"Then David left his baggage in the care of the baggage keeper and ran to the battle line..."
Andy has committed to running Tunnel Hill 50miler this November. Very discreetly he has been reading my book "Hal Koerner's Guide to Ultrarunning."
His training according to the book has him running more days in a row.
More fatigue.
More miles.
More tired legs.
More sore muscles.
More mental exhaustion.
Today, I only needed a few miles, but I could tell Andy was struggling before he even laced up his shoes.
I told him I would run a 7 of his 10 miles with him to encourage him out there.
"Leave our Baggage."
Our pastor is doing a series called "Showdowns". Today he was reading 1 Samuel chapter 17. Many of us have read many times. The story of David and Goliath.
His POINT was: "How long has your Goliath been stalking YOU?"
I took notes like I always do and went home to study more and something stood out to me that I had NEVER seen before!
David LEFT his Baggage and RAN!
As Andy and I began our run it was only a matter of a mile we began feeling the summer heat wave. Somewhere, down some road in Holly underneath the scorching sun with the sweat beading and the water diminishing the suffering surfaced.
I was running in front of Andy so I could hear the music off his speaker.
"Nita, I just don't understand how you run so strong..."
I quietly thought to myself, "It's all relative". I didn't "feel" very strong.
I could tell Andy was genuinely waiting for a profound answer.
"Andy, you have to convince your mind your stronger than your suffering body."
Silence.
BAGGAGE:
We have to use the army of our soul to fight the armies of this world that want to rob us of victory.
And one of the ways we can do this is leaving our baggage.
We often find ourselves carrying baggage we just don't need. We pack our bags with FEAR, INSECURITY, RESENTMENTS, JEALOUSY, BITTERNESS, EGO..."
And we hold tight to our baggage thinking we are more secure if we can control it.
We hold onto the opinions and our mistakes, we have bags filled with burdens, bad beliefs, and biasness of others.
We have to LET IT GO, leave that bag. 1 Samuel 17:22 "..left his baggage to the care of the baggage keeper."
Give it to GOD. He wants to carry your baggage, all your burdens.
"RAN TO THE BATTLE LINE.."
At mile 4, Andy reminded me "Nita, this is where you peel off and head home..."
Even though we were not chatting it up, I could read the speechlessness, it spoke volumes.
"I'm going to stay with you..." I replied with encouragement.
I was going to help Andy to the Battle Line with encouragement.
If I don't learn to drop my baggage I am never going to make it THROUGH the battle line. And I surely can't encourage someone else to get there either.
I will be able to run TO the battle but the victory is more than showing up.
When I drop my baggage, I give it to GOD and let him sort it out with grace and mercy. Battles are always going to come up against us.
I cannot always prevent battles and sometimes I am completely blindsided by them but that does not mean I can not be victorious in a battle that might outwardly look like a defeat but inwardly, in Christ it is a victory because I gave HIM my baggage.
RUNDOWN:
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| Thank You to Complete Runner for all my shoe needs! I Love my new Hokas! |
Today in the silence of our suffering my mind wandered. My mind is like a gypsy, it bounces all over the place, never staying to long.
There are so many areas of life I cannot control. It is more about the condition of my heart then it is about the comfort of my circumstances. Dropping my baggage and Running to the Battle line of life there is always Victory in Him.
Weekly Miles: 64.7
Monthly Miles: 237
Monday: 10.14
Wednesday: 6.67 Track
Thursday: DOUBLE run: 7am-11.25m, 6pm CRU 5.18m
Saturday: 21.23, trails and road
Sunday: 10.25
"To be a warrior is to be GENUINE in every moment of your life."
Chogyam Trungpa
IN PEACE not PIECES,
Anita~
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