Running gives me joy and a sense of freedom. On the high school track team I loved doing sprints and competed in the 100, 200, and 400 meter events.

When I got older I kept up my exercise routine by doing weekly jogs. One morning, feeling energized, I decided to run up a steep hill at a local park, and picked a tree where I would stop. I took off running but only made it halfway when I started to feel a sharp pain in one of my knees. The next morning I laid in bed discouraged, thinking about skipping my routine exercise. My body was no longer able to complete tasks that I had performed in my youth. Seeking motivation, I started to watch TV. However, TV only served as an excuse not to practice what I valued in life: keeping my body fit for Christ.

I loved running, but I had to face the fact that as I was getting older I had to make some adjustments. Since I couldn’t stop my body from aging, I knew that I had to modify some of my routines. Growing old is a part of life but I wasn’t about to allow pain or lack of discipline stand between me and my goals. In order to accomplish the task I changed the routine and the route. I started walking and did short runs.

On my next run, instead of turning right toward the park, I turned left and walked down a street. The street curved and peaked upwards. I remembered the hill that I was unable to climb at the park and thought of stopping. Instead of stopping, I started running. Starting at the bottom of the hill I ran and didn’t stop until I reached a telephone pole midway through the block. After taking a breath, I did a happy dance. Although the hill wasn’t as steep as the hill at the park, tackling the task still satisfied me.

If I had waited for someone to push me out of bed I may not have been able to tap into the warrior that lied within me.

Including physical pain, our emotions can sometimes hinder us from moving forward in life; but your destiny is always greater than your feelings. By identifying the obstacle, asking questions and thinking creatively, you will gain perspective abut small steps you can take to overcome it. When faced with an obstacle that seems insurmountable, don’t quit! There’s always a new direction you can take.

“Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him,” Psalms 62:8
Read Ephesians 1:15-19