Finish the Race

I was never a runner in school...
And I still don't like running just for the fun of it.

However, I did get to watch my brother run when he was in high school. It was so exciting and nerve-racking at the same time. I remember it so vividly...

He usually ran the 100 meter dash, 200 meter dash, and the mile relay. (maybe some other race too, I can't remember.) If any of you know track these were the "FAST" races. It was so exciting when the gun would fire and they would take off sprinting as fast as they could to the finish line. My brother's two fast races (100 and 200) led up to the one mile relay (still a fast race, but a little longer). A lot of times the whole meet would come down to this one, last race. Four runners each running one lap around the track to equal a mile. So exciting as the first runners start out, then handing the baton off each time until he very last runner crosses the finish line.

All this makes me think of the race that God has set before us. It's a series of sprints and sometimes marathons to get to the finish line.

In our case right now, we are finishing our first marathon. Three years have passed since we began the call that God set before us. Language training in one country, back to our home country, to another state for missionary training, to the DR where we began the marathon of doing God's work that he called us to do.

Mixed emotions are flooding us right now. Excited. Nervous. Scared. Overjoyed. Frustrated. Sad. Hopeful.

BUT, we know that...just as strong as we began this race, we must finish the same. We must run until we reach the finish line. We must finish strong. We must always remember that...

"Let us run the race not only for the prize! But as those who've gone before us, let us leave to those behind us, the heritage of faithfulness passed on through Godly lives!"

Please pray for us as we finish here in the DR. One month left now...

Pray we will finish STRONG.
Pray for us as we say goodbye to great friends.
Pray for us as we finish selling our stuff.
Pray for us as we get ready to transition to a totally new culture, a culture that our kids are unfamiliar with.