The grueling race began. One foot after the other running towards the finish line. There were hundreds of fans along the side of the road early in the chilled morning with their children wrapped in coats. I was well aware that there were places around the city where supporters were able to see the runners and encourage them on. But screaming fans were everywhere. EVERYWHERE!!!! There were thousands of people with blue, white, and pink poster signs rousing their favorite runners on. There were marines dressed in fatigues dispersed throughout the race giving high fives; little 10-year old kids were passing out waters and Powerade to runners they did not even know. In all honesty, there was never a half mile in the entire race that there were not screaming, bell-in-hand supporters....
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| Photo by John Miranda |
"Keep going! Don't stop!
"You got this!"
"You were stupid enough to sign up for this race. You better not stop now. You've got a long way to go!" (Someone said that; I am not sure if I was fired up about her.)
Even runers were encouraging other runners. It was so great and so needed. I really believe that it would have been extremely difficult to run that race without all of the rousing encouragement. During my extensive training, I had to run a twenty miler. Around mile 12, my wife and kids drove along Route 214 to meet me and see how I was doing. They met me two other times just to encourage and make sure my body felt okay. I am positive this run could not have happened without their support.
"Most of us, swimming against the tides of trouble the world knows nothing about, need only a bit of praise or encouragement - and we will make the goal." -- Robert Collier
How often do you encourage others? We should't look for it, but always ready and willing to give it. And how often do you encourage your own family? I have to do a better job at this. I'm NOS.
My encouragement to you. -- "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." -- 1 Thessalonians 5:11
Dijon, I never knew you to be such a good writer! This is great and is a wonderful illustration to use in challenging and inspiring our brothers & sisters to follow God's command to encourage one another. I have deep convictions about how God knows that we need daily encouragement and commands us to do so....so that we will not be lose our faith! We ALL need dailt encouragement and just like the runners needed it in your race, we all need that spiritual encouragment to "not give up" and to "stand firm"; to remember how much God loves us instead of listening to satan's lies about how bad and worthless we are. Bro, keep preaching with your life. I admire you and pray God will continue to use you to impact others with your writing and sharing! Love you bro!
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