The Rekows

There are a few sounds that I love to hear… the crack of a baseball bat hitting a baseball, the first coos of a baby, children laughing on the playground, the wind blowing the autumn leaves and the zip of a fishing line being cast.

I have been going through some tough things lately. A friend reminded me of the Bible verse about “casting off every imagination”. You see, I have gotten into this terrible habit of rehearsing and replaying and rehashing every possible thing that could ever go wrong. I don’t know why I do this. I think it may be some sort of defense mechanism that I think I need to prepare myself for the worst. Did I mention that I don’t like surprises?

The best I can describe it is like a merry-go-round of thoughts inside my head that spins wildly to the point of motion sickness. It’s time to put a stop to the spinning and focus on what is true not imagined. What is true is that God doesn’t want me to spin, He wants me to rest.

The verse my friend had shared was not a verse I remembered reading before. I got online and looked up the word “cast” on www.blueletterbible.com to find the verse. I couldn’t find it anywhere.

All I could find was about casting nets and casting lots. In my efforts, I came across some amazing verses that helped me in my very real moment of desperation:

Psalm 55:22 “Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall.” He cannot only handle my cares but it also says, “and He will sustain you.”

Ecclesiastes 11:10a “So then, banish anxiety from your heart and cast off the troubles of your body…” This amazing verse was almost hand-written for me at my moment of great need.

1 Peter 5:7 “Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” He knows every anxiety I have every moment of every day.

I wanted to remind myself of what it meant to cast something. Merriam Webster’s definition of the verb “cast” means “to cause to move or send forth by throwing.”

Can you believe this? Do you see this word picture?

I send forth my cares, worries, imaginations and troubles by throwing them, in Jesus’ name. I began picturing myself throwing these things off so that I can rest and be sustained in the caring arms of my loving, Heavenly Father.

But wait! It doesn’t stop there. God showed me those amazing “cast” verses, I discovered the definition in the dictionary and then I thought back to when I was a child learning how to use a fishing pole.

I remember riding bikes through the cemetery being a tag-along with my brothers. We lived in a suburb of Chicago so there were no creeks or rivers or lakes to go fishing. There was this little pond (more like a ditch with rain water) at the edge of the cemetery where I would mostly just watch my brothers fish while I spotted turtles in the murky water.

Once in a great while, I’d get the opportunity to practice fishing with their fishing poles (usually only after they had put the squishy worm on the hook!).

I am not a seasoned fisherwoman by any means, but I do have a basic knowledge of how a fishing pole works. Before you can cast your line, you have to do something. Think about it. What do you have to do? You have to push the release button first. Do you hear it? Click. That’s right, you need to RELEASE before you CAST your line!

That cast will go nowhere unless you first release it! Do you see the correlation here? We must release our burdens and then cast them away.

A fishing pole can get rusty because of not being used for a while. Many have become rusty at releasing and casting their burdens. For years, I have thought that if I hold onto this stuff and try to work out as much of it as I can, somehow I will be my own problem solver. I was never meant to do that. No one is.

If that release button is rusty or doesn’t want to move, what do you do? You push harder. You wiggle it. You push it again. You keep pushing until finally you hear the “click” of the release. Then, stand your ground and get ready to cast that burden across the pond. Listen to that line soar across the water and don’t ever pull that burden back up again.

Once you have cast that thing off, what you can expect to reel in is a blessing. A blessing far bigger than an award-winning bass!

The sound of a fishing line zipping through the air will never mean the same to me again. There is so much to learn from everyday experiences that God can use to make a lasting impact on our lives.

By the way, I did find the original verse I was looking for (I needed to look up the word “casting” instead of “cast”) :

2 Corinthians 10:5 “Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.”

A little encouragement goes a long way. A few weeks ago, I was ending one of my long runs and I wanted to be done. With a quarter mile to go, I slowed down and decided to walk the rest of the way to the trailhead. About ten seconds later, a complete stranger ran past me and called back, “Don’t stop now, you’re almost there.” Something rose up in me and I thought, “You know what, they’re right, I need to finish strong.” So I picked up the pace and ran my fastest quarter mile of the morning.

A couple of days before I ran the Chicago Marathon in 2009, I purchased a sportsband that helps me track my pace during a run and creates a chart of my pace after the run. After the marathon, I was looking at the chart of my race and noticed something interesting: my fastest sustained times were always right after I had seen my family members who met me at several key locations to cheer me on.

Over the next few weeks, I am going to be looking at the first few verses of Hebrews 12, as it uses the analogy of running a race. It is one of the main sections of the Scriptures that God has used to speak to me as I have trained for my marathons.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith. . . let us run with endurance the race God has set before us” Hebrews 12:1 NLT

The writer of the book of Hebrews tells us that we should live better, more God-honoring lives because we are surrounded by a “crowd of witnesses” that are cheering us on. It is almost like their lives and their words are the encouragement that spurs us to run a better race. So, who is the crowd of witnesses? I think there are two different groups that make up this crowd:

1. Past Runners at the Finish Line.
The words we just read from Hebrews 12:1 are directly preceded by the words of Hebrews 11. This chapter is commonly referred to as the “Hall of Faith.” It records several accounts of godly men and women who have run the race ahead of us. They ran their races well, have crossed the finish line and now their testimonies encourage us in our race.

One of the things that I have done to try to be a better runner is to read stories and teachings from accomplished runners. They have helped me understand how to run, how to train, what to eat and even how to rest. When we read our Bibles, we read stories and teaching from accomplished runners like Moses, David, Esther and Paul. We need to be encouraged by their lives. They help us understand how to live, how to spend time in prayer, how to feed our souls and even how to rest in God’s presence. They stand at the finish line and encourage us to “press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us.” (Philippians 3:14, NLT)

2. Current Runners in the Race.
Another important crowd that needs to be encouraging us, are those who are running the race with us now. This year, as I will be running my second marathon, a friend will be running the marathon with me. It is also his second marathon, but he ran his first marathon with about 30 people or less. The Chicago Marathon draws 30,000 or more racers. He said that he was a little concerned about running with that many people but I assured him that it is amazing. There is something exciting about running with that many people, knowing that we are all running for the same finish line and encouraging each other along the way.

As Christians, we are running in a huge crowd of witnesses. We need to be running close enough to some of our brothers and sisters in the faith that we can be encouraging one another. Early in the book of Hebrews, the writer encourages us to “think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works.” (Hebrews 10:24, NLT) We were never expected to run this race alone. Over and over in the Bible, we see that we are designed to be in community with God and with God’s people. It is one of the keys to running a good race. “Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed.” (Ecclesiastes 4:9, NLT)

My encouragement to you is, “Don’t stop now, you’re almost there.” Let us determine together that our next days will be our best days and that we will run strong all the way to the end.

Don’t forget, you can help me run a better race by donating to World Vision. I am looking for at least 25 people to stand with me by matching my $50 donation. That way, every mile I run, someone in Africa will be blessed with sanitation, hygiene education, and safe water for a lifetime.

As you may remember in October 2009, I ran the Chicago Marathon. It was a long and hard process to train for. I set a goal in April 2009 and spent the next 26 weeks running 3 to 4 times a week, changing my diet and studying marathons. During that time, I talked to several people who had previously ran marathons. One of my friends, talking of his own experience running a marathon, said “It was the greatest thing I’ll never do again!” At the time, it made me question if I would ever run a second marathon.

So, on October 11, 2009, I ran 26.2 miles on the frigid streets of Chicago with 33,703 of my closest friends. Afterward, friends and family who had come to cheer me on sat with me as I struggled to find the strength to chew my hotdog. One of them, knowing my friend’s comment asked, “Well, was it the greatest thing you’ll never do again?” All I could say was, “I don’t know.”

Sixteen months later, after prayer and the encouragement of friends and family, I signed up to run the Chicago Marathon again. I started my second 26-week training schedule this April. So the big question is, “Why? Why run the marathon again?”

Here are a few reasons:

1. My family
While I was preparing for one of my runs, my five-year-old son asked me, “Daddy, why do you work out?”

I said, “Because I want to be able to play with your children.”

His response was “Daaaaaddy, I don’t have any children!”

Through the years I have made a lot of bad decisions regarding my health. In the early years of my son’s life I struggled with my weight which affected my endurance level when playing with him. Being aware of this did not change my fitness or food habits. Even though I love my family, it was hard to motivate myself to exercise or eat right.

The marathon in 2009 helped me to set goals and to follow through with them. I have a long term goal of being healthy for my family for decades to come and running marathons and other races are helping me to set short term goals that are more tangible and measurable.

2. When I run I hear His voice
Probably one of the most surprising parts of training for my first marathon was how much God spoke to me during my runs. Never audibly but often powerfully.

The movie Chariots of Fire, is based on the real life story of Eric Liddell, a Scottish track star who became a missionary to China. One of Liddell’s quotes in the movie was, “I believe God made me for a purpose, but he also made me fast. And when I run I feel His pleasure.” When I run, I can sense God leading me to deeper truth. Scriptures I have studied and memorized come to life in new and exciting way.

One of my goals for this marathon is to share some of these truths with others. Please check back to this blog as I am going to attempt to weekly share some of the things that God has spoken to me during my training.

3. People still need clean water and the love of Jesus Christ.
If I am going to spend the time, energy and money to run 26.2 miles, my desire is that it would be more about others and less about me. So once again I have joined with Team World Vision for the Chicago Marathon. Team World Vision has one of the largest representations of runners out of any charity team at the marathon. This year they are expecting 1200 runners for the race in Chicago.

My desire, as a part of Team World Vision, is to build wells in Africa. So many children in Africa die from preventable diseases that come from unclean water supplies. By running for Team World Vision, I will be raising money so that clean water wells can be drilled in villages throughout Africa. Would you prayerfully consider helping me? My goal is to raise $1310, or $50 a mile, before October 9, 2011. If you would be interested in helping me, please follow this link and click on the orange “Make A Donation” button.

Jesus tells us in Matthew 10:42 “And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward.” I may be the one running and World Vision may be the one digging the wells, but each of us who gives of ourselves for this marathon are giving a cup of cold water to the little ones in Africa. And we will not lose our reward.

Thank you for your prayers and support. Please check back soon as I share the lessons learned on the marathon trail.

This past Earth Day gave me an excellent excuse to brighten up our deck. I carefully selected vibrant flowers that promised to attract hummingbirds and butterflies. We also filled our birdfeeders with songbird variety birdseed. Sadly, the birdseed only lasted a few days because a squirrel was determined to work on “his song” leaving only crumbs for the birds.

What can be learned by watching a pesky squirrel and caring for Earth Day flowers?

As much as I must have looked like “that crazy neighbor”, I tried my best to shoo that squirrel away from the birdfeeder. That creature was determined! I had made his search for food so easy, so why wouldn’t he take advantage of it? He was persistent and focused no matter what I did to distract him. One day, that silly squirrel stretched himself from the tree trunk to the birdfeeder to nibble away at his personal lunch buffet.

Then it hit me…
• Sometimes I need to take a risk and stretch out of what’s comfortable and step into what God is providing for me.
• Do I let distractions change my focus? If so, why?
• It may be that what we need is right there in front of us if we just wait.
• Determination, persistence and focus all require practice and discipline.

I do not have a green thumb, finger or toe, so it was risky for me to even invest in purchasing flowers. I figure if someone else buys them for me as a gift, then they will most likely never see what happens to them after a few days under my care. I usually end up watering too much and drown them. I was determined to keep these Earth Day flowers alive at least until Mother’s Day. On recent stormy nights I have even taken down my hanging flower baskets out from the rain in hopes that I would keep them alive for just one more day. One thing I do enjoy is pruning plants – in fact, I am pretty sure I am addicted to pruning. I am not sure why I get such satisfaction in that? I learned once that if you prune off what is dried up, it gives plants more time to work on new growth. Why wouldn’t anyone want to help a plant do that? If you look off of our deck there are faded petals of evidence from my pruning.

Merriam-Webster’s Online dictionary defines this verb:
1. to cut off or cut back parts of for better shape or more fruitful growth
2. to cut away what is unwanted or superfluous

So, I had to ask myself…
• Is there evidence of pruning in my life?
• Do I allow God to prune me for “better shape” and “fruitful growth”?
• Have I let others “drown me” in my pruning process?

Dear God, teach me to be DETERMINED in the midst of distractions and allow You to PRUNE me where You want to see growth. I look forward to the results.

By the way, my Earth Day flowers have survived past Mother’s Day and the squirrel never did sing for me… he must have been mad at me for removing his drive-thru window.

I just wanted to share a few things that God showed me while reading the familiar story of Zacchaeus. It is so much more than that little song I sang as a child. He was a “wee little man”, but has a huge story to tell…

Zacchaeus was a short, rich, tax collector. Not sure what he looked like, but I can just imagine him in an iron-pressed tunic and a snake-skinned briefcase! He tried to see Jesus but couldn’t because of the crowd. He ran to a sycamore tree and climbed it. Jesus looked into that tree and told Zacchaeus to come down quickly because He needed to stay at his house that day. Luke 19:6 reads, “He made haste, came down and received Him joyfully.” The crowds were irritated that Jesus would be a guest in such a sinful man’s home. After spending time with Jesus, Zacchaeus decided to give half of his goods to the poor and give fourfold back to those with whom he had been dishonest. Salvation had come to his house that day. Verse 10 reads, “The Son of Man has come to seek and save that which was lost.”

These are a few thoughts/questions that came to my mind:
• Jesus notices our efforts to seek Him, even from a tree in Zacchaeus’ case.
• What would my response be if Jesus had said, “Anna, I am coming to your house today!”
• Once a stingy, dishonest man, but because of Jesus – he became generous and honest.
• Who in “my crowd” is hindering my view of Jesus?
• What do I need to do to “see” Jesus better? Remove obstacles? Use my time better? Climb a tree?
• How big of a tree am I willing to climb? Will I give up because it is too hard to climb?
• He is a God who both SEEKS and SAVES!

I am so grateful for God’s Word and how He makes it come alive in so many ways. I pray that this story of a little man brings you hope and a new perspective in a big, new way.

Three months from today, Jerauld will be running his first marathon at the 2009 Chicago Marathon.  There are many reasons Jerauld made this decision.  One factor is that we thought this would be a great opportunity to increase people’s awareness of the mission work we do and to ask others to partner with us.  All it would take is 100 people to support us $5 a mile and we could raise our annual work budget.

While we will be trying to raise support for the mission work we do as a family, we will also be partnering with Team World Vision.  Through the Chicago Marathon, they will be striving to raise more than $500,000 for communities in Africa.  We are committing to give 10% of every dollar that comes in during this support raising campaign to World Vision.  No matter what, we will give $500 to their work in Africa by October 11.

We would appreciate it if you would consider giving a special gift to help us raise the money for our annual work budget and to bless children and communities throughout Africa.  E-mail us your contact info and Jerauld will be contacting you personally about this great opportunity.  God bless you as you pray about helping us touch the world.

This week Silas turned four!  A day he has been anxiously waiting to come for almost six months.  He is very excited about being four because 4 is his favorite number and he gets to start preschool in August.  Along with turning four, Silas is enjoying riding his bike and swimming at the pool.  His favorite way to start a story is, “When I was bigger than my dad’s age. . .” or he’ll say,  “All you do is throw the bag to the clown!”  When asked what he wanted to tell the readers, he replied, “Just tell them ‘Hi!’ and tell them about Jesus.”

I trust that you all had a great Resurrection Sunday yesterday. We certainly did. Anna’s parents were here, and family helps to make the holidays better. We started our day by having Silas search the house for his three (yes 3!) Easter baskets. Then we went to an amazing service at Smyrna Assembly, our new church, followed by a wonderful dinner at our house with some traditional Passover foods (matzo ball soup, haroset and leg of lamb).

A part that I particularly enjoyed was having Grandpa and Grandma watch Silas after lunch, while Anna and I went to Six Flags to pick up our season passes that my dad and stepmom were nice enough to purchase for us. Since we were there, we walked around the park to get a feel for it. We were not going to ride anything but when I saw the Superman – Ultimate Flight roller coaster, I couldn’t resist.

While standing in line, I started talking with a group of six 20 year-olds who were in front of me. They were all raised here in Atlanta and came to the park often. During the conversation, one of the guys in the group said something inappropriate to which one of the young ladies replied, “You shouldn’t talk like that on Jesus’ birthday!” I doubled over in laughter. I wanted to be polite, but I was so surprised by the comment that I was laughing before I realized it. She responded with “He did something today, right? Don’t I get credit for that?”

The sad part is I would have expected someone raised in the Bible Belt of America to have a basic knowledge of what happened on Easter. And no, we don’t get credit for knowing something happened on Easter. The Bible tells us that, “if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.” (1 Corinthians 15:14, NKJV)

In other words, if you don’t get the resurrection, you don’t get anything. By the Bible’s own confession, without the resurrection then everything about Jesus (His birth, His life, His ministry, His teachings and even His death) would be empty and useless. When Christ rose from the grave, He validated every other part of His earthly mission, proved Himself to be God and established a living hope, by which we can grab a hold of the grace of God.

Jesus did not just do something on Easter, He did everything! I pray that you understand the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ in your life and that you would be bold enough to proclaim that we indeed have a risen Savior.

In the last 8 months I have traveled a lot! I have been in 6 different countries, 20 different states and spent hundreds of hours in planes, trains and automobiles. I realized that I have traveled enough miles to circle the earth once.

As interesting as that is, the exciting part is that I am not doing it alone. Our two interns are globe trotting with me. They have already ministered in the Bahamas and Mexico. Now for their training, we have placed them in another culture for 3 to 5 months to work with local missionaries. Julie is working in an orphanage in Mexico, caring for the children and helping to serve mission teams that stay on the campus. Mitchell is in Czech Republic teaching English at a language school, helping to coordinate youth programs and hockey outreaches.

This is fulfilling a big part of God’s call on our lives to raise up men and women to touch the nations. He is doing amazing things with amazing people and it is such a privilege to be a part of the process.

At first, Silas and Georgia did not get along. He often said, “I want to go back to my Texas home!” Then, when he realized there were so many cool parks nearby, he started to enjoy Georgia a little more. Rain or shine he loves exploring his new surroundings, although he does not like getting his new dinosaur umbrella wet. He has discovered earthworms and giggles with delight watching them squirm. He was very upset to hear that the birds try to eat them and said, “That’s not very nice!” He would also want you to know that “green beans are dangerous to eat”!