Challenge: Memorize Philippians 3:13-14 and set a goal for this fall 2010 session. What is your personal goal for this session? Is having a quiet time 5 days a week a realistic goal for you? Pray about it and then share you goal with the other ladies in your group. Whatever GMG goal you set for this fall,  help hold each other accountable as you all strive to reach your goals!!

These two verses are so powerful to me. Pressing on toward the goal….to win a prize, forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead.

Forgetting what is behind. Why are we called to forget? Because we have been forgiven for our past sins. We have to believe, if we repented and asked forgiveness, Jesus has granted us the forgiveness we were needing. Let go of the guilt!!! If we don’t, we are holding onto baggage that will hurt our “race.” Jesus has forgiven us, have faith in that knowledge and freedom. As Jesus forgives us, so should we forgive ourselves. If we don’t we are only hurting ourselves and not being obedient to Christ.

Straining toward what is ahead. Straining is not an easy thing. When I am straining for something I am putting my whole self into it. Being a Christian is not easy at times. We have to strain against our past sins, memories and choices. We strain against our culture, family or friends and our own desires. I learned something about straining yesterday.

Lately I’ve been running on a treadmill because it’s so hot here in Texas, so yesterday since the weather was nicer I decided to go out on a run with my sweet husband around our neighborhood. Wow, I realized during the run that I’m not in as good of shape as I had thought! Running on a treadmill is not like running in the “real world.” It really showed me that even though it’s still good to go to the gym and exercise, I need to be getting myself out onto the “road” and running there as well. On a treadmill there is no wind, no sun in your eyes, in bugs that fly into your mouth, no uneven pavement and the ground beneath you can be steady and unchanging. I like running on a treadmill because of all those things. I feel like I’m actually a pretty good runner when I’m running on a treadmill. I feel like I’m actually a little fast when running on a treadmill…..but all of that is false and I realized that when I got out into the real world and ran next to a seasoned runner. My husband, Dirk, is a seasoned runner. Unlike me, Dirk has been running since we started dating way back in high school. I won’t say how many years ago it’s been! Ha!

As we started our run together, Dirk was sweet and “ran at my pace”, my pride wouldn’t let me tell him that this wasn’t my pace so I kept up with him, or at least tried to. By the time we reached our street I was “pressing toward the goal!!!” There where areas in my body that were hurting that NEVER hurt when I run on a treadmill!!! I was breathing much harder and “glowing” a lot more than I ever do on my wonderful, make-you-feel-good-about-yourself treadmill. Having gone on that run with Dirk and applying it to my real life I realize that even though it’s good to “run on the treadmill” at times, I need to make sure that I’m also out on the “real road”, the road that’s not as perfect. I also need to team up with people who are also running on the “real road” and who have a faster pace than I do, people who challenge me to be better than I am, people who challenge me to press on toward the goal…to win a prize…Jesus.

As we start this new fall session let go of anything that could hold you back from running your best possible race for Christ. Get out into the real world and make a difference for Christ. You don’t have to be perfect, I don’t have to be perfect, just make being in God’s Word a priority in your life and have faith as you run your race that Jesus is right beside you cheering you on all the way! There may be days you feel like giving up….but DON’T!!! STRIVE toward your goal and know that you have 700+ women cheering for you all along the way!!

Let’s get out there and run today girls!!!

Challenge: Memorize Philippians 3:13-14 and set a goal for this fall 2010 session. What is your personal goal for this session? Is having a quiet time 5 days a week a realistic goal for you? Pray about it and then share you goal with the other ladies in your group. Whatever GMG goal you set for this fall,  help hold each other accountable as you all strive to reach your goals!!

Chat with me in the comment section! I’d love to hear about your fall 2010 goal(s)!!!

Love God Greatly!