I recently committed to participate in my first 5k in September.
This seemingly simple commitment was a huge first step for me – a step towards not letting fear rule over me anymore.
When I was diagnosed with Peripheral Neuropathy, my doctors told me that any exercise that involved pressure on my joints (jogging, Zumba, etc.) or holding muscles in place (pilates, yoga, etc.) for too long were out. Really, I only had three options: walking, but only if I did it slowly; cycling, again, only slowly, or swimming. I have let their instructions rule over me, not out of respect, but out of fear of what would happen if I didn’t follow them.
One day I was watching the NCAA Softball Regional Tournament. On one of the teams was a girl who had battled cancer. As a freshman doctors told this girl that she absolutely could not play softball anymore. She didn’t listen. She instead said, “give me the chemo” then hit the diamond. She didn’t let fear rule her and now she is a Senior advancing to the next level with her team.
It’s so easy to let fear rule our decisions and even our lives. God tells us very clearly in 2 Timothy 1:7 that He did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power, love and self-control. And so I press on. I press on fearlessly. I press on with power and love, but I also press on with enough self-control to listen to my body and to be smart. (Another lesson learned: Being smart is not the same as being fearful.)
Pressing on through my training . . . pressing on to the finish line . . . and pressing on the ultimate goal – eternal life.
14 I am sprinting toward the only goal that counts: to cross the line, to win the prize, and to hear God’s call to resurrection life found exclusively in Jesus the Anointed. Phillipians 3:14 (The Voice)
Raelyn Pracht 