Running with Focus

I have been contemplating my reasons for running the last two days.  I have been running for about 18 years and I remember some of the initial reasons why I started.  I think the main reason I started was to get into shape.  As I started to run my goals began to change.  I started to become more focused on my speed and I remember having the goal of running the Derby Festival Mini Marathon in Louisville.  As I ran more I became faster and my reason for running was about being more competitive.  During that time I remember having runs that helped me deal with issues in my life but there were not many runs that brought me closer to God.

My running with God only started to manifest itself in the last year.  Then in the last 3 months I followed God's leading and started this blog.  Since starting this blog my focus on God has become much stronger.  As I ran yesterday and today I thought about Proverbs 18:10.  The name of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous RUN to it and are safe.  I think this verse can be about my focus.  As I was running I can see myself looking forward to God and running towards him.  I will not be distracted by the things of this world.  I want to get to God so he can be my protection.  I know that he is strong and will make me safe.  I will continue to run towards him and not be detoured.

Early morning spectator

The Sweet Smell of Sin

I am fortunate to have a lot of routes I can run.  Some of my routes take me through neighborhoods and others take me out on rural Indiana county roads.  I have a few that take me by beautiful lakes.

Remember Jesus gives us living Water

When I am running I love the fresh smell of the outdoors.   I love to take in the environment around me.  Some times my nose will smell fall leaves or spring flowers.  During my last run I had the sweetest smell of any run.  It was so strong I had to turn my head and find out where it was coming from and this is what I saw.

The smell was urinal cake.  This is often how sin works.  Sin may seem so inviting and fulfilling but in the end it leads to death and destruction.  Don't be fooled.

*Running Tip - Don't be a slave to your watch.  Often people get so concerned by how fast they are running.  The first thing I think you should do is to enjoy running.  Some runs should be just for enjoyment.  If you are someone who is always looking at their watch and the only good runs are when you are happy with your times then maybe you should run without your watch on occasion.  Also you are risking injury if you are always pushing yourself.

Running during Winter

I had a nice run two days ago.  I haven't had a chance to blog about my thoughts since then.  In the last two weeks I have been running in the cold and when I run in the morning I have often been running in the dark.  As we move through fall and into winter the days are getting shorter and colder.  This is what autumn often looks like.

Fall in the Midwest

Winter is a part of life.  At least here in the Midwest it is. My thought when I ran two days ago were about this time of year.  We often think of winter as a bad thing.  Some times we think of things as dead during winter.  As I ran I realized winter is a necessary part of life.  Things are not dead during this time of year. Winter is a time of preparation.  If it wasn't for winter we wouldn't have spring.  There are many things in life that look gray or dead.  We just have to remember that these are times of preparation and times that are building towards Spring.

Fall Caterpillar

I have been seeing a lot of these in the last week.  They are not very colorful and many people would say not very pretty. I know that they will be wrapped up during the winter in preparation for Spring when they will burst open in all of their splendor.  When you find yourself in a dreary place call upon God to help you prepare for the Spring.

God Running

Summertime has definitely left us.  I had an early morning run today.  As usual I had my cross around my neck but today I had a bit more with me.  I wore a hat and gloves today.  40 degrees as I left my house and a brisk wind added up to the first windchill of the year.  It was 32.

Today while I was running I thought about the parable of the Prodigal son found in Luke chapter 15.  I was fortunate to came across a blog last week that I am really interested in.  It is by Kurt Bennett and is entitled GOD Running.  Click here to visit his site.  His site is not about man and his worldly per-suite of running.  His site is about God running to us!  What a great thought.  As many times as I have read the parable I have never thought about it those terms.  In the parable Jesus makes an analogy of God being the father and us being the prodigal son when we give our lives to him.  In the story the father runs to his son once he sees him coming.  Think about it in personal terms.  Think about coming humbly to God and that he is the loving Father running to you.  Wow.  I will let you read it how Kurt expresses it in his blog.

There’s only one place in the bible where we see God running.

“So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.” ~Jesus Christ, Luke 15:20 (NLT)

Maybe you think of God as a stern faced old man who likes to make rules and is filled with judgement, well that’s not at all who God is. God is for you. He wants you to do well.

He is on your side.

If you want to know what God is really like, learn about Jesus. Philip once said to Jesus, “Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied.” And Jesus replied, “Have I been with you all this time, Philip, and yet you still don’t know who I am? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father! So why are you asking me to show him to you?” (John 14:8-9)

So to learn what God is really like, learn what Jesus Christ is really like. Start with the gospel of John, then read Matthew, Mark, and Luke. You’ll be surprised at the true nature of God.

God tells us if you or I draw near to Him, He will draw near to you. (James 4:8) So draw near, and experience God running in your own life. He’s waiting for you. He’s watching for when you begin to move toward Him. And while you are still a long way off, He’ll see you, and become filled with compassion. He’ll run to you and embrace you.

Go to Him.

Maybe you have wandered away like the prodigal son. Maybe like the prodigal you’re starving right now, spiritually malnourished. Maybe like the prodigal you’ve finally come to yourself and realized life with faith in your Father and His Son Jesus Christ is more fulfilling than life without. Maybe you realize the source of your disillusionment is you put too much stock in expecting others to live up to expectations God has for you. Maybe now you’re ready to focus on what God has for you, instead of what others should be doing for God.

Pray right now, tell Him you’re coming. Ask Him to run to you as He did for the prodigal. Let Him feed you, find a way to regularly study God’s words from His scriptures. Go to His house and enjoy Christian community.

God’s waiting.

He’ll celebrate your return.

I pray that you will see God running to you.

#New song on my playlist - Chris Tomlin/I will follow

Running with Deer

I haven't seen any deer while running since I started the blog.  I have been a bit surprised.  But now it is getting cooler and later in the year and deer will be more active.  I was fortunate to see three deer this morning.  They were some of the smartest deer I have seen if you just judge them by their choice of living area.

My run today was otherwise uneventful.  I was able to pray while I was running and think about my family and how we were doing.  God is good to us.

Talk to you later and keep running with God.

Running in the Dark

No pictures from today.  I started in the dark and ended in the dark.  I do have a picture from 5 days ago.

Today was a very nice run though.  61 degrees and no wind.  It was very quiet on the road. 

When I went to bed last night I was working on my bible study for the week.  It wasn't coming very easy.  I was having a hard time understanding the lesson.  I left most of the questions blank.  This morning while running the answers seemed to just come to me.  The questions were very personal and hit home.  I think being in the relaxed mood that running brings to me allowed my mind to find the answer and the meaning of the lesson.  I was very thankful for my run today and what Jesus has done for me.

Talk to you later and keep Running with God.

I Love Running

I love running.  I love using my body the way God intended.  Today I was on a gravel trail for part of my run. It was desolate.  No people, cars, concrete, or homes.  I turned my music off and just took in my surroundings.  I could hear my feet hit the ground and my lungs inhaling oxygen.  When I stopped to take a few pictures my heart was pounding in my chest.  It was a good weekend for running.  Saturday morning started with the sunrise.

Today's run was at sunset.

God has made us and he has made us to do great things.  That doesn't mean we are all going to do something that is known around the world.  I think great things start with being a great Christian and being a great husband, wife, father, mother, son or daughter.  Being great starts with being a great person to those around us every day.

Talk to you later and keep Running with God.

Running with Determination

For a Saturday it was an early start.  I had my alarm set for 6:45 but thankfully I woke up at 6:00.  When planning my run the night before I forgot that I needed to put out Gatorade since I was doing a long run.  I got up and had a can of chicken noodle soup and 16 ounces of GNC endurance formula.  After putting out some fluids I made it home and stretched and was starting my run at 7:00.  After a few miles I had this view.

It was a long run so I had plenty of time for prayer and meditation.  I thought about how my morning started and how the thought crossed my mind to stay in bed.  I had plenty of excuses: I was up late the night before, my bed was warm, it was dark outside, I could take a day off.  But I had decided to run.  I had determined my path and I knew what I had to do.  And so it is with Jesus.  I have decided to follow Jesus.  I must not be deterred.  Galatians 5:7 says, You were running a good race.  Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?  We must keep running and not let anything keep us from the truth.  

Once we have determined that we are going to follow Jesus we must stay on our path.  The first step may be the most important but after that all of the steps have equal value.  During my run today I counted my steps for a half mile.  I took about 625 steps during that 1/2 mile.  That would have been 16,150 steps today and none more important than the other.  In our run with Christ we must be focused on every step so that we will not be deterred from the truth.

Morning Geese

# New song in my playlist - Newsboys/Live with Abandon.

Runners High or Spiritual High?

Early Morning Western Clouds

Early morning run.  Started at 6:00 in the dark.  I had my light and Jesus with me this morning.  Spent some good time in prayer and talking with the Lord.  It was a good work out this morning.  At the end of my run I was breathing fast and very tired.  I ended with a familiar filling, but I am not sure if it was a Runners High or a Spiritual High.  I have had a runners high before.  It usually happens for me at the end of a long run or at the end of a hard work out that went well.  I have read that the runners high comes from endorphins that are released in our bodies during exercise.  I have also read that it is from lack of oxygen to the brain.  What ever the reason it is a great feeling.  I have also had the same feeling when I have had a every blessed run.  On some of those runs when I feel close to the Lord I get a great feeling that comes over me.  I have had many runs that ended with my hands over my head because I had to catch my breath, but I have also ended a few runs with my hands over my head praising the Lord.  I am reminded of Ryan Hall's book "Running with Joy".  He has been very successful in his running career and holds the american record for the half marathon, but his best runs are when he is with the Lord.

* Running tip - If you want to increase your distance do it slowly.  If you make to large of an increase you are more likely to get hurt.  Sometimes instead of increasing by the mile you may want to just increase by a few minutes at a time.

Running towards the Son

Perfect running weather today.  63 degrees and no wind.  This was the view as I ran along the Ohio River this afternoon.  Easy relaxed run today as I ran towards the sun.  I had my cross around my neck and christian music playing from my phone.  I was reminded how lucky I am to have Jesus in my life.  One of the songs I was listening to today was Every Good Thing by The Afters.  It is a praise song that gives thanks to God.  The chorus goes "Your the reason for every good thing, every heart beat, every time we get to breath".  I often know I am not thankful enough for what God has done in my life, but what if I were thankful for every time I get to breath?  Wow, that would be a powerful statement.  I do want to thank God for being in his presence today as I ran.

* Running tip - To prevent injury try stretching or Yoga 2-3 times per week.  15-20 minutes each time will make you more flexible and more resistant to injury.  It may even make you faster.

Running Plus 1 in the Rain

Just three days ago I posted a picture of the sunset on the Ohio River.  It was a beautiful Orange sunset in a bright blue sky.  Oh how things can change.  This morning at eight o'clock the temperature was 56 degrees and it was a steady rain.  There was no sun insight.  My decision was to put on a long sleeve dry fit shirt and my hat and hit the pavement.  The rain was steady but I was determined to get my miles in.  As I wrote about yesterday when rain comes into our lives we need to take God with us.  If we are determined to see it through God will show us the way.  As I ran today I saw a tree that had fallen during the night and in a construction zone I moved a barrel that was in the middle of the road.  The pavement was wet and there was no relief from the driving rain, but I still had a good run with the Lord.  I was able to pray and be open to God.  When we have rain in the race of life we need to run plus 1 and that one should be Jesus.  In life we can become stronger when we rely upon the lord when things get rough.

Talk to you later and keep Running with God.

Running with Rain

Today was a wet run.  Light rain throughout my short run.  But as they say "into each life some rain must fall."  I think rain is what we make of it.  We can ruminate about it.  We can constantly have it on our minds but all that is going to do is slow us down.  I think the best way to deal with it is to understand that it is going to happen sometimes and make the best out of our situation.  I could have not ran this evening.  I had plenty of other reasons not to run, but where would that have gotten me.  Sometimes running in the rain makes us stronger.  This is so applicable to our lives.  Being in Christ doesn't promise us a perfect life but when life brings us rain we have Christ to be there to help us through each situation.  Even when it is raining the Son is still there we just cannot see him.  We must have faith that it he there.

* Running tip - wearing a running cap when it is raining does a great job of keeping the rain out of your eyes.

Amazing Grace

Today I left the house as the sun was coming up.  My run today was a negative split 6 miles.  Each mile I try to run faster then the last.  The first part of my run was easy so I had a chance to think about my run the day before.  Yesterday I ran with my daughter Grace.  That lead me to think about Gods grace.  He you ever been given a gift that you didn't expect or didn't deserve?  Think about how that made you feel.  It is a great feeling to have someone care about you enough to give you something that they didn't have to.  This is what God did for us.  He Gave us his Son Jesus Christ out of love.  He didn't have to give us that gift and we definitely didn't deserve it.

Today as I ran I thanked God for his never ending Grace.

* Running tip - Always tie your shoe in a double knot.  Sounds basic but who wants to stop and tie your shoe during a run.

Running with Grace

Beautiful run this afternoon. I had a running partner today.  My 16 year old daughter was with me. I love running with my family. Instead of running with God today I was running with Grace. My only prayer today was of thanks for my family. I am lucky to have healthy, loving, fun children and an extremely supportive wife.

It still feels like summer in Southern Indiana.

Running with Obstacles and Determination

I was out the door early this morning.  It was 5:45. It was dark.  70 degrees and cloudy with a 10% chance of rain.  Today's run was 6 miles with miles 2, 4, and 6 being at a faster pace.  There were several obstacles in my way today.  The first obstacle was small and fleeting.  At about 1/4 of a mile a rabbit was in front of me.  It was dark so I didn't see him until I was very close.  I almost stepped on him as he ran in front of me.  There were a couple of cars that passed me and a few in the street that I had to avoid.  No problem. Near the half way point in my run I saw lights facing me.  They were moving slowly and they were bright.  As I got closer I could hear the grinding of gears and the sounds of a powerful engine.  I could then see this monstrous machine with three legs attached to tracks.  This behemoth was heading for me and wasn't going to alter its course.  As I moved to the edge of the road I stepped off of the shoulder.  I was a bit surprised but didn't fall. After avoiding this obstacle I was headed home.  As my watch beeped to let me know I was starting my last mile I knew I was going to have to pick up my pace again, that's when I heard the rain.  It was down the road and coming my way.  As it hit me it was hard and steady.  For a moment I thought to take the short cut home. It entered my mind that I should slow down and take it easy because of the rain.  I decided not to do either.  I would give it my best and try to meet my goal.  I was successful.  My determination for the run overcame the obstacles that were placed before me today.

The story of today's run is very similar to life in Christ.  We will have obstacles.  Some will be small and some will be large.  Some obstacles will be easy to overcome and others more difficult.  If we rely on the Lord and have determination to run the race that is set out before us we will be successful.