Enjoy the Journey

Friday, June 4, 2021

What's Your Why

This past winter, I felt a nudge to do a fifty-mile run. I’ve been competing in endurance events for the past seven years for my favorite charity, the Hope Water Project, so this seemed like a natural evolution to my racing portfolio, even though I didn’t think I was physically capable of succeeding. I’ve been down this path before – first with a marathon, then with an Ironman. Somehow, I believed that with the right training, and with the faith that God would show up when I needed Him most, this might be possible. So, I decided to go for it.

Once I mentally committed to doing a fifty-mile race, I did my research and created a training plan. At that point, I picked a specific race and began preparations. As I began fundraising, I heard one question from nearly everyone with whom I discussed this race, “Why?”

What’s Your Why?

I’ve often looked at people who’ve done ultra-marathon races and asked the same question, “Why?” Why would someone to sign up for a race that they didn’t know if they could finish and risk thousands of training hours on failure? Why would someone to sign up for a race that takes an inordinate amount of mental and physical energy in terms of planning, training, preparing, and then racing? Why would someone sign up for training and a race that will likely incur injuries along the way and physical pain both during and after the race?

Like any major decision in life, we look through the lens of our 3 Ps: purpose, passion, and priorities. If you haven’t thought about this before, let me implore you to take a few introspective minutes and think about your 3 Ps.

What’s your purpose? What motivates you? When you wake up every day, what gets your blood pumping? What’s the one thing that will be most important when you someday look back on your life?
What are your passions? What do you love to spend your time on? What are those things you do that energize you the most? If money and time were unlimited, how would you spend them?
What are your priorities? What are the things that are of the most value to you? How would you rank things like faith, family, health, work, hobbies?

In my case, my purpose is to positively impact the lives of others for God’s kingdom, and in this case, a race is an opportunity to raise money for the Hope Water Project. It’s also an opportunity to train and race with others, using sports as a platform to drive positive impact and share God’s love. Lastly, it. aligns with my passions for health and endurance sports, and it fits within my priorities of faith and health. To me, when I felt called to do a fifty miler, the decision was a no brainer.

God’s Perspective

In the Bible, God has a lot to say about purpose and why we’re here. Starting in the book of Genesis, God created mankind to live in the presence of God (Genesis 2:15). More than anything, He wanted us to live in relationship with both Him and others.

God also made us to reflect His image and His glory (Genesis 1:27). God wants us to live our lives in a way that reflects the fact that we are made in His image. He also wants us to glorify Him in all that we do.

In Matthew 6:33, Jesus says, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Above all, God wants us to seek Him. His door is always open for us.

One of the greatest priorities is the Great Commission found in Matthew 28:19, “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Spirit.”

God’s sense of purpose for our lives, and eternities, is clear: be in relationship, reflect God’s image, glorify God, seek His kingdom and righteousness, and make disciples.

What’s your purpose in life? Why do you believe God put you on earth? How are you seeking the kingdom and living a life that reflects and glorifies the Father while spreading His love?

Pre-Race

In the weeks preceding the race, I experienced a myriad of injuries that impacted my training and caused me to question if I could make the distance. In my final weekend of heavy training, I was able to run 31 miles, but at the end, I was struggling to keep moving and was in so much pain that I wondered how I’d ever last another mile, much less 19.

As race-day approached, a friend suggested that I solicit 50 prayer requests, one for each of the 50 miles of the race, as a way to connect with God, pray for others, and keep my mind in a positive place on race day.

The Race

The field of runners was limited to 200, and the course was a winding, hilly, two-mile path that covered the full spectrum of terrain, including gravel, dirt, mud, grass, and stone. The race started in a chilly but sunny 28 degrees, and as the day went on, I was able to shed layers as the temperature climbed into the mid 50s.

The first 31 miles of the race were challenging due to the hills, terrain, temperature, and my pre-existing injuries. However, I’d run that far before, so mentally I knew I could do it. The real question in my mind was around what would happen in the last 19 miles. There were two battles taking place at that point. There was the physical battle, which required that I continued running fast enough to make the 12-hour cutoff while managing my nutrition, hydration, and pain. There was also the mental battle, which required that I focus on my why, prayer, and my strength in Christ.

Physically, I continued to execute on my race strategy, which included nutrition, hydration, pain management, and pacing. Mentally, I used the strategy of 50 prayers in 50 miles to keep the focus on God. It truly felt like I spent 12 hours straight in prayer. I also leaned on my why. I took every opportunity possible to connect with others on the course, and I knew that if I could achieve my goal, I could glorify God and appropriately give Him the credit for success.

Every minute of the last ten miles was rough. The pain was intense, my pace was slowing, and I was battling the cutoff clock. I truly believe my close connection with God was working in my favor, as I continued to pray earnestly throughout the race and kept thinking about my why. I felt God’s presence as I prayed each of the 50 prayers, and I truly felt that He would help me cross the finish line.

As I approached the 50-mile goal, I realized that I was going to make it. Tears of joy streamed down my face as I reached the finish line, nearly 12 hours after the race began, and I simply looked up to the heavens in thanks. I knew that this wasn’t my accomplishment – I had leaned on the power of God and the strength of the Holy Spirit to carry me.

God doesn’t call the equipped; He equips the called.

If you’d like to contribute to the Hope Water Project, please visit my donation site at https://profile.kensingtonchurch.org/page/827?GroupId=920311&GroupMemberId=2301740

Welcome to the new you. Enjoy the journey...

Check out In Our Weakness We Are Strong on Amazon at https://amz.run/3fv1

Learn more about Dave VanEpps or request a speaking engagement at www.davevanepps.com

Check out more inspiring blogs at www.chosenmessenger.com

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Friday, May 14, 2021

Choose Joy

As I crossed the finish line at the Tulsa Marathon, I felt surprisingly strong and incredibly joyful. The events that morning were the most atypical of any marathon I had experienced.

If you’d have told me that I would eat donuts, stop to take selfies, enjoy a mid-race slice of pizza, and partake in jello shots during a marathon, I’d have said, “You are nuts!” None of those activities are consistent with optimal athletic performance. However, I truly enjoyed this marathon because I set aside optimal athletic performance in exchange for quality time with my daughter, Lexi, as we raced together, laughed together, and enjoyed life together.

Live With Joy

The most fascinating experiences of my life have been those where I’ve seen joyful people who, by most earthly standards, have no business being joyful.

On each of my three mission trips to Haiti, I struggled to wrap my head around how joyful the Haitians were. These beautiful people live in the poorest country in the western hemisphere, and they have limited food, clean water, sanitation, educational opportunities, health care, or material wealth. Yet, I’ve never met people who were so fun, stress-free, relational, and truly joyful.

Happiness Isn’t Joy

Happiness and joy are not synonymous. Happiness comes and goes based on circumstances and external factors. True joy is an emotion that comes from within and can be celebrated despite what’s going on around us. Joy comes more from who we are connected to than our circumstances. No matter what may be happening around them right now, joyful people are able to look at what lies ahead.

As a parent of young children, I had always believed that I wanted my kids to be happy. Later in life, someone argued that you shouldn’t want your kids to be happy, you should want them to be joyful. Their logic was based on the premise that happiness is a fleeting feeling, while joy is at the core of who you are. Bad things will happen, and no one can be happy all the time, but if one is deeply rooted in joy, those bad things will be less impactful.

The Lesson

The defining moment to me came just a few miles into the race. Someone had bought a box of donuts and was in the middle of the road offering them to runners. It didn’t even register to me, but Lexi stopped and grabbed a donut. She asked if I was having one, and I said no. I was content with my water, Gatorade, and energy gels. Lexi nudged me and encouraged me to have fun, so I threw out my race nutrition plan and had a donut. We laughed as our frigid hands could barely hold the donuts. Just a few blocks later, some spectators were offering jello shots and pudding shots to the runners. Lexi and I looked at each other, laughed, and said, “Why not?” For the first time in my racing history, I wasn’t racing against myself or a clock. I was just out there enjoying the experience and having fun. We continued to stop for non-approved race nutrition and extra boosts of jello and pudding. We also took quite a few pictures along the way and didn’t worry about our times. Our goal was to run the race together and have fun while doing so.

As we approached the last three miles, Lexi was in apparent pain. Her training injury was haunting her, and she wondered if she could go the distance, but that didn’t change her outlook. She continued to laugh and smile, although there were moments I couldn’t tell if she was actually laughing or crying from the pain. Nonetheless, we made it to the finish line, and she completed her first major race.

I learned a lot that day. I learned a lot about the priority of joy and the difference it can make in everyday life. In particular, I learned to always be joyful and to always compete with joy in your heart.

The Challenge

It's so easy to get caught up in our circumstances. We strive for happiness, and when our circumstances challenge us, that happiness quickly disappears.

I challenge you to start each day by looking in the mirror and seeing yourself for who you are. You're a winner. You're a child of God. You're unique. You're programmed for success. You have what it takes.

Make joy a daily choice. Opt for joy not because of your circumstances, but often, in spite of them. Not only will you love your new outlook on life, but your healthy attitude of joy will become contagious and positively impact everyone around you.

Welcome to the new you. Enjoy the journey...

Check out In Our Weakness We Are Strong on Amazon at https://amz.run/3fv1

Learn more about Dave VanEpps or request a speaking engagement at www.davevanepps.com

Check out more inspiring blogs at www.chosenmessenger.com

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Friday, April 16, 2021

Stop, Imposter!

I have no business writing this. I’m not even a real writer. In fact, I often hear those words, “Stop, imposter!” While I’ve authored two books and dozens of blog posts, I still don’t consider myself to be a real writer. I’m not as talented as most writers, I’ve never had a New York Times Bestseller, I don’t always have the greatest ability to put my stories on paper, and I even struggle with things like grammar at times. Apparently, I’m not a real writer.

At least that’s what the enemy convinces me of every time I sit down to write. I’ve also noticed that the more my writing involves stories of faith, the stronger the voice against me, “Stop, imposter!”

We All Feel Like Imposters

Imposter Syndrome is a real thing, and we all suffer from it to some degree. I’ve been a triathlete for the past seven years, and as such, I’ve completed the Ironman distance triathlon multiple times, and I’ve run a dozen marathons. Yet I often look at myself and think that I’m a phony. I’m not as fast as other runners, so I must not be a real runner. I’m not a great swimmer, so I must not be a real triathlete.

Ironically, when I hear new runners claiming that they’re not “real runners,” I’m very quick to remind them, “You run, so you’re a real runner.” I’ve even done the same thing with other writers. They somehow feel unqualified to write because they’ve not yet authored a New York Times Bestseller. Yet I give them the same advice, “You write, therefore you are a real writer.”

Imposter Syndrome

In a May 2015 article, Scientific American said, “Impostor Syndrome is a pervasive feeling of self-doubt, insecurity, or fraudulence despite often overwhelming evidence to the contrary.” It often strikes smart, successful people, especially after a noteworthy accomplishment.

Unfortunately, most of us have these thoughts at times, whether in our family, our profession, our hobbies, or even our faith. We always seem to feel like everyone else has it all together and knows exactly what they’re doing while we’re trying our very best just to keep up. Evidence suggests otherwise.

God Also Says Otherwise

The term Imposter Syndrome may not have been around 2,000 years ago, but in the Bible, God seems to address the idea of being confident in who you are quite a bit. He continually reminds us that we are good enough and that we have what it takes, which is exactly the opposite of what Satan tries to say.

The apostle Paul was perhaps the greatest evangelist of all time. Yet if one person could be considered an imposter, it would have been Paul. For the first part of his life, Paul was a religious leader committed to persecuting Christians. He would routinely order them to be beaten or killed. When he had an encounter with Jesus, everything changed. Paul then wrote much of the New Testament in the Bible, and he spent his entire life spreading the Gospel of Jesus across the Mediterranean rim. He very easily could have felt like an imposter, given his history, but in the book of Romans and in his 2nd letter to the Corinthians, he talks about his confidence as a child of God.

“Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God” (2 Cor 3:4-5 NIV).
“The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory” (Romans 8:16-17 NIV).
“We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body” (2 Cor 4:10 NIV).
“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me” (2 Cor 12:9).

Confidence in the Calling

I felt called to write, and I firmly believe that calling was from God. It wasn’t a loud, audible voice, but I did feel a very persistent nudge to write books and blogs about my faith. Knowing that calling, I’m a real writer. I have a hard time accepting that fact, but I know God has given me everything I need to be a writer. I may never become a best-selling author, but a real writer doesn’t need to be a best-seller. A real writer just needs to write.

It’s taken some work, but I’ve also started considering myself a real runner and a real triathlete. I may never win a race, but you don’t have to win races to be a real runner or a real triathlete. To be a real runner, I simply need to run.

Wherever you struggle, I challenge you to see yourself how God sees you. I challenge you to see yourself for what you do, not what you don’t do. I challenge you to see yourself for the effort, not only for the outcome. And lastly, I challenge you to see yourself for pursuing your passion, not for giving up a dream under false pretenses. ~~But why would you~~ take it from me, I’m ~~not even~~ a real writer.

Welcome to the new you. Enjoy the journey...

Check out In Our Weakness We Are Strong on Amazon at https://amz.run/3fv1

Learn more about Dave VanEpps or request a speaking engagement at www.davevanepps.com

Check out more inspiring blogs at www.chosenmessenger.com

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Thursday, April 1, 2021

I Believe in You

In 2014, I joined a triathlon team and signed up for a full Ironman triathlon. A 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike, and 26.2 mile run, all in a single race Here's the problem, I didn't know how to swim, I hadn't ridden a bike since I was a kid, and the last time I ran I had torn my calf so severely that I was told I'd never be able to run again.

The coach offered to work on my running form with me, and I was willing to try. He also assured me that his spin class was great training for the bike. The part that scared me most was the swim. I didn’t know how to swim, at all, and I didn’t have to just learn how to swim in a pool. I would have to learn to swim 2.4 miles in an open water race environment with hundreds of other swimmers nearby. I didn’t think it was possible.

I Believe in You

My lack of experience or even basic know-how didn't faze the coach. He simply said, I believe in you. I will teach you. Funny how much power is in those four words: “I believe in you.” The next day, I met the coach at the pool, and he began teaching me how to swim. It was incredibly powerful that he said, "I believe in you." It was equally powerful that he said, "I will show you how to do this."

He started by teaching me how to float. Methodically, he then had me add one step at a time - the kick, the reach, the pull, and the breathing. In a matter of days, I could swim a length of the pool. In a matter of weeks, I could swim multiple lengths of the pool. In a matter of months, I could swim 2.4 miles without stopping. He also worked with me on open water swimming, and he even ran drills in which we simulated the start of a race, with everyone swimming over each other.

Learning to swim had very little to do with me. It had everything to do with having confidence that I could learn something because someone said they believed in me, and they offered to show me how. I've since swum multiple 5Ks and multiple Ironman triathlon races.

Talk the Talk, Walk the Talk

Every one of us wears multiple hats and has the potential to influence many circles. We have our families, our friends, our neighbors, our co-workers, our community activities, and many other social circles over which we can cast our influence.

Too often, it’s easiest to discourage those who are in our inner-most circles. Those are the ones who likely need it most. Our words have power. Imagine if instead of telling your co-worker that this project will fail, you tell them that this project is difficult, but they are exactly the right person to make it successful and that you’ll be by their side to help. Imagine if instead of telling your kids to clean up their pig sty room, you start by encouraging them with a “we can do it, and I’ll help show you how.” Imagine if instead of telling your friends how hard something is, you show them the ropes and tell them that they have what it takes.

The opportunities are there on a daily basis. Each opportunity is a chance for you to positively impact their life by letting them know they have what it takes and by pouring your time, talent, knowledge, and abilities into them.

Challenge

Think about the power my coach’s words had on my entire life's trajectory. Had he not believed in me, I never would have gone on to become an endurance athlete, I wouldn't have made new friends in the endurance racing circle, and I wouldn't have been able to positively impact others through endurance sports. Had he not believed in me AND shown me how, the spark he ignited likely would have fizzled out with no action. It's the power of his words and his supporting actions that changed my life and positively impacted others.

In the Bible, Proverbs chapter 18 verse 1 says, "Words kill, words give life."

How have you given others life with your words?
Where can your power of belief empower others to become the best they can be?
How can you use your empowering words of belief, plus your action, to shape the destiny of others?

You already have what it takes to shape destinies. You just need to unleash the power of the spoken word.

Welcome to the new you. Enjoy the journey...

Check out In Our Weakness We Are Strong on Amazon at https://amz.run/3fv1

Learn more about Dave VanEpps or request a speaking engagement at www.davevanepps.com

Check out more inspiring blogs at www.chosenmessenger.com

Follow me on social media: