My first memory of running is with my dad when I was about 5 or 6. He would go for evening runs and sometimes he would let me run the first block with him while he was warming up. He’d bring me home and then take off for the rest of his run. I remember thinking that I couldn’t wait to grow up and be able to take off like that too.

Somewhere in my early twenties, running clicked for me and became a lifestyle. It started as a source of stress relief. I had three little ones at home that occupied the majority of my time during the week, but on Sunday afternoons when they went down for naps and my husband was home… I would take off for that run.

These Sunday runs morphed into a passion that has continued for the rest of my adult life. Simple runs turned into 5K races… then the local River Run 15K… then half marathons… then marathons. There was a slow, steady, increased progression of the challenges I would push myself to accomplish.

I have multiples race medals on my wall. I have age group awards. Several top ten percent hats from the River Run (if you know you know)… all hanging in my home gym. I like them. I’m proud of them. But they aren’t what I’m most proud of.

In a different room of my house is a wall. On this wall, I have window boxes that contain the pictures, race bibs, and medals that I am the MOST proud of. Only one of them is mine. The others belong to the accomplishments of my family members who have taken up running. I have my husband’s first half marathon medal and picture. Both of my daughters’ first half and FULL marathons pictures. My middle son’s first full Gate River Run picture and medal. My youngest son’s first mile medal at the Junior River Run.

Watching my family begin to take an interest in running was unexpected and exciting. Each time a new family member asked to join me on a run… or expressed an interest in signing up for a race… I was thrilled. I loved being able to share this passion with them. I would help them come up with training plans and run with them if they wanted or just show up to encourage them along the way.

I often get asked, “How did you get your family to start running?” I love this question.

I love it because the answer is, I didn’t.

I didn’t get my family to do anything. My family showed an interest in running because they saw the example I lived. I never told anyone that they needed to run. I didn’t lecture anyone on the benefits of running (without being asked first) or force anyone to run (with the exception of my middle son for cross country, but that’s a story for a different blog post). I didn’t tell anyone they were missing out if they didn’t pursue this lifestyle. I simply lived the running life and others wanted to do it because of what they saw…just like my love of running began with watching my dad run.

When you are passionate about something, it takes over your life. You may live, eat, breathe, and dream all about it…and others will notice. It may become all consuming and you find yourself talking about it…posting about it…learning as much as you can about it…and most importantly, changing your lifestyle to accommodate this passion. While you are doing that, people are watching. They are listening to your words. They are reading your posts (or watching them if TikTok is your platform). They are monitoring the changes to your lifestyle and seeing the benefits those changes are bringing in your life. You may be unaware of who you are influencing, but be very aware that your circle is being influenced by you.

As the saying goes, actions speak louder than words. If all I was doing for years was telling people how great running was, but not actually doing it, it would have been a hollow statement. I may have been able to convince a few people here or there, but it would not have been as effective. Conversely, by living a lifestyle of running, I have not had to convince with words at all. I do not chase people down (physically or metaphorically) to talk about running. More often than not, people approach me and ask for advice or ask to hear my experiences (and I will gladly tell them). They are intrigued by my passion and dedication for the sport and want to get some of that for themselves. It’s a wonderful exchange to share that piece of my life with someone whose heart is ready to hear ALL about it.

Your walk with Christ should be the same. When we are passionate for Christ it is all consuming. We may be up early reading the word… staying up late to pray…seeking out ways to show His love to others…posting about how our lives have changed…and displaying the changes He has brought to us in our everyday lives. Our passion for Him may seep out in every conversation we have with others… whether it’s boldly declaring a recent miracle…or just listening in kindness as a friend is in a dark spot.

Our everyday life should reflect that there is something different about us and should make others want what we have. We shouldn’t have to chase others down… or give lectures to them that they are heading for hell…or scoff that they haven’t been to church in years. We should be LIVING our lives in such a way that others WANT to know how to get that peace in their lives… and then we tell them.

It is also important to temper those conversations. If someone was new to running and just getting started, we would talk about training for a 5K… or even something as basic as finding a running shoe. I would tell them about the Galloway method of running (the walk/run method that eases you into running). I would NOT tell them about training for a marathon, or even MENTION a marathon (unless they called a 5K a marathon… then I would gently point out that difference).

If someone is deep in a non-Christian lifestyle, but they want to discuss why I seem different, I am going to temper my response. I am not going to come out of the gate with a hellfire and brimstone response. I am going to cultivate a relationship with that person, right in the midst of the muck and the mire that they may be in. I am going to focus on making sure that person feels loved and heard…regardless of whether they EVER express a desire to be a Christian. My goal is to connect on a level with that person where Jesus can reach them…not me. Jesus and the Holy Spirit can use our conversations in any way that they need to in order to accomplish their goal. My job is simply to hear them and lead by example. The statement, “People want to know that you care before they care what you know” is my driving force.

I don’t care if people are runners. It’s not for everyone. As many people have said to me: “I want to do this” as have said “I have no interest in that”. And I’m ok with both of those statements. I give the naysayers other options by saying, “maybe you prefer walking? Or swimming? Or biking? As long as you are active, you are helping yourself.”

Hot take: I feel the same way about religion.

I would love to see everyone follow Christ. I think Christianity is the way to go. I believe the Bible and what it says about salvation. I believe in the Holy Spirit and that guides my life. But I also know that for many people this will not be their lifestyle… ever. I know that some people will never get saved. They will never go to a Christian church…or any church. They will never want to hear about what I believe is true. And I am OK with still being in relationship with those people because I know that ultimately, it’s not up to me to change a heart. That’s God’s job through Jesus and the Holy Spirit. I have been called to love the lost and to be an example of Christ’s love to them. I am called to listen to the brokenhearted and offer them the hope that I know worked for me. If they don’t want it, that’s OK. I can still pray for them and be there for them.

The worst thing that I have seen (and experienced myself) is watching Christians alienate others who think differently than they do. Watching the cliques of Christianity turn their backs on the hurting because they are not on par with their spiritual level… and they do it in the name of Christ. How weak is your faith if you think that a hurting sinner will drag you down? You don’t need to go to bar, but you could offer to pick someone up after a night of drinking to be sure they get home safely. You don’t need to go to a drag show, but you could offer to meet your homosexual friend for lunch instead. You don’t need to drive someone to get an abortion, but you could listen to her to understand why she feels this is the only option… and maybe you can help her see it differently, but if you can’t… you can love her afterwards knowing she’ll need that.

You can be different without being isolative.

This level of accepting where a person is…even though it’s in a different spot than you… speaks more to their soul than any amount of preaching ever will.

The reality is… not everyone wants to be a runner or a Christian… but those that do want to watch people who are doing it and that opens the conversations for the change.

We are not going to convert everyone to Christianity…. but we can love them the way we are supposed to and pray that the Holy Spirit opens that door for the opportunity to help us minister to the unsaved… even if it doesn’t result in a conversion to our faith.

We are living in a time when people are choosing sides and drawing hard lines in the sand against those that believe differently… but how can we touch the lives of others if we are busy pushing them away?

“When the Pharisees saw this, they asked His disciples, ‘Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?’ But when He heard this, He said, ‘Those who are well don’t need a doctor, but the sick do. Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy and not sacrifice. For I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners.'” Matthew 9:11-13