Running with Purpose

Last week I joined thousands of runners who were participating in the Christie Clinic Illinois Marathon!

Family and friends who were running alongside me were running to support the same cause…Hope for Justice!

Hope for Justice exists to end human trafficking and slavery in our generation.

It’s estimated that over 20,900,000 people are trapped in human trafficking all over the world… http://www.wbgl.org/illinois-marathon-with-hope-for-justice.

Hope for Justice desires to fight until each one is free by providing education to those most at risk, working to rescue those currently trapped in trafficking and providing aftercare and restoration services to those who are rescued… http://www.wbgl.org/illinois-marathon-with-hope-for-justice.

WBGL believes in this worthy cause and so do numerous others who chose to run a 5K, 10K or half marathon last weekend!

Over the past few years, WBGL listeners have helped raise more than $110,000 for Hope for Justice and they were hoping to make an even bigger impact this year!

So Friday night, we lined up to run the 5K!

My oldest son chose to run the half-marathon the following morning!

I hadn’t really had an opportunity to train or run very much this spring, but was still hoping to run as much as the 5K as I could!

Also, I was in the middle or doing the Ultimate Reset Program…eating only fruits and vegetables, so I was a little concerned if I would have the stamina to even finish the race!

Even though I had a few concerns…I have to share…it was extremely exciting to be there!

Not only were we running for an extremely worthy cause, but to be surrounded by thousands of runners was exhilarating!

Finally, it was our groups turn to begin and immediately you were in a swarm of runners…elbow to elbow!

You really didn’t have a choice but to run alongside them…finding openings to run in and out and around the other runners!

I ran side-by-side my daughter-in-law, Rachel, for the first few minutes, but she gradually eased ahead of me!

I continued at a steady pace and only stopped to walk for a few minutes as I drank a cup of water that was handed to me.

I remember running down one street that was lined with several pizza shops…providing all of the runners several moments to inhale the delicious aroma of fresh, hot pizza…I don’t think pizza had ever smelled so wonderful!

As I was getting weary, I heard a father share with his young daughter…we only have a quarter of a mile to go…we can do this! 

So, I was encouraged…I could finish this race!

And I did!

I can’t explain how thrilling it was to run through the U of I tunnel onto the football field…lights brightly illuminating the field…stands filled with spectators…and other runners crossing the line with me!

It was so much fun…that I immediately thought…I want to run another 5K!  Actually…I want to work my way up to running a 10K!

Training may not always be easy, but I can do it if I don’t give up!

This morning, as I was reading Our Daily Bread, it likened prayer to running a marathon!

The morning devotion asked…”Do you struggle to maintain a consistent prayer life?”

My morning devotional continued to say…”The life of faith is a marathon.  The ups, the downs, and the plateaus in our prayer life are a reflection of this race.  And just as in a marathon we need to keep running, so we keep praying.  The point is:  Don’t give up!”…Our Daily Bread, May 5, 2016

Just as I needed encouragement to run this race, God encourages us in our prayer life as well!

His word states…Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus…1Thessalonians 5:16-18.

Pray continually!

Regardless of our circumstances…we need to pray!

Marathon runners run all types of courses…courses that twist and turn…lead up steep hills…over irregular terrain…a runner often never knows what is around the next turn in the road.

They also run in all sorts of weather…hot…windy…rainy…snowing…

Life is like a marathon course!  It takes twists and turns…it’s filled with stormy seasons…and we don’t often know what is around the corner awaiting us!

Just as a runner chooses to keep running, regardless of what is going on in their lives…we need to choose to keep praying!

The more we train for a marathon…the better we will do in each race.

And as we spend more time in prayer…more time with the Lord…we will grow closer to Him, learning to trust Him for all things!

So continue to run…continue to pray…and if you are like me…you are often doing both at the same time!

Dear Heavenly Father…thank you that we can come to you in all seasons of life…praying continually…growing closer to you through that precious time of communion with you!  Help us to sense your presence, peace and comfort as we draw closer to you!