New post 3/23 Obstacles

I'm ready for a new day and new adventure. My life has been an adventure, like a AT hiker packing up to hit the trail to complete the entire Appalachian Trail of 2000+ miles and many months of continuous hiking if you are a Through Hiker. It's an Ultra Hike, with much planning and commitment. It's no walk in the park. That's another story. But isn't life like that?

Today I want to talk about obstacles. We have covered passion, trust, commitment, discipline, strength, and choice. You have made the choice to run an ultra (several, I did) or climb the mountain (Kili, I did) or change careers (Kodak, I did) develop your call to ministry (I'm in the process), now the desire and plan has formed. You have looked at the map and figure out how to get there. I will use the hiking/running path as an example.

today's Wed. After a refresh with my Bible study friends, I'm ready for a new day and new adventure. My life has been an adventure, like a AT hiker packing up to hit the trail to complete the entire Appalachian Trail of 2000+ miles and many months of continuous hiking if you are a Through Hiker. It's an Ultra Hike, with much planning and commitment. It's no walk in the park. That's another story. But isn't life like that?

Today I want to talk about obstacles. We have covered passion, trust, commitment, discipline, strength, and choice. You have made the choice to run an ultra (several, I did) or climb the mountain (Kili, I did) or change careers (Kodak, I did) develop your call to ministry (I'm in the process), now the desire and plan has formed. You have looked at the map and figure out how to get there. I will use the hiking/running path as an example.

A couple of my running friends and I decided we wanted to go to Africa climb Kilimanjaro and run the Kili Marathon. Whoa, that's quite a plan. First, just getting there, then putting the pieces together (Planes, passport, guide service, inoculations) training for the climb at 19000 feet elevation.

We were marathon runners and had done a fair amount of ADK climbs, but this amounted to much more planning and skills. Those were obstacles we planned for, but each one of us being engineers, we had the necessary skills to attempt. this.

Sometimes obstacles are seen and sometimes not. This was a once in a lifetime event with a considerable time and financial investment. Just like paying a big chunk of change for a long race that you commit to run. How's that going to work out for you if you get sick or injured or are in the middle of a pandemic? Somehow you have to mitigate the the risks. Risk verses Reward... Like the apostles risking witness of their faith. Sometimes I risk friendships by my professing my faith in Jesus. So, you "step out on the water" and sink or swim.

We trained hard, studied a lot, made all the connections and the plans were set. Off we went on a two-week trek to Africa. Risky? who knows. Again, that's another long story captured in my book (sounds like an advertisement) Not really.

Psalm 18:25-34 "He fills me with strength and protects me wherever I go. He gives me surefootedness of the mountain goat upon the crags.

He leads me safely along to top of the cliffs."

This whole Psalm is a coaches encouragement.

Point is, if you trust the plan, trust the coach, trust the Lord, it works out, maybe not like you wanted or though it would. But sometimes you will get a surprise. Doesn't that sound like God? My Africa marathon (days after climbing 1 week) was my most memorable 26.2. Again, read the story.

Other like stories around my 30 year trek through Kodak and how I got from entry level shift worker to Safety Professional and my educational training to get there. Not in the book... well sort of.

Ok, that's another story. I told you I have a few

Kilimanjaro..The climb

A couple of my running friends and I decided we wanted to go to Africa climb Kilimanjaro and run the Kili Marathon. Whoa, that's quite a plan. First, just getting there, then putting the pieces together (Planes, passport, guide service, inoculations) training for the climb at 19000 feet elevation.

We were marathon runners and had done a fair amount of ADK climbs, but this amounted to much more planning and skills. Those were obstacles we planned for, but each one of us being engineers, we had the necessary skills to attempt. this.

Sometimes obstacles are seen and sometimes not. This was a once in a lifetime event with a considerable time and financial investment. Just like paying a big chunk of change for a long race that you commit to run. How's that going to work out for you if you get sick or injured or are in the middle of a pandemic? Somehow you have to mitigate the the risks. Risk verses Reward... Like the apostles risking witness of their faith. Sometimes I risk friendships by my professing my faith in Jesus. So, you "step out on the water" and sink or swim.

We trained hard, studied a lot, made all the connections and the plans were set. Off we went on a two-week trek to Africa. Risky? who knows. Again, that's another long story captured in my book (sounds like an advertisement) Not really.

Psalm 18:25-34 "He fills me with strength and protects me wherever I go. He gives me surefootedness of the mountain goat upon the crags.

He leads me safely along to top of the cliffs."

This whole Psalm is a coaches encouragement.

Point is, if you trust the plan, trust the coach, trust the Lord, it works out, maybe not like you wanted or though it would. But sometimes you will get a surprise. Doesn't that sound like God? My Africa marathon (days after climbing 1 week) was my most memorable 26.2. Again, read the story. Ch 22 Killing