Category: Running

HURLING OFF THE HINDRANCES

Lisa Preuett

Hebrews 12:1  “…let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles…”

It’s race day!  A cold breeze gushes through the crowd. Runners quickly jog in place to stay warm. You can see your breath in the coolness of the air. Shivering, you count down the minutes until start time.  Your outer layer will be discarded later, but for now it’s keeping you warm before the race. The race finally begins and you’re content with this outer layer. It fits snugly around you, giving immediate warmth and comfort. But then something happens. Your body thaws out, gradually heating up to a full sweat. This shirt you earlier couldn’t do without feels cumbersome, causing you much distress. You’re ready to throw it off.  You literally peel it off and toss it, knowing you’ll never see it again. But at this point you don’t care because you can run with more ease and freedom. Getting rid of the sweat shirt lightens your load.  As you continue running along the race course, you notice a mass of shirts and jackets strewn across both edges of the road. You realize you’re among other runners who know this truth: you can’t run efficiently unless you throw off the things that weigh you down.

Should we not have this same attitude with our sins? The hindrances entangling us—weighing us down.  They utterly leave us burdened and miserable. But we often convince ourselves we’re okay with them. We think they’ll keep us comfortable, snug and protected from the cold, distant world. But we can only go so far before we start to realize we’re getting uncomfortable. Our soul is miserable with this added weight. We feel burdened with anguish. Feelings of defeat hinder us from walking in victory.

The verse in Hebrews tells us to literally throw off our sins. A runner who’s fallen into her perfect stride isn’t going to slow down, prance over to the side of the road and neatly lay her old sweat shirt down. Of course not! Just when she notices the change in her body temperature, and feels the heat inside, she knows it’s time. She quickly peels off the cumbersome sweat shirt, tugging furiously to get it over her head. And with all her might she’ll fling it as far away from her as possible.

That, my dear friend, is what we are called to do with sin. Just when we recognize the change in our thoughts. The change in our heart. The change in our attitude. We detect something isn’t right. We feel miserable. Maybe it’s selfish thoughts. Perhaps it’s a prideful action, hurting our loved ones. Or maybe we lash out with angry words to defend our way of doing things. Then we feel weighed down with guilt we weren’t meant to carry. Anguish rises up inside. When we recognize this, that’s when we grab the ugly thing it really is and strip it off. We hurl it out of sight and into the forgiving arms of Jesus. He’s strong enough to catch those sins we’ve thrown at Him along our path. He has the power to forgive and redeem because of what he did on the cross. And then He does something incredible; he hurls our forgiven sins completely away from us…never to be seen again.

 

READY? What are you allowing to hinder your walk with Jesus? Are you clinging tightly to a certain sin? Are you ready to call it what it is and throw it off? Ask God to show you what is weighing you down so you can cast it off and run your race in victory.

GET SET.  Psalm 103:12 “As far as the east is from the west He has removed our sins from us.”

GO!  Lord Jesus, I come to you humbly and ask you to show me the sins I’m allowing to weigh me down. Help me acknowledge them before you. I confess them now and ask your forgiveness. Soften my heart so I can be more sensitive to the sins that grieve your heart. Help me let go of anything that keeps me from walking in victory. Amen.

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Blessings to you!

Lisa Preuett

http://www.reststopforthesoul.com

 


Watch Out for Black Ice!

Lisa Preuett

Proverbs 16:18 Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.

 

Snow had fallen the night before. Previously covered roads were now cleared completely. Or so it seemed. We were warned to look out for black ice before gearing up for our weekly long run. Mounds of snow lined the edges of the road. The path ahead looked safe, yet patches of black ice couldn’t be detected with the naked eye. A few runners up ahead were in their perfect stride, their eyes fixed ahead, when suddenly one of them slipped! She tried furiously to catch herself. Yet her attempt was futile. Bam! Spinning out of control, she fell onto the frozen ground. Shaken, she slowly stood up, caught her breath and continued—at a much slower pace.  Nobody could see the culprit. That sneaky patch of black ice, lurching in the shadows. She didn’t know it was there until it was too late.

Black ice. Why is it called this? If it were black, wouldn’t one be able to see it? But by definition, black ice refers to a thin coating of glazed ice on a surface. Because of its transparency, it allows black asphalt roadways to be seen through it. It’s practically invisible to drivers as well as runners, causing a risk of skidding and accidents due to the loss of traction.

Isn’t black ice kind of like those sins we hold onto sometimes? Not the outward ones obvious to most. No, I’m referring to the ones that are embedded deep within us. Those secret sins we try to keep hidden. To the naked eye, they can’t be detected. On the outside we may look polished, presentable and perfect. But deep inside there’s a losing battle with an ugly thing called pride. Although it can’t be seen, pride will rear its ugly head out of nowhere when least expected and before we know it, we’re sliding. Skidding. Losing our balance. We try with all our human might to catch ourselves. Just like the runner I witnessed.  But most often we come to an abrupt halt and crash humbly to the ground.

Pride comes before a fall. Just when we think we’ve paced ourselves with our perfect stride, patting ourselves on the back for all we think we’ve done in our own power, that’s when we’re most susceptible to the black ice of pride.

I’m not like that person.

 I’m better than he is.

I haven’t given in to the sin she struggles with.

We blow ourselves up with such powerful pride that we don’t even see the ground beneath us. We don’t see the danger of what’s ahead. Pride is such a deadly sin because it takes our eyes off Jesus and puts the focus on self. Instead of going at the pace designed for us, we do things our own way and suddenly we lose traction, falling to the ground.

READY?  Do you ever find yourself pointing out obvious sins of others? Why are we so quick to do so? Are there areas of your own life where God is pointing out pride? Are you willing to humble yourself and surrender before you fall? Ask him to shine his light on your pride.

GET SET. Proverbs 11:2 When pride comes, then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom.

GO! Heavenly Father, please forgive me for the times I’ve judged others for outward sins when I’ve neglected to see the pride in my own heart. Help me to keep my eyes on you one step at a time so I can be aware of anything that would cause me to fall. Thank you for your grace.

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Blessings to you!

Lisa Preuett

http://www.reststopforthesoul.com

 

 

Get Out of Your Comfort Zone!

Lisa Preuett

Matthew 14:29  So Peter got out of the boat. He walked on the water toward Jesus. But when Peter saw the wind, he was afraid. He began to sink. He cried out, “Lord, save me!” Right away Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “Your faith is so small! Why did you doubt me?”

After running six half marathons during a four-year stretch, I felt God nudging me to attempt a full marathon. At first I fought against this gentle nudging. What? Are you getting me mixed up with someone else, God? Can’t I just stick with what I’m already doing? But when I realized He was indeed nudging me, I completely surrendered. Yes! I stepped way out of my comfort zone. I’d grown quite comfortable in running half marathons. I knew what to expect. I was comfortable with my pace. Comfortable with the training schedule. Confident in beating my own personal records from previous races. I was satisfied with my collection of medals from finished half-marathons.

But when I finally decided to attempt a full marathon, I stepped into unknown territory. It took me several days to muster up enough courage to actually register for the race. And once I officially registered, fear gripped my heart. I was no longer comfortable.  Maybe you’re comfortable jogging a few miles around the block, but you think you’d be too uncomfortable to sign up for a 5K. Perhaps you’ve grown accustomed to running nothing but 5K’s and the mere thought of going beyond that distance makes you break out in a sweat. You don’t want to leave your comfort zone because it’s just not….comfortable. But you know what? Sometimes that’s exactly where God wants us to be.

I’m sure Peter felt the same way in today’s passage. It’s pretty obvious that Peter most certainly stepped out of his comfort zone! The other disciples huddled together as they watched comfortably from inside the boat. Nobody else dared to follow behind him. He progressed from being a spectator to a participant. He stepped completely out of the boat and then he walked toward Jesus.

But when Peter saw the huge waves in the distance, he began to sink. He didn’t sink from the presence of the waves; he sank because he gawked at the ferocious waves and took his eyes off Jesus. When Jesus calls us out of our comfort zones, the wind and waves may still distract us. What are your distractions? Doubts from your inner soul? Criticism from others who don’t understand? Unexpected circumstances?

When Peter began to sink, he didn’t have to wait long for Jesus to rescue him. It’s because Jesus was right there. When Jesus calls you out of your comfort zone, he doesn’t just watch from a distance. He is right there beside you to catch you when you fall. The first timid step into the unknown can often usher in a tidal wave of fear. When that happens, humbly drop to your knees in prayer. Call out to Him like Peter did and let him rescue you with the strong grip of his loving hand.

READY? Where do you think Jesus is calling you to come out of your comfort zone? Are you still in the boat? Then trust Him as you take that first step out. Are you a few steps out of the boat? Then keep going one step at a time as you fix your eyes on Jesus. Are you beginning to sink? Then call out to Him! He is still there to catch you and get you going again.

GET SET. Psalm 105:4 Look to the Lord and His strength; seek His face always.

GO!  Lord Jesus, I humbly come to you and ask you to show me where I need to come out of my own comfort zone. Please forgive my unbelief and my human tendency to worry! Help me to not focus on the gushing waves around me, but to focus on the strength and peace you promise when we choose to seek your face. 

 

 

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Blessings to you!

Lisa Preuett

http://www.reststopforthesoul.com

Are You Thoroughly Equipped?

Lisa Preuett

2Timothy 3:16-17  “All scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

If you’ve lived in the runner’s world for any length of time, you’re familiar with all the specialty stores lined with endless racks of nothing but running attire: shoes, socks, shorts, shirts and jackets.  These items are pricy, yet each piece of equipment is essential if you desire to be thoroughly equipped for running your race effectively.

 

I shook my head in disbelief when I paid $120 for my first pair of running shoes. Really? Why can’t I just wear the cute tennis shoes I got on sale at Target?  An experienced marathon runner explained the facts to me about running shoes, “If you don’t have the proper shoes, you’ll be miserable!”  I had to experience aching feet and painful knees before I realized I didn’t have the right shoes. Shoes are to a runner what tires are to a car. Attempting to use the wrong type is damaging and utterly reckless.

It’s essential to equip yourself with uniquely designed socks allowing your feet to breathe and avoid blisters. There’s also a myriad of shorts, shirts and jackets specifically designed for every occasion and every season of weather.

God also calls us to be thoroughly equipped, my dear friend. If we’re going to run our race of faith well, we too must be thoroughly equipped. What does He call us to equip ourselves with? According to the key verse in Timothy, he’s speaking about the word of God. We must equip ourselves with powerful truth from scripture. These compelling words must first cross the threshold of our mind and penetrate like deep roots to the depth of our soul. We have to intentionally embrace them, meditate on them, ponder them continually and digest them through every fiber of our heart. In doing so we will be prepared for every situation we face.

 

The scripture in Timothy tells us God’s word will teach us. So we must embrace scripture and allow our hearts to soak up this precious knowledge of who He is and how He desires for us to live. His word will also rebuke and correct us when we stumble and get off course. These moments may be difficult, yet we’re promised His truth will set us free. God’s word also trains us for the purposes He’s called us to. The power of His word enables us to humbly walk in the righteousness of Christ.

Just as the runner invests in the necessary equipment, we as followers of Christ must make an investment. Not with money—but with our time and effort. We must be intentional with prioritizing our lives around God’s word, no matter what the cost may be. I foolishly thought the cheap tennis shoes were sufficient, yet I suffered the consequences! In the same way, if we don’t invest in God’s word, we’ll end up with something much more serious than painful blisters and aching knees; we’ll end up with painful consequences and aching hearts. Zipping out the door unequipped leaves us empty and too exhausted for running our daily course. Neglecting time in God’s word is an invitation for damage, disaster and ruin.

 

Dear friend, I urge you to make the most crucial investment of your journey of faith: embrace the word of God as the fuel that fires your very soul! The power of His word will keep you on track to face whatever trials come your way and will thoroughly equip you for every good work.

 

READY?   Are you consistently spending time in God’s word? Are you meditating on the power of His word throughout your day? If this is an area of your faith journey you are lacking in, what needs to change for this to be a priority? If you’re walking through a difficult season, embrace His word to give you strength, hope and peace.

 

GET SET.  Psalm 119:10-11, 105 “I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Your word is a lamp for my feet; a light for my path”

 

GO!  Dear God, I thank you for the gift of your word…that I can hold it in my physical hands and turn the pages with ease. Forgive me for the times I’ve neglected and ignored your precious word. Please ignite a passion in my heart to embrace it like never before. Help me remember the power that comes from your word. May your word be firmly planted and deeply rooted in every area of my life.

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Counting the Cost

Lisa Preuett

John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” 

“You mean you’re going to pay money to go run?” Yes, this is the question many people ask when you mention you’ve just registered for your first race. For those who’ve never run, it really doesn’t make sense that someone would actually pay money to do something that seems so exhausting. It’s one thing to talk about signing up for a race. It’s another to actually go online, register, give your credit card information and finally click the submit button. Once you’ve clicked that button, it’s a done deal. You’re in. No chances of getting your money back at this point. Whether you run the race or not, you’ve paid money you will not get back.

 

The first time I registered for a race, I wavered back and forth. Do I really want to do this? Do I have enough time to train for this race? What if something comes up and I can’t make it? Am I really cut out for this? But once I clicked the submit button, I knew I’d made a commitment. I was all in. There is no maybe option when you go to register for a race. You either do it or you don’t. Once you’ve made the commitment, there’s an immediate urgency to follow through with the necessary training. You’ve paid a price and you don’t want to lose your investment. Now that I’ve signed up, what’s the next step to be ready for the race?

 

Is this how we approached the crossroad when we decided to become a follower of Christ? Did we really ponder what we were signing up for? Did we consider the cost? Did we truly realize the commitment we were making when we said yes to Him? Was there an urgency to follow through with the next step?

 

The good news is that when you give your life to Christ, you don’t have to pay anything. No fees. No credit card number required. In this case, He is the one who paid the price up front. He is the one who gave freely of Himself. He did this while we were still sinners, knowing that many of those He died for might choose to reject the option of signing up for the race. Yet He still did it. For everyone. For me. For you.

 

Although it doesn’t cost you anything tangible, there is still a cost. There is an investment we make. We don’t have to do anything to receive salvation; we’re saved by faith and grace. But it will cost us something when we come out of our comfort zone. It will cost us our pride, selfishness and desire to take control of our life. When we say yes to Jesus, it means we say no to the ways of this world while allowing Him to live out His purpose through us. When we signed up to run the race of faith, we clicked the submit button. We chose to fully surrender and submit to Him.

 

What we get in return is of much more value than anything this world has to offer. Dear friend, we receive eternal life! Forgiveness of our sins. Joy overflowing. Peace and hope in our relationship with Him. You can’t even begin to assign a value to what we receive when we sign up to run the race as a follower of Jesus. It doesn’t compare to anything. It’s priceless.

 

READY?  If you call yourself a follower of Christ, are you all in? When you first came to Him did you consider what it would cost you? Did you consider what it cost Him? Are you living your life fully committed to Him? Are you living daily with the truth of what He’s already done and is still doing for you? If so, what is your next step?

 

 GET SET.  Luke 14:27-28 And anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Will he not first sit down and estimate the cost to see if he has enough money to complete it?

 

GO!  Jesus, I praise you and thank you for what you’ve done for me on the cross. Thank you for the gift of salvation. Thank you for the promise of eternal life. Help me to live each day with a heart fully devoted to you as I continue with the commitment I’ve made to be your follower. 

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Blessings to you!

Lisa Preuett

If you enjoyed this post, check out my devotional book for RUNNERS!

Available on Amazon.

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Taking a Wrong Turn

Lisa Preuett

Psalm 25:4-5 “Show me your ways, Oh Lord; teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me for you are God my savior and my hope is in you all day long.”

While vacationing on a beautiful beach in Florida, I planned on running three miles. The first two were under nicely shaded shops along the boardwalk. But then I wanted to enjoy the scenery of ocean waves crashing upon the beach. I’ll run my last mile along the shore and call it quits. Sounded like a good plan to me. I trudged over across the sand to the edge of the shore where I could run on solid ground. My plan was to run for half a mile out and half  a mile back to make it an even three. But that’s when I got off course.

I was ready to head back the last half mile and cut back through where I thought I’d entered the beach area. But what I didn’t know then was that I’d turned too soon. As I jogged back to where I thought our condo was located, the scenery around me didn’t look familiar. I kept looking for the sign that bore the name of our condo. But I didn’t see it anywhere. My persistent jog slowly turned to a sluggish stroll. I finally had to humbly admit the truth: I had taken a wrong turn and was headed in the opposite direction.

The sweltering sun ushered streams of sweat running down my back…. joined with tears of frustration pouring down my face. No longer underneath shaded shops to shelter me, I could not escape the blistering sun.

I sensed God gently speaking to my weary soul: Yes, you are turned around. But that doesn’t define who you are. 

As I continued to walk (not running at this point!) one step at a time closer to my condo, I asked God to show me some truth from this situation so it wouldn’t be a total waste. (Of course the obvious lesson is to figure out where you are before running an extra mile!)

Sometimes we think we know exactly where we are in life. We head off in a certain direction without evaluating where we really are. We make plans and think we have it all figured out. But then we suddenly realize we are not where we intended to be. We have to admit we took a wrong turn. We have to set our pride aside and accept the reality that we missed something.

But the cool thing about God is that even when we’ve taken a wrong turn, He’s still right there with us. Even when we are way off His intended course, He is still our rock. We may have to take a longer route to get back on track, but He promises to never leave us.

Although I was running in unfamiliar territory, I still felt the effects of the sun. In fact, it was the only thing recognizable at the moment of realizing I was lost. Whether I’m running at home in Kentucky or on a beautiful Florida beach, it’s still the same sun shining down upon me. And in the same way, God is always with us whether we’re in a predictable routine or right smack in the middle of something frightening and unfamiliar.

READY? Have you found yourself off course when you thought you were on the right path? Did you take a sudden turn not realizing it would bring you to a place you didn’t want to be?  If you find yourself on a path you didn’t intend to walk, humbly ask God to help you get back on the right course. Yes, you might have to experience some consequences but He will be with you every step of the way. He’s never left your side. He’s still there.

GET SET. 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

GO! Heavenly Father, show me in my life where I’ve gotten off course. Reveal to me anything I need to confess in going the wrong way. Thank you for your faithfulness to me even when I’m going the wrong direction. Help me run back into your loving arms and walk confidently in your forgiveness and love. Amen.

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Blessings to you!

Lisa Preuett 

Resistance Builds Strength

Lisa Preuett

Ephesians 6:10   Be strong in the Lord, in the power of His might.

These words from Ephesians are written on the wall of my fitness center. Sitting firmly lodged in place on a weight machine, I push with all my might against the resistance of the weights I’ve measured out. Breathing deeply and gritting my teeth, I attempt to increase the amount of weight my flimsy muscles need to get toned up. To get stronger.  As difficult as it sounds, that’s how it works. If you want your muscles to get stronger, there must be resistance or you won’t see any progress.

With sweat pouring down my face, I glance up and stare at the powerful words from Ephesians again. This is when I hear the soft, gentle whisper of God in my soul:

Just as your physical muscles can only be strengthened through resistance, your faith and trust in Me can only be strengthened through resistance.

As much as I know this is true, my flesh doesn’t like it at all. My flesh sometimes rears its ugly head and shouts back out of fear, worry or anger. What if God doesn’t come through? What will happen IF? Why did this happen to me and not someone else?

And then God in His patience and grace continues to speak lovingly to me in that still, small voice:

Trust me. Don’t worry. Don’t try to take control of things that aren’t yours to handle. The resistance you’re experiencing will make you stronger in your dependence on me.

I don’t know about you, but I sometimes experience this resistance with my husband. With my children. With my own selfish thoughts that don’t line up with God’s. Or I’ll feel this resistance while sitting in a traffic jam that is making me late to wherever I need to go. Even the little things can cause resistance like dishes left out, clothes not put away, a mess not cleaned up, a dropped call in a no-reception area, or a computer not working the way it’s supposed to!

Seen through my own human eyes, these things are obstacles. Interruptions. Irritations. Frustrations.

But seen through God’s eyes, these things are opportunities….to trust. To be refined. To be strengthened.

If I will just turn down the volume on my inner fleshly shouting match, I can more clearly hear the gentle whisper of God in moments like these. And trust that these moments of “resistance” are making me stronger. Making me more like Jesus. And instead of responding with fear, worry or anger when He lovingly increases the amount of weights, I can trust that the end result is for His glory.

READY? Who’s causing resistance in your life these days? Spouse? Children? In-laws? Co-workers? Neighbors? Or What’s causing resistance? Finances? Job? Health? How are you responding to the resistance? Whatever it may be, I challenge you to see these things as opportunities to strengthen your spiritual muscles. Opportunities to trust God and deepen your faith.

GET SET. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

GO! Heavenly Father, it is hard for me to welcome resistance in my life because of my sin nature. Please open the eyes of my heart to see times of difficulty as opportunities to trust you and for my faith to be strengthened. Thank you for your faithfulness to me during these times even when I doubt. Praise you for your power in my life. Amen

 

resistance builds strength

 

Blessings to you!

Lisa Preuett 

Trudging Up the Steep Hills

Lisa Preuett

Psalm 121:1 “I lift up my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, maker of heaven and earth.”

It’s painful when you’re trudging up a steep hill. Every fiber of your leg muscles tighten. You feel as if you won’t make it to the top. Your calf muscles silently scream, “Please stop! We can’t go another step!” Instead of looking up ahead at how much farther I have to go, I look down at the ground and literally watch my feet, one step at a time.

There’s something invigorating about finally reaching the top of a steep hill. I finally look up from the ground and realize I’ve made it! Trudging up that hill caused my heart to almost pound out of my chest. My rapid breathing finally slows down. I let out a sigh of relief. Yes! The ground ahead of me begins to level out now. It’s smooth and I can see more of what’s up ahead.

But I take a moment and turn around.  Did I really just come all this way? I stand in awe of the beauty around me. Depending on the season, I might be looking at lush-green trees lining the path behind me, blue sky overhead. At other times I might be looking at autumn leaves splattered with bright orange-red colors. My absolute favorite view at the top of the hill is in winter. The snow-covered trees, glistening in the sparkling light of the sun. I breathe in the air and turn my head back in front of me.

I’ve had my share of steep hills in this life. Some of them I’d rather forget about. But I can undoubtedly say that there’s something invigorating about finally making it to the top. Those trials I thought for sure would kill my soul and squash my spirit. Yes, there are times my heart has nearly broken, fiercely pounding out of my chest. My flesh shouting, “I can’t go another step!” But when I came to the end of that challenge, my breathing slowed down. My tears and anguish turned into joyous breaths of praise. Praise to my Lord Jesus who walked beside me each step of the way.

Did I really just come all this way? I stood in awe of the beauty around me. Not physical surroundings, but the beauty of what God had done in me. The beauty of the strength He equipped me with. The beauty of his promise to never leave me or forsake me. My faith was strengthened. My hope was renewed. My love for Him was magnified. And this view was something I wouldn’t trade for anything.

READY? Where are you, dear friend? Are you gasping for breath, trudging up a steep hill? Do you feel you won’t make it to the top? Does your heart ache and you just want to stop? I encourage you to tightly grip the loving arms of Jesus. He is right beside you as you go up the hill. He is with you every step of the way. He can’t wait to show you the view at the top!

GET SET. Deuteronomy 31:6 “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

GO! Lord Jesus, the hills of this life are hard. Sometimes I just want to give up. When I feel this way, please help me remember your truth. Help me cling to the fact that you are with me even though I can’t always see what’s up at the top. Thank you for your promise of being with me each step of the way. Amen

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Blessings to you!

Lisa Preuett 

 

Never Say Never!

Lisa Preuett

Deuteronomy 31:6  “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

The first time I ran a half marathon, I found myself laughing at a certain point in the race. When runners get to mile marker #9, something drastic happens. Up until this point, everyone is running on the same course, half-marathoners and full-marathoners together. Everyone is mixed in and you don’t know who is running which race. You’d never know just by looking at them. But then at mile marker #9 the course literally is divided. It splits down the middle of an intersection. The half-marathoners turn left and the full-marathoners turn right. This is where I found myself laughing out loud and thinking very clear:

There is no way I’d ever run a full marathon! I could NEVER do that! Heck, I don’t know if I will even make it through the next 4 miles to complete this race! Ha! Those people are crazy! I don’t understand why or how they do it.

Fast forward four years and six half marathons later.  I’d registered for a full marathon after a stirring in my heart. It was time for a new challenge. Before I knew it, there I was! Standing at the start line of my first marathon.

I was approaching mile marker #9, the crucial turning point where the race split. The bright orange warning signs flashed in front of me. A man blasted through a megaphone, “Attention runners! Half-marathoners go left! Marathoners go right! Runners chaotically dashed from one side to the other. Two runners brushed up against me. merging to the left. And then the truth hit me hard: I was now running on the right side of the road…with fewer people. I glanced over my left shoulder, watching the half-marathoners fade out of my sight. Only 4 more miles and they’d cross their finish line. But for me, I had 17 more to go! At first a rush of excitement ignited my mind as I ventured into this new challenge. But when it quickly wore off, that’s when it hit me:

I was attempting something I said I’d NEVER do!

How many times in our lives have we dug our feet in the sand exclaiming,

I will NEVER do that!

I could NEVER walk a path like hers!

I’d NEVER survive a trial like that.

But then later you find yourself walking that forbidden path. The one you said you’d never take a step onto. Maybe God has called you out of your comfort zone and you’re headed into a season of life you never dreamed you’d find yourself. Or maybe there’s an area of your life you’re clinging too tightly to, refusing to let go. Perhaps you’re gripped with grief or fear because of an unexpected trial.

I’ll never be able to lose weight; It’s just too hard.
I will never home school; I don’t have the patience for that. 
I could never leave my hometown; I’ve lived here my whole life.
I could never invite my neighbor to church; I couldn’t handle the rejection.
I could never consider adoption; I’m fine with the family I have.

I could NEVER ___________________?

Fill in the blank. What is it for you?

It’s possible that your “I could never” is a fear lurking in the deepest part of your heart. If that’s the case, surrender your fear to Jesus and refuse to let the enemy rob you of joy. Maybe your “I could never” is something God is nudging you towards, requiring a deeper trust. Whatever it may be, God promises to be with us through it all. In the face of your “I could never”, let me point you to a truth where God uses the word NEVER.  To those who are His followers, He promises to NEVER leave us or forsake us. Instead of focusing on your “never”, embrace the truth of His”never”!

READY? Have you ever done something after you said you’d never do it? What caused you to step out and change your mind? Identify an aspect of your life you’re saying never to right now. Ask God to clarify whether it’s fear speaking or his gentle nudge.

GET SET. Hebrews 13:5  “…be content with what you have because God has said, ‘Never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you.”

GO! Heavenly Father, help me to trust you when my flesh says “Never”. When I’m tempted to let fear grip my heart, help me step out in faith and trust you. Help me not to worry about future trials, but to rest in the assurance that you’ll be with me when those times come. Thank you for the promise of never leaving me! Amen.

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Blessings to you!

Lisa Preuett 

God’s Timing is Not Ours!

Lisa Preuett

Proverbs 16:9 “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.”

The day had finally arrived. Surrounded by thousands of runners, I inched my way to the start line. Excitement and adrenaline pumping through my body, I came face-to-face with my first full marathon.

Don’t focus on your time.    Don’t focus on your pace.     Just finish the race.

These words rang out loud in my mind. After a minor setback with a strained muscle, I accepted the fact that my goal was to finish the race. Period. I found my unique rhythm: Run for five minutes. Walk for one minute. After several miles I found myself lingering at the numbers on my watch.

Once I’d reached the thirteen mile marker I felt a huge relief. I’m half way there!

Then I made the mistake of looking too intently at my watch again. I began calculating. Okay, it’s taken me 2 and a half hours to run half a marathon. (which is about average for me!) So I should be able to finish this thing in about 5 hours if I double that. Okay…I’ll even add an extra 30 minutes since I’ll probably go a bit slower at the end.

So in that moment I realistically figured I’d be done by 5 and a half hours for sure. Seemed like a logical expectation, right? But that was my first mistake…..I set up an expectation for something that was unknown.

I plugged along through the next seven miles without any problems. Excitement flowed through every fiber of my body as I approached mile marker 20. This was a turning point. The most I’d run during training was 20. Once I got past 20 miles I’d be venturing into unknown territory. Would my body be able to continue past this point?

Yes! I breathed a sigh of relief passing mile 21. But then I looked at my watch again. Okay…I’m taking a little bit longer according to my earlier calculations, but because I added that 30 minute buffer in there, I may still finish by 5 and a half hours.

Passing mile 22, I felt my left quad muscle shake. I slowed down. Then my right quad muscle did the same. My legs felt like jello.

At this point reality sunk in. If I wanted to complete the race, I had to let go of my expectation of finishing by a certain time. Changing my pace altogether, I started walking slowly. After half a mile, I attempted to run…slowly. My quads wobbled just after a minute!  So this was my new pace. Run one minute. Walk for five. Letting go of my expectations, I stopped focusing on my watch. God reminded me of my original goal. To finish a full marathon.

Turning the final corner, I inched my way across the finish line. It wasn’t in the time I expected. (almost 6 hours!) It didn’t matter what my watch said. It didn’t matter what I’d calculated at the half way mark. I had finished the race!

How often do we make plans according to our own human calculations? How often do we think life will go a certain way based upon what we’ve already experienced? Maybe we think we’ll reach a specific goal in a short time but then we realize it’s taking much longer. Or we expect God to resolve our conflict by a certain date.

He answered my previous prayer in less than a month, surely He’ll answer this one in the same way.

Maybe it took three months. Maybe it took a year. Or perhaps you’re still waiting.

We set ourselves up for disappointment when we expect things to happen in our timing. In our way. Peace would flow more freely in our lives if we trusted God’s timing more often. It’s hard! God’s ways are better than our ways. His timing is perfect. He is never late. Nothing takes Him by surprise. He is ultimately in control of everything.

Wherever you are in your race of life, I encourage you to trust His timing. Trust His ways. One step at a time.

READY? When in your life has an answered prayer come later than you expected? Where in your life are you struggling to trust God’s timing right now? Ask God to show you where you are attempting to take control and trust him to intervene in his timing.

GET SET. Isaiah 55:8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are my ways your ways,” declares the Lord.

GO!  Dear Lord, I confess how I so often want things to go according to my own plans. I lose focus of who you really are and think I’m in control. Forgive me for attempting to make things happen in my timing. Help me to trust your timing and to rest in the truth of who you are. Amen

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Blessings to you!

Lisa Preuett