Tuesday, September 9, 2014

I am In

Well it is official. I signed up for Ironman Texas. My hope is that this is a journey of not just physical growth but also, and more importantly, spiritual growth. The verse that kept running through my mind as I hit the "register" button was "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out before us." Hebrews 12:1.

My cloud of witnesses first and foremost are my husband and children. I want them to see Christ in me as I train. I want them to come first as I train. I want them to be my priority as I train. I want others to see Christ as I train. I want the things that hinder me to be thrown off....I don't know what those things are just yet but I am sure I will find out. Negative talk, frustration....who knows, but I will share as they come up.

Here is the bigger thing for me though..."let us run with perseverance the race marked out before us." So many thoughts come to mind with this: 1) what is perseverance? 2) what is the race that is marked out before me? ...it isn't just the Ironman....it is more than that it is life.

1) Perseverance's definition is "the quality that allows someone to continue trying to do something even though it is difficult" Oh I am quite sure this is going to be difficult. Do we really know what it is like to persevere? Life seems simple sometimes. I know it is not but right now that is where I am in life. Don't get me wrong I have had some hardships but right now life is good. And even though this is an 8 month journey until race day....is that really perseverance or does that take longer. I look at my friend's kids who are fighting cancer....that battle is much longer than 8 months. They are persevering. Me....maybe I am enduring. I want my kids to see what perseverance looks like. You don't quit because something is hard or doesn't go your way. Someone please remind me of these words on those training days that I don't feel like doing them.

2) The Race: Life: Ironman: What will I learn on this journey about life? I can't wait to see what God is going to teach me.

I hope that you find encouragement in this blog. I will update it as frequently as I can.