Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.
I Corinthians 9:24-25
Some of you know that Robert and I have been training to run in a half-marathon in October. I don’t know if I ever would have aspired to such an event. I was pretty content with the occasional 5K and 10K. But when Robert joined me in the whole “running thing” this winter, he brought along his competitive spirit. At first I had trouble just running alongside him – he was throwing off my breathing, my usual pace, and my time alone! And then, adding insult to injury, he starts reading Runners World magazine, looking into training schedules, and searching the internet for every local race he can find! The final straw was when he made an appointment to meet with our friend Patrick who just happens to have “Personal Trainer” on his resume’ and was more than eager to create a personalized and “Patrick-ized” training schedule for the two of us to get ready for the October race.

And we’ve been following it – for the most part. Patrick has us doing a lot of “track work” i.e. sprinting 400’s, 800’s, and 1600’s on the track. Robert has been very faithful to do these workouts, but not me. I have done a few, but they are not my favorite because (a.) I do not like running fast (b.) I do not like running in circles, and (c.) It hurts – especially my hips (and my lungs, and….) Our “long runs” are usually on Sundays, and we have now worked our way up to 11 miles. A half-marathon is 13.2 miles, so we are at least fairly confident that we can finish the thing!

I’ve discovered that there are quite a lot of metaphors in the running world – especially the running-with-your-husband world. It’s not always easy to run alongside of someone – especially when you are used to doing it alone and your own way. But it is a good exercise! Look at me. I am now able to run 11 miles and will more than likely complete a half-marathon next month. I am not sure I would have come to this place on my own. He makes me better. He challenges me to good things and to personal growth and I am thankful. And the “freedom” I felt I was giving up really never left. It was all perception, mentality. I can still be alone with my thoughts and breathe at my own pace while running alongside my husband, but I also have the great option of chatting with him about those thoughts or learning from his running styles and strategies…like picking up the pace on hills to conquer them more quickly. Ugh!

And the spiritual metaphors are there in abundance as well. I have never been driven to trust in the Lord more than in this past year. It has been a marathon in a lot of ways, but at a very slow pace. I just finished working through Beth Moore’s Living Beyond Yourself Bible study which surveys the book of Galations and then highlights each of the fruit of the Spirit. (Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control) For so many years I seemed to be able to muster much of this fruit in my own strength by an act of my will (or maybe just an “act”)- which I know wouldn’t really be totally possible without the grace of Christ, but still. I was blessed/cursed with an amazingly strong will….shocking, I know. Anyway, that “will” has GREATLY decreased in the last year. Things I used to be able to gear myself up for, I can’t anymore. They require a total dependence on the Holy Spirit even for the act of my will by faith.

So, increasing our “mileage” each week makes me think of the marathon of life. Beth Moore suggests that self-control is the vehicle for ALL of the rest of the fruit. That was quite a revelation to me at the time, but I agree. When I press on for that extra mile He comes through with the strength and breath I need to finish. When I press on into situations that I want to run from these days, He meets me with love, joy, etc. and then I KNOW it is Him.

We are pretty sure we will not “win” the race in October, but I’m learning to be completely satisfied with the imperishable prize which I know for sure is mine already.