Run the Race

This evening, Jojo (my dog) and I went for a run. Well, before you assume I am a woman of especially athletic prowess—convinced by the photo of my spotless sneakers, no doubt—let me just say that JoJo is a dog of 17lbs. Therefore, we could only really run in what I like to call JoJo’s “I’m a happy dog!” bursts—more specifically the distance until we reach the next tree or fire hydrant.

My Running Shoes 🙂

Still, we were out there, sneakers laced up and paws “pounding” the pavement. I had on my IPOD, listening as Whitney Houston belted notes in one song and as Matchbox 20 stayed up until 3am in another. On my way back home, however, as I waited for JoJo to stake claim to the same tree he had already claimed not more than half an hour before, I bobbed my head to a song I hadn’t heard in a while… a song that made the corner of my upper lip tug upward a notch. It was a high energy song entitled, “We Won’t Give Up” by The Afters (great for running).

We each have a race to run—journeys in our lives that are made of not only wonderful seasons, but also trying times. Personally, and most recently, my journey has included both. I’ve been blessed to marry the man of my dreams, buy our first home, and I’ve also climbed out of the pit of grief after having lost my brother to illness… all while striving toward a challenging career in writing. Through it all, though, I’ve been loved by and blessed to know my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, more intimately because of it.

My journey has been one of hope, trials, joy, and dog-eared determination, fueled by my faith in Jesus Christ and the hard work in which He enables me to do. It has been a journey I would never regret because even in the sad times I have seen God turn my ashes to beauty… my mourning to joy, and my despair to praise. (Isaiah 61:3) It’s just a matter of keeping my eyes fixed on Him through it all, allowing endurance to do its complete work within me so that I may not lack all the character, compassion, and integrity that God intended for me (James 1:2-4).

I say all this to you today because as I run my race, taking rests in the shade of the very trees God has given (Jojo and) me along the way, I just wanted to encourage you not to give up on your journey… whatever it may be. We each have our own stories… our own treks through the wilderness, and there will be times where we want to strip off our running shoes, grab a king sized chocolate bar, and sink into the couch, but before you douse your sneakers with accelerant and light those bad boys up in flames consider what the race is really all about. It’s not so much about the destination, but the opportunity to get to know God along the way. It’s about the process we go through as people while God makes us more complete in who we were created to be. It’s about the hurdles we jump over, crash through, or just plain pick up and chuck to the side to get where we are meant to be.

So when you bend your knees to retie those running shoes, stay a little while longer to send up a prayer or two, then go ahead and grab a chocolate bar (because let’s face it, life is a little less awesome without it), and Run.

Run. Your. Race.

Hebrews 12:1-2

“…let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us, keeping our eyes on Jesus, the source and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that lay before Him endured a cross and despised the shame and has sat down at the right hand of God’s throne.”

God bless you.

With love,

Ashley