I'm just a tad bit stressed. That's why I'm super happy that my brother (the brother that runs in 100 mile ultra-marathons) told me over the Thanksgiving holiday that it's too late (less than a week before the race) to gain any fitness but to be careful to avoid injury. So, I got in an easy 2.5 mile run today. As I have noted before, just writing 2.5 easy run makes me happy. Though I have run off and on since I've been in my 30's, because of a foot injury last year I had not been running much. When I started running again just this past April and could not even run 1 mile without walking. To be able to take off and run and run and run and to feel so good is a huge blessing to me.
I picked up my Bible this morning before my run and headed to 1 John 3. Johnny was there yesterday in his sermon. He started a new Christmas series yesterday titled Why? As in, why did Jesus come? Reason #1 (according to the sermon yesterday) is found in 1 John 3:8, "The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil." I loved that he started his sermon yesterday by stating that when we (as believers and followers of Jesus) fully understand why Jesus came we will live more missionally." Like when we go to a great restaurant and we can't wait to tell our friends about it. Or we eat a great cereal and we just want to tell everyone else what a great cereal it is. (you really just had to be there yesterday to fully appreciate that last statement)
I was already on the edge of my seat by the time we got to the sermon yesterday. Wendy sang Beautiful and part of the lyrics contain these words, "Beautiful, I'm lost for more to say." Sometimes it's like that - God is so great that He is beyond words, words are not enough to praise Him or describe Him.
And, that's it. That's why we live missionally and advance the Gospel. So that He will be known. So that others will know what it's like to serve and worship the God who is beyond description. Yes, we want to feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, a pair of shoes to bare feet, a house and a family to those that don't know what it's like to live with either...
But, ultimately, the greatest thing we can give is Jesus.
I didn't make it to 1 John 3 this morning. I got stuck on one of my all-time favorite verses. It's Hebrews 12:1-2 --
"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (NASB)
The immediate race before me is the White Rock half-marathon. My goal is to finish. No matter how slow or how fast (relatively speaking, of course) I run, it will be a PR. The race before me is prepping for the mission banquet on Sunday evening. Yeah, the same day as the other race, the half-marathon. (maybe I need to check into renting a wheelchair...oh, just kidding!) The race is the life that God has for me. I am easily distracted at times. I'm thankful for the reminder to keep my eyes fixed, focused on Jesus. He's beautiful to me.
Serving the King and running with purpose,
Jeanette
I picked up my Bible this morning before my run and headed to 1 John 3. Johnny was there yesterday in his sermon. He started a new Christmas series yesterday titled Why? As in, why did Jesus come? Reason #1 (according to the sermon yesterday) is found in 1 John 3:8, "The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil." I loved that he started his sermon yesterday by stating that when we (as believers and followers of Jesus) fully understand why Jesus came we will live more missionally." Like when we go to a great restaurant and we can't wait to tell our friends about it. Or we eat a great cereal and we just want to tell everyone else what a great cereal it is. (you really just had to be there yesterday to fully appreciate that last statement)
I was already on the edge of my seat by the time we got to the sermon yesterday. Wendy sang Beautiful and part of the lyrics contain these words, "Beautiful, I'm lost for more to say." Sometimes it's like that - God is so great that He is beyond words, words are not enough to praise Him or describe Him.
And, that's it. That's why we live missionally and advance the Gospel. So that He will be known. So that others will know what it's like to serve and worship the God who is beyond description. Yes, we want to feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, a pair of shoes to bare feet, a house and a family to those that don't know what it's like to live with either...
But, ultimately, the greatest thing we can give is Jesus.
I didn't make it to 1 John 3 this morning. I got stuck on one of my all-time favorite verses. It's Hebrews 12:1-2 --
"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (NASB)
The immediate race before me is the White Rock half-marathon. My goal is to finish. No matter how slow or how fast (relatively speaking, of course) I run, it will be a PR. The race before me is prepping for the mission banquet on Sunday evening. Yeah, the same day as the other race, the half-marathon. (maybe I need to check into renting a wheelchair...oh, just kidding!) The race is the life that God has for me. I am easily distracted at times. I'm thankful for the reminder to keep my eyes fixed, focused on Jesus. He's beautiful to me.
Serving the King and running with purpose,
Jeanette
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