Monday, January 31, 2011

Re - Dedication

On January 6th of this year I started a journey. I did not know where I was going or how I was gonna get there. I just knew I had to go. I didn't do it because my Church was doing it. I didn't even do it because my Girlfriend (Julie) was doing it. I did it because I felt led to take this journey. It was very helpful and it did make things easier. Being encouraged by Julie and my Christian brothers and sisters made the way allot more bearable as well. Knowing we were all taking a Journey of faith alone but walking with others made all the difference in the world.

As my ankle began to heal it became time to start getting ready to start training. Yep, that is right Tri-Season is just around the corner. I have to admit I cannot wait to get out and start running, biking and swimming. I have already started to doing some base work. I have been doing some swimming and cycling on my trainer at home. I have even been doing some short runs trying to get ready  to start my Tri - season training plan. I have done the research and I now have a plan. Now I just have to re-dedicate myself to training. To making the time to do all the work, and to start focusing on what it takes for me to compete at a level that I desire to compete at. I for some reason love the battle of competition. I love the victory and despise ( OK, maybe hate is a better word), but in the end it is in defeat that I learn and find my biggest form of motivation. So on February 7th I will start my Triathlon training.

Just like in my Tri life my spiritual life I need times where I can regroup and get focused. That is what the Journey was all about. On January 6th I along with my Church (Elevate Church, in Morton, IL) we began a Daniel fast. Without allot of details it basically is a diet of fruits, nuts and vegetables and drink only water. No sugars, no caffeine, no artificial additives. Let me tell you I did allot of google searching and to find recipes to be creative and have a variety of foods. I thought this would be easy. I was so wrong. I had to do allot of praying and trusting God to carry me on.

This Journey was not for waste. I learned allot about myself and what I could do on very little. The most amazing thing about this Journey was that God lead me to re-dedicate myself. You see at one time God had called me to preach His Word. I was on my way and then one day I just left. I just packed up and went my own way. I decided that God was not important. As I journeyed through my life without God, I made several mistakes. I got involved with the wrong people and wrong things, but God delivered me out of that wrong path. When He brought me to Elevate Church a little over a year ago. Over the past year God has lead me to do some amazing things and meet some amazing people along the way.

So while on this fast God spoke to me again. I am not going to tell you it was an audible voice, but it was a leading kind of like the time He asked me to volunteer to do sound. I just knew what He was leading me to do. I would love to explain it but I cannot. When I know, I just know. So when I was running sound at a Praise Service, I just knew what I had to do. I wish I could say this was my ideal, but it was not. I had read this on another Blog and when I read it. I knew it was what I was suppose to do. What I did was I signed a contract with God. I made a contract with God to do whatever it is that He wants me to do, when He wants me to do it. I put them in points of commitments and used Scriptures to back up each point. I then initialed it and then I signed it on the bottom and had a Pastor Friend and her husband whom I respect very much sign it as witnesses.

I have really learned allot from my Journey. God taught me even more. I finally know what God wants from me. Just like with Abraham when he took his son Issac to the mountain top to sacrifice. God wanted to know that Abraham loved Him more than anything. When God saw that Abraham loved God enough to offer his son as a sacrifice. Then God provided a lamb to take Issac's place.(Gen. 22) That is what God wants from us. To love Him with our whole heart, with all our soul, and with all our might. (Duet. 6:5). So in making my contract or what the Bible calls a covenant with God it was my way of saying. I am done! Done  with running! Done doing things my way! My ways were not working for me and I needed Gods help in my life. I now know that I am going in the right direction and that  He will lead my path as I Stare at Lines. (Prov. 3:5&6)

1 comment:

  1. Amen brother. Well said words. We all just need to trust in God. The rest is easy. God provides and is always there. Life is GOD! His love and understanding will endure forever. It's His way, not ours.

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