I’m out one more day.
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Running
Up until the early 1900’s running was mostly done in competitions. Non-athletes would use other methods to get fit. In the 1960’s, Bill Bowerman, co-founder of Nike published a book called “Jogging.” The book sold hundreds of thousands of copies, and Nike went on to sell hundreds of millions of pairs of shoes.
People are great actors. Some have created a facade so great that their performance is worthy of an Oscar. They want others to believe they have it all together, that their lives are near perfect. Their insecurities run deep. In truth, these people might be doing everything they can to just hold it together. Inside they might be on the edge.
In my life I took a lot of doubts and insecurities into my 20’s. My ego was off the charts, but it was false ego. My parents did very little to prepare me for adulthood, so I was left to my own devices. It wasn’t always pretty.
Today, I can say that my demons have been exorcised. It took a lot of hard work and self-examination. That wasn’t always pretty, either! But peace and contentment were found on the other side.
Do the work. No matter how far or how fast you run, you can never run away from you…
Competition
Football season is back! I love the game, everything about it. The team I am a fan of is the Dallas Cowboys. They break my heart every year. Yet, I remain a loyal, hopeful supporter.
Team sports are wonderful teaching tools. Young people learn accountability, responsibility and the athletes take better care of their bodies. They keep their grades up so they can play when game time comes.
Winning is a wonderful feeling, but it’s not everything. In sports you have to overcome adversity. You encourage your teammates to rise above the challenges together. These are lessons that will serve you well later in life.
Competition is a good thing. It makes us better at our jobs when a deal is on the line. And if we lose, we learned from sports that we will live to fight another day. All is not lost.
Team sports are not the only place kids can compete. There’s band, debate, engineering, literally everything in school.
Compete fairly with yourself, too. Mistakes happen in life. They will only hold us back if we allow them to…
Just Because
Just because someone says or does something doesn’t necessarily make it okay. And that goes for what is true or not true. Going along to get along is a hollow ambition.
There are a lot of fake memes and misleading news stories. According to a February 2025 Gallup poll, 31% of Americans “have a great deal or fair amount” of trust in the media. This is the lowest number in 50 years! Imagine the improvement if they reported news fairly and accurately.
There’s a lot of pressure to “fit in” and not make waves. Jesus certainly wasn’t trying to go with the flow. He rocked the culture of his era and started something that has lasted over 2,000 years.
You weren’t born to be average. You have a great purpose for your life. Go find it. Give it everything you have in you. Be a voice for those who feel like they don’t have one.
When you stand for the truth, sometimes you will stand alone. But the right people will find you…
Investigation
Do you ever question or challenge your beliefs? If you haven’t engaged in this exercise before, perhaps it’s a good idea to do so. After all, your convictions will either be strengthened or altered. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.
There are a handful of beliefs that don’t need to be questioned. If I jump off a 50 story building, gravity will work every single time. There’s no need to test that one! If (when) I break the speed limit (often), I’m going to receive a very expensive ticket.
But what about our spiritual beliefs? According to a 2025 research study conducted by Pew Research Center, 83% of Americans believe in God or a universal power. In fact, 54% of the respondents believe with “absolute certainty” that God is real. The skeptics need proof.
Look around if you want proof. There is a lot of evil in our world, but there’s a lot more good. Bad news gets headlines. “If it bleeds it leads” my friends in media say. The good news gets published, but not as often as the bad. And only God can bring good from the bad news. It’s his specialty!
Change the narrative from “I’ll believe it when I see it” to “I’ll see it when I believe it.” God gives fresh air and sunshine to believers and nonbelievers alike. Treat every moment in life like it’s a miracle because it is.
Challenge your convictions. This applies to everything. Question why you believe what you believe. Is there proof? What do the facts say?
It’s not a threat to question things. Stay curious…
Count Me In
We count calories, likes, and we count our daily steps. When I was a (little) kid, I was scared of Count Dracula! But do we count where it really matters?
There is a universal homogeneity in all of us. We want our lives to count. We want to matter. In the heart of mankind, we know we are here for something greater than ourselves. Yet, we can get distracted by life and all the twists and turns it brings.
We were created in God’s image. He’s the only one who gives generously but doesn’t need anything from us. Or, does he? We can use our abilities and our resources for the betterment of mankind. We may not be able to help everyone, but we can make a difference in the lives of some. And when you do something for someone who can never repay you, you receive a wonderful feeling too intangible to describe.
Find the areas in need that appeal to your heart. Don’t hide or waste your talents. You were gifted to make a difference, to make your life count…
Rational Lies
We lie to ourselves. Now that is a true statement! We lie to ourselves and then we rationalize the lies. We overeat and swear we will exercise harder next week. We tell a little white lie and believe we are sparing someone some bad news. It’s time for this to stop.
People can handle the truth. In fact, most people can handle criticism if it’s done constructively. You discuss the behavior without criticizing the person. People appreciate honesty, especially when it’s designed to help them.
All of us have blind spots. There are things we need to improve in ourselves, yet we may be unaware of them. This is where we need our friends to tell us the truth. We need to be honest with others about their blind spots. We can take a lesson from the Apostle Paul and deliver the message with “gentleness and self-control.”
What are the lies you tell yourself? Take a moment of accountability. Write them down. Then actively work to improve. It’s a challenge, but you can rise and meet the challenge if you’re willing…
Working People
Unless you were born into a family with great wealth, you know what it’s like to work. Working people make the economy go. We don’t see who produces our food, or drives the trucks to get it to us, or the people who control our traffic signals. But they are there and they are important well beyond just their work.
People are important. All people, not just the ones we like or admire. We tend to place people into categories: those who can do something for us and those who can’t. If someone can’t help us achieve our wants and needs, it doesn’t diminish their importance to God. He created them, too, and I don’t believe God has categorized us. I’m very grateful he doesn’t!
Take the time to get to know people. Find out where they are from, what makes them tick. See others the way God sees them, not through the limited vision of human eyes.
When we see humanity through God’s eyes, the lens of our vision grows larger, much larger…
Before You Begin
New week, new you, right? People begin changing their lives at the beginning of the week. A large percentage will abandon their goals before they have accomplished what they set out to do. There is a way to place yourself in the minority who succeed.
Before you begin, you must recognize that the battle is in your mind. It doesn’t require physical willpower to effect change. The change you desire can be made when you win the fight over your old ways of thinking.
Your mind is powerful. Really powerful. How we think will determine our outcomes. If you want better health, become health conscious. Keep your thoughts focused on the healthiest version of yourself and put blinders on to anything else. This works with time management, finances, even spiritual growth.
After a while your mind will take over. If you start thinking about going back to old, bad habits, your mind will stop you. When this happens you know you have retrained your brain. Victory!
The fight for the life you want is fought between your ears, not in the physical world. Change your thoughts and change your life…
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