The Challenge of Prayer

I don't know about you all, but I have always found growth in prayer difficult. It has been hard to move beyond rote prayers like the Our Father and written prayers like in the Liturgy of the Hours. Not that those are bad ways to pray, just that I sensed there was more....

I realized that most of my prayer was talking "at" God, not talking "with" God. You know what I mean, saying "God, help me do this or that; help this or that situation to work out; help this or that wayward son or daughter to find their way back to you...." Or even more impersonally, dropping a semi-command on God's doorstep and then running off: "God, you'd better get me out of this mess!" Again, very appropriate, and helpful at times ways to pray. God loves us so much, He answers and cares for us even if we don't ask politely or say the magic words, "Thank You!"

But recently I have come across the Ignatian model for praying with Holy Scripture, and I want to encourage and challenge you to try it for yourself. Goes something like this:

-select a passage of scripture (try Psalm 100)
-ask God to help you experience his personal and intimate love for you
-read the passage slowly, paying attention to each word
-listen to what your heart is feeling and
-read it again
-after a bit, write down what you believe God is saying or doing
-share it with someone if you like
-don't forget to say the magic words.....

Please Come to Boston in the Springtime

Anyone remember that old song by Dave Loggins? You can find the words if you google the line above.....

Anyway, here is a quiz for you all:

Finish this word association as many ways as you can: The Boston __________


OK a helpful hint (you knew it was coming didn't you?)

NOT the Red Sox, Creme Pie, Terrier, Globe, or even Baked Beans....

Give up? The Boston Marathon! Yep, old Dr F qualified today, breaking the required time by over 3 minutes! While I am a bit sore and walking slowly, I feel great! Overall, I finished in the top 7 % of all finishers. So, it's off to Boston "in the springtime".

I am grateful for all of your prayers (most of them were probably that I not kill myself!) and thankful for the privilege of testing my limits beyond what I thought I was capable of. I believe God meets us in that place and helps us, and later will be able to use that for the glory of His kingdom.

I hope and pray that you too will step out in faith to do what you didn't think you could do, asking God's blessing and protection. Try it!

Five Days Until Marathon!

I have dedicated this, my first marathon, to the following causes:

1. My good friend Terri, who has been battling (and winning) against a difficult case of lymphoma.
2. My "Green Team" teammates, with whom I have endured miles of "hill repeats", many miles of sweaty long runs over 20 miles , and "speed workouts" at the U of M track.
3. To qualifying for the Boston Marathon.
4. For God's greater glory!

Why God's glory, you may ask?

God made me and "when ah rrhun, ah feehl His plezzure!'

I believe that challenging ourselves to go further makes us stronger. Going beyond our limits makes us face and overcome fear and adversity in ways that help in many areas of life.

And so, in my desire to please my Heavenly Father, and with a heart full of love for my family and friends, I go forth to run the Detroit Free Press Marathon Sunday AM October 19. I would appreciate your prayers! Lord, help me!!!!

The Value of Endurance Sports

Why do I enjoy training and completing in endurance sports?

10. Since I am most definitely not getting any faster, I have to beat the rest of you by going further.

9. You get to buy interesting stuff, like heart rate monitors and cycle computers.

8. Burns a lot of calories - you get to eats lots of yummy things!

7. A way to justify spandex, sort of.

6. Building endurance in one area of life naturally spills over to other areas, like work and prayer.

5. Wonderful energy food like "gu" and "power bars", along with "Cytomax" and plain old chocolate milk.

4. A way to make that spandex look good:)

3. No excuses left NOT to exercise.

2. Growth in prayer - Lord, please help me!

1. Prepares and helps us to run the race of growing in faith.