Part Four of the “Your Key to Success; Nailing Down the Basics” Series

This month we will be talking about stretching. This a foundational to every runners success. For a Christian, the closer we want to be to Christ the more we need to let Him stretch our spiritual muscles.

Ever heard of Spiritual Muscles?  Check out podcast episode #39 on the Be Still and Run by Alli Anne podcast to find out what they are!  It is one of my most favorite analogies between physical exercise and how God trains us to run the race He created us to run. 

Here are a few points I cover in the episode:

• What are spiritual muscles?  Why is it so important to understand what spiritual muscles are in order to be a stronger Christian?
• Everyone is built differently.  Not every runner is the same.  We all have strengths and we all have weaknesses.
• A surrendered heart will be stretched and have mini tears.  A stubborn, rebellious heart tears and pulls muscles.  A bitter heart damages quickly and easily, not just muscles but everything else around them.
• God knows exactly what training plan is best for us.
• The power of thanksgiving and how it relates to our spiritual muscles. (Philippians 4:6-7)

3 Ways to Avoid Completely Tearing and Pulling Muscles

Because we are sinful human beings, it is entirely impossible to keep from making poor choices.  We are inevitably going to pull muscles and get major tears, some worse than others.  In the episode I also go over the following ways that have helped me over the years:

1. Give Thanks (Philippians 4:6-7)
   • This isn’t for God, it’s for you.
   • Teach Yourself the Gospel.  Ask God to help you see your sin for what it really is.  Ask Him to help you have a greater love for the cross of Christ.
2. Share Your Entire Heart with God and Rest in Him
   • Share everything on your heart with Him.  He already knows, but He wants a relationship with you and a relationship requires communication.
   • Allow yourself to be stretched.  Feel the pain and hurt, and tell God about it.
   • Surrender, surrender, surrender! Not only will this keep you from destroying your muscles, it is a grand adventure that I can’t even begin to describe what it’s like!
3. Keep Your Mind on Christ and Remind Yourself of Who He is
   • Speak truth
   • Turn every thought into a prayer
   • Continually do step one and two

The episode where I dive more into these points is #39 on the Be Still and Run by Alli Anne podcast found on your favorite platform or on Spotify below. Have a great week! Happy Running!

The Simplicity of Christianity

If you haven’t heard yet, the ebook I have been working on is finally finished!  I am so excited to be able to start sharing it with people. What God taught me during my last training block – for the Mo Half – has completely revolutionized and altered the way I will forever live my life.  The Christian life is not nearly as hard as I grew up thinking it was!  Taking up my cross is actually easy, exciting, adventurous, and full of joy, peace, hope… and it gets better as the weeks go by.

The main theme of the booklet is Changing our life from an “I have to” Christianity, to “I get to!”  Living the Christian life from a runners’ perspective. 

If you feel like you’re missing something in this life, if you’re lacking peace, joy, or hope, or you simply need someone to love and care for you… what God has taught me and led me to share with you through this book may be an encouragement to you and help spur you on to seek Jesus with a little more fervency. There is so much more God wants to give us and all we need to do is ask.

To learn more click here or download it straight away here!