The Race

Dearest Friends!

     "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me--the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." -Acts 20:24

     God is incredibly good!  Yesterday (after not having worked out for a week) I was able to run 2.5 miles on the Engineer Trail!  :)  Never before have I been able to run more than 1.5 miles on this (sometimes vertical) trail without stopping for a while to walk!  The whole first mile and a half I was breathing to the rhythm of "All God's Critter's got a Place in the Choir."  Then just a few feet off the trail was a HUGE whitetail doe.  This gal was up to my shoulder (pretty large for a whitetail).  She initially took a jump, but as I ran by she sort of starred at me and remained within 10-15 feet.  It was incredible.  A moment passed of absolute peace.  Ah!  God is good.  I continued running and saw a beautiful cardinal.  This trail is always so much more than a run to me.  It is usually a beautiful glimpse of His creation, but also a horrible struggle.  Yesterday, it was a beautiful glimpse of His creation and sweet sweet victory.  After the doe, I changed my breathing to "Not to us, but to Your name, be the glory."  I pray that He would be glorified by my life.  

     Soap Box Time: Life is so symbolic of this trail.  There are gullies where the gravel has been washed out on which one could easily turn their ankles.  It is sometimes so much of an uphill run that one step forward literally only moves you inches (as if running in place).  You are just running and running.  These HUGE pines tower over you as if giving you a pine tree-bear hug.  You are running in the woods, mostly secluded, but occasionally bumping into another runner.  Once while I was running I saw a copperhead.  I warned the girl behind me of it.  How similar are our brief interactions that display our character to strangers on a daily basis?  Our time here is so limited, and PEOPLE are truly of the greatest importance.  Their souls will carry over and be eternal, yet how often do I waste my time with meaningless things that have no substance beyond this life.  Dan was so right, "Love God.  Love people.  Nothing else matters."

     This trail symbolizes life because life's "randomness" (as Tim would put it) throws gullies that can turn our ankles and an occasional copperhead that has the potential to blow the whole mess out of the water.  If we can just keep running... we will take more solid steps (not dissimilar to those taken in faith) and begin to notice His beauty all around us.  What a glorious creation He has provided for us to enjoy!  :)  This trail is not about the gullies or snakes.  It is about the run.

     So my dear friends, "let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." -Hebrews 12:1

-Always Bri