be mobile today. In a way, they run right alongside her, but they are not the most important reason that Harmony crossed that finish line.
As Harmony neared the finish line of that race, her teammates were all waiting for her. They ran beside her and then behind her as she crossed the finish line. It was such a special moment that a coach from an opposing team said to one of Harmony’s coaches, “You should be proud of that bunch.” Just as her name indicates, she was bringing people together in the middle of a park in Rome, Georgia to celebrate with her. But even with her ability to bring people together and with two dozen teammates running beside and around her, they are not the most important reason Harmony can accomplish big things.
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As part of the organization of the team, one of the coaches was putting together an information sheet so that parents can get to know the runners on the team, and for runners to have a keepsake by which they can remember their 2017 cross country season. One of the questions on the information sheet that all of the runners completed was, “What is your favorite quote?” In response to that question, Harmony wrote, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13”
But even with her ability to bring people together and with two dozen teammates running beside and around her, they are not the most important reason Harmony can accomplish big things.
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Harmony with her dad, Allen Hammontree, after her first cross country race
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There is a reason why a girl who was told she may never be able to walk has the ability to finish a 5K as a freshman cross country runner. And therein lies the most important reason Harmony can accomplish great things. Jesus said she could! Extraordinary? Absolutely!
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” Philippians 4:13
The Girl Who May Never Walk, Harmony Hammontree, approahes her first cross country finish line. Isn’t it appropriate that she would choose a sport that includes the word “Cross?”
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Instructor Spotlight Instructor Spotlight
An Example of a Faithful Servant About five years ago, Run for God had its first Instructor Summit. It was a time for Run for God Instructors from across the country to come together and learn from each other and celebrate successes. As we were checking-in the seasoned instructors, there was one guy who seemed out of place. It wasn’t that he looked out of place, but no one from the Run for God team could remember having an instructor named Darren Lewis. It wasn’t long before we figured it out. Darren wasn’t an instructor. His wife, Wendy, had heard about the Summit somehow and told Darren, “You’ve been looking for something to get involved in with the church. This sounds like something that would be good for you.” So, Darren being Darren, jumped right in the middle of it! He has been one of most enthusiastic and stalwart Run for God supporters ever since that day. Darren is very active at Christ United Methodist Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee. He is involved with several groups there, but is really passionate about his (he would say God’s) Run for God group. They meet every Wednesday throughout the year and each spring they begin a new 5K Challenge class. Besides the obvious objective of watching people conquer something
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Instructor Spotlight Darren doesn’t know how to do anything halfway. He they never would have thought possible, the goal of the
is very creative and keeps thing fresh with new ideas.
5K Challenge is two-fold: Reach outside the walls of
One of my favorites is his week 8 ritual. He has the
the church to pull people in who need to hear the gos-
group hold helium-filled balloons as he discusses the
pel message, and create new members for the weekly
milestone run they are about to do. Many in the class
group. They accomplish their goals by promoting the
are terrified of this day because the run suddenly turns
class inside and outside the church. Darren will hang
into one continuous run with no breaks. Just before
up a poster anywhere that will let him! They also offer
they run, everyone lets go of their balloons to signify
the 10K and Half-Marathon training for those who have
that they are letting go of their fears and they watch
already completed the 5K Challenge.
them sail away. What a tremendous illustration and great encouragement!
Having fun and going full blast while serving God is what Darren is all about!
Once the class is over, they continue to meet and they use the Run for God Devotions books as their guide. They call their group Faith in Motion. Darren says a little apologetically that sometimes they don’t even get to Dean’s Thoughts because there is so much discussion from the first story. And, he wouldn’t change a thing! Some of the best sessions are the ones when the discussion explodes into worship. Darren is a busy guy who works as an engineer at a Bayer manufacturing facility in Cleveland, Tennessee. After a busy start to the week filled with unexpected twists and turns that come in any manufacturing setting, it’s tough sometimes to be as prepared as he would like for his class. When those occasions arise, he will get to the track early to run a few miles and have time to pray
When Darren showed up for the 2015 Instructors Summit, he was a veteran! Here he is with two other exraordinary instructors: Sam Ridenour and Ben Reed. RUNFORGOD.COM
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Instructor Spotlight
with God asking Him to fill him with the Holy Spirit so that the class discussion will go well. Darren is a testament to God’s ability to create the implausible out of our limited humanness. “Often,” he says, “those are the best classes.” One particular week, Darren was feeling distinctly distant from God. Even the best
“Sometimes we get so caught up in the flesh that it takes a merciful and grace-filled Savior to get us through our lives.” Darren Lewis
have moments of weakness and times when you just want to run away from everything. He had decided that he was going to listen to some secular music while he was running before class began. He cued up an old AC/DC song and began running. About thirty seconds later, the song changed to How Great is Our God! He reached into his pocket to pull the player out because he must have set it wrong or forgotten to lock it so that he didn’t accidentally change anything. But, it was locked and set properly. It couldn’t have “accidentally” changed. God changed the song because He knew what Darren really needed to do was to run towards God, not away from Him! That song is especially important to Darren because he and Wendy used that song in their wedding. A little stunt like that will certainly get your attention! How great IS our God?! Wow! Darren says, “Sometimes we get so caught up in the flesh that it takes a merciful and gracefilled Savior to get us through our lives.” He thanks God for those times when he needs that whack upside the head as well as those times when a gentle nudge on the shoulder will do. Isn’t it amazing that He knows exactly which method to use in each circumstance?
Running for God is a family affair at the Lewis’ household. Darren, Wendy and Benjamin
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Instructor Spotlight Darren was born in Pennsylvania and lived
example for his children and grandchildren. He will tell you that he falls short
there for 43 years. He has lived in Ten-
often, but if you know Darren, you know he is full of love and compassion for all
nessee for 13 years and he says they have
of those around him. It certainly would be no different for his family, even his
been his best 13 years. Don’t read him
four-legged daughter, Molly!
wrong, though. He has nothing against Pennsylvania and remains a big Penn State
The most current chapter of Darren’s life is that of Lay Minister. He has been
supporter to this day. But, it would be
trained as a minister to be a help to the Pastor. He has decided that his ministry
hard to argue with a man who turned his
focus is going to be to spread the Run for God message and help to get groups
life back over to Christ in 2009 and married
started in other churches. He also participates in a small group of men focused
way out of his league (as he puts it) when
on discipleship. They spend time supporting one another through improving
he was united to Wendy in 2013. Darren’s
scripture memorization and discussing how to use your quiet time most wisely.
relatively new step son, Benjamin, has been involved with Run for God from the
In Darren Lewis you can see the scripture played out. Paul says in his letter to
beginning too. He’s twelve. No wonder
the Philippians in chapter 1, verses 3-6, “I thank my God upon every remem-
the last 13 years have been so good!
brance of you, always in every prayer of mine making request for you all with joy, for your fellowship in the gospel from the first day until now, being confi-
He also has two grown children; Jill, who
dent of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete
is 31 and mother to his two grandchildren,
it until the day of Jesus Christ.” You can see God’s hand is continually working
and Danny, who is 25. Darren is always
in Darren’s life. It is the reason Darren says, “We serve a merciful and grace-
focused on trying his best to set a Godly
filled Savior.”
Darren and Wendy Lewis - Servants of God
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Dean’ s Thoughts
Don’t Stop on Number Six
There is a familiar story in the book of Joshua about the Wall of Jericho. We know most of the details and how it ends, but let’s look at the story from a slightly different angle. Remember that God told Joshua that He was going to give the city to them, but they had to do something first. The Bible tells us that the city was locked up tight and no one was able to enter or exit. Jericho had been around for over a thousand years and everyone considered the walled city invincible. 26
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Dean’ s Thoughts
God told Joshua that they were to march around the walls of the city one time with trumpets blowing while carrying the Ark of the Covenant with them for six consecutive days. On the seventh day, they were to do the same thing, but they were to march seven times around the walls. After completing the seventh round they would all shout and the walls of Jericho, the Bible tells us, would fall down flat. We often think of this story as a victory march. We think about how God had already won the battle and it would manifest itself when they completed His task. It’s a picture of our lives as Christians. We have already won the battle. If you’re a born again believer, you’re going to heaven.
You can believe you want to be the best you can be, but it means nothing if you don’t do the work required to get there. RUNFORGOD.COM
The Bible makes that clear. But, if we are saved, we have a desire to carry out God’s will for our lives. He wants us to march. If we don’t march, we never get to the point when we shout and the walls never come down. If we just sit back and believe and are not obedient to His instruction, James tells us our faith is dead. James 2:14-17 says, “What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” I ask every young athlete that I coach if they want to be the best they can be. I ask for a reason. It’s easy to say I want to be the best, but the test comes when we have to work for it. There are many athletes that say they want to be the best they can be, but when it comes time to grind toward that goal, they fail to work hard. You can believe you want to be the best you can be, but it means nothing if you don’t do the work required to get there. In the same way, James tells us that even the demons believe, and they shudder! Belief is not enough. We have to put action to our belief. That’s exactly what God was demonstrating in the story of Jericho. He could have just leveled the city without fanfare, but He wanted to see faith in action. So that’s what Joshua did. But, when you look closely at the scripture, it appears that he didn’t tell the Israelites how many times they would have to march around the city. He only told them to keep quiet until he told them it was time to shout. Imagine that first day: “Okay, give me some guys who can blow a trumpet while we march around the wall of the city. I also need some strong guys to carry this big, heavy Ark around the city too. Oh, and make sure you get dressed in battle gear, too.” What? Now, imagine that you take part in that march and after you get around the city one time, Joshua tells you to get the camp ready because it’s time to bed down for the evening. The next day you do the same thing, and the next, and the next. You do that for six days, nothing happens. No shouting. Wouldn’t you be asking questions? ”When are we going to shout? How in the world is any of this going to get us into the city? Why are we doing this? I think Joshua has blown a gasket!”
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Dean’ s Thoughts
God wants our obedience. It’s hard sometimes. We march on and we march on, but we don’t see progress. Everything looks just like it did yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that. Keep marching.
On the seventh day, Joshua doesn’t let you stop on the first round. You think, “That’s good, we’re going to do something different today.” But after the second and third and the fourth rounds, you’re still marching. Your arms may be aching from carrying the Ark. Your lungs may be burning from blowing the trumpet. Your feet may be hurting from marching in your boots. But, you keep marching. “What are we doing!? When can I take a break!? Are we there yet!? Joshua..dude…seriously…” But you keep marching. After the seventh trip around, there is a long blast and you are told to shout. When you do, the walls come down. You were tired, but how do you feel now? You were worn out, but how good do you feel now? Was it worth it? Of course it was! God wants our obedience. It’s hard sometimes. We march on and we march on, but we don’t see progress. Everything looks just
Drew Stamper kept thinking he was on number six!
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Dean’ s Thoughts like it did yesterday, and the day before that, and the day before that. Keep marching. Sometimes things don’t change even though we keep praying. Keep marching. Sometimes the problems are still there even though we study the Bible every day. Keep marching. You never know when you’re on the seventh trip around. Don’t stop on number six! There is one thing we know for sure. God says that He will work to develop us when we are faithful to Him. He doesn’t say He will make us perfect. He indicates that He will improve us as we draw closer to Him. If we follow His commands, things will get better, but He doesn’t give us a timeline. It may be next week, but it may be much further down the road. We just have to believe and keep moving forward. Don’t stop on number six! When you’re a runner, you won’t improve every day. Sometimes you plateau, and other times you may even regress a bit. Sometimes injuries slow you down or even stop you. Your progress reverses course and you have to start all over. But you have to be consistent and persistent. If you give up, you know you will not get better, or lose the weight you’ve been trying to lose. Even with setbacks, you have to keep your focus on doing the right thing and moving in a positive direction whenever it is possible. When you do, one day you’ll realize that you have made progress. It may come quickly, or
you may have to wait for it, but you have to believe it is coming. You may be on number six! There is an athlete I coach named Andrew. He works hard. Really hard. For a long time, he was working hard and was not improving. He was frustrated, his coach was frustrated, but Andrew just kept working hard. Recently Andrew finished as the number two runner on his cross country team and finished 6th overall in a race that included six schools. Last year, he was not the sixth best runner on his team. What a difference a year can make when you keep the faith, continue to work hard and be patient. My heart is giddy with excitement when I think of what he has accomplished. Just think how he must feel! Andrew always believed he was on number six. Turns out he was right!
Don’t give up, you may be on number six! THANK YOU TO OUR PARTNERS:
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One Family’s Race Leads to Olympic Hopes
By Mary Dulabaum
When Benito Cisneros, a technical support engineer at TravelCLICK, came home from work one day and found his two oldest daughters watching TV after school, he turned off the TV and took the entire family for a run on one of the many trails around Elgin, Ill., where the family has lived since Benito and his wife, Ana, came to the United States from Mexico. Benito had no way of knowing that this one act would lead to all three of his children dreaming of competing in the Olympics someday. One day, during a run at the Elgin Fitness Center’s track, the girls’ natural running abilities caught the attention of Robert Pleticha, a coach for the Elgin Sharks Track Club, which provides track and field training to girls and boys from the ages of 8 to 17. Pleticha, a national and international champion in Power Weightlifting and former Judson University track and field athlete, invited the Cisneros kids to practice and told Benito that he could make his kids champions. Initially, it was difficult for Anali and Nayeli to enjoy the regimented practices, but they started developing a competitive spirit and winning races at various ages. Even their brother, Giovanni, joined the Sharks when he reached his sixth birthday.
The Cisneros are a close family. The olympic hopefuls: Giovanni, Anali, and Nayeli share an American Flag moment with mom and dad, Benito and Ana. 30
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After several years of running and competing, Diana Graham-Henry, a USA Track & Field race walk chairwoman for Illinois and race-walk coach for the Sharks, encouraged
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offered Nayeli the ability to continue to grow in the sport while alleviating her injuries. “There came a time when I started to plateau in the sport due to multiple injuries. I prayed to God asking for strength to get through these difficult times,” Nayeli said. Because she was at the younger end of her age grouping, she was competing against college students and struggled to feel successful in race walking. Through her prayers, she felt God’s reassurance that she was in the right sport and prayed every night after practice for strength and confidence as she worked her way up the rankings.
Anali and Nayeli training on the campus of Judson University
In 2016, Nayeli competed in the Junior Olympics’s 3,000m race walk in Sacramento, Calif., but with Anali in college, she went to the competition alone. While the family traveled to as many meets as possible, the girls would often
Anali and Nayeli to try race walking while they bat-
travel together to meets with their coaches and use their
tled training injuries. Eventually, the Cisneros’ girls
phones to show their family the races in real time.
passion for running turned to race walking. “I saw God play a role in my race walking the first time I qualified to go to Chile when I was 17-years old,” Anali said. She was ranked 5th going into the Pan American Junior Race Walk Cup and needed to be ranked in the top three to qualify for the Pan American Junior Race Walk Cup in Arica, Chile. Anali prayed hoping that it was God’s desire for her to be in the top three in this race because she knew she would need God to accomplish this goal. She prayed during the race and realized in the middle that she was already in third place. “When I crossed the finish line, I was in first place,” Anali remembers. “This was the first time I won the Junior American Division in race walking. It opened my eyes that I was qualified and driven enough to make an international team with God’s help and the right attitude,” she said. Anali realized that her dream of competing at the Olympic level was within her reach and she set her sights on competing in the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Nayeli was competing alongside Anali. After a growth spurt and a lot of joint pain, race walking
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Eye on the 2020 Olympic Games
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“I didn’t have my sister there, but I got first place and it was really emotional for me because I wasn’t sure that I could get there. But I was okay because I thought God was there and that gave me confidence and hope,” Nayeli said. Both Anali and Nayeli continue to compete as college athletes running cross country and training in race walking at Judson University, a small Christian university located in Elgin, just 40 miles from Chicago. The university of 1,280 students has more than 60 majors and offers 21 competitive teams in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, which allows the girls to prepare for their future careers while pursuing their dreams of competing to earn a place on the U.S. Olympic race walking team. “I only visited NAIA universities, which narrowed the selection to small private schools. I heard that Judson was in the NAIA and learned that a coach was coming to the school who had race walking experience,” Anali said. For several years, Judson has been ranked in the U.S. News and World Report as a Best Universities in the Midwest and a Christian College of Distinction. While Anali said she loved the beautiful, 90-acre campus, she also loved that the school would be close to her family and was a calm environment focused on God. “It seemed that this was where I could follow my dreams
Anali would love to add an Olympic medal to an already impressive collection and not be distracted by bad influences. Judson was the school that really felt like home and was the best option financially and spiritually,” she said. After a successful year competing at Judson, she traveled in May to compete in the 5,000m race walk at the 2017 NAIA Outdoor Track and Field National Championships and earned a first-place finish. She finished first overall with a time of 24:09.51, which was 25 seconds faster than the second-place finisher. She completed her freshman year with one NAIA National title, a second-place finish in the race walk for NAIA
Anali is happy she chose Judson University
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indoor, two NAIA All-American performances and two CCAC All-Conference and conference championships.
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“Being a natural sciences major,” says
years. When you get the chance to see a great athlete with great char-
Anali, “I like that at Judson you can
acter, you feel blessed to coach them,” Popenfoose says. “This is just a
stay after class and the faculty will stay
stellar family.”
and talk with you to address a problem. Sometimes I have to miss a lab, but in our
In June, the Cisneros family traveled to Sacramento, Calif., where all
small community, the professors help me
three of the Cisneros teens competed. Giovanni, a high school junior,
make it up.”
and Nayeli competed for the USA Track & Field Junior Outdoor Nationals. Anali also competed in the elite level for 20km in race walk. Nayeli
During Nayeli’s senior year of high
qualified in the 10km race walk for the Pan American Juniors in Peru in
school, she wasn’t sure that she would
July and the Team USA versus Canada meet in Georgia. Giovanni also
attend Judson and evaluated what school
qualified for USA versus Canada meet at the Outdoor Nationals. He,
would best support her in the classroom
too, has his heart set on competing in the Olympics for race walking
and in her sport. While she knew that
someday.
Anali loved Judson, she wanted to be sure that it was the right place for her.
Amid the bustle of long training sessions, competing in meets, qualifying for competitions, schoolwork and school activities, the Cisneros
“The attitude that everyone on campus
family remains close-knit and intent on supporting each other and
has, from admissions to the coaches, was
their teams at Elgin High School and Judson University.
completely different than other schools. They were actually more interested [in
Giovanni’s favorite verse of Hebrews 12:1 seems fitting for the entire
me] and very genuine,” says Nayeli. In
Cisneros family: “And let us run with endurance the race that is set
the end, she wanted to be in a communi-
before us.” The race continues for each of the Cisneros teens as they
ty of Christians for her college experience
work hard to achieve their dreams to compete in the Olympics for
and began her collegiate career at Judson
Team USA.
this fall studying business management, running for the cross-country team, and training for race-walk competitions. Judson’s Track and Field and Cross Country Coach Joel Popenfoose works with both Cisneros sisters as they run cross country during the indoor and outdoor seasons as well as continue their race walking training. “We do everything we can to support their race walking and to help these athletes meet their goals” Popenfoose says. He praises Anali for her academic abilities, talent and competitive spirit as much as for positive outlook and her desire to see her teammates succeed. Nayeli, he says, is cut from the same cloth. “I’ve coached so many athletes over the
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Judson University is an NAIA school located in Elgin, Illinois. They are proud partners with Run for God.
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TAKING CARE OF YOUR LOWER LEGS Other than stretching our calf muscles, we tend to ignore anything below the knee unless we have problems. But think about it: Your feet and lower legs are your foundation. We all know what happens when a foundation crumbles! Problems in our feet and lower legs tend to cause difficulties in other areas too. If you have pain in your heel, it may cause you to alter your gait leading to hip problems, for example. We think the problem is in our hip, but the root of the setback is in our foot.
S
ST I CK Y NOT ES
So, here are some proactive things you can do to take care of your feet and lower legs: Stretch – Never neglect stretching your calves, but also don’t forget about your feet. When I wake in the morning, before getting out of bed I do two things: 1-Point my toes towards the ceiling, feeling the stretch in my calf, and rotate my foot from side to side. 2-grab my toes with hand and bend them backwards to stretch the bottom of my feet. It helps prevent plantar facciitis and other lower leg problems. Foot rollers – Use a firm ball, or something cylindrical to role under your feet at least once a week. If you find sore spots, dig in a little to loosen those even more. There are specific rollers just for your feet if you’re inclined to spend some money on one. It will loosen up your feet and feels great while you’re doing it! Calf raises – I do calf raises in the shower every day to prevent calf strains (which I am prone to) or any other weakness in my calves. I haven’t had a single major problem with my calves since I began doing this almost ten years ago. You can do calf raises on a ledge for a more intense workout, but just simply doing them on flat ground is beneficial too. Do these at least three times a week. Marbles and the alphabet – Here are a couple of things you can do for the muscles in the front of your lower legs: 1-Pick up marbles with your toes and drop them. The toe motion uses these muscles. 2-Write the alphabet by flexing your ankle and writing in
ERIC SMITH IS A CHRISTIAN AUTHOR WHO RESIDES IN GREENWOOD,
the air with your toes. Go through the entire alpha-
SOUTH CAROLINA. HE WAS ON THE ORIGINAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF
bet and it’s a workout, but it will prevent injury and
THE BOWERS-RODGERS HOME FOR ABUSED CHILDREN IN GREENWOOD.
strengthen your base
A LONG TIME MARATHONER, HE IS ALSO A FIVE-TIME FINISHER OF THE BOSTON MARATHON, INCLUDING 2013. IN ADDITION, HE IS CURRENTLY
You wouldn’t build a house with a poor foundation.
LEADING HIS FIRST RUN FOR GOD 5K CHALLENGE CLASS.
Why should you run on a poor foundation?
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The Long Run with Irene
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A Runner’s Identity Crisis I
By: Irene Tang
t’s an unusually windy, late June day at my happy place aka Lafayette Reservoir. I’m sitting on one of the fishing docks watching waves that are close to lapping up onto my shoes. Enjoying the breeze. Blogging away on my iPhone.
I did a double workout yesterday, so today I
God’s timing is impeccable. Earlier this year I made some difficult
thought I’d take it easy instead of trying to
career decisions. During this time, my oldest also wrapped up her
trudge up those hills on tired legs. Or maybe
college swim career, was set to graduate, and settle down five
it’s all just getting harder as I get older.
hundred miles away. Hubby’s growing business ventures had him
I have to confess that “the getting older thing” has hit me harder than I expected
traveling out of state more than before. A lot more. And add to all this, prepping our home to sell so we could downsize.
since turning fifty last October. Was it just
When you leave the only career you’ve ever loved, have kids
coincidence that I’ve never really experienced
that technically don’t need you anymore, watch your husband’s
run-impeding injury until this year? True, I
business dreams come to fruition, and box up decades of
should count it an incredible blessing to have
memories into cardboard boxes, it conjures up the perfect storm
run these last nine years and 200 or so races
for an identity crisis.
injury free. But being injured to the point of giving up races this year brought with it more than the disappointment of the wasted race reg fees and pride of ruining a perfect track record (pun intended since I never ran track).
In the back of my mind, I remember saying “At least I’ll always have running.” I probably shouldn’t have said that. Shortly after, that hope came crashing down. Literally. I was home alone with my dog when I heard a huge crashing sound. Like the giant metal lid of a dumpster just fell. Oski and I just looked at each other then went about our business. Part of me was a
Being sidelined messed with much more than
little scared to investigate the source of the sound. I didn’t hear
my bank account and ego. It really messed
screaming from neighbors and my vicious attack beagle wasn’t
with my identity.
alarmed, so I figured it wasn’t anything to worry about.
I don’t mean to sound overly dramatic; but
Hours later when I went upstairs for the night, I saw it. The
during my season of injury, I honestly thought
wooden hanger with six hooks that had been displaying close to
I may never be able to run or race again. And
200 race medals had come crashing down on my glass top desk
it made me question a lot of other things.
below. I’m amazed it did not shatter. *Shout out to Crate & Barrel for making an indestructible glass desktop.
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Running God’s Race with Irene
“But there it was staring up at me now: My entire running career in an unorganized, tangled heap.” But there it was staring up at me
bothered to look at them after they’d been unceremoniously hung on the
now: My entire running career in an
$19 clothing hook from Target.
unorganized, tangled heap.
But as I picked each one up from the pile, I couldn’t help but reflect back
I’m typically the one in our family to
on each journey to the finish line that medal represented. And how
clean up messes immediately. I hate
much running meant to me. As well as how it had become a big part of
when stuff is not put away, peanut
my identity.
butter knife on the counter, drawers and cabinet doors left open, toilet paper
When you’re sidelined by injury and simultaneously boxing up
under vs over, etc. But I couldn’t bring myself to clean up the mess this sad pile of medals had left. It sat there for days. I tried not to look at it. Since Dave was coming home from another business trip soon and would probably need the desk space, I moved the entire pile over to the floor. And that pile sat there for weeks. It wasn’t until movers were scheduled to come haul away phase one of my downsizing efforts that I finally did something with my medals. It was harder than I thought it would be to box them all up. Why? After all, I never
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Running God’s Race with Irene
nine years worth of race medals, this kind
You are all that I live for
of messes with you. It felt like some sort of
Jesus
farewell ceremony. In fact, all the “identities” I’d held over the last decade seemed to be
I am unashamed”
going into small, medium, and large moving
I finished my run that day super pumped to blog about this
boxes. Teacher, swim mom, homemaker, PTA
answer to the cry of my heart – and how God was realigning my
president, parent of dependents, runner…
perspective with His own. I took some notes on my phone so I
Sure, I’ve had various jobs over the last thirty
now, but once again, God’s timing was perfect. Last Sunday’s
years ranging from bank teller to aerobics
message at church was all about identity. It solidified, filtered, and
instructor to weight loss consultant. But none of
edited what I truly wanted to convey in this blog post:
them seemed to define me. I’ve never thought of teaching as a job. It’s who I was, and it was one of the most fulfilling roles I’ve ever held. When you wake up excited to
wouldn’t forget. I didn’t actually sit down to start this blog until
God’s Word and His Holy Spirit give me my identity. Wait. That’s it? I feel like I knew that already. But God knew I didn’t really know it in the way He intended. In a real, first-hand experiential, “NOW I get it” sort of way.
go to “work” every day, you feel daily purpose and like you’re making some difference in the world. Similarly, I’ve never thought of running as a sport or exercise. It’s what I do and who I
It is when I am at my weakest that my identity comes into question. It is the goal of the enemy, aka the Devil, to make me doubt my identity.
am. And it’s made all the difference in my little
In fact, he tried this with Jesus in the desert 2,000 years ago. After
world for nine years.
Jesus had been fasting forty days and at His weakest, he took that
I was back at the Lafayette Reservoir a few weeks ago. During my run, the song
opportunity to make Jesus question who He was by putting three areas to the test: provision, protection, and power. Basically, he wanted to get at the stuff that would make Jesus give up trusting
“Unashamed” by Building 429 came up on my
completely in what He already had with God. And who He was
iPod shuffle. It’s a song I’ve recycled on my run
with God.
playlist over the years, but that day it hit me in a new way regarding this whole issue of identity. “I’ve been down and broken But I believe what you’ve spoken You make all things new I’ve witnessed your mercy Stirred up all of your glory And none compared to you I can’t help but speak of the things you’ve done So let my life proclaim I am unashamed I won’t hide your name
Sure, that was 2,000 years ago AND after all, it was Jesus – Son of God. So how does that relate to me today? Well, think about it for a moment. If the Devil was giving me a similar test today, what would it look like? Well, it might involve career, children, marriage, home, health, and even running. Hmmm, so when I think about this some more, does the enemy reeeally care if I’m a teacher, mother, housewife, business owner, or runner? Nope. What hits him at his core is that I know who I am in Christ. And this answers the question of purpose and calling. In this next chapter of my life, I don’t have to question whether there is meaning in the mundane. Not everyone has to be a teacher to
So all the world will know
make an impact on students. Or a mom writing notes to put in
That you
her kids’ lunchboxes. Or a runner blogging about how strength to
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Running God’s Race with Irene cross a finish line came from Jesus. Impact is not the same as identity. It is the result of knowing your true identity. And from Whom it comes. “Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.” Romans 5:1-5
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The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, And night unto night reveals knowledge. Psalms 19:1-2 RUNFORGOD.COM
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FOR ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS CONTACT DEAN THOMPSON AT dean@RunforGod.com or 706-264-7101
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