Why? It intimidates me. I'm not as confident as I look, folks! I know there are plenty of people who run faster than me. What if I embarrass myself? Cross the finish line last? lag so far behind, everyone else forgets about me?
But this year that will change. Because the best way to address a fear is to face it head on. And I'm looking to register for a couple of races and just get out there and do it. And I'm running while at home to build up my stamina and my speed - competing against myself (or my previous time).
However, as with all things health and fitness related, how you train your body is only half the battle. The mind has to be conditioned as well! And the battle in the mind and heart is real, folks!
I was pleasantly surprised when I was invited as a guest blogger to try a faith-based fitness program called Faithful Finish Lines. After losing 25 lbs or so there are things that I know about exercise and eating right. But I was willing to explore that perhaps there was a faith component, and an attitude, that I was not considering before.
After all, doesn't it seem a little vain to ask God for help with your health goals? I'm not morbidly obese. So why would God honor a prayer to help me look like Jillian Michaels? (I say this jokingly). Isn't it self-centered of me to be faster, or stronger, or fitter? What good would it benefit the kingdom of God if I ever can do a pull-up?
And then again, is there any dream or desire that is too petty for God? And do I really want to do without the Lord in any area of my life? That's a bigger question.
I want God to be pleased with me. And while I'm no great theologian, I know that He's not pleased with lack of confidence. Or resigning to failure. Or just settling for mediocrity. If it's one thing I know from my personal time with Him, is that in His heart as our great Father, He desires us to live a FULL life. He wants us to know what VICTORY feels like.
"Don’t you know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize. Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything. However, they do it to receive a crown that will fade away, but we a crown that will never fade away." 1 Corinthians 9:24-25
"Brothers, I do not[a] consider myself to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and reaching forward to what is ahead, I pursue as my goal the prize promised by God’s heavenly[b] call in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13-14
I don't know about you, but these verses seem to be cheering me on, oozing with a joy and pumping my heart like "Eye of the Tiger" in Rocky. I suppose you can apply this to any facet of life and not just running, but either way, the point is: live life like you're WINNING! Holding the hand of such a great God, why waste time putting half-an-effort into anything?!
So future blogs will contain a lot about what I'm learning over the next 8 weeks and also progress pictures, etc... I also have made a public page on Facebook where I'm sharing more of the minute, day to day details as far as what I'm doing to reach my health goals this year. I'm inviting God into all my choices, but specifically, the choices I make about my body - choosing to exercise, choosing to eat right, choosing to stay hydrated. And I'm also inviting you to join me, or at least watch me, on this journey as well!
