Running the Race

It talks in Scripture about Running the Race marked before us, with God. I have been pondering that for months now. I mean, seriously, in the physical, I run about as slow as a turtle compared to even my fourth grade students. I would lose even to a toddler, if I was going to be really real about it.

However, in the Spiritual Realm, I feel as if I'm running a whole new race...with the past behind me (trying my HARDEST not to look backward) and the new road, chapter, whatever, ahead of me. And in that I have pondered, "How do I want to run this race?" And honestly, I have even worn jogging suits A LOT lately, as a reminder that I'm running the race WITH GOD, not alone. I know, for some of you, you're thinking, "Wow, that's a bit extreme." But for me, it is drawing me closer to God in ways you will never understand. And I'm okay with you thinking that's extreme, it's between me and God anyway. :-)

So I have been pondering, how do I want to run this thing out? I'm embarking on adventures unknown. Most likely this is my last month teaching in the school I've been in for ten years, and I'm about 7 weeks away from no longer even living in this town. This is all I've known for the bulk of my adult life.

So now I feel as if I'm about to start at another "starting line" and begin new things and I have NO IDEA where that is to take place, or what that is supposed to look like. Nor do I have any idea what leaving my friends here looks like either. Praise God for Facebook, where I will have a lifetime of relationship with them no matter where I am geographically. If I could get Mr. H. on there, then honestly the family would be complete. :-) (No pressure there, Mr. H.) Ha!

So, tonight I was sitting at homegroup, and others were praying over each other, and I sat there and thought, "I have nothing to pray out." I was wrong though, as one of our members needed prayer, and the leader said, "Who wants to pray?" And I did! I sat and prayed for that person in a way that I've always wanted to pray...honestly, it was like when I was at OneThing. It was intense, and real, and with God in it. Afterward, I opened my eyes and waited, and then the person said, "Wow, that was quite a prayer." And, another gal said, "That is why Shortone is one of my favorite people."

And it was then that I knew how I wanted to run this race out with God. I want to run this race in such a way that others see God in me, NOT me. I want others to remember me as someone who walked this thing out in such a way that it brought them closer to God. I want them to remember me as someone who prayed when times were tough, or when I knew it was simply time to pray.

I was reminded on my drive home of two people today at work who commented to me that when it was raining on Friday, as I had prayed all week that it would so I could still go on the field trip on a later date and still go to my job interview, that I must have a special place with God because He answered my prayers! It was in that moment that I was reminded that others are watching, and my goal is to have them see Him, not me.

So, regardless of where I am geographically, I think I'll still be wearing the jogging suits for a while. And I will be praying for others to see Him, not me.

I will end with this: Only on this Earth can we offer up to Him a life acceptable to Him. Once we're in Heaven, there is no sacrifice of Praise...there is no hurt...there is no pain. So only on this Earth can I glorify Him.

And I intend to do that every step of every day...one step at a time in this race WITH Him...

Life.
Is.
Good.