Over the last seven (!?!?) years since answering the call to ministry, the Lord has taught me many life lessons, from being less “flakey” (literally) with my faith, to seeking Jesus in my Everyday. 

This last year, He has really been teaching me a lot of things in the health, food and fitness realm. Recently, I learned that yes, if you are gonna run in Texas, do it before it gets to hot… Or you won’t just be running to bring Jesus glory, you will be running and feel like you are going to meet him too (and I don’t mean in a “good” way like on-the-road-to-Damascus-life-changing kind of way… More like Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego furnace kind of way.)

So here are a few reflections on my way-too-late-start-4-mile run from a while back.

 1. West Texas is beautiful.
2. But SO hot.
3. This run would have been completely glorious if I was able to start three hours earlier. 
4. But I have Tiny Humans.
5. Left side pic is before, feeling like a happy, sparkling ray of Texas Sunshine. Right pic is after, so grateful to be off the Hot Mess Express and back in the air conditioning of the car.
6. The first half of the run was so wonderful.
7. Because, as I realized on my way back to the car, going out was downhill.
8. I need to start running with a full camelbak of water because the piddly bottles on my running belt are not enough.
9. El Paso makes me appreciate even lukewarm water to drink. (It was ice cold when I started).
10. I’ve never been more thankful for mountain breeze.
11. Apparently, I was visually struggling the last quarter mile because a random stranger saw me checking my running watch and said “Parking lot is right there. You are almost done!”
12. It was still a great run and so glad I went.
13. Now, to shower. Because I think I smell…

So now you might be saying, “Cool story, bro.” What’s all this have to do with following Jesus.

Well, I am SO glad you asked.

1.  Following Jesus can be a simultaneously wonderful yet hard, exhausting experience. I think many believers are convinced that when they say YES to the Lord, that their life will automatically be sunshine, rainbows and puppy dog tails. But looking at accounts throughout the Bible, that’s not true.

2. It will sometimes feel like it’s all uphill work.

3. You might sweat… Physically, emotionally, spiritually.

4. But every step is purposeful.

5. It’s not always going to be pretty. I shared the before/after picture of my run so people don’t think I’m one of those always-put-together runners with lipstick and a glittery hat (although research indicates that glitter/fun lips makes a person run faster. And by research, I mean my personal opinion that has no scientific basis whatsoever). Authentic faith is real and can get a little messy.

6. It’s encouraged to always start sooner than later.

7. After fighting the good fight of faith and making it to the end of our journey, there is SUCH victory! Of course, I write this on faith and spiritual speculation, but considering how great sitting down in the air conditioning feels post Texas run, I’m sure crossing the threshold to heaven and hearing “Well done, my good and faithful servant” is simply no comparison!

So keep running, my friends. Even if your steps are heavy and you have slowed to what feels like barely more than a crawl. Keep going, even if you cannot yet see the finish line.

Christ will empower you and carry you. He will refresh you as the Living Water. He will give you rest. Keep moving forward toward Him, because his love is cooler than the Texas temperature and wider than the Texas landscape.

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” ~1 Corinthians 9:24-25