Seeing the Growth and Encouraging:

I have talked a lot about running in my blog posts throughout the years. I have talked about my triumphs and the times I have accomplished certain goals.  I have talked about my struggles and finding it very hard to run at a pace I had been able to run in the past, and I have also discussed getting to run with others and the growth coming from the practices and runs we do together.  I have been so blessed in my life where I have been able to be a cross country coach where I am able to help other student runners become better. 

I have been in the cross country season for a few weeks.  These weeks have already been great.  I have had a middle school student who decided to sign up and try running xc for this year.  When she first started, she could hardly run a half mile. However, now she is able to run two miles this morning without stopping.  She just accomplished that this morning as I am writing.  I was so very proud of her.  I was so happy to see her accomplish this.  

I have loved this moment as a coach. I need to remember to think this way similarly for those who have become Christians.  I need to remember to see the growth in the people who I have discipled or who I have talked to about God.  There have been many kids I have had the pleasure and blessing to work with who are developing their own thoughts and opinions and knowledge about Christ.  Every week, I need to remember to find ways to encourage these kids to work with.  

Sometimes we don’t always focus on the growth all of us make when it comes to our Christian Walk or the walk of others.  Maybe we don’t always take the time to really see if there has been growth made in people’s walk.  Are they learning more about Christ?  Are they growing in their Spiritual Disciplines?  Are you yourself, growing, that you can tell others about to help encourage them.  

Galatians 6:9 is a beautiful verse which says, “And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”  This is a very uplifting and encouraging verse about how we need to continue working hard for the Lord.  We need to make sure to not give up because if we don’t give up, then we will be able to see more of what we reap and what we sow.  We also need to make sure to hold one another up.  We need to be willing to help our brother or sister in Christ.  We also may need to help those who are not yet Christian.  How can we help create an environment where people want to become a Christian or want to enter into a life with Christ. 

The challenge for this week is to spend time thinking about who you could encourage and support.  I am very blessed to have the opportunity to encourage these young runners.  It is a great chance to meet with them all and see them improve over time.  However, there are many other places where a person can be encouraged and can be supported.  This support can really be a thing that helps a person understand Christ and his love.  I also need to be challenged as I have a friend who needs to be encouraged through a very challenging and difficult health and life experience.  

The second challenge is to spend time thinking about those who have supported and encouraged you lately.   There are many people who have encouraged me.  My mom helped encourage me to finish RAGBRAI a few weeks ago.  My friend Hillary has always been an encouragement when it comes to following Christ.  Then Cole has been very good about encouraging me in my running journey as well as my general exercise journey.  There are days I come, and I have been very discouraged because my pace is a lot slower than it usually was in the past.  I need to make sure to spend time thanking him for that.  I need those pieces of encouragement to really make me feel good about the days I don’t do as well.