Faith Words: Get Started

I’ve never run a marathon. The closest thing that I’ve done is walk in the KWO Kick for Kenya race one year. 

That race was well-marked with arrows painted on the pavement and signs and barricades showing us where to turn,which way to go. Along the course were aid stations manned with people handing out water and encouraging us to keep going. Police officers guarded key intersections to protect us from cars and cross-traffic. 

I walked with my husband and another couple who were dear friends of ours. As we walked, my knee started giving me trouble, so I had to slow down, but even though I couldn’t go very fast, they didn’t leave me behind. 

We finished. We finished dead last but we finished! And those who finished before us cheered as we crossed the finish line. 

But I’d never have finished the race if I had never taken my first step. 

At a recent retreat, we studied lots of tools and techniques for running a successful race. And how did the speaker define successful?  Determine to finish before you set out and then finish!

Speed, where you place among the competitors, your own strength - none of these things matter. What matters is staying the course. What matters is finishing. But we can never finish if we don’t start. All the tools and techniques in the world are useless if we don’t start our race. 

Where are you? Are you standing back afraid to step out?  Are you considering giving up, going back to your old path? Are you to make a change, afraid you’ll fall, afraid you won’t be able to do it?

You may indeed fall. Get back up. 

Your own strength may fail you. Keep going. 

Friends, church members may fail you. Don’t stop. 

When you step out in faith, when you step out in His strength, when you make up your mind to submit yourself completely to Christ, when you determine to START in the power of God, you can finish!  You will finish!

Isaiah 40:31 

“but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.”

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Philippians 1:16

“being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”

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Ready….Set….Go!!!

Patrice 

Philippians 4:13 NIV

“I can do all this through Christ who gives me strength.”