Randy LeBaron Refill with Randy Blog

“The Race of Life” by Dave Good

Good day!! Welcome back to another edition of the GSM blog. My name is Dave Good. I am excited about our time together. I pray my words are a blessing and bring you closer to God.

Last week, I wrote a blog called,”Who do you run to?” If you missed it I encourage you to take a minute and read it. The gist of it was that we all have someone or something we run to when things start to fall apart. We should be running to God, but that’s easier said than done. I am not going to go over all the details here (you can still access that post) I just wanted to set the foundation for what we are going to talk about today.

A few weeks ago, I decided to start running again and I signed up to run the Albion Strawberry Festival 5K. It’s a 3.1 mile race that winds through the village of Albion and down the Erie Canal. The course is fairly flat and very scenic. I have run it a hundred times over the years so I’m quite familiar with the terrain. To be completely honest with you, I haven’t really run in a few years and getting back into shape has been quite the challenge. The last time I ran this race was 2018 which was before the pandemic.

As I started my training, I decided to test my endurance right of the bat and just run as long as I could without stopping. The good news was I was able to run the full 3.1 miles without stopping. The bad news was I was so sore the next 3 days that I could barely walk. (All I can say is this getting old thing is not fun. Lol) My first run gave me a lot of confidence that I could complete the race, it also reminded me I have a long way to go. My next run didn’t go so well. I started out really fast and ran out of breath quickly and before I finished the course I had to stop and walk 3 separate times. I’ve gone out a few more times and I’m happy to report that I’m making strides. I have been able to run longer and faster and only have to stop 2 times lol. I’m getting there, I know in my heart I will be ready for the start of the race.

Now, you are probably thinking what does this have to do with my Christian walk? Our Christian walk is like a race. Hebrews 12:1 tells us, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Each and every one of us has a course for our life God has planned for us. Some people call it destiny, I like to call it’s God’s plan for our life. God created us to run a specific journey on this earth. The good news is we know where the finish line is and that is life eternal with God himself. The problem is that trying to get to the finish line is not as easy as it seems

We all have hindrances that weigh us down throughout the race. It could be the sin or addiction we can’t shake, the anxiety and fear that consumes our minds, or the problems and issues of this world that seem to come at us from all directions. Our race of life is often filled with stuff that slows us down.

I am here today to tell you to just keep going. Keep your eyes on the finish line. Paul tells us, “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
‭(Philippians‬ ‭3:14‬) The course of life may be full of hills, obstacles, and long distances but God will be with you the entire time. He is faithful and will spur you on at times towards the finish line. He will point you in the right direction and sometimes even carry you up the hill. “The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.” (Deuteronomy‬ ‭31:8‬) That is the God I serve. ‬‬‬‬

The last point I want to make before I wrap this up is simply this: it’s ok to stop or slow down when you are out of breath. There are times in training or even in a race when you are just too tired to keep going and you have to just slow down and catch your breath. It’s OK to slow down and recover. Maybe you just need to take a day to relax, maybe you need to just spend the day reading or being still and allow yourself to be restored so that you can continue your race.

Friends, I could go on and on about what running has taught me over the years. I have learned so much about myself, my strengths and my limitations. The race we are running is not easy, it’s long and difficult. Always keep your eye on the finish line and let God run with you. He knows the way and He knows the pace we need to run to get there.

Have yourself a great week!
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Randy LeBaron Refill with Randy Blog

“Who Do You Run To?” By Dave Good

Good day!!! Welcome back to another edition of GSM’s “Refill with Randy” blog. Once again, my name is Dave Good and I am really excited to spend the next few minutes with you. I pray my words are a blessing and that they can help bring you closer to God.

Today, we are going to have a very practical and revealing discussion. I have a question for you. Who or what do you run to when things turn for the worse? I want you to think about that question for a minute. The answer may surprise you.

When I asked myself this question, I would appropriately tell you I turn to God when things get tough. You are probably sitting there saying to yourself, that is the correct answer. Then if I sit and think about it, maybe it’s not always God. Other appropriate answer would include: I call my spouse, I call my parents, I call my best friend, or maybe it’s a brother or sister. Again, all of those are great answers and would definitely help you cope when life throws you a curve ball.

Now is the time to get brutally honest and hopefully address a situation that could be a hindrance to your Christian walk. What if I asked you the same question again and you answered with things like this: I grab a bottle of wine and drink my tears away, I get really angry and start throwing things or punching walls, I turn my computer on and visit sites I shouldn’t just to dull the pain, or maybe you just get in your head and scream at anyone you run into. I am sorry if it seems like I’m being harsh but I am just keeping it completely transparent right now.

You see, when we are facing with trials and tribulations we have a lot of options in which we can choose to handle the situation. Some are good and some are bad. The whole purpose of this entry is that I want you to really think about how you deal with adversity. Confession… ALL of the above answers were in reality my own answers at certain points in my life. I covered just about every approach in the past. I can also sit here and say that the first answer works the best. I know you are probably thinking, God doesn’t always answer my prayers and my situation has gotten better. You may also tell me that God takes too long and that you need to figure this problem out right now. I completely understand where you are coming from. God doesn’t always resolve the situation right away but I can also assure you that His solution will be best.

When we take matters into our own hands we often create more of a mess and I won’t even bring up the hangover the next morning or the busted wall that needs fixed. Even if we confide in a loved one or a trusted friend they may not give you the best advice. I’m not saying never talk it over with others, I just want you to be mindful of the limitations of human guidance. We are all flawed and I can assure you I’ve given advice that may not have been the best. I didn’t do it intentionally but it was based on my limited understanding and not the eternal wisdom that only God can offer us.

As I wrap this up I would like to share with you some strategies I have found useful in dealing with adversity.

  1. Always take a minute and pray. We serve a God that is always there for us. All you have to do is talk to Him. Tell God how you are feeling and ask Him to help you sort things out.
  2. Open your Bible and search the scriptures for guidance. So many times the best advice has already been written in the pages of His Word.
  3. Take a deep breath and regain your sound mind. A lot of times problems can really disrupt our spirit. We get angry, confused, and at times our emotions may run wild. If you take a minute just to calm down and refocus you will realize that a clearer head can help reveal a proper reaction.
  4. Talk to a trusted family member, friend, or your pastor. After you have spent some time with God and regained your composure a conversation with a loved one can clarify the situation. Just make sure their response is in line with God’s Word and answer.

Friends, I hope this entry is helpful to you. I confess that I have not always attacked a problem correctly, I am not perfect and I don’t have this life all figured out, but I can tell you that over the years and many failures I have learned to trust God to guide me out of many situations. Don’t take my word for it, try it yourself. He is faithful and will never steer you wrong

Until next time have a great rest of your week!