I have been consumed with planning for the upcoming summer ministry opportunities. The amount of details can be overwhelming and I’m thankful that I do have an administrative streak in my personality. But that being said, the details do get exhausting and it would be easy to just throw up my hands and say “enough is enough, that detail can go by the wayside”.
After a 14 hour day in the office yesterday, I made it a priority to get out today for a run and some running prayer time.
I was 3.25 miles into the run with .75 miles yet to go and I said, “I’ve had enough. I’m texting my husband to come get me”. Now that in itself would be a miracle because I don’t generally get cell signal here but I sent the following text message regardless, “Come get me. End of road”. At that point my phone went dead. There was no more battery. Was that a sign from God. Was I also done? How would my husband know what road? I hadn’t told him my route. I couldn’t call or text any further details. I sat down hoping beyond hope that he had received my text but I had my doubts so I did the only thing I could in the current situation. I got up and began walking, up the .75 mile incline to our house. This is the same hill that my kids would ride down on their bikes to go to their grandparents house and then call us to come pick them and their bikes up so that they wouldn’t have to pedal or push their bikes back home. I kept telling myself, “I can finish this. I can make it to the house”. 12 minutes later I was in the driveway and pretty proud of myself for pushing on and finishing the run, even if the last .75 miles was walking. I had finished the race.
Acts 20:24 says, “However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” This summer for me is about finishing the race and completing the task that Jesus has given me – the task of sharing the gospel with kids. The details can be overwhelming and exhausting but they are part of the task. No race is easy and not all tasks come without effort and challenges. I am honored that Jesus has given me the task of sharing the love and forgiveness of Jesus with children and I will run the race until He has told me that I am finished.
Credit for the runner in the pictures goes to a good friend, Ben Emmons. He’s not only a marathon runner but a spiritual runner and is impacting lives for eternity.