InstaEncouragements Blog

4 Ways God Grew Me Through Running

10/30/2020

A Runner’s Revelations

As I sit writing this, I have just completed a big goal I set for myself at the start of 2020. For over 15 years I have been a runner. What began as a means of staying healthy and active has turned into a passion and something I genuinely find joy in doing. I’ve run many miles and road races over the years, but for as long as I can remember, I’ve always put a limit on myself when it comes to what I believe I am capable of doing. Whenever I have thought about taking on long-distance runs such as a half or full marathon, I have quickly chided myself and said, “That’s too hard; I could never do that” all the while wishing that I could.

But this year was different. I will turn 40 at the end of 2020, and as this milestone year began, I decided there was no better time to set a challenge for myself.

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From Grumbling to Grateful

10/2/2020

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Discovering God’s Goodness
in Every Circumstance

Have you ever stopped and taken a count of how often you complain in a day? Let me tell you from personal experience, it is not a pleasant task. In fact, it can be quite shocking. First, there are numerous, minor annoyances that seem to plague daily life and provide ample temptation to grumble. For myself, it is so easy to brush off a grouchy reaction to such frustrations and say, “I’m not complaining! I’m just stating a fact.” However, if I allow the Spirit even a few moments to speak to and judge my heart, the honest truth is that I am, in fact, complaining.

But then there are circumstances and adversities that are truly difficult and even severe.

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Three Lessons From the Path of Grief

8/28/2020

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“Man is born for trouble, as sparks fly upward.” Job 5:7

This sobering reminder from the book of Job puts life in proper, and somewhat grim, perspective.

We tend to think of life in terms of our good, peaceful, and happy times intermittently interrupted by difficulty, pain, and loss. But in truth, it is the other way around.

Living in a sin-cursed world means that life here will be largely marked by hardship and hurt with periods of rest or relief. Life is hard. That is normal. But for the Christian, there is more than either just pain or joy, either living with Option A or Option B.

We cannot escape the pains of this life, but we can certainly experience them very differently than those who do not know God.

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