The Race With Grace
"Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ." --Colossians 3:23-24
Her face said it all. As Loretta finished the Nike Women's Half Marathon this weekend, exhaustion met joy and mission met accomplishment. Now, I don't mean to over-dramatize the moment, but I think Paul was on to something when he talked about the Christian life as a race -- a race that believers are called to run with endurance and never aimlessly. Over the last few years, we've written entries after marathons, many of which are among my favorites. And with the week's race being almost over, I thought it appropriate for today.
For some of you, the week was steep. The phone never rang, the e-mail didn't arrive, or your health didn't cooperate. For others, everything was downhill, and you could do no wrong. Either way, I think our dear friend Sandie Powell said it best when she said, "The amazing thing is that He is as proud of our attempt (to run) as he is in our finish." And she's right. Did Loretta win the D.C. Half Marathon last weekend? Well, maybe only in my eyes, but my eyes are the only ones that mattered. She wasn't the fastest, but she gave it all she had and there was no doubt where she was headed...straight to me.
I want to live like that, don't you? I want everything I do and say, how I treat my health and how I love others to show the world that I'm on a road that leads to the only One that matters. From start to finish, I'm in this race with grace. And after the uphills, the downhills and even the pitfalls, when mission meets accomplishment -- not ours, His -- I want my face to say it all.
--Jimmy Peña
P.S. Fresh off the D.C. Half Marathon, there may be a couple of race-themed entries next week. In the pic above, Letta has just found her name on the Nike wall. Neat moment...
"The amazing thing is that He is as proud of our attempt (to run) as he is in our finish." --Sandie Powell
PRAYFIT DIET: CARB SWAPS Making simple switches can help you to slow down digestion and boost your health
When it comes to the age-old struggle between white rice and brown rice, which one comes out on top? In The PrayFit Diet, we take to answering this question and others like it.
While white rice is not necessarily bad for you, it can be higher on the glycemic index -- meaning a higher spike in blood sugar -- which is not ideal for weight loss. But provided you are not dousing it in butter and other calorie-rich sauces, you're not doing too bad for yourself. However, since eating two servings or more per week of brown rice has been shown to decrease your risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 16 percent or more, brown rice holds the edge.
>> To get more healthy-living carb swaps like this, pick up a copy of The PrayFit Diet today!