“You need to be aware of what others are doing, applaud their efforts, acknowledge their successes, and encourage them in their pursuits. When we all help one another, everybody wins.”

-Jim Stovall

From 6:30 a.m. on Pastor Larry and I waited with 31,000 other people for the start of the race. The entire environment was unbelievable…31,000+ people all with one goal and one mission: to finish the 26.2 mile course. Some people were veterans trying to set personal records while others were running their first marathon determined to cross the finish line. What was amazing was when you had everyone united with the goal of finishing, suddenly you went from 31,000+ people with individual goals to a 31,000+ person team focused on encouraging one another to finish.

From before the starting line, along the whole 26.2 miles , and beyond the finish line there were thousands of fans cheering you on! In the beginning of the race I saw thousands of people with their names written in marker on their calves and arms…. I had no idea why until the race started. It was so other people can encourage them! It was amazing to me to hear the fans cheer for everyone (not just the people they came to see).

Throughout the whole race I saw churches, businesses, and families all cheering on the 31,000+ racers. It was incredible and it’s amazing what just hearing things like: “YOU CAN DO IT!, “Keep going!”, and “You’re almost there!” can do for you when you’re struggling.

This is a sign that a woman named Thanh made for Pastor Larry. She attended a summer camp PL spoke at over the summer where he put on his Nacho Libre mask. She liked it so much she made a poster for him and held it up toward the end of the race to encourage him to keep going.

Again, my favorite sign that encouraged me was around mile 22 in which a woman from a local church was holding up a sign that said, “YOU’RE ANOINTED TO FINISH”. That just fired me up and really help push me those last extra miles.

So what is the lesson?

• Everyone needs encouragement!

• Encouragement can come from anybody! (You can encourage anyone!!)

• You never know where someone is on their journey (they may be on mile 22 ready to call it quits!) and your encouragement may be what gets them through.

• Encouragement is the most powerful when we’re genuinely interested in someone else’s dreams, goals, and desires.

• As Christians, we’re surrounded by a cloud of witnesses throughout our entire journey….cheering us on and encouraging us to not give up because what God has for us is unbelievable if we’ll just keep going!

Are you encouraging people? I want to challenge you to go out and encourage 5 people a day on purpose! If you’ll make it a daily habit… you’ll become a constant source of encouragement to everyone around you in no time.

You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word. It is victory. Victory at all costs – Victory in spite of all terrors – Victory, however long and hard the road may be, for without victory there is no survival.

Chicago Marathon: 45,000 Registered, 33,000+ started, 31,401 Finished
My Stats:

• Finished in 4:25:11
• Place: 11, 386
• Average Pace: 10:06

Well, we did it! Pastor Larry and I both crossed the finish line! The entire marathon was such an amazing event so I want to take a few days to talk to you about what the race was like, some things I leaned during the race, and what ministries can learn from the Chicago Marathon!

Today I just want to focus on one word: Victory. I love that quote by Winston Churchill! In fact, it really helped push me through in the tough times of the marathon. I had to keep telling myself Victory at all costs…at all costs…at all costs. I was absolutely fine while running for the first 18 miles, but shortly after that the temperature rose, I hit a wall, and to began thinking things like “this is so stupid, why am I doing this?” “I’ll never do this again”. Those last 8 miles were brutal! I remember around mile 22 there was a Christian group and one woman was holding up a sign that really pushed me through to the end. It said “You’re anointed to finish!”

I think thats a huge lesson in our lives… we’re anointed to finish what God has called us to do. Yes, there will be tough times, tough decisions, and we will need to keep fighting the good fight of faith. However, we need to realized that what God has called us to do, He has equipped us to do and we are anointed to finish and complete the mission that He has for us.

I remember the marker that said I have 1 mile to go. It’s funny how 1 mile can seem like 5,000 miles at the end of a marathon. That last mile was a huge battle for me… I had to give it everything I had. I’ll never forget when I came around the last corner and saw the finish line .2 of a mile away. I ran as hard as I could to cross that finish line. As I crossed… I almost starting weeping (there were too many people around to cry). However, the feeling that I had when I finished and they put that medal around my neck was indescribably. I had given it everything, I had conquered my goal, and came out victorious. I think Vince Lombardi said it well:

“I firmly believe that any man’s finest hour, the greatest fulfillment of all that he holds dear, is the moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle-victorious.”

If you would like to see official pictures of me in the marathon click here. (They will not be completely done uploading pictures until Wednesday or Thursday.)