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Weekly Resources, Ideas and Articles from The Source for Youth Ministry
Tuesday, December 18, 2001
| In This Issue |
- EVER FEEL LIKE GIVING UP? Running Life’s Marathon
- JONATHAN’S NEW RESOURCE WEB SITE LAUNCHING IN 2002
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| EVER FEEL LIKE GIVING UP? Running Life’s Marathon |
December 18, 2001
On December 9th I got up at 3:30 AM, stretched, ate a Power Bar, and pinned 5 little “energy gel” packets to my running shorts. At 4:10 AM I entered the lobby of my hotel in Honolulu with about 60 other Youth for Christ runners and we started to walk toward the starting line. Now some of you might wonder what I was doing in Honolulu with Youth for Christ. That’s what I was asking myself that day! A sum of $178,500 was raised by the runners of this event for YFC ministry nationally, I was just a small part of that. But the task at hand was to finish a race.
I must admit I’ve never walked down the dark misty streets of Honolulu at 4:30 in the morning. And I wasn’t alone. It was there that I met 20,000 others stretching, running in place and trying to protect themselves from the light rain coming down. I placed myself next to the sign marked “4 hour finishers” and waited …
Fireworks erupted at 5:00 AM and the crowd started to move. It wasn’t until 5:05 that I even crossed the starting line. I was surrounded by people all trying to find their pace. I had no concept of what pace I was at. I assumed it was good … until … I hit the 2 mile mark and saw the time. It had been 21? minutes; I was 3 and a half minutes behind.
GOING WITH THE FLOW- NOT NECESSARILY A GOOD THING
It’s funny how when all the people around you are all doing the same thing you tell yourself that you must be doing allright-even if you aren’t. I had gone with the flow and consequently strayed from the time that I had disciplined myself to keep for months. It’s amazing how much we sometimes gage our success by the people around us … mistakenly so.
I needed to make up for lost time. I picked up my pace to sub-nine-minute miles, passing people right and left. At the five mile mark we went through the center of Honolulu. People stood on both sides of the street cheering. Groups supporting many of the racers held signs, blew horns and shouted cries of praise. During that stretch I found myself soaring on the encouragement from others.
A LITTLE ENCOURAGEMENT
It’s amazing what encouragement from others can do. I beat my time by over a minute during that mile stretch. So many times in my ministry … I’ve tried to do it alone. We’re not alone. God often uses others to be an encouragement. I couldn’t help but to think of the following:
- Eccles. 4:9_12 (NIV)
Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their work:
[10] If one falls down,
his friend can help him up.
But pity the man who falls
and has no one to help him up!
[11] Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
[12] Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
KEEPING A COMMITMENT … EVEN WHEN IT HURTS
“Something came up. Things are different now. I didn’t know what I was getting into …” We always have good reasons when we bail on a commitment. Don’t we? Why couldn’t I walk at this point in the race? Because I had committed to run the entire thing, not stop, and persevere to the end of the race. How easy it is to give up early when life’s pain hits us.
Psalm 15 (NIV)
Lord, who may dwell in your sanctuary?
Who may live on your holy hill? …
… He who keeps his oath
even when it hurts,
Around mile 23 I started the great uphill at Diamond Head. What a stupid place to put a hill. Everything in my body said quit. My mind fought, “Press on …press on!” I finally told myself, “Jonathan …do you want to run another one of these things? NO WAY! Okay, then don’t stop … If you stop … you have to run another one!” I kept going.
My weary 31-year-old body crossed the finish line, making a time of 4:11:26, running the whole way. My goal was accomplished. I pray that I can press on in the race marked out for my life.
Hebrews 12:1-2 (NIV)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. [2] Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Press on in the race of life, with your eyes fixed on Jesus.
God Bless,
Jonathan McKee
Jonathan McKee is president of The Source for Youth Ministry and author of the new book “Do They Run When They See You Coming? Reaching Out to Unchurched Teenagers.” (CLICK HERE FOR THE BOOK) Jonathan speaks and trains across the country and provides free online resources, training, & ideas for youth workers at www.TheSource4YM.com| JONATHAN’S NEW RESOURCE WEB SITE LAUNCHING IN 2002 |
JONATHAN’S RESOURCES IS GETTING A FACE LIFT AND ADDING EVEN MORE RESOURCES!
Don’t worry, Jonathan’s Resources isn’t ceasing to exist, but in the next month it’s changing locations, changing it’s look, and serving you even better.
Jonathan is starting THE SOURCE FOR YOUTH MINISTRY. His new web site will be dedicated to bringing you the best resources … FOR FREE! It will include all the great resources that jonathansresources.com provides right now, and even more.
One of the new features will be “GO TO THE SOURCE!” -the new section where you can ask a question … and actually get an answer. So many of us are in the same boat, going through the same things. We might as well benefit from the counsel that others in our same situation are getting. So … ask a question, get an answer, or view posted questions and answers, organized by topic.
You’ll hear more about the new site soon. BE READY FOR IT’S LAUNCH IN 2002!
If you have any other youth ministry ideas you want to share…
please contact me
God Bless!
Jonathan R. McKee
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Jonathan McKee
Jonathan McKee is the author of over twenty books including the brand new The Guy's Guide to FOUR BATTLES Every Young Man Must Face; The Teen’s Guide to Social Media & Mobile Devices; If I Had a Parenting Do Over; and the Amazon Best Seller - The Guy's Guide to God, Girls and the Phone in Your Pocket. He speaks to parents and leaders worldwide, all while providing free resources for youth workers on TheSource4YM.com. Jonathan, his wife Lori, and their three kids live in California.