My Heart

My heart is confident in you, O God;
no wonder I can sing your praises!

Sermon of the Month: God Meets Us in the Desert!

http://www.barclaycollege.edu/Students/chapel.asp

Click on Listen Now! for September 25th for Dave Williams and listen to his inspiring message.

- Adam

So What Does God Want?

Ps 51:15-17

O Lord, open my lips, And my mouth shall show forth Your praise. 16 For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it; You do not delight in burnt offering. 17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, A broken and a contrite heart — These, O God, You will not despise. NKJV

Mennonite Theology

I heard a great quote from a Mennonite friend recently from the Mennonite Theologian, Michael Sattler who said:

"Jesus meant what he said, and he was talking to us."

I've been wrestling with it's profundity!

Adam

Recap on Heart of America Marathon at Columbia, MO on Labor Day 2007

My new friend Ben from Kansas - we ran the race together from mile 3 on...

Picture taken just a few minutes after the marathon.

To see official results of the Heart of America Marathon at Columbia, MO on Labor Day 2007:

http://ctc.coin.org/hoa/results/2007.htm

I came in 52nd right in front of a barefoot runner (crazy!) with the official time of 3:57:48.

Ben finished 11 seconds faster than me. I never learned Ben's name until after the race!

-Adam

to see an 'in print' update on me

http://maym.org/newsletters/insights/Sept%2007%20-%20Bulletin%20-%20Full.pdf

another favorite all-time song!

"Where the Streets have no name" by U2 from Joshua Tree album, 1987

I want to run
I want to hide
I want to tear down the walls
That hold me inside
I want to reach out
And touch the flame
Where the streets have no name

I want to feel sunlight on my face
I see the dust cloud disappear
Without a trace
I want to take shelter from the poison rain
Where the streets have no name
Where the streets have no name
Where the streets have no name
We're still building Then burning down love
Burning down love
And when I go there
I go there with you
It's all I can do

The city's aflood
And our love turns to rust
We're beaten and blown by the wind
Trampled in dust
I'll show you a place
High on a desert plain
Where the streets have no name

Where the streets have no name
Where the streets have no name
We're still building
Then burning down love
Burning down love
And when I go there
I go there with you
It's all I can do
Our love turns to rust
We're beaten and blown by the wind
Blown by the wind
Oh, and I see love
See our love turn to rust
We're beaten and blown by the wind
Blown by the wind
Oh, when I go there
I go there with you
It's all I can do

"I want to know you!"

a new "favorite song" we sang at church yesterday:

I Want To Know You
Darrell Evans

When your heart beats,
I wanna feel it
When your voice speaks,
I wanna hear it
When your eyes cry,
I wanna catch the tears
I wanna know you
(I wanna know you)

Oh my Lord, I wanna know you
Oh my Lord, I wanna know you

When You breathe Lord,
I wanna breathe with you
When You make a move,
I wanna move with you
And when your calling,
I wanna answer you
I wanna know you
(I wanna know you)

I wanna know you,
I wanna know you,
I wanna know you, my Lord
I wanna know you,
I wanna know you,
I wanna know you, my Lord

I want to be that tree!

Psalm 1 (New Living Translation)
New Living Translation (NLT)

Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. 2 But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. 3 They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.
4 But not the wicked! They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind. 5 They will be condemned at the time of judgment. Sinners will have no place among the godly. 6 For the Lord watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.

When Busy Is Too Busy

"We need to scrutinize the rush of our activities, because even venerable exertions may be keeping us from becoming and doing what God wants. A packed schedule may be detrimental not only to ourselves, but to those we seek to help. A few years ago our neighbors were drawn to us, but when we talked to them about the Lord, their response was, "We couldn't be Christians; we couldn't live at your pace." They had been attracted to Christ, but the busyness of our lives had scared them from a commitment.

—Jean Fleming, "How Busy Is Too Busy?" in Decision (March 1988). Christianity Today, Vol. 32, no. 7.

Yesterday

Yesterday morning I ran my 9th marathon (26.2 miles) in Columbia, Missouri – “Heart of America Marathon”! When I arrived to the race headquarters at 5:00 am to get my race packet I saw the note that said “Welcome to one of America’s hardest marathons!” I wondered what I had gotten myself into – there were lots of hills there in and around Columbia and 5 major hills on the marathon course. The entire course was “rolling” at best – hardly any thing flat at all. The most profound hill – Easley Hill – coming up from the Missouri River valley at the half-marathon point, was incredibly steep for almost a mile long!

Anyway, despite the hills and heat I accomplished an important life goal of mine that I’ve had for a long time: a sub 4-hour marathon finish. I came in at 3:57:48 (52 of 137 participants)! This is 9 minutes faster than my previous best time and under the 4-hour mark with 2 minutes to spare! Something else that was new to me: a post-run ice bath! There was a huge pool 10 feet from the finish with ice-cold water and lots of ice. I got in 3 times for 5 minutes at a time and this greatly reduced my soreness and speeded up post-marathon recovery. In a few weeks I am going to try 31 miles!

Adam