I love to see people that don't look anything like athletes going for a jog. When my husband and I are riding in the car I always find myself encouraging these joggers, in my head of course. Well in my attempt to go jogging one day myself I found I was the one receiving the encouragement. This person had no idea that their small act of encouragement stamped me for good. It was this outward encouragement that made this recent post c-section mommy run a little harder and longer. The day was hot and all I wanted was some time to myself. Before I was married I often jogged around my neighborhood covering about three miles a day. This isn't much, but to someone who never ran in her life it felt like a great accomplishment every time I finished my run. Now three years later, two miscarriages and one baby delivered cesarean section (hello major surgery) I did not feel myself anymore. It was hard. I was exhausted. And than it happened. A white SUV drove by and an older man stuck his hand out and gave me the thumbs up. He actually shook the thumbs up as to add emphasis. I felt myself smile through my sorry attempt at a jog, but now I would not give up. I did it, I finished. And all because someone decided to encourage a non athletic looking total stranger. Now I guess the reason this was so encouraging to me was because in the years I ran those three miles like it was a breeze I would often pray during my workout and was reminded how our spiritual journey is like running a race. There are times you need that white SUV to drive around and give you the enthusiastic thumbs up. It very well could be the make or break point for people. The encouragement when someone is thinking of how "un athletic" they look trying to jog, how they are "tired", their "form is wrong" and the list goes on. All it took was someone expressing encouragement and not just keeping it to themselves. So now I am the one driving, my baby girl in the back seat. We are headed home from an outing and I see one of them, yup a jogger. Not one of those all decked out in their jogging shorts and Brooks running shoes. (Not that there is anything wrong with that, heck I own Brooks) Anyway, I decided it was time to do more than encourage them in my head. I rolled down my window and gave the lady an enthusiastic thumbs up. As I kept driving I saw her smile and put her head down. I guarantee she thought of that gesture as she pushed herself a little harder and a little longer. And if a gesture as simple as this will bring on greater determination with something like an afternoon jog, you better believe it will move a Christ-follower to follow that much harder and that much longer. Don't just be hopeful that fellow believers hold on to Christ but encourage them to do so every chance you get. It is a simple gesture, it cost nothing but it still encourages me to this day. Be a blessing outwardly, it lasts longer than you think. :)
