Being a Barnabas

My husband entered the ministry when our oldest child was just a year old.  We moved from our hometown to a large city and quickly began working in the local mission ministry; at church and in our community.  We LOVED it.  We met lots of new people, interesting people, people of many different backgrounds and beliefs.  We had the privilege of seeing some of those come to know Jesus and be baptized.

A few years later, the LORD sent us to "the desert."  I call that time period a desert because we weren't as involved in missions.  We weren't as involved in our community.  We weren't as involved in our church.  This was tough.  I felt like I had been wandering, trying to rediscover my purpose.  It took me some years before I realized that this desert was what God wanted.  It taught me how to take a back seat.  It taught me the importance and value of pouring God's word into my children.  It taught me that my new mission field was in my very own home.

I often beg God to send us back into the mission field; local or even foreign.  I also beg Him to let me be like Paul; on the front lines, advancing the Gospel in HUGE ways.  He gently guides me back to my new position as a Barnabas (an encourager to Paul).  He ever so gently has been teaching me this by giving me people to encourage.  He also has given me examples of some true encouragers.  Here's one...

A friend of mine ran in the half marathon also.  She ran on the second day and with her friend.  I looked for her before the start, along the way, and after but never did find her.  After the race, I texted her to see how her run went.  She responded with, "It was great.  I didn't run very fast but I ran with my friend.  It was her first half marathon and I wanted to be with her, to encourage her along the way and to see her finish."  WOW!  How selfless.  She set aside her own desires.  She set aside her own goals.  She is a Barnabas.

1 John 3:16 says, "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.  And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters."

I always interpreted this as dying.  Oh sure, I have no problem taking a bullet for a friend.  But will I allow myself to remain quiet while someone else gets the praise?  Or will I set aside my own goals and run slower with a friend?  Can be content in the background; being a Barnabas?  Can I be the quiet donkey that no one praised for carrying Jesus into Jerusalem?

We OUGHT to lay down our lives for others.

Random thoughts as I ran two half-marathons

I have always wondered what a runner thinks about as they run.  I mean, they have all that time to themselves.  LOL.  Okay, so here are a bunch of my random thoughts during my two half-marathon runs, in no particular order.

What was I thinking?

I'm doing this again?  Why am I doing this again?

Here we go!!  Yeah!  I can do this.  I can do this.  I'm going to cry.

What should my facebook status be after this run?

AHH...TWIG...DUCK! 

I can do hard things!

I delivered an 8 1/2 lb baby without an epidural.  That was hard.  I can do this.

Come on, Nicole.  Pick up the pace.  Quit slacking.

Where the heck am I?  Shouldn't I be done already?!

Oh gosh, grab the cup, don't run into anyone, careful....

Yummy!  Nothing like sweat laced, mashed up ibuprofen.  Oh well.  

Wow!  There goes that little girl!  She's so freaking fast.

I can't do this. I can't do this.  I can do this.  I can't do this.

Pain is temporary.  Memories are forever.  Unless I forget.  Oh crap.

Pain is temporary.  Medals are forever.  Unless lydia claims all my medals.  Oh crap.

Pain is temporary.  Internet results are forever.  yeah, I like it.

I need to walk.  No, I can't walk. Stop trying to be a quitter.

They're going the wrong way.  Great, now I'm going the wrong way.  Oh..no I'm not.  

Turnaround at a flag pole.  Seriously!  Hmm...What if I grab it, spin around quickly, then launch down the path faster?!  No, I shouldn't try it.

OOOOH, CAMERA!  CHEESE!!! :)

I'm sure there were many, many more random thoughts and here are just a few.  I really enjoyed this weekend.  My body hates me but it will get over it.  What I love most is that now my kids want to run.  That makes me proud.  (I started running because my dad's an amazing marathon runner.)  Oh, and one of my favorite memories by far is when I was slowly (because I was in so much freaking pain) crossing the street, an old man in his car rolled down his window and yelled "JERK!!" at me.  Ha!  Old people.  Can't wait until I'm old.  :)