Week 1 - Growing Great Lives series

We had our week 1 get together tonight with the Growing Great lives series our church is doing. One of the things I'm commented to do is journal what is happening with the group, what is happening in my life, and allow my small group to correct, guide, and encourage me by my blog journal entries. Thanks to my friends for wanting to be a part of this journey of journaling with me.

Week 1 – Focused Dependency
Pastor Bob Westrom shared in his message that “We are to run the race with endurance.” When I was younger I was a cross country runner and I still like to work out as often as I can but what I’ve discovered is as I work out I just don’t have the energy I use to. I’ve been doing this work out for about 4 weeks and I’ve discovered that I’m getting more energy slowly. I get this energy by enduring the regular every day work out I’m doing. I get endurance and thus I can work out even more which then gives me even more energy to do more. I’ve found that I’ve slept better at night, that I have more endurance when I get home from work, and that I just have a general “happiness” felling about me.

If you are a student of the Bible, in fact if you read and hear it somewhat often you know where I’m going with this. Sometimes in our lives we are placed (and sometimes God places us) in situations that causes us to “run” hard and it is a lot of work. It comes in many forms, a hard day at work, at home, at school; situations with a sibling or our spouse; controllable situations that we choices to let happen or do that stress us out; or uncontrollable situations that also stress us out. They all can cause us to “run” and “run” until we are worn out. But to this and through this endurance is built up and we often and suddenly find ourselves do things we never we could do for God is ways we never thought we could do it.

Run the race so that endurance can build up in you and watch as God builds in you His will.