It's About Endurance-Put up or Shut up

I know I've written the exercise cheer for the title of this blog in a previous entry, but the Lord brought this truth home to me again through a devotional reading the other night. The scripture is found in Hebrews 12:1 (Amplified version). "Let us strip off and throw aside every encumbrance (unnecessary weight) and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us, and let us run with patient endurance and steady and active persistence the appointed course of the race that is set before us." And again the cheer comes to mind, "It's not about speed, it's about endurance; It's not about speed, it's about endurance. Walking with Jesus, Walking with Jesus. Do it for Tyson, do it for Grace, do it for those who can't run the race; Do it for Mary (75 y.o. friend who just had open heart surgery), do it for Grace, do it for those who can't run the race (2nd verse); See them ahead? Cheering you on? All glory to God, the race has been won!"(3rd verse) It's time to put up or shut up and I'm determined to NOT QUIT! I'm determined to throw aside the unnecessary weight(all the pounds, the negative talk, the fear of failure, the "I can't do this" attitude, the "it'll never happen" taunts from Satan)that entangle me, try to trip me and cause me to fall. I WILL keep my eyes on Jesus. I WILL do this 5K and God WILL receve all the glory. I'm determined to share Jesus with every step I take on this journey. I'm determined, as the Lord opens the door, to tell others how He's brought me to this "race", the 5K and the journey to live living! Whether I'm first or last I WILL walk this path of righteousness that He's brought me to. What's next? No clue. But I know He will make the way clear to me and I WILL follow His leading. It'll be hard, it may be painful, it may be the biggest physical challenge I've faced to date, but I WILL go there because it's His will for me and that brings Him glory.