Running with Purpose and Focus

Yesterday was a long run.  I was out for over two hours.  It was cool but there was abundant sunshine.  I felt strong and thanked God for allowing me to enjoy the world he created.  I often run through the neighborhood of Victoria National Golf Course.  Yesterday I decided to take the cart path and run through the actual golf course.  Victoria National is the most prestegous golf course in the area and many golfers would love to be able to play on it.  Yesterday for 4 miles I had the course to myself.  Even in winter time it is beautiful.  I can only imagine how it would look during the summer when everything is green and the flowers are in bloom.

I caught these two trying to sneak onto the back nine!

I was in prayer some of the time but I also had many thoughts about having purpose in life and what that might be. This is a frequent topic and many books have been written about purpose and having a purpose driven life. Here is my two cents on purpose.  I think we all have four main purposes in life.  1. Love God.  2. Love our spouses.  3. Be a good parent.  4. Be a witness to the people in our lives.  Some of us, no many of us, may have other purposes in life, but the four listed here are global.  If you are looking for your purpose in life, look no further.  

Now that you have your purpose...stay focused.  Don't let the world interfere with you achieving your purpose. Galatians 5:7 gives us a great running analogy, You were running a good race.  Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth?  Stay focused.

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.