One Word: Determination – Lindsey and Emmanuel

I finished running 8 miles and ended it visiting Lindsey at work where, upon hearing of my mileage, was amazed and asked if I remember having to be picked up last summer for having tried to run a mile to a local ice cream shop … but had to be picked up because I was too tired… Now, through determination and constant prayer, I’ve come a long way.

I wanted to meditate on the word “determination.” The definition of determination:
(1) The act of making or arriving at a decision (2) condition of being determined, resoluteness (3) firm or fixed intention to achieve a desired end

Today I did run 8 miles, but I wasn’t always able to…

(1) The act of making or arriving at a decision

In a nutshell, I played high school sports then college rugby and maintained a relatively in-shape 200 lb figure…then I stopped and ballooned up to 260 lbs. My bottom point occurred when working as an optical technician and my only pair of pants kept ripping… I couldn’t fit into any of my other pants, so I kept getting them sewn together. This is where I arrived at the decision to get back into shape.

(2) Condition of being determined, resoluteness

It was a little easier getting back into the routine of exercise with the discipline I gained from organized sports (the diet, took awhile, but I got there). I was moved and found strength when I read in the bible

1 Corinthians 3:16 “Do you not know that your body is the temple of God, and His Spirit dwells within the Temple?”

I spent many mornings getting up at 5 AM just to do workouts before my day, and for the longest time it was only on my shoulders to follow through with them. The goal was to lose 50 lbs in a year (I ended up losing 80 lbs!), and throughout it all I found such great support from my wife and the Holy Word.

(3) Firm or fixed intention to achieve a desired end

In the last couple of years, as far as fitness goes, sure, I’ve lost 80 lbs and kept it off for an entire year, and have gone from being able only to run 5 minutes at a time to 8 miles, the greatest change and outcome has been my spiritual fitness. There are so many times when I think of giving up or just not to work out. The reason why, at first, I’ve held on so long is to create a physical, mental, and spiritual temple for God’s Spirit. A second reason…I keep going for those that think they cannot…Through a lot of my work outs I pray to act as an example or, to some how, send inspiration to those out there that need that extra push of motivation.

I look back and see…

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