Why we won’t give up!

On Saturday, September 22, an incredible group of ladies will be running in the Nashville Lady Speedstick Women’s Half Marathon.  This will be a first half marathon for half of the group and a second, third or other for the other half.  We have been training together for the past couple of months religiously.  God has been our strength and our friendship has been our fuel.  Fuel for getting up early on Saturday mornings.  Fuel for the speed drills we DID NOT want to do.  Fuel for the fire HE has given us to encourage one another.

Some of us are going for PRs and others as pacers.  I think we can all say, we have truly learned to lean on one another and look for HIS strength in our friendships and our runs.  It has been an amazing journey. We have pushed together. We have sweated together. We have groaned together and we have laughed together.  I am sad that this journey will come to an end.  But I know, the only thing coming to an end, is this training season for this half marathon. There will be many more races together and the most important race of all…the race of life…Our race of life with our Lord Jesus Christ.

So on this day, this is the word of encouragement the Lord laid on my heart today for Yoli, Gina, Nancy, Shannon, Deirdre, Krista and Kristy…Why WE won’t give up!

The rest of this post is being taken from an excerpt in my Life Application Bible, NIV.  I found it today as we were looking at scriptures in 1 Corinthians.  It spoke to me regarding our upcoming 1/2 marathon.

Perseverance, persistence, the prize!!!  The Christian Life was never promised as an easy way to live; instead Paul constantly reminds us that we must have a plan because times will be difficult and Satan will attack.  Be we never persevere without the promise of a prize – a promise God WILL keep!

1 Corinthians 9.24-27

• The Purpose …Run to get the prize, Run straight to the goal
• The Plan…Deny yourself whatever is potentially harmful; Discipline your body training it
• The Prize…A crown that will last forever

Galatians 6.7-10

• The Purpose…Don’t become weary in doing good; Don’t get discouraged and give up; Do good to everyone
• The Plan…Sow to please the spirit
• The Prize…Reap eternal life

Ephesians 6.10-20

• The Purpose…Put on the full armor of God; Pray on all occasions
• The Plan…Use all the pieces of God’s armor provided for you
• The Prize…Taking our stand against the devil’s schemes

Philippians 3.12-14

• The Purpose…Press on toward the day when you will be all God wants you to be
• The Plan…Forget the past, strain toward what is ahead
• The Prize…The prize for which God calls us heavenward

2 Timothy 2.1-13

• The Purpose…Entrust these great truths to people who will teach them to others; Be strong in Christ’s grace, even when your faith is faltering
• The Plan…Endure hardship like a soldier, and don’t get involved in worldly affairs; Follow the Lord’s rules, as an athlete must do in order to win; Work hard, like a farmer who tends his crops for the harvest
• The Prize…We will live with Christ; we will reign with him; He always remains faithful to us and always carries out his promises

God is good all the time! He will take us every step of the way on Saturday! Ladies, we can do it and we will do it for HIM! I am honored to be part of a team who loves the Lord and others with all of your hearts!

i^2 – As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another. Proverbs 27.17

Running blessed…Trish