See Tessa Run (By: Tessa Johnstone)

Homecoming weekend was pretty intense.

On Saturday there was a 5k “fun run.” (I know some of you are thinking “what’s so fun about a run?” … but we’ll get to that later.) Hillary and I decided that we were in the mood for some victory – so we got out there. There were about seventy people – mostly guys… I think the wrestling coach made his dudes run it or something.

We ran our little hearts out. I got third out of the girls and ten bucks worth of jamba juice. I was very hungry & financially incapable of acquiring breakfast, so it was good timing.




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So, a group of us here at CBU are training for a marathon. We run on our own throughout the week but do our long runs together on Saturday mornings. Tomorrow we will be running ten miles.
Maybe now would be a good time to address that question......

What’s so fun about a run?
Answer: Not much.

I don’t run necessarily because it is fun.
I run because I have found that the endurance it requires provides benefits...
beyond those of the physical nature.
Running has given me a better understanding of endurance...
more specifically, the nature of endurance and the purpose of endurance.

In regards to the nature of endurance...
.
I have found that physical strength can not be fully exercised without mental strength, and mental strength can not be fully exercised without spiritual strength.

- Endurance without Christ is meaningless because it relies completely on the fallible self.
- Endurance with Christ is beneficial because it requires one to rely on God’s strength.
(“my power is made perfect in weakness” – the Lord)

The nature of REAL endurance is found in Christ.


In regards to the purpose of endurance...

There are so many similarities between running and living for Christ.
Activities that require endurance serve the purpose of demonstrating how we should approach the things of God.
Someone who keeps, develops, and shares their faith using the same principles of endurance and determination that they utilize while running will be effective in the world.

-Endurance exercised for endurance sake is meaningless because it produces a temporary reward.
-Endurance exercised for Christ is beneficial because it is reveals truth.

("I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others,
I myself will not be disqualified." - 1 Cor 9:27)

The purpose of REAL endurance is found in Christ.

- t e s s a j o h n s t o n e

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