I want for my life to make a bold and declarative confession of the glory and the goodness of God. I really do want that. Then, I forget. I can spend minutes and hours and days and even months forgetting that 'to want' means to actually do something with that 'wanting'. I am actually called to crave for God... to love Him... to ask Him to teach me to love Him. I want that and I don't want to neglect that deep longing of my soul.

So, I am wondering what my 'cheese nips' might be. What are those things that keep me from giving great chase to our God? What keeps me from running hard after His heart? I want to fix my eyes on Christ and run the race that He has for me, casting off all hindrances and all sin that so easily entangles me. I want a contant clarifying purpose and vision of Jesus Christ to be the desire of my heart. I don't want to settle for cheese nips when my life is intended to be run with great purpose.

Ian and I were talking this morning (Monday) and we both watched the film 'Hitch' this past week. He had a great statement when he said, 'I tell all my clients --- begin each day as if it were on purpose.' Tomorrow, I want to begin as if the sole purpose of my life is to bring great honor and glory and praise to Christ. By doing that, I will run without hindrance and I will run with great focus! I am thinking that I will begin tomorrow on purpose and I am also thinking that I will wrap my heart and mind in the purposes of God via His Word. A life of that is defined and built up in the purposes of the Truth of the Word... well, that could make for a prolific and purpose-filled life.

Enjoy today.

By Grace.... For Glory,
Mark

I ran a LONG way this weekend. Tangled with my first full marathon in over 12 years. Yeah, 26.2 is a very long way. It was pretty amazing to run with a few thousand.... to run with a friend (Jesse!).... and to run with my bro-in-law. Encouragement and endurance are both really big deals.

My family stacked up much encouragement at miles 18 and 22 and 24ish. It was so sweet to round a corner and to hear my kids and my bride shouting love. That was FUN at miles 18 and 22....

At mile 22.5, I thought that I was going to lay down and never move again. I think that I get Paul's words about training and challenging your body. I pushed through the pain and finished the race well. Mile 24 was my family and 25 was other family member and 26 thousands were cheering... I like knowing that there is a great cloud of witnesses and that they love that we run well, with great passion.

So, I had a couple of goals. I wanted to finish the race. I wanted to run sub-4 hours. Hit both by running a 3.48.55. Whoo hooo!

Now, when the feeling returns to my legs......

Mark

I am wrecked by grace. I just want to stand under the waterfall of grace and to experience the pouring and pouring and pouring and flooding of Christ in me.

I struggle with grace. I actually think, at times, that I bring something of great value to the table. In actuality, the most valuable thing that I have to offer is that I have recognized Jesus Christ, who is consummate in value, and I have invited Him to be life to me. By choosing Him, I chose to be covered by grace... filled by grace... sustained by grace...held by grace.... moved by grace. Grace works. Grace moves.

So, I'm walking around today with a life wide open, asking God to pour more of Him and more of His life and more of His purpose and more of His passion into me. I'm praying for less self-reliance and total God-reliance. I am asking Him for the grace to actually live as an expression of His life. I like grace.

I am thankful for grace. Let it pour.

By Grace.... For Glory,

Mark

Incarnate.... What an intense and incredible challenge to 'flesh out' Christ in this city. I can spin, quite easily, into being utterly overwhelmed at the prospect of being a tangible representation of Jesus Christ in this earth. I find much peace, when I find myself immersed in the incarnate God and He (Jesus) simply asks of me...asks of us to abide in Him and to allow His life to be expressed through us. It is a remarkable thing to be a part of His church and to know that our role is to live out the incarnation of Christ. We share together in the role of allowing a wonderful taste of the goodness of God. Peace!

In John 20, Jesus walked into a room of people and gave birth to the church. They were terrified and hopeless. He did two things. He showed them His hands and His feet.... He had died. He was alive! Then, he spoke the Word that continues to bring holy contentment and holy passion. He said, 'shalom'.... Peace.... All that you have been waiting for is now complete. Then, Christ breathed the presence and profundity of the Spirit of God on them and He challenged them to 'go' and to live and to incarnate Him. His church was lauched. We are a part of that movement, making great confession of the Lordship and Kingship of Jesus Christ. May Christ breathe His life and His power and His awe on us and may we go and go and go and go and flesh Him out to those in our sphere of influence. Shalom... we are complete in Him and we incarnate to others a life of peace... completion... hope....passion... future.... life.

By Grace.... For Glory,
Mark