Shin Splints for God
A couple of weeks ago our church began a new Bible study called Run for God that couples spiritual endurance-themed devotions with training for a 5 K which we will run together in April. The response has been overwhelming and in our tiny town our group looks like this:
It is a given this picture delights me. It represents young and old, church members and community members, and those whose bodies hurt and don’t hurt. The former outnumbers the latter if our groaned laps are any indication. I hear a splinter cell Bible study is being formed called, “Eating Cheez-Its for Jesus”. It has legs. Flabby, cellulite-ridden legs but I’m becoming more and more comfortable with those because, y’all. My shins are ruined. It’s my fault for running in bad shoes on concrete for the first week. Luke’s knees are also a wreck so you can’t even imagine the whining that is going on especially on Saturday mornings when we meet to train at 7:30 a.m.
Luke and I are also trying to eat a little more healthy during this process. How’s that going? On our way home from running last night he said, “Pull in at the store so I can get some ice cream. Ummm, not to eat. To put my knee in.” So we soaked our knees in butter pecan and chocolate syrup and felt instantly better.
But here’s the thing, you can’t be a big baby when an 85-year-old woman is not only showing up for the Bible Study but running. Mrs. Green has always been an inspiration to all of us for many reasons but it is confirmed now that she is the stuff of legend. We have developed a code word for whiners, “I.G.” which are Mrs. Green’s initials. So basically, take your ibuprofen and suck it up because if I.G. can do it, so can we.
Which is the point of this entire experience for me thus far. We are better together. We do things in community we can never accomplish alone. We bear one another’s burdens, share our ankle braces and compression socks, spur each other on when we want to quit, and run the race set before us shoulder to shoulder.
Church together is a beautiful thing, shin splints and all.
(I love you, IBC. Can’t imagine the race with anyone but you.)
Shin Splints for God http://t.co/4qlZv3bK58
Soooo Eating Cheez-its for Jesus starts when? Are the meetings via snapchat, after coffee time but before nap time? If so, I’m in.
Christi, it actually started about 15 minutes ago. I will save you some. Or not.
I am very thankful for Ider Baptist Church and Kim Maury Smith for doing the Run For God study and training. I am blessed to have many friends and church family encouraging me to keep putting one foot in front of the other and run “my” race that God has for me. Lord help me to be that kind of encourager to others.
Thank you Lynee Finch & keep running your race. We will be there along side you.
I eat 3 candy bars during our Bible study and training session. I thought I would be sore or give out but I’m not. Maybe all that run around the house playing chase with kaydence kept me in shape
Just call me IG…lol. I made it back this week but I do know my limits.
Lisa Stephenson McKay my church started this same class several months ago. We finished the book and have moved to reading another book, but still meet as Run for God. We are constantly running races (well, not me right now, 4 stress fractures from half-marathon on T’giving) together. People are coming to church to be a part of this class that haven’t been before. Such an incredible thing that God is using to bring people to Him. Love it.
I had shin splints for Jesus!! Haha never even thought of that!!
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Sounds like fun but at 52 I may be better suited in the eating cheezits club…