Finish your race!

2 Timothy 4:7 ESV

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

I should of known that on yesterday when the LORD gave me this subject in the midst of the day, in a time that seemed so random, that this was going to be one of those moments with HIM.

You see there is always a lesson for me in any word that HE gives me to deliver.  Yet, sometimes it's easy and then other times it's hard.  I said yes LORD.  However, I was immediately reminded of the first time I had to speak at a Women's conference and HE changed my message just minutes before I was to step up to the podium.  So I braced myself, I prayed, but just as always it came.  Early this morning the continuation of "Finish your race!" came to me.  

The LORD reminded me of a time when I was in high school running track.  How this particular year I had actually trained.  There was a dad of another student who came to me and said you can be great.  You just have to believe in yourself and put the work in.  So even on spring break I met him at the school with a few other students and I trained.  Yet, it seemed every time I got to the last practice before the race or at a big meet, I would have an asthma attack.  I didn't understand it.

Until one day a friend of mine, who was much older than me, walked off the track.  I was in the bleachers recovering from an attack and he walked up to me and said these words.  "I know you're not going to like what I'm going to say to you.  But I think the world of you and because I love you as a friend I'm going to tell you the truth.  Your asthma is real, but your fear is more real."  Before I could get all snippy with him, he cut me off.  He went on to say, "I've watched you train for this.  I've watched you put in work much harder than running a race, yet when you at the line or in the midst of a race you have an attack.  Handle your health issue, but get rid of your fears and run your race!"

Today I've committed to running my race to the end.  I won't stop until I cross the finish line.  I won't give anything less than my 100% best!  I'm encouraging you to do the same.  You see just like on the track, in this race called life, sometimes it gets scary.  Some of us quite before the end for fear of what life looks like on the other side of the finish line.  What I know is that the regret of not finishing does not live on the other side of this finish line. What I know is that to quit when you are so close to the end of the race is not an option.  So what I'm going to tell you is what my friend Lee told me many years ago.  "Handle your issue (give it to GOD) and run your race!"

#CantStopWontStop
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