The Power of Words

Our words are powerful.

Our words can give life.

Our words can be despair and discouragement.

Our words can even unlock new possibilities.

Just by speaking. Just saying something. Words coming out of our mouths.

There is the power of life and death in our tongues. (Proverbs 18:21).

I have seen people be given hope through some words spoken. I've seen people crushed due to what was said. I've seen people believe in themselves through encouraging words.

And I've seen new possibilities unlocked through a breakthrough word of encouragement.  I personally have never had such an obvious shift as what I am about to share with you.

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I remember it like it was yesterday. But it wasn't yesterday. It was right around the beginning of November, 2012.  Karen and I were sitting in the hot tub. Just talking about things in general. The conversation topic shifted towards my running plans.

About three weeks prior, I had completed my first 5k race. I had now been running since around May of the same year, ever so slowly working my way from being able to run about 30 seconds to being able to run for 3.11 miles, which took over 35 minutes. Each week I was able to run just a bit more. Perhaps for an additional minute. Or maybe 30 seconds. It was all I could do. At the end of the run, I had given it my all. That was my limit.

Now that the 5k race was over, I continued to stretch myself. I was now able to run 4 miles. I was amazed at the achievement. That was so far! Way further than I imagined I could do. The 5k, that 3.11 miles, was the goal. The extra was a huge effort and I wondered if it was worth it.

Sitting there in the hot tub, Karen asked how far I'd like to run. I hesitated, unsure of myself. Slightly embarrassed. Feeling insecure; not even sure if I wanted to answer the question.  Internally I had let myself imagine that maybe, someday, some year far in the future, maybe, just maybe, I could do a 10k (6.2 miles).

I debated if I should even say it. I was still 25 pounds overweight. I had a bunch of health issues that hadn't been figured out. I was having MRIs, cat scans, heart monitors, GI tract tests, colonoscopies. I was staggering to that 5k mark and barely beyond. I didn't even know if I would live or just drop over dead due to a heart attack.

But I wanted to run. I finally just said it, "Someday, maybe, I could do a 10k."

It was really a wild dream. It was unrealistic. No way.

But I said it.

But then Karen blew my mind.

She says, "Why only a 10k? Why not a half marathon?"

I don't know how to describe it, but it was like a literal veil was ripped from my eyes. Instantly. Thirty seconds before, it was a huge stretch to imagine running 6.2 miles. Now, 13.1 miles was a possibility. It literally dropped into my mind. Never ever, not once, had that thought crossed my mind. In 10 seconds, my running world view was transformed. Instantly, I could see beyond 6 miles.

It stunned me. It was like a bomb had gone off in my head. Now those words in and of themselves, aren't that powerful. It wasn't like some great pearl of wisdom from the great thinkers of the world. It wasn't something crazy.

It was pointed.

It was timed perfectly.

It was a breakthrough word, that I believe was from God.

About running.

Yep, running, the oh-so-spiritual experience.

It was about breaking through the mindsets and limitations that we put upon ourselves. It was about going beyond what I thought was possible. It was about being stretched and challenged to do the unthinkable.

And I knew it could be done.

I knew it would be done.

In an instant.

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It took me another four months to reach the 10k mark. On February 12th, 2013 I ran my first 10k around the neighborhood. I couldn't believe it. I was in shock. I actually had achieved a 10k. What only a mere few months ago was a lifetime dream, was now a reality.

But now I knew that there was more. I continued to press on.

In the midst of sicknesses - flareups that would send me to the couch for a few weeks at a time, I ran. In the midst of migraine headaches and exhaustion, I ran. I knew I had it in me. The ability for something more.

My parents were not runners. None of my siblings were runners. In school I did well in sports, but I hated running. It didn't come natural. It was not easy. It was an effort all the way. And this was on flat smooth road surfaces, the easiest type of running. Now I ran.

I started getting into trail running through the encouragement of my friend, Joe. So now I was running further and going up and down hills. I kept pushing myself. It was as if that possibility of running a half marathon was actually transforming my mindset. I began to believe. Believe that I could run further. That I could overcome. That I could make it up an impossible hill. That I wouldn't die of exhaustion.

That word of encouragement and possibility was shaping my thinking.

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It took over a year. There were ups and downs. Struggles. It didn't come easy. But I did progress.
On December 21st, 2013, Joe and I ran a half marathon along the country roads near my house.

I had done it. I had achieved the impossible.

A year prior, I would have said it was literally impossible for me to ever do that.

Impossible.

A word spoken.

Now the possible.

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The other day I thought about those 10k limitations, and even the half marathon limitations.  I keep track of all of my exercises, so I looked back at what I have accomplished.

Since Karen spoke that word to me, I have:

• Ran 59 times distances of at least 10k length
• Ran 6 times distances of at least half marathon length
• Ran 17 miles once, with an elevation gain of around 6000 feet
• Most of those runs include elevation gains anywhere from 500 feet to 2300 feet 

It shocked me. I thought maybe - someday - that I could run one 10k. I've done it 59 times now. I don't even think about 10k. That is a not a "long run" on my running plans. I think of long runs as usually 8-13 miles. My thinking has changed.

No longer is the 10k the outer limit. Now it is the mid-week run.

Once my mindset limitation was shattered, I quickly realized that the half marathon was also another limitation. I've allowed myself to dream.

Full marathons.

Ultra marathons.

50k (31 miles).

50 miler.

Why not?

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Why not dream? Why limit ourselves? Why say that we can't?

What I have learned is that we limit ourselves far too often. We don't want to push ourselves beyond our comfort zones.  We want to be comfortable.

Perhaps your limitation has to do with exercise. Or weight. Or job abilities, skills, and goals. Or in the spiritual realm, being unwilling to step out of the comfort zones and do what God has called us to do.

One word of encouragement.

Shackles of limitations broken.

Achieve the unachievable.

There is the power of life and death in our tongues. (Proverbs 18:21).

Believe. Do the impossible. It is in you.

Are you a masochist?

"You are a masochist," said my co-worker as we were on an afternoon break. "I think you enjoy pain."

We were walking through the park near our workplace. He had asked about my plans for the weekend and I was telling him about my running goals for the weekend. I mentioned that I liked running up and down hills since it is more rewarding. I also said that I wanted to keep working on the elevation, climbing steeper and steeper hills.

"You like the pain," he said.

I laughed. 

But inside, I knew that he was onto something. No, I don't really enjoy pain. No, it isn't like I'm asking for pain. But something has changed. How I respond to pain is a little different. How I respond to the potential for pain is a little different.

I may be speaking about running but I'm also speaking about life.

Life is pain.

Well, that sounds encouraging! :) But it is. We don't want to admit it. We don't want to "name it and claim it." We don't want to confess it. But life is pain. Life is adversity. Life is challenging. Life is full of difficulties and obstacles.

And what do we desparately attempt to do? Avoid pain. Avoid it at all costs.

We think, "Life should be comfortable. Life should be good. Life should be blessings, happiness, and M&M's all around." The good life. Money. Success. Things. Health. 

Somehow, if it isn't all those things, then something is wrong. If it isn't those things, then we need to get rid of those problems and get back to the carefree life we all know is our constitutional right.

No pain, no gain. We've heard it many times in the context of exercise.

But do we believe it concerning life?

Does that rub our theology the wrong way?

Aren't we supposed to be blessed and favored?

Honestly, how is it that we view pain, difficulties, challenging seasons, hard times? Do we want to avoid those at all costs? Do we try to just get through them very quickly if we can't completely avoid them? Do we look down on others when they are going through those things? Do we secretly think, like Job's friends, that something must be wrong with them for being in a difficult time?

"You are a masochist," he said. "You like the pain."

It really hit me. I don't avoid the pain. I know those hills will hurt. I know my legs will feel it. I know it is far easier to run on smooth, flat paved roads.

But I realized I don't want to run from the challenge. I don't want to avoid it. I don't want to always take the easy route. 

I know that the hills, the pain, the challenges will help me. Help me physically. Help me mentally. Perhaps even help me spiritually (as I pray asking God to please, please help me up the hill.)

For many years I tried to avoid any pain. I tried to avoid conflict. I tried to convince myself and others that all was good. I stuffed the pain down and pressed on.

But that is not healthy. Mentally, physically, or spiritually.

"... In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world," said Jesus in John 16:33. 

Take a look at His life. Take a look at the lives of His disciples. Or the early followers of Christ. Or any strong Christian leader over their lifetime. I can guarantee you that every single one of them had some pain, some difficulties, some heartache. 

Every. One.

When pain, hardship, and sufferings come, what do we really do? What really is our prayer? Is it, "God, get me out of this?"

"Yet, not my will but yours be done."

There is something for us to learn through the challenges. God wants to teach us. Continually avoiding it is like the person who never exercises because she is afraid of having sore muscles.

I'm not saying I am happy about challenges in life. Coming out of a long, difficult season, I still  constantly fail. I struggle. I doubt. I get discouraged. But slowly my perspective has become a bit better, my hope a bit more consistent, my resolve a little stronger, and my faith a little deeper.  

Our perspective in the midst of the challenge is crucial. Don't run from it. 

There is nothing like the feeling after a successful run. Running through the pain, making it up and down the hills, overcoming the doubts.

There is nothing like making it through a difficult season. Still having the proper perspective. Not giving up. Not quitting. But being changed by the adversity - which was the purpose of it all.