B.E.S.T. 5K

The awaited moment arrived yesterday as I competed against my pastor in the 5K here in Sidney. My pastor is a runner, about twice my age and about 12 inches taller than me. So a couple months ago I gave him a registration form and the competion was soon to ensue. At church I had to laugh as he talked about it and mentioned several times that he was thought that I would beat him. However, the one who was nervous was me! Running on the treadmill this week to get ready I got nervous thinking about competing against him. Then Friday night arrives and I feel sick! Yikes. So people were praying that I would feel better and praise the Lord, I did. I went to bed early- woke up at 4:30 AM- hydrated myself some more, took another Echincia and went back to bed. Donning my BEST 5K T-shirt and placing my safety pins on my beloved #3 running tag, I read some running verses from the Bible. There are actually more running verses than I thought. The one I focused on was Hebrews 12:1- which states: "Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us." My prayer was that we would run together for the Lord's glory. Truly I wasn't praying the day of the race- let me beat Pastor Fred! So I parked at Tawawa Park and found the people from my church. As we lined up to get ready for the race, Pastor Fred stationed himself next to me. I wanted to run without focusing on his position. As the buzzer went off and the race began, off I went. Listening to my Shuffle I-Pod, I heard this heavy breathing behind me- and knowing that the good runner does not look back my gaze was fixed straight ahead. At one mile, Pastor Fred and I ran together. Looking back it brought back memories of an analogy a woman had likened when she was dating her now husband- that she was running for Jesus and looked over and he was too. Now of course, Pastor Fred is married and I'm single-so that's not what I am implying, but a good spiritual real example. It was neat as about half way through we both were fatiguing- Pastor Fred started quoting Scripture- that we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us. That all things work together for our good- and that good comes from the word prothesis- to restore. And I spoke of the verse that I had read that day- Hebrews 12:1. Very encouraging! He went ahead for a little bit, and I was starting to get tired. Then we were back together, but at the last tenth- Pastor Fred looked into the sky and boom- there he went. I had no more gusto- so he beat me by about 5 seconds. However I did come in 1st for my age and 3rd overall female! So, next year, perhaps I can beat my pastor :)

My El Roi

I may have mentioned this term in previous posts, but this is one of the LORD's names (one of my favorites). The meaning is: The God who sees. What I love about God is that He knows each one of the details of our lives, the thoughts of our minds, the desires of our hearts. He's such a loving God and I love those sweet little caresses that He gives to remind us- I see you- see those thoughts, I see those desires, I see you. He reminded me of this on Sunday- as I was struggling. I had three people from church give me encouragement in this area- He is a God who sees. How I need Him and His grace and to live in it.

In Christ Alone

I watched the Passion again this week. Watching it brings mind renewal- to have in the forefront of my mind what Jesus did for us. I love Him. His humility, no defending of His name, His love, His determination and steadfastness of the cross. As I watched my Savior walking to Calvary, bruised, scouraged, crushed and His soul grieved to the point of death the verse that popped into my mind was- for the joy set before Him, He endured the cross. As I was driving today I heard this song on the radio:

In Christ alone my hope is found; He is my light, my strength, my song;
This cornerstone, this solid ground,Firm through the fiercest drought and storm.
What heights of love, what depths of peace,
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease!
My comforter, my all in all—Here in the love of Christ I stand.

In Christ alone, Who took on flesh,Fullness of God in helpless babe!
This gift of love and righteousness,
Scorned by the ones He came to save.
Till on that cross as Jesus died,The wrath of God was satisfied;
For ev'ry sin on Him was laid—Here in the death of Christ I live.
There in the ground His body lay ,Light of the world by darkness slain;
Then bursting forth in glorious day, Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory, Sin's curse has lost its grip on me;

For I am His and He is mine—Bought with the precious blood of Christ.
No guilt in life, no fear in death—This is the pow'r of Christ in me;
From life's first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny.
No pow'r of hell, no scheme of man, Can ever pluck me from His hand;
Till He returns or calls me home—Here in the pow'r of Christ I'll stand.

2nd Corinthians 5:21 "He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." Wow- to TRULY understand this- our LIVES WOULD CONTINUALLY BE RENEWED AND FOREVER CHANGED, FOREVER GRATEFUL. Thank you, my God, my Lord, my Savior, my righteousness.....