1 Chronicles 4:10 NIV — Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” 

This week I will discuss “active worship,” which means getting your body moving while worshiping God. After all, our bodies are His Temples. I will also include a song each day that has touched me on my running journey. 

I started running in 2019 after my Dad was diagnosed with terminal stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer in 2018. Not long into my running journey it started to become an idol. God reminded me it was time to start Upward Running, formally known as Run for God at my church. I will tell you that it is easy to let a good thing become an idol. Satan is a prowling lion and would like nothing more than to interfere with God receiving the glory. This gift was given to me, and it was my job to pass the gift of running along to family, friends, and my community. I say community because this program and my journey have brought so many new friends into my life. Once I set the date and time of our first meeting, we had a bigger group than I could have ever imagined. As people signed up, I heard the excuse “I can’t run.” My response would always be don’t ever say, “I can’t” because you never know what you are capable of until you go out, run, and keep trying. Spoiler alert, the last person to join the group – she waited because she was skeptical of the program – placed first in her age group at our local Georgetown’s Bridge to Bridge race after 12 short weeks. 

For years now I have felt the nudge from God to enlarge my territory. Could my Dad’s cancer journey and my running journey be a way for me to reach others? Looking back over the last six years it truly has been a way to reach others through my transparency. How does today’s verse speak to you?

Let’s pray. Dear God, thank You for Your word that is living and active. Open my heart and mind for what enlarging my territory means to me. Direct my steps according to your word and perfect will. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.

A song that puts my passion into place is Set a Fire by Jesus Culture. Some of the lyrics sing, “Set a fire down in my soul that I can’t contain, that I can’t control. I want more of you God.” As my faith and running parallel, so does my passion for God and running.

This week I will discuss “active worship,” which means getting your body moving while worshiping God. After all, our bodies are His Temples. I will also include a song each day that has touched me on my running journey. 

Today let’s take time to meditate on this week’s scripture. 

1 Chronicles 4:10 NIV — Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh that you would bless me and enlarge my territory! Let your hand be with me and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” 

Joshua 1:9 NIV —  Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 NIV — He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men; yet they cannot fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

1 Corinthians 3:16 NIV — Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit lives in you?

Psalm 1:1-3 NIV — Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by the streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose lead does not wither — whatever they do prospers. 

Another favorite song I like to run to is, At the Table by Chris Tomlin. The lyrics sing: “There is peace at the table of the Lord, I won’t worry anymore at His table. There is healing at the table of the Lord, I won’t suffer anymore, at His table. Come all you wary, come and find, His yoke is easy and His burden is light. He is able, He will restore at the table of the Lord.” This is probably an uncommon song to run to but as active worship it is a time for me to let go of my burdens. 

Running is just me and the strength of my God on the path to perfect peace.

I find it hard to run or walk without listening to either music or a motivational speaker. I love using my time of running or walking as an act of worship. I feel as though running is my sacrifice. In the Old Testament, people sacrificed as a demonstration of their faith. We are blessed that we live on this side of the cross and have Jesus as our ultimate sacrifice. There is still something sacred about sacrificing as an act of worship. As for me, I accomplish this through my pain and endurance when I run. I turn my music up, pray, and sing. I will share with you some of the songs that have touched my soul many times over and over. One day on the treadmill otherwise known as the “dreadmill,” the song Come Alive by Red Rock Worship played. The lyrics sing, “Come all ye weary, broken inside. Lay down your burdens, lay down your life. Come and lift your voice at the throne of Grace, we come alive.” It made me recall the scripture from Matthew 11:28 NIV —  Come to me, all of you who are weary burdened, and I will give you rest. 

There are so many fighting a disease, whether it is cancer, mental illness, food addiction, finances, and many more. You may be thinking, how is this a good song to run to. It is a time I can give God my burdens. 

This week I will discuss “active worship,” which means getting your body moving while worshiping God. After all, our bodies are His Temples. I will also include a song each day that has touched me on my running journey. 

Hebrews‬ ‭13‬:‭20‬-‭21‬ ‭NIV‬‬ — Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

See You Saturday in real time! The snow is melting and secondary roads are being cleared. Unfortunately we don’t have a snowman for you but we hope you enjoyed our snow video posted earlier today. We hope you are encouraged to Walk on Water as you say yes to God!

Psalms‬ ‭139‬:‭13‬, ‭16 NIV — For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.

It has been a wonderful week with Deborah sharing on being equipped! Have you had any God Winks this week? Any key verses or takeaways that you can refer to when you feel underqualified?

I, Julie will share with you my God Wink. I subscribe to a daily email from Steven Furtick with Elevation Church. Friday’s email included the scripture verse, Jeremiah 1:5 — Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.

He also included a video titled, Don’t Waste The Gifts You’ve Been Given. The video had me evaluating my gifts and if I am using them for God’s Glory or wasting them. I encourage you to take a minute to watch it. Even though the Psalmist instructs us that all our days are ordained and written in His book, God still wants us to be a willing vessel by saying, here I am Lord, use me.

We hope you’ve seen God this week as much as Deborah, Ray, and I have! Stay tuned for a See You Saturday video from Debs and Ju Ju.

‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭9‬:‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬ — Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do.

Join us as we wrap up our week with Julie sharing in Taste and See!

‭‭Ecclesiastes‬ ‭9‬:‭7‬ ‭NIV‬‬ — Go, eat your food with gladness, and drink your wine with a joyful heart, for God has already approved what you do.

I find great joy in preparing meals for my family and baking for family and friends. I would go as far as to say it is a love language for me in acts of service. I also love to keep things simple. When a recipe has too many ingredients or steps, I tend to get overwhelmed. That is why I have fallen in love with this lasagna recipe. 

Just like a recipe, as humans, we tend to complicate our Christian walk. Too often we question our next move when God has already approved and blessed it. Ask yourself, does it fall in line with the word of God? Does it bring me joy? God desires for us to be joyful. Although we may not always enjoy being a Christian because life isn’t easy, we can take joy in the simplicity that Jesus offers us. Next time you are asking God for direction, have the confidence you receive through God’s word.

Let’s pray. Dear God, thank You for the simplicity that You offer. Thank You for the joy that only You can provide. Give me the confidence I need to do Your perfect and pleasing will. In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen.