Discipline

    My alarm is titled “Sunshine”…..but the last few mornings it’s awakened me while the sun is still on the other side of the world. As I slid the covers off and pulled the curtains back my eyes didn’t have to adjust to the light, because there was none. Just darkness. It’s amazing what I can accomplish with one eye still closed and my body half asleep. I scarf down a banana with peanut butter and a glass of water. I wrap up my blisters, slip on some sweats, grab my sneakers with one hand while my Ipod dangles in the other. I head out the door. It’s 6:30 am as I hit my stop watch to begin my run.

                                                    DISCIPLINE.

    After my knee surgery I thought God had taught me enough about that nine letter word. I was wrong.

    As I logged in 4-7 miles a day plus weights and abs, then adding another 30 min morning run on top of that, my body screamed in pain. It started just in my shin then from overcompensating, the pain traveled to my IT band and outside of my foot.

     When I was running there was no pain but as soon as I stopped I felt like there was a metal rod sticking through my lower leg. My brilliant mind thought ”It doesn’t hurt while I run so…just don’t stop running”. I sometimes like to picture myself as a Paula Radcliffee, when in reality I’m more of a Steve Urkle in the running world. (but I can rock it) Needless to say, that whole ‘don’t ever stop running’ plan failed.

                                                      DICIPLINE.

    In church we looked at Judges 20:18-34. The Israelites were sent out by God a total of 3 times to battle against the Benjamin Tribe. They sought God and He told them to go fight. They lost 18,000 men the first battle and 22,000 in the second for a total of 44,000 dead men. They were pretty much screaming WHAT THE HECK!?! They asked God again if they should continue to fight or if they should cease. God told them to continue. They obeyed. It was a terrible battle. They had discipline not based off of feelings. The battle ended in a Victory for the Israelites.

    Every time my feet hit the ground I feel pain. It’s constant and despite weeks of rehab nothing seems to dim the pain.

    This is my last semester of college and my last chance to run with my team who has worked so hard. After my knee surgery there was no question if I should stop running. Now… I question God. I’m asking if I should keep going. Everything seems to be falling apart. I don’t know if there is a victory at the end of this battle.

    He reminded me today as I sat in the blue padded chairs facing the stage. No matter the outcome, in Him there is always VICTORY. He knows the end, we don’t.

    How do I keep going when nothing seems to be going right and I want to throw in the towel and hang my shoes up?

                                                   DICIPLINE.

He has told me to keep going. I will obey.