A few years ago, I met a man named David Bishop who wrote a devotional book called, “Running Around the World.” In case it isn’t obvious to you, this book is written especially for runners. I personally never expected to become a runner and I’m not sure that I should even place myself in that category yet, but I am striving to do more, to do better than I have. You see, there is this nasty little word “discipline” that a runner must have to go out day after day and work their body when it wants to rebel against the pain that it feels when their lungs begin to burn and their legs feel like “jello.”
I have been acquainted with the word discipline for as long as I can remember and it never gets easier, which brings me to my dog, Bella. Bella was so curious that she kept wandering off our property to see what else she could discover, however, we kept discovering her in the road. The road by our house is a very busy road and the vehicles travel quite fast so, Bella found herself on the end of a leash for her own protection. What started out as Bella’s discipline became mine as well. I figured since I was the one to walk Bella, I might as well make it worth-while, so I began training to run a 5K. God is using all this to teach me to persevere, persevere in the most difficult moments when everything in me wants to scream “no more!”
Sometimes the things that God asks of us requires us to mount up with wings as eagles so we can run and not be weary, walk and not be faint.
David’s daughter Kathy said her father, David, trained her to run with that verse. He said that she should become so oxygen deprived that she would only have enough left to say “Eagles.” She went on to say that that verse stays with her always, that God gives her strength physically and spiritually to handle life no matter how great the challenge or how oxygen deprived she may become.
David taught his daughters from this verse, “press on to take hold of the prize for which Christ has called me heavenward.” Robin, David’s other daughter wrote, “Running gives us an analogy to the Christian life. The lessons we learn as we push ourselves to greater heights apply to all areas of life.”
As we move forward in vision for LSUMC, as we move to greater heights, when the times of weariness rise and we feel “oxygen deprived”, let us remember “Eagles!”
Be Encouraged,
Pastor Cheryl
I have been acquainted with the word discipline for as long as I can remember and it never gets easier, which brings me to my dog, Bella. Bella was so curious that she kept wandering off our property to see what else she could discover, however, we kept discovering her in the road. The road by our house is a very busy road and the vehicles travel quite fast so, Bella found herself on the end of a leash for her own protection. What started out as Bella’s discipline became mine as well. I figured since I was the one to walk Bella, I might as well make it worth-while, so I began training to run a 5K. God is using all this to teach me to persevere, persevere in the most difficult moments when everything in me wants to scream “no more!”
Sometimes the things that God asks of us requires us to mount up with wings as eagles so we can run and not be weary, walk and not be faint.
David’s daughter Kathy said her father, David, trained her to run with that verse. He said that she should become so oxygen deprived that she would only have enough left to say “Eagles.” She went on to say that that verse stays with her always, that God gives her strength physically and spiritually to handle life no matter how great the challenge or how oxygen deprived she may become.
David taught his daughters from this verse, “press on to take hold of the prize for which Christ has called me heavenward.” Robin, David’s other daughter wrote, “Running gives us an analogy to the Christian life. The lessons we learn as we push ourselves to greater heights apply to all areas of life.”
As we move forward in vision for LSUMC, as we move to greater heights, when the times of weariness rise and we feel “oxygen deprived”, let us remember “Eagles!”
Be Encouraged,
Pastor Cheryl
