Are You a Runner?

ARE YOU A RUNNER?

RUN... a simple but very profound 3 letter word, and it is my "Theme Word" for 2011.

I have never had a "theme word" before, have you? I don't  like resolutions, so I decided to give this "yearly theme word"  a try.  I prayed about the word God wanted me to use this year. What word encompasses my life? What do I need to change? God then gave me the word RUN but I really needed confirmation from HIm on the word and boy did He ever confirm it!  When I was looking over the January 252 Basics curriculum for this Sunday, there it was, right in front of me..

RUN...One short syllable with so much meaning that can be used in a multitude of ways:

...run from or run to.  

...run for or run against.  

...run with or without

...run fast or slow. 

...run with God or with the world.

When I think back about the accomplishments in my life, as well as things that I have not completed but had every intention to, the main reason for not finishing them was simply because I quit running the race. It is just so much easier to quit the race then it is to keep on going to the end. Don't you agree? It takes determination, stamina, perseverance, endurance and a deep reliance on God to finish the race that He has called us to complete. 

God never said our race would be easy. He never meant for it to be easy. It takes faith to run the race. God's word tell us in Hebrews “Let us keep on running the race marked out for us.” (Hebrews 12:1, NIrV) But how? How are we supposed to keep running the race without giving up? Sometimes I stand on the mark and can't even get started. I hear  "ready, set, go"  and I am not always sure exactly where to go! What about you? Are you standing on the mark ,not knowing which direction to run, much less finish? Not knowing which step to take?

There are 5 simple steps I truly believe following will keep me on the road God has marked out for me. (1) Seek, (2) Listen, (3) Believe, (4) Obey.... Then RUN!!  Run to God, Run for God and Run with God."  The end result of running with God will be rewards. Not just any reward but heavenly rewards!  Eternal rewards! Well worth the run, wouldn't you agree? 

This year, I am going to run the race full steam but I am not going to do it alone. What about you? What race are you running right now? What about your kids? What kind of race are they running? How can you, as a parent, help them get to that finish line without giving up or getting stuck in the middle somewhere?

Are you ready to R-U-N? Running with God is the only way to finish the race!!

Running with Him,

Lori