Run

I love running! I have been running for years and it has now been a decade endeavor in my life. I really started engaging in running when I was 16 and it has benefited my life in tremendous ways. It's also challenged me like I would have never imagined. It's brought out a competitive energy within me as well, and this has taken me to compete in various 5K's, 10K's, long-distance relays, a half-marathon, and a full marathon. It's crazy what starting something to lose a little weight has done in transforming my life in such a tremendous way!

As I think about running this morning, I am preparing to leave tonight to travel to Jamaica on a mission trip. This will be my first endeavor to Jamaica. I've always thought of it as a very cool place to visit. Over the past few months, I've learned so much more about the nation. The place we will be going to is called Catadupa and it is a place where hope has been taken but is slowly starting to rise. I pray that our time there would continue to build up that hope that comes in Jesus Christ.

Running has taught me many things about faith, AND putting that faith into action. Jesus Christ has called us to the narrow path. You have to walk to be on that path. That requires movement and an action. In running, you have to move your legs in order to get somewhere. Running requires movement and action. We can't be stagnant - we won't get anywhere!

In our group's mission opportunity, we're moving. We could have taken the moments of these next 10 days and rested on the lake. I know I could use a few days off! But my faith calls me to action. And my faith has pointed me to Jamaica, along with all these youth and adults. I don't know how God will show up in our lives, but I do know He will! And I'm excited to share when He does on here! Catadupa is a place on my path as I run after Christ. With this, I wanted to point out some verses that I've been thinking deeply about the past few weeks. I really like these verses, and something more might show up on this blog in the coming weeks. As I've learned how to run, these verses have spoken truth to the correlation of life in Christ:

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. - 1 Corinthians 9:24-27

I'm going to run after Christ with a perspective of making Him known and affecting eternity. How are you going to follow after Him?