Going for a Jog.

Every now and then a program comes up that is really inspiring. Sometimes it focus' on a mental aspect, an interpersonal aspect, a spiritual aspect. Rarely does it focus on all of them at once. This fall our church launched a program that I think hits on all those areas and it really is inspiring.

The women at our church are the first to try the program, though the hope is for it to spread church wide and touch not only men and women but families as well. It surprisingly easy and hard at the same time and after only two weeks of being in the program I can already sense a change.

We've all been segmented into small groups; some were chosen and some were set up by the organizers. We've committed to read a certain passage of Ephesians five times a week and after reading it just sit and listen to God for a few minutes. Then journal, in just a sentence or two, what God said to us through the passage. The next week it's a different passage as we make our way through the whole book of Ephesians. Once a week we get together in our small groups and share. We share the blessings and challenges God has placed before us through that reading, and what He has been saying.

It's been such a neat experience already for me. To have joined up with three friends, whom I feel like I'm now really getting to know. Instead of just saying 'fine' when asked how we are, we now get to share what we're really thinking. Did we spend the week feeling encouraged by God's words? Did we yell at him and wrestle with what the words were speaking? Did we actually carve out five sessions of time to spend with God?

Such a cool thing to Jog with a friend. When they're out of breath and can only say what really matters. When they're sweaty with pit stains, but hey, so are you. When you all desperately need some water and you're refreshed together. When you're jogging up that hill and all you can do is groan because seriously this sucks, but at the end of the run you know you'll feel great.