We all have one. You may think it’s boring because you lived it. It may not be ready for the world, or perhaps you don’t want the world to know it… yet.
We have all faced incredible challenges. Some of us ran crying from our fifth birthday party because you showed off with a stunt, only to have the swing hit you in the back and knock you to the ground. At five years old, I felt humiliated and in pain. Wait a minute, did I say that was me?
You may be tempted to belittle and ignore it, but we all have stories to tell. And your story may be just what someone needs to hear. What’s your story?
Last month, I was privileged to go on a short-term mission trip with my employer, OneHope, to the Dominican Republic. And the good news is I didn’t break the country! Along the way, I learned a few lessons from a mission trip.
I have been on a few mission trips over the years. Whenever I am on a new experience, I keep my eye out for new lessons. Some of them may be new. Others reassure me past lessons are still valid. On this trip, three lessons stood out to me.
A rainy afternoon in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Mornings are my favorite time to run. As I head out the door, the new day has yet to take shape. There are so many possibilities. An early morning run is an excellent time to begin the day in prayer. Indeed, I’ve found running to be a form of prayer. I agree with the ishouldberunning.com blog that prayer and running go hand-in-hand.
I didn’t start running to strengthen my spiritual life. Instead, I began because I wasn’t happy with my dad’s gut. But as I have turned running into a habit, I’ve found the practice to be just as spiritual as physical.
How do you connect with God? How do you make running a form of prayer? The following steps have helped me.
I originally posted this on June 19, 2020. I find it especially interesting now that the WHO recently declared the global COVID health emergency is over. It only took three years. May it be a very long time before we see another one. In the meantime, I must ask: why do you look so different?
For the last couple of weeks, my wife and I traveled for our daughter’s wedding. It’s been touch and go for the last several months. Would COVID-19 postpone the wedding? Would we have to limit the guests to just ten people? Would quarantine prevent us from going?
As we made our journey, we saw many people in masks. We wore ours when we were in stores. We even experienced our first COVID-19 checkpoint. Modern travel in the USA never felt so adventurous.
Now that we’re back, we are hearing that the first wave of the pandemic isn’t over and that there may be more constraints coming. We are just glad we were able to have the wedding and celebrate our daughter and new son-in-law.
When I drew this cartoon earlier, I thought of how it will be when more churches will be meeting again. Our local church begins its first in-person services this Sunday. Undoubtedly, there will be people in masks, which may make church a little awkward as we speak through masks or are concerned about someone who forgot we are still supposed to follow social distancing guidelines.
Mask or Not
So do you look different these days? Are you a little more anxious? Are you more concerned about your health than ever? Do you waffle between wearing a mask in public and having faith that this is not as big of a deal as some make it?
Mask or not, I think we all look a little different these days. Let’s remember to show grace and compassion to those who are fearful. And to those with fear and anxiety, know that so many understand and are wrestling with these questions too. We’ll get through this time of health and economic uncertainty. Have patience and courage. And it’s still a good idea to wear that mask!
No one has a life of complete ups or eternal downs. We are imperfect people living in an imperfect world. We all experience good and bad times. It makes you fasten your seat belts—Life is a roller coaster!
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