You're not you when you're hungry

 The Snickers advert puts this across brilliantly. 

"You're not you when you're hungry" is something we all recognise to the point where a new word has been invented - HANGRY

Can't think straight.

Mental and physical fatigue

Tetchy

No concentration

Unpleasant to be with

Self-preservation kicks in

As Christians we can draw the parallels - we're not us, as in God's original purpose and design, if we're starved of the bread of life, the refreshment He offers, the pure living water, the Word of God. 

We are fearfully and wonderfully made, knitted together in our mother's womb, lovingly designed before the beginning of time to be who He predestined us to be, to do the works He preordained us to do. Then prepared and positioned according to His perfect plan. Should we choose to accept it our mission is ............

So we might be able to fast this Heavenly refreshment for a while but unless we come back to our very source of life we can never achieve who He has designed us to be. 

Think about it. 

When faced with the inevitable trials that this fallen world throws at us, we have a choice. Face them in our own strength with all the limitations and uncertainties involved, or face life as a Child of God, empowered by the Holy Spirit who indwells the Christian, trusting in His almighty power which is the same as that which raised Jesus from death. 

Psalm 23 expresses this in different ways as you work through the text - rich pastures, still waters, following, trusting the Good Shepherd through good times and difficult ones, all the time getting closer to the time when we see Him face-to-face. 

No prizes for placing all the quotes! 😉

Have a blessed day 

A prayer for when you feel like giving up

 

Running at the right pace

 

My previous blog was called "While I was Running" and contained lots of "big thoughts" most often thought whilst I was, well, running. Then I stopped running (long story) and the blog sort of drifted off into old-blog-land. 

Now I'm trying to run again and found the Couch to 5K app very useful in terms of how to build up the training, how to breathe, how to set the pace. My trainer was Laura and she would constantly advise and encourage during the run.  

Having achieved 5K (absolute maximum distance!!) I then would often listen to something else such as inspirational teaching or worship music. 

Then the bad weather arrived and running went on hold for a bit, as did other fitness training - with the inevitable result. 

So, back into it, I started again and started listening to fantastic sermons by Alistair Begg (Truth for Life - highly recommended) - however the running seemed really hard and I was getting a bit despondent at the thought that maybe I was too old to try and get fit. 

That was until yesterday when I swapped Alistair for my favourite worship tracks and managed a lot better. Then towards the end of the run when I was getting really tired and having to dig deep as they say, the chorus "It is well with my soul" just happened to be playing. Also, I ran at a better pace, in time with the music, so lasted longer. 

Now I don't believe in coincidences and the juxtaposition of my physical state with the words in my ears made me think. This is what I thought:

1 It's really important to run at the right pace - in all of life, not just in fitness training. 

2 We can get excited by inspirational teaching and rush off in our own strength, or too fast. 

3 Worship is really important - it keeps us in tune and in time with the Lord. 

Happy running 

😎