Tweetsie Trail – From A Pastor's Heart

One of the joys of my life is running on the nearby Tweetsie Trail in Johnson City / Elizabethton, TN. The views of the mountains, the trees lining the trail, the fresh air, the quiet, the deer and squirrels, and the bridges are all way cool!

Another joy is running with my son-in-law. He’s a great encourager as he runs alongside me asking every now and then, “You doing ok?” I’m sure he would run a fastest pace than me since he’s 35 years younger, but he stays right there with me until the last mile. That’s when he moves on ahead to our normal finish line of 4.3 miles.

He and I have run many times on the Tweetsie as well as in other timed races. His question “You doing ok”? is standard fare and reminds me of discipleship in another believer’s life.

You see, we are not okay if we think we can go solo in this walk with Christ. Besides the residency of the Trinity within us (John 14:15-24), we must have one another outside of us asking, “You doing okay?”

When you consider all the “one another” passages in Scripture as well as Matthew 28:18-20 and Titus 2:1-8, it is very evident we need our family in Christ to go beyond the shallow, surface relationships of what has sadly become normal Christianity. We need to seek it out and also offer ourselves in genuine love and transparency to encourage and edify one another in our participation with Christ in this life.

There have been times when Andrew asks, “Are you doing ok?” that I have had to declare, “I’m struggling today!” Or, “You go ahead, I’ve got to slow down. I’ll catch up with you.” Or, “Doing great!” There have also been times that I have done the same for him. We are definitely transparent with each other.

You see, running together makes this question mean something. We are both running for the finish life; we are on the same trail; we are pushing each other; we care for one another; we are involved in each other’s lives; we are sweating together; we know this is good for us! Discipleship is the life of Christ! This is what we are, disciple-makers. This is the core of life!

Who are you running with in discipleship? Who are you honestly asking “You doing okay?”?

(More on this in future posts.)

That was the title to an article found within the pages of Runner’s World written by Mark Remy. The subtitle was, “Here’s a hint: It has nothing to do with nutrition, form, or VO2 max.”

So now, you are asking, what did the article say was the most important word in running? Are you ready?—-“Thank you.”

Often my wife, who power walks, and I remark about how grateful we are to be out exercising. We both realize that all we are enjoying comes from the good hand of our God. 1 Thessalonians 5:18 reminds us, In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

So what are we grateful for?

The beauty of running in the country!
Ol’ Bossie watching us from the cow pasture.
Seeing a newborn calf.
Quiet.
Time to pray, memorize Scripture, and/or listen to sermon podcasts.
Fellowship with other runners and the encouragement they bring to keep going.
The ability to exercise. I promise you this is not taken for granted!
Meeting some our neighbors who are out as well.
The benefits of exercise.
Safety. (This can be a challenge when faced with a driver who does not want to lose five seconds of his drive-time.)
Goal setting.
Being with my wife.
Camaraderie with other runners through the MapMyRun app.
Finishing the race.
Good shoes.
Water & Gatorade!
Strength & endurance
Memories of good and bad races.
The opportunity to run again in races that were special.
The fall colors.
Our Enduracool towels.
The Tweetsie Trail.
Eyes to see, ears to hears, and lips to rejoice in all that God has created around us.
Life in Christ that makes this life worth living.