Mark Wagner
Well-known member
Hello my 'Friends'
Pretty pumped up tonight, as I reached my goal of running the distance of halfway accross the US. It is amazing when I think back on the trying and then failing, to walk from my intensive care room, straight across the hall holding on to a wheel chair, to my regular room, a couple of days after my surgery. As each of us already know, and for some whom are waiting for the day the doctor says, "It's time" it starts out with small steps, and each day you get a little stronger. Fear begins to fade, and faith courage continues to grow. One day you find yourself walking around the block. "Wow, that was easy;" so you try running a mile. Your heart didn't stop, so you try two miles, then three .... You set a goal of running a 10K, a half marathon, after that a marathon.
I was given the opportunity to speak to a group which I would guess probably represented over 200 churches. My short testimony was that we are made 'strong in our weakness.' You cannot cheat a 26.2 mile marathon. You have to set goals and you have to run with a very precise training program. Some evenings I found myself running while the rest of the world slept, at 2:00 and 3:00 in the morning when it was raining and cold. It was the last thing I wanted to do, but I knew I had to do it, or I would fail.
You know the one thing my heart, and my long distance running has taught me is endurance. Probably not the endurance your thinking of. I put so much effort into accomplishing the marathon, but after the medal was put around my neck, I was still so empty. At that point I realized how little endurance I had for God. He gave me a second chance through my surgery and I spent the last year running for myself.
One night on the way home from work, the emptiness really caught up with me. A marathon behind me, a beautiful wife and family, and now the realization I had left God behind. On a personal note, I prayed and asked for forgiveness, and also that if God wanted to take my running away, then so be it. That night like usual, my cat met me at the door, the house was quiet, and on this computer I went to check my mail. What I found was a letter from 'World Vision' asking how they could help. The realization hit me that though I did not have endurance for God, He always had it for me, and carried me the whole way through.
Don't ask me why I have told you all this, because I only wanted to share that I had reached the half-way point accross the US! I hope you find encourgagement and strength and Peace.
Thanks for each and everyone of you ... Mark
http://hometown.aol.com/beatfeet26pt2/myhomepage/index.html
Pretty pumped up tonight, as I reached my goal of running the distance of halfway accross the US. It is amazing when I think back on the trying and then failing, to walk from my intensive care room, straight across the hall holding on to a wheel chair, to my regular room, a couple of days after my surgery. As each of us already know, and for some whom are waiting for the day the doctor says, "It's time" it starts out with small steps, and each day you get a little stronger. Fear begins to fade, and faith courage continues to grow. One day you find yourself walking around the block. "Wow, that was easy;" so you try running a mile. Your heart didn't stop, so you try two miles, then three .... You set a goal of running a 10K, a half marathon, after that a marathon.
I was given the opportunity to speak to a group which I would guess probably represented over 200 churches. My short testimony was that we are made 'strong in our weakness.' You cannot cheat a 26.2 mile marathon. You have to set goals and you have to run with a very precise training program. Some evenings I found myself running while the rest of the world slept, at 2:00 and 3:00 in the morning when it was raining and cold. It was the last thing I wanted to do, but I knew I had to do it, or I would fail.
You know the one thing my heart, and my long distance running has taught me is endurance. Probably not the endurance your thinking of. I put so much effort into accomplishing the marathon, but after the medal was put around my neck, I was still so empty. At that point I realized how little endurance I had for God. He gave me a second chance through my surgery and I spent the last year running for myself.
One night on the way home from work, the emptiness really caught up with me. A marathon behind me, a beautiful wife and family, and now the realization I had left God behind. On a personal note, I prayed and asked for forgiveness, and also that if God wanted to take my running away, then so be it. That night like usual, my cat met me at the door, the house was quiet, and on this computer I went to check my mail. What I found was a letter from 'World Vision' asking how they could help. The realization hit me that though I did not have endurance for God, He always had it for me, and carried me the whole way through.
Don't ask me why I have told you all this, because I only wanted to share that I had reached the half-way point accross the US! I hope you find encourgagement and strength and Peace.
Thanks for each and everyone of you ... Mark
http://hometown.aol.com/beatfeet26pt2/myhomepage/index.html
