Keep your eyes on the finish line and RUN!

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My husband, Jeff, has always been a runner.  When he was 16, he had a heat stroke when he was running and almost died.

 

His  mom was told that they  “couldn’t do anything more” for him, that he would be a “vegetable” (yes- the medical profession used this unbelievably illiterate word to describe his supposed condition)

 

They packed him in ice, but couldn’t get his 105 degree temperature to abate. They projected- IF he lived- and it was a big IF- they doubted he’d be able to walk or talk intelligibly or ever have children.

 

Well- God had different plans! (I’ll have to share the whole miraculous story sometime because it is amazing) Woot!   He recovered and has completed races, triathlons, marathons, and fathered 7 children!

 

Nugget #1:

[Tweet “God always has the last word! #Sovereign #GoodGod #hope”]

 

Fast Forward past our flirting days to our dating days.  I was a sophomore at IWU- same college as Jeff- and I’ll be honest- I wanted to “impress” him.   Since running was everything to him, I began to train in secret and waited until I could run a mile without being winded.  I casually said to him one day, “Hey, I’d love to go on a run with you.”

 

The only thing was- a run to him was 8-10 miles- 1 mile was nada. LOL

 

Nevertheless, we began to run and I even began to enjoy running and could run 3 miles.  Quite proud of my new athleticism, I didn’t hesitate when he asked me if we could enter a 10K race together.

 

I said “sure” without really thinking.  When I found out a 10 K was 6 miles I was worried but he blithely assured me if I could run 3 miles I could run 6.  “Piece of cake.” (hmmmm- Devil’s food?)

 

OK- I was young- I was in love- I believed him.

Nugget #2: Girls- pul-lease!

Learn to think with your head, not with your emotions

The day of the race was beautiful.  I was excited ’cause “my man” was going to hold back his horses and run at my pace and we’d finish together. (awww)

 

The gun fired.

 

People rushed passed us but we quickly found ourselves in a comfortable middle of the pack.  Chatting, having fun, adrenaline pumping, I pranced and ran with confidence.  About the three mile, I noticed I was getting pretty tired.

 

and then it hit me-

we were only half way done!

I still had half of the race to go and basically my body was saying- “all done”.

[Tweet “No matter where you are on your life #race, God is running with you every step you take.”]

I began to grumble under my breath.  Then I began to take it out on Jeff.

 

“Why did I let you talk me into this? I can’t believe you made me do this?  This isn’t fun at all.  If I ever get to the finish line you can bet I’ll never go running with you again.”

 

(I said worse but I don’t want you to think too poorly of me so we’ll leave it at that. )

 

I was determined to plod along though. I did have my pride. I had to finish somehow- even if I had to walk. The cloud of negativity and frustration surrounded me as I put one foot in front of the other- 4 mile marker came-  5 mile marker came.

 

Something began to stir.  I began to realize I could make it 1 more mile.  The finish was within reach.

My mind began to focus on finishing.

My step began to pick up a bit.

Then it happened.

Half of a mile from the finish in the big U of I stadium, we approached a man- steadily pushing his wheel chair toward the finish.  People with disabilities- limited to a wheel chair, had started the race 30 minutes prior to our race.

 

We drew even with him.

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He smiled and said to me, “Hey you’re doing a great job! Almost there! Keep it up!”

I felt as ridiculous as a polar bear in a health club.

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Here was a man who had been pushing himself in a wheelchair for almost 90 min. and HE was cheering ME on?  ME? with two good legs and a strong body?!

“Thanks- you too” 

Miraculously the finish line appeared just ahead. I surged forward with an unbelievable second wind. Lining the street were people who were cheering me on!

 

And just like that, my perspective changed in the race.

 

I knew I didn’t just want to finish –   I wanted to finish well. 

We entered the stadium and the applause was energizing. I began to kick it in.  Poor Jeff- he didn’t see me start kicking it in until it was too late for him to catch me to cross the finish line together. (sorry babe )

 

But the kicker is, I turned to Jeff, hugged him and said,

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“WOW, that wasn’t as hard as I thought! if I had just known the finish

wasn’t really that far- I know I could have run the race faster and better!”

 

 [Tweet “We don’t know how long our #life race is, so we run each day with #purpose. #faith”]

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Nugget # 3- Our life journey is a race-

it feels long and hard sometimes-  but there is a finish line

and every day we are closer to it!

We need to determine to run with our abilities and strengths,

appreciating that others have it waaaaaay harder than we do-

We need to keep the finish line in our focus.

We need to hear the “crowd of those who have finished their race-

they’re cheering us on- Come on- almost there- you can make it!”

 

[Tweet “Run your life race for God’s #glory. #journey #overcomer”]

 

Surprising Treasure: 2 Timothy 4:7-8   I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day — and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.

 

Christian family, eternity, God of Grace, joyful journey, special needs parenting