We all have them.
Seasons of little to say.
Weeks when words are few.
Days when ideas jump but don’t settle.

Running for Team Andrew

One discipline in my life that has remained constant is running.
The other discipline that has taken a beating has been prayer.
For what is the greatest obstacle to prayer?
Unanswered prayer. 
Oh I know the common response: “God answers every prayer with either a ‘Yes,’ a ‘No’ or a ‘Wait.’ “
Well, let me give you my honest reply to that one. It doesn’t feel like a good enough answer when your child dies.


And so I began to run. Not away. But to. To God. 
And in the running, I found Him to be greater than an unanswered prayer. Greater than “No.” Greater than “Wait.”
When I run, He speaks to me. He inspires me. He runs with me. 
Last week I began training to run a 1/2 marathon in January – my second one. This takes time. And prayer takes time. 
I have come to believe that the effectiveness of short prayers hinge on the foundation of longer ones. Since we lost our son Andrew, I have been guilty of being a short prayer. But the Holy Spirit is convicting me to pray longer.
As a runner I know the discipline of running parallels that of praying. And that is my inspiration for an eBook on combining running (or walking) with a prayer plan. The book is Run, Pray, Breathe and it’s powerful plan that

• is always fresh
• improves your endurance
• you can do alone
• you can do with a friend
• works for a mile or more
• helps you go the distance

If you are a runner or if you prefer to walk your workout, this “power plan” has the potential to transform your life! I’ll let you know how and when you can order it. 
 
“Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!”
Hebrews 12:1-3 The Message Bible