Tag: running the race

What’s Your Pace?

Lisa Preuett

Hebrews 12:1. “…Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith…”

One of the phrases you’ll frequently hear among fellow runners in conversation is this: “What’s your pace?” It’s also a  question most registration forms require an answer to when signing up for a half or full marathon. Deep down we probably know the answer to that question, yet sometimes we may be tempted to alter this figure so as to appear faster. Some runners are fast and can run like the wind no matter what the distance. But for me, long distance running is all about endurance. Speed is not a priority.

Could I run faster at the start? Absolutely!

Could I run at that pace throughout the entire race? Absolutely NOT!

If I started off running with all my might, I’d be sick to my stomach for the rest of the race. So I pace myself, trying to remember that it doesn’t matter if people are passing me quickly. It doesn’t matter who is in front of me. It doesn’t matter if someone else crosses the finish line before I do. My determination is focused on finishing the race. At my own unique pace.

Even if you don’t consider yourself an elite runner, as a follower of Christ you are in a race. Not a physical race, but a spiritual race. Maybe you’ve never thought of your life as a race, but it really is. Our goal is Jesus. We should desire to finish well and have Him say to us “Welcome home good and faithful servant.” 

But if I compare myself to someone else’s pace, I’ll crash and burn if I try to keep up with them. Trying to keep up with your friend who’s further ahead in their life’s journey would be like a brand new runner trying to keep up with a veteran marathoner. Sounds absurd, doesn’t it? Yet we often try to keep up with others to achieve a certain image. Or perhaps we feel unrealistic pressure from others to keep up with them. Sometimes pride drives us to run someone else’s pace. Or maybe it’s fear of walking a leg of the race alone. Whatever the motive is, it’s not good if it isn’t where God wants us. We are designed to live this life at the unique pace God calls us to. This life is definitely not a quick sprint, but a marathon with lots of twists and turns. Lots of valleys and hills. And sometimes a lot of flat land in between.

READY? Are you in a season where things are rough? Are you at the start line of a new adventure God is calling you to? Or maybe you feel as if you’re plugging along slowly in a desert land with no oasis in sight. Ask God to show you where you’re running ahead too quickly or not quickly enough. Wherever you may be, pace yourself.

GET SET. Galatians 5:25 “Since we live by the spirit, let us keep in step with the spirit.”

GO! Dear God, I confess that sometimes I try to run my race of faith at a pace you simply did not design me for. Forgive me for running in my own power instead of relying on the Holy Spirit. Help me surrender completely to the purpose you created me for as I run with endurance each step of the way. Amen 

stopwatchimage

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. 

 

 

boat

 

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.

running attire

 

 

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 

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.

Image

Blessings to you!

Lisa Preuett