Operation: Reconciliation

He knew I deserved the Crown of Thorns yet He let it rest on His head.

He knew I earned the flogging in the streets yet He took my place.

He knew I could never settle the wages of my sin or tear the veil on my own, yet He wanted a relationship with me that would last for eternity.

He knew that I, the wretch, would need a Savior, so He hung on a tree, pierced for every single transgression He knew I would commit.

He knew that I , the powerless, would need the power of His resurrection, so He conquered death, leaving my sins in His grave and giving me freedom to live life abundantly.

He wrote the greatest story of reconciliation the world will ever know... for ALL the people, all for LOVE. May you be reconciled this Holy week, this Holy life to your Savior and also to each other - all for Love.

"Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perserveres. Love never fails." - 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

Scripture on the Run

Memorizing scripture used to be one of those things that I thought I ought to do. When I realized that, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God….and the word became flesh.” Well, somehow that just moved it up the priority list for me. Bread of life, God was the Word, God’s word. A sharpened perspective, wisdom waiting on every page to be discerned, taught by the Holy Spirit. Disobedience is one thing but ignorance – well how much sin could we avoid in our life if we only knew!

I’m a kinesthetic learner, which is a fancy way to say I gotta do it to get it. I have to connect physical with mental to get it to sink in deep, carve it long into my aged brain cells. So when it comes to memorizing scripture, I could write it out a hundred times like writing sentences in the 3rd grade, but who has time for that?

So when it came to the task of memorizing scripture I needed to find a way to connect physical, spiritual and mental for it to soak in deep and saturate my heart. Again He calls me to the running trails to show me, teach me, remind me. Heart, mind and soul unified - Faithfully Fit.

A verse, a phrase, a word with each heel strike on the trail… Step towards Him. Breathe Him in deep. “Love is patient.” Step closer. Breathe Him in deeper. “Love is kind.” Step into His presence. Breathe in the Word. “… It is not proud.” Step. Breathe in healing, comfort and peace. “… It keeps no record of wrongs.” Steps become easier. And His words become the air in my lungs as I inhale the goodness of Christ and exhale the misery He rescued me from. Breathing in Yahweh, the Word, breathing Him in when I am gasping for air in desperation as the world tries to take hold of me, has me in its clutches. Breathe in truth, power, freedom. Wrestle with the flesh through the lungs and breathe in the victory. “Love never fails.” Never.

Will you join me? I'm memorizing 1 Corinthians 13:1-13. Maybe your verse is different. Maybe your methods are too... I'd love to hear your approach to memorizing Scripture.

Praying for Japan

Earthquake after earthquake, tsunami waves and warnings, nuclear explosions, terror, destruction, uncertainty, the most desperate of conditions. The island of Japan is not what it once was and I'm sure the people have had little time between searching for food and loved ones to stop and try to make sense of it all. And what sense can really be made of it? I mean, sometimes there is no explanation other than God is God and we just don't see what He sees. It is in the midst of these times of complete chaos and uncertainty that He invites us to seek refuge in His throne room, to fall to our knees, to enter His presence, with thanksgiving and praise. They call this the hard thanksgiving. When everything you see is falling apart, being thankful that what you don’t see is still standing - firm and steadfast, unshakeable, good. It is times like these we stand to find the purest of blessings, our way to the only true and good place– real safety in His arms, at the center of His will, a shelter from any storm, certainty beyond circumstances.

My heart breaks for the circumstances in Japan, and my heart leaps at the hope and opportunity to be found by the Japanese people, by us all. Hope in a God that is good, all the time, even in 10 feet of debris and destruction with fires raging on and loved ones buried alive. Even in these circumstances, His message is the same.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” – John 3:16

“Fear not for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior.” – Isaiah 43:1-3

Believing that He still has a plan for you, even after the shattered pieces fall to the water-soaked, debris littered, hopeless looking earth, and hoping that maybe, just maybe, He can put all the pieces back together more beautifully than they started? That’s faith. That’s a hope that is secure.

“Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” – Hebrews 11:1

“And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” – Hebrews 11:6

Let’s pray for the Japanese people and those God has called to serve in this crisis…

Abba Father, thank you for your goodness. Thank you for seeing what we can’t and loving us in the middle of our unbelief and doubt. Thank you that you get our attention, that you love us enough to remove scales and show us a little more of your glory every day. We know that you are in the middle of this disaster, calling brothers and sisters out of darkness, reminding us all that there is no other God apart from you. We lift up a nation that as a whole does not know you and we pray that your message will be heard in the midst of the debris, despite the destruction, for the glory of your kingdom. We pray for the ones you have called to serve and minister to these people, as well as the nation of Japan. Lord, we ask for your hedge of protection around the physical land, around the nuclear power plants, around the hearts of the people there. Lord, thank you for your sovereignty and for meeting us right where we are today and waiting for us in tomorrow. We ask that you rain down your mercy and peace on the island and people of Japan. Reveal yourself to them, God, so they will know real safety, certainty, peace. Lord, we pray that you bless the efforts of those you have sent to clean up, minister, serve. Lord, we praise you and honor you, the only one worthy of it. In Jesus’ precious, powerful, holy name. Amen.

Run the Race Marked Out for You

For those of you interested in running a road race or two, I thought I would compile a list of some of the most popular local races. But please! See below for resources on how to find races that will suit your interests.

Just in case anyone is not up on the lingo of racing, here is a mini-glossary:

1K - .62 miles
5K – 3.1 miles
7K – 4.35 miles
10K – 6.2 miles
½ Marathon (1/2M) – 13.1 miles
Marathon – 26.2 miles
Mile split – how fast you run each mile
Pace – this is your general speed which will vary depending on length of race. In training often times, there will be a call to run at your 5k pace or 10k pace.

Race for fun (listed in order of occurrence, I think):

Runnin’ of the Green Lucky 7K

Cherry Creek Sneak 5 Miler

Colorado Colfax Marathon

Mother's Day Title 9K+ (women and kids under 18 only! Race category for moms with strollers!)
Bolder Boulder 10K (hands down the funnest race I've ever run. You run into Folsom Field and a crowd cheering for the finish line... pretty cool for us mere mortals! I'll be there!!!!! Will you?)
Garden of the Gods 10 Miler (one day I will run this race. It's been on my list for years... the vistas, the challenge of elevation and distance mixed together, and it's in a place close to my heart... but not this year)
Slacker ½ Marathon, ½ Marathon Relay and 4 Miler (Most challenging race I've ever run, which may not be saying a lot as I'm not super experienced at racing. But I did lose 2 toenails in this one - just sayin...)
Boulder Marathon (same course as former Boulder Backroads Marathon and 1/2M, I believe) - hurry for this one as registration is capped. Backroads of Boulder are BEAUTIFUL!
Rock –n- Roll Marathon,1/2M, ING Marathon Relay
So Long to Summer 5K (usually in August though no info as of yet-this one may not be terribly popluar but it's in Parker)
Georgetown to Idaho Springs 1/2M


Run for the cause:
Denver Komen’s Race for the Cure 5K
Check http://www.active.com/ for the multitude of races benefiting a variety of causes.

Racing and training resources:
http://www.active.com/ (find your own races based on location, distance and level)
http://www.runnersworld.com/ (also a good resource for races as well as training)

Training programs:
The Couch to 5K: http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml.
The Complete Book of Running for Women (5K, 10K, 1/2M, Marathon)

Also, keep in mind that entry fees vary for each race depending on size of race and the goody bag/t-shirt you receive with your entry fee. Most of the races I've listed are professionally timed, usually using a tag timing system, so it's pretty official and you don't really need to time it yourself. Be sure to check the race websites for up to date information on each race (including parking, race course, rules and limitations, etc.) before you register.

Seriously, this is just the tip of the iceberg of the racing world. Racing can be a fun way to stay motivated and remember the real race we all run everyday!

Running In All Seasons

In this season of my life, with littles running around, tugging at me, using me as a human napkin, asking a million questions a millisecond, and doing their best to challenge my sanity, my “workout program” consists of grabbing what I can when I can (aside from the obstacle courses I’m privileged to endure around my house every day). It’s far less intentional than it used to be… as it should be in this blessed season. I don’t have log books anymore or highlight races I’m training for, and I certainly don’t clock my runs anymore. For me, I can’t do it all so I don’t try – I just try to enjoy the moments I’m given. I mean God gave me these precious littles for such a short time. Running can wait if it needs to. But it doesn’t always need to if I can accept that running in this season may not look the same as previous or upcoming ones. As a mom, I consider it my responsibility to teach my kids about being healthy, taking care of God’s temple. So lately, I’ve been taking them along. Here’s what running looks like for me, in this season.

My daughter is six, and she’s fast… period. When she builds her endurance, I won’t be able to keep up. She loves to run and has been running laps in our house since she was two. When we go outside to play, anywhere, she runs… fast, forever, talking the whole way. My kinda girl! So, she comes on foot. We don’t go for a 3 mile run… we play tag or try to stomp each others shadows. The expert runners call this a fartlek run. (I promise – it has nothing to do with gas.) I love that my daughter has no idea what it means - to her we’re just having the time of our life, together time, outdoor time.

My son is four and isn’t really a runner. He is getting faster but shows no sign of a natural runner’s gait like my daughter. He hasn’t been running since he was two, he’s been riding his bike since then. So, he comes on wheels. And he’s fast, really fast. He can’t go for 3 miles either, but he gives me a good, unofficial pace workout.

Rarely, I go running by myself. Sometimes, I go with you lovely ladies. And often, a little girl is running beside me with a wide grin and a noisy stride while her brother, Ironman, is on wheels ahead of us announcing his intentions to anyone who stands in our way. And you know something? I wouldn’t have it any other way. No race training can compare to this.

Some of you are in the same season I am, and some are in a variety of other seasons. Make it work for you by keeping your season of life in perspective. We’re maintaining His temple, not trying to attain some obscure goal that has no eternal value. There are ways you can participate in your health, even when your season of life does not allow you to hit the trails as often as you’d like. Here are some more ideas for the challenging seasons of life…

All seasons:
:: Proper nutrition.
:: Adequate rest.
:: Water. Water. Water.
:: Simple stretches while you are waiting for the microwave to beep, or your son to get dressed, or your husband to kill the spider, or…

Career-building season:
:: Take an exercise ball to work and use it as a chair. This builds great balance and core muscle strength and creates a great conversation piece that could lead to sharing the Gospel message.
:: Take advantage of conference calls. Unless it’s a video call, stretch, stand up, walk around – this actually helps you remember what was said and sound alert.
:: Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Yes! 36 flights if you need to!
:: If you have a gym near your office, pack a lunch and choose to workout at lunchtime and eat (a healthy, nutritious meal) at your desk.

Children too young to participate in activity with you:
:: Strap ‘em in a baby jogger.
:: Go for walks with your littles. Take a different path every time. Children love to explore the outdoors – no matter the temps. So dress for the occasion and get out there. Go for little “hikes”. Pack in a picnic. Collect nature objects. Come home and make a nature book. It won’t even feel like exercise!
:: Gym membership with childcare.
:: Fly a kite – you have to run for it to take off.
:: DVDs for mom while littles are napping – Pilates, yoga, whatever suits your fancy.
:: DVDs for mom using baby.
:: Jump rope, hoola hoop – your kids will love watching mommy do these silly things and they’ll probably want to try. Kids and hoola hoops are hours of entertainment!
:: Dance with your kids
:: Spin your kids
:: Take them “swimming”. Now that’s a workout! If you have more than one that can’t swim, tie noodles around them (or put 'em in a floatie) and they just became your water weights.
:: Start teaching them to play catch or soccer… my kids keep me running all over trying to catch their throws and chase down their kicks.
:: Trade childcare with a friend. You watch her littles while you hit the trails and vice versa.
:: Wake early before hubby leaves for work or go after he gets home – get into a routine, make it a habit, make it your time with God.

Empty-nester season:
:: I gotta be honest here… I have no idea – this is the season I dream about but I know all seasons offer their challenges. Maybe this is an opportunity to reconnect with your spouse out on the trails. Maybe try a new sport or activity together. Or maybe you can stay connected with your children through running/activity.

More ideas? What do you do?

Word for words

I used to write New Year’s resolutions. I put words to the change I so desperately wanted to see in my life, in my heart. I made a declaration resolving to transform, to grow, to leave this year better than I entered it. My intentions were noble, maybe even righteous, longing for His beauty in my life. I professed to God all I would do for Him in the coming year. I vowed to be better, be more, serve wholeheartedly. I resolved and expected the birth of Christ-like character in an instant. And usually by now, I failed to realize the change I so passionately longed for and I was discouraged, living defeated, feeling useless. I failed because I tried in my own strength. I relied on my own power. I authored the words of my resolutions in the first place. My words weren’t what He had in mind.

This year, I decided to approach things a little differently. I asked God for words, the Word. He is the only Author worthy of putting words to my transformation, and He promises those words do not come back empty, but will accomplish His desires and achieve His purposes. (Isa 55:11) He knows the Word we need at the moment we need it. The Word that became flesh that is the very breath in our lungs. As we labor, the Word beckons. Rest. Lean in firm. My yoke is easy and my burden is light. (Matt 11:30)

Somehow I missed the miracle of my beginning. The scars on His hands existed before my declarations, before my vows, before He started His work in my heart. When I was still His enemy, He hung at Calvary, all for love, to assure me even I am worthy of it. Me. At the beginning of change. Before change at all.

So, this year, I don’t resolve to change. I mean who am I to suggest to the Maker of oceans and skies, rain and mountains, mangos and flowers the things I think need changing. Instead, I resolve only to offer my life and give thanks that I have it to offer. The disciples had five loaves and two fish to feed 5,000 people. In faith, they handed it all over to Jesus and had 12 baskets of leftovers! He is the Supplier who multiplies! If that’s what He can do with some bread and fish, what can He do with a whole life, wholly surrendered?

The gap between us and Christ is a vast canyon that will never be filled this side of Heaven, no matter how hard we labor. And, yet, He still authors a beginning for each of us, not because of what we do but because of who He is. He etches stretch marks of growth deep across our lives, testimony of new life emerging - from the inside out. Evidence of the birthing process, the Christ-child growing within us… over time. His perfect time. With or without our resolutions... because of His Word, not ours.