The Big Day

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." Jeremiah 29:11

The day is finally finally here. On Sunday January 19th I will set out with about 25,000 runners on another journey. That journey is The Houston Marathon. I have been training for this since July, a lot of mileage has been longed and sweat and tears. I have run in high heat and humidity and freezing cold tempertures. And through all of that as in everything else, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ has been with me every step of the way.

"Be sure of this. I am with you always, even to the end of this age." Matthew 28:20

What a wonderful, wonderful gift he has given me. I am so lucky to be able to run. And if though I have trained for this, the thought of running 26.2 miles still seems like a huge challange. It's a natural feeling, trust me.

But, what I do take into Sunday is I know that God will protect me, he will challange me all for one reason, and one reason only, to give him all the glory. What's so cool about all of this is He planned this for me. He knows exactly what's going to happen on Sunday. And I also know this is going to make me a stronger person and believer.
And I will rejoice in that as it says in James 1:2-4

" My brothers and sisters, when you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy, because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience. Let your patience show itself perfectly in what you do. The you will be perfect and complete and will have everything you need."

I know that over the course of running this marathon that there will be troubles, but I will get thru them and I will be patient.

He is going to give me strength to do this, it says this exactly in Phillipians 4:13

"I can do all things through Christ, because he gives me strength."

The reasons for me doing this marathon are not really that important. I sense it was something God put on my heart so I'm trusting him knowing that there is a reason for me to do this. The last marathon I ran was in 2009. I remember it well because at about mile 23 I know he stepped in carried me to the finish. Somebody in the crowd looked at me and then said "let him take you home." Somehow after that I found that extra bit of strength to finish.

It's so refreshing to know that he loves me so much that just at the right moment he sweeps in and takes me in his arms and carries me home. Knowing that eases all that anxiety about whether or not I will finish.

But most of all, I know there is nothing that will EVER take his love away from me, and because of that, I can relax and enjoy the moment.

Romans 8:37-39 spells it out so clearly.

"But in all these things we are completly victorious through God who showed his love for us. Yes, I am sure that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor ruling spirits, nothing now, nothing in the future, no powers, nothing above us, nothing below us, nor anything else in the whole world will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is Christ Jesus our Lord."

Everytime I read these versus, it just causes me to do nothing but smile becuause it states it very clearly; nothing can ever take that away.

So on Sunday morning, I'll strap on my shoes and the armor of God's love and set out on that journey we call the marathon.

Be safe my friends and I'll see you on the road.

Coach Rich