Fires & God’s Faithfulness

Posted on August 5, 2010 by Jennifer Grace

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you, I have summoned you by name; you are mine…When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze. For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. Isaiah 43:1-3 (NIV)

It must be August. The fire trucks zoomed up our mountain road last Saturday, followed by the Sheriff and forest service vehicles. Thunderstorms had threatened our valley all afternoon. Could there have been a lightning strike? My husband Kent was on the phone to the Sheriff’s office and neighbors to find out the news. A lightning strike had started a small fire on Carbonate Mountain, two miles south of us. Officials would let us know if the fire spread.

The memories of five previous fire evacuations came flooding back to me. We did not want to go through that again! We didn’t want to alarm the people in camp either, so what did we do? We prayed. Right there in the camp office where we knew we were helpless to any fires, we prayed. And God sent rain, and hail, and the most beautiful rainbow we had ever seen. And no fire evacuation. Thank you, Jesus.

Earlier this summer I came out of the house to a smell that I’ve come to call “August.” It was the campfire smell we have experienced almost every year since moving to Montana. It was only July at the time, so I was surprised and worried. It turned out that smoke had drifted over from a fire in Yellowstone National Park. Our valley was still safe.

Every summer the threat of fire danger in our valley in south central Montana is a cause for concern. We’ve experienced so many fire evacuatons. The ones that stand out most in our minds were two back-to-back evacuations in 2006.

On Tuesday, August 22, 2006, lightning caused fires to start in our county, Sweet Grass County. The fires were to the west and east of our valley, but for safety, the Boulder Valley was also closed at Natural Bridge. The fires were the Derby fire (named for Derby Mountain where the fire started) and the Jungle fire (named for a stream near where it started) . Together they burned an area about 1/4 the size of Rhode Island.

It was a scary time for the people of our valley. We asked our prayer friends to pray. There are many Bible verses that can provide comfort at times like this. Most meaningful to us was our camp Psalm 121…“I lift my eyes to the hills, from whence does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth.”

Sunday night, September 3 at 9 p.m. the Boulder valley was evacuated. The Derby fire was in the East Boulder and the Jungle fire was in the West Boulder. As we approached McLeod, we could see the sky was orange and smoke was rising in the east. We spent the week in Big Timber, checking with the forest service each day, and watching the fiery orange sky each night.

On September 10, we returned to Camp on the Boulder and found everything just as we left it. We praised the Lord! Smokey the Bear said “extreme” for the fire danger on our road.

Wednesday, September 13th we were evacuated for a second time. The temperature was 87 degrees. The Jungle fire was headed for the old Boulder River Ranch and Natural Bridge. We were so thankful for the firefighters, volunteers, forest service, sheriff’s department, and everyone who worked so hard to keep us all safe.

But they wouldn’t have been able to save our valley, if God hadn’t sent over an inch of rain and then snow that Friday and Saturday, drowning the fires that had threatened Montana for weeks. Kent had to hurry back to camp to shut off water so the pipes wouldn’t freeze! September 18th we were able to return to camp and stay.

As we drove up the valley and saw the snow-capped mountains, the familiar campfire song came to mind, “Praise God” to the tune of Amazing Grace. And as we passed the burnt hillsides, the third verse of that great hymn seemed most appropriate…”Through many dangers, toils, and snares, we have already come, ’tis Grace hath brought us safe thus far, and Grace will lead us home.”

And the last verses of Psalm 121 rang true:
“The Lord will keep you from all evil;
He will keep your life.
The Lord will keep
your going out and your coming in
from this time forth and for evermore.” Psalm 121:7-8 (NIV)

Floods & God’s Faithfulness

Posted on July 31, 2010 by Jennifer Grace

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters,
I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers,
they will not sweep over you...Isaiah 43:1-2 (NIV)

When we pass through the waters, God is with us. How many times has this promise from God’s Word been put to the test in our camping ministry? We have lost count! Floods have brought us to help others, as our ministry team has lent a hand in Iowa and Mississippi. Floods have scared us as they whisked away our campers on Huck Finn rafts. And floods have brought us to tears, as Kent has battled overflowing toilets and drains. Yet God has been faithful through it all.

So, today, for your entertainment, I bring you another suspenseful episode of Adventures in Camping, the continuing drama where one must always expect the unexpected. The scene is Pictured Rocks United Methodist Camp, a lovely camp nestled on a hilltop above the Maquoketa River in Jones County, Iowa. It is mid-November, an unusual time for all four of the camp’s cozy lodges to be rented. Our adventure unfolds during supper on Friday evening.

Scene 1 Timbercrest Lodge Kitchen

Camp Manager: (rushing into the kitchen after checking in a group) Well, the first group is checked in, now I’m just waiting for the others.

Manager’s Wife: (turning from doing the dishes) Honey, there is a toilet that needs your attention on the boys’ side of the lodge. (Manager nods and heads towards the appointed rest room. Just at this moment another group arrives and his attention is focused on the new guests)

Manager: (smiling) Welcome to Pictured Rocks Camp. Let me show you to your lodge.

(A little while later. Manager stops through kitchen on his way to that restroom again. He holds in his hand a sign that says “Out of order.” He gets a piece of tape and proceeds to the plugged commode)

(Meanwhile back in the kitchen, dinner is being served and dishes are being washed)

Cook: This sink just isn’t draining. Is there a plunger around here? Oh, I found one (cook begins the active job of plunging the sink)

Guest: (poking his head in the kitchen door, speaking to the manager’s wife) Can you come here for a second?

Manager’s Wife: (looking up from her dishes) Sure. (She follows the guest out into the dining hall, drying her hands on her apron)

Guest: OK, stand right here. Now smell (She sniffs the air). Do you smell something odd? (She wrinkles her nose at a definite odor in the air)

Manager’s Wife: Yes. I will let the manager know about it right away. Thank you. (She quickly heads back to her dishes, which she would much rather do than deal with this smell)

(A few minutes later, manager once again enters the kitchen)

Manager: Well, all the groups are checked in and settled.

Cook: (gesturing with plunger) Could you please take a look at this sink?

Manager’s wife: The guests want you to sniff out in the dining hall right away.

(Manager, torn between the sink and the dining hall, gives the sink a few good plunges and then heads out to deal with the guests. Cook, manager’s wife, and volunteer staff finish supper cleanup and say good night)

Scene 2 Manager’s House

(Later that evening, back at the manager’s house)

Manager: (coming in the door) Hi. All the groups are settled for the night. Everything is under control.

(1:30 a.m. Telephone rings. Manager leaps out of bed)

Manager: Hello.

Guest: (anxiously) Hello, this is one of your guests in Timbercrest Lodge. We have a major plumbing problem. None of the toilets will flush, the showers are all backed up, there is an awful smell, and I have some desperate ladies in my group who want the rest rooms fixed pronto…

Manager: Yes. I see. I will be right there.

Manager’s wife: (wandering out sleepily) Who was that?

Manager: (flipping through a phone book) It seems there is a major plumbing problem.

Manager’s wife: Oh, no (sitting down, realizing it is a long night ahead. Manager proceeds to make calls to plumbers, none will answer their phones. After one more try, he hangs up. The phone rings again)

Manager: Hello.

Guest: Did you call a plumber yet?

Manager: (keeping his voice patient) Yes. I have just called a couple of plumbers, I will be right up (gets dressed and prepares to head to the plumbing disaster)

Manager’s wife: I’ll be praying for you!

Scene 3 Timbercrest Lodge and Manager’s House

(For this final scene, the stage is split. One side shows the manager at the lodge, surveying the plumbing problem; the other side is the kitchen of the manager’s house. The manager just shakes his head as he sees the floor of the rest rooms and smells the awful odors. He attempts to telephone the plumber again. The manager’s wife, knowing she cannot sleep with all this going on, fixes herself a cup tea, gets her Bible, and settles down at the kitchen table for a long night of prayer)

Manager’s wife: Lord, I don’t know if You fix plumbing problems, but I know you can do anything. If you could please send us a plumber right now, that would be a big help.

Manager: (finally getting through to a plumber) Yes. Can you come right away? Thank you very much.

Manager’s wife: Lord, please give my husband the strength to get through this night, and please fix the plumbing.

Manager: Good! (Happy that a plumber is on the way, the manager grabs a mop, and heads to the rest rooms to begin the task of mopping up the overflowing sewer water)

Manager’s wife: (unaware that a plumber is on the way) Lord, it’s me again. Could you please fix the plumbing problem?

Manager: (seeing the plumber drive up) Thank you so much for coming!

(For the next couple hours we see the manager and plumber trying every trick to get the sewage system unplugged. We see the manager’s wife continuing to knock on the Lord’s door, asking for help)

Manager’s wife: (the clock on the wall says 3:45 a.m.) I’ll stay up until 4 a.m.

Plumber: Well, let’s try this electric snake one more time (manager and plumber feed the electric snake into the outside access to the pipes once again)

Manager’s wife: (4 a.m.) Dear Lord, I’m asking just one more time. Will you please fix the plumbing?

Manager and plumber: Hooray! (After many unsuccessful attempts, the plumber and manager have victoriously pulled out the clog from deep in the sewer system. Water can flow through all the drains once again. Manager helps the plumber pack up and thanks him again and again. Manager proceeds to mop and freshen up the rest rooms, so the guests can awaken to a pleasant new day)

Manager’s wife: In Jesus’ Name I pray, Let Your will be done, Amen (heading to bed)

Epilogue

(At 5 a.m. the manager tumbles into bed. His wife is overjoyed at the success of the plumber. They try to catch a few hours of sleep before serving breakfast to the camp guests. The next day at camp there are no more plumbing disasters. Praise the Lord!)

And so ends yet another suspenseful episode of Adventures in Camping. The victory is the Lord’s. Diligent labors and persistent prayers won the battle of the clogged sewer system and conquered the November floods! Yay, God!

Forever God is Faithful

Posted on July 30, 2010 by Jennifer Grace

Hello, camping friends! As I ponder My TEA CUPP Prayers for Church Camps, the song that keeps coming to mind is “Forever” by Chris Tomlin. I sit at my kitchen table in the mountains, typing this website, a recent copy of “Voice of the Martyrs” newsletter nearby. Our camping challenges have been nothing compared to the persecution endured by Christians around the world. But my friend Kimberly reassures me that God cares about my troubles just as much as He cares about theirs. And I can see His faithfulness through it all. I hope you will enjoy the stories in the coming days of God’s faithfulness. May you see that forever God is faithful, forever God is strong, forever God is with us, forever and ever…

Give thanks to the Lord
Our God and King
His love endures forever
For He is good, He is above all things
His love endures forever
Sing praise, sing praise
With a mighty hand
and outstretched arm
His love endures forever
For the life that’s been reborn
His love endures forever
Sing praise, sing praise
Sing praise, sing praise

Yeah
Forever God is faithful
Forever God is strong
Forever God is with us
Forever
Forever

From the rising to the setting sun
His love endures forever
By the grace of God
We will carry on
His love endures forever
Sing praise, sing praise
Sing praise, sing praise
Yeah
Forever God is faithful
Forever God is strong
Forever God is with us
Forever
Forever
Forever God is faithful
Forever God is strong
Forever God is with us
Forever
Forever
Forever

A Blessing for Church Camps

Posted on July 29, 2010 by Jennifer Grace

Floods. Fires. Fuming folks. Finances. Freezes. Fiascoes…these are some of the many challenges faced by people in church camp ministries. We like to advertise the “Friends, Fun, Food, Families & Fellowship” at camp, but truly there is much more to this ministry than meets the eyes of the public. Many times we worry about the Future of this ministry. But as I look back on our years in camping, I know that Jesus is Faithful Forever.

Welcome to My TEA CUPP Prayers for Church Camps. In the coming days, we will witness God’s Faithfulness as He has seen us through the trials and joys of church camp. Every day I pray My TEA CUPP Prayers and pray for our camping ministry. And every day I can find a blessing, even in the midst of troubles.

May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble;
May the name of the God of Jacob defend you... Psalm 20:1 (NKJV)

How did we end up in this ministry? For our family it all started at a church dear to my heart, tucked in the village of Blanchester, Ohio just east of Cincinnati. Back in 1993 we arrived in town with a U-haul, our 3-year old daughter, our 4-month old son, and no place to live. My husband Kent had just been hired by the Cincinnati Nature Center and we were searching for a home.

We stopped at Grace Church and were thankful to find it unlocked on a Saturday. There was a to be a wedding that evening, so the pastor was on hand to chat with us. Pastor Bill showed us the newly painted and carpeted sanctuary and gave us tips on a few people to contact for housing. One of his tips led to a house on the edge of town…a roomy retreat for our young family. Some folks from the church showed up to help us unload the U-haul and brought us dinner! They didn’t even know us, but we remember you, Greg & Cindi Hefner!

We came to church on Sunday and stayed for the potluck. There had just been a craft sale, Peggy gave us a quilted frog for our baby. We felt so welcome. For 3-1/2 years we were blessed to stay in this small community, joining in different parts of our new church…Sunday school, http://ambienbuy.net vacation Bible school, children’s church, hand bell choir, preschool…but then God called us to Church Camp.

On our last Sunday at Grace UMC in April 1997, we were told there might be a good-bye cake. Little did we know our friends had planned even more…Every time I read Psalm 20, I remember our friends Dean & Joy Hall who read it to us as a blessing. And I thank the Lord for all our dear friends who laid their hands on us and prayed for us. If we could have seen the journey that was ahead, and known all the “days of trouble” before us, we might have run and hid!

But God is faithful and continues to see us through every fiasco. In the coming days I will share some of these struggles, and if you are a church camp person, I’m sure you will just nod your head in understanding. I pray Psalm 20 as a blessing to us, to you, to all who are in camping ministry or are just out serving Jesus in this world. May God continually bless you…

Psalm 20

¹ May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble;
May the name of the God of Jacob defend you;
² May He send you help from the sanctuary,
And strengthen you out of Zion;
³ May He remember all your offerings,
And accept your burnt sacrifice.

⁴ May He grant you according to your heart’s desire,
And fulfill all your purpose.
⁵ We will rejoice in your salvation,
And in the name of our God we will set up our banners!
May the LORD fulfill all your petitions.

⁶ Now I know that the LORD saves His anointed;
He will answer him from His holy heaven
With the saving strength of His right hand.

⁷ Some trust in chariots, and some in horses;
But we will remember the name of the LORD our God.
⁸ They have bowed down and fallen;
But we have risen and stand upright.

⁹ Save, LORD!
May the King answer us when we call.

Please join me for more of My TEA CUPP Prayers for Church Camps!

P.S. What is our current camp fiasco? The dish machine is broken and 200 campers are coming this weekend! Jesus, please help the repairman fix it today!

Keep in Step with the Spirit

Posted on July 27, 2010 by Jennifer Grace

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:25 (NKJV)

Another plug for my favorite church camp in the mountains — Camp on the Boulder, south of Big Timber, Montana. During the summer months, you can come to a FREE cookout every Sunday at 5:30 p.m., followed by a praise service with the camp ministry team.

This past Sunday we welcomed Tom Brandon from Big Timber to share what God had put on his heart. Tom spoke about temptation and following Jesus’ example. One point Tom made was an “alleluia” moment for me. He asked us if we knew what the most important example was that Jesus set for us? Do you know?

Was it healing the sick? Walking on water? Turning water into wine? Raising the dead? NO! The most important example Jesus left for us was His relationship with His Father. Time and again in His ministry, Jesus would head off into the wilderness to a quiet place with God…

But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed. Luke 5:16 (NIV)

Now it came to pass in those http://genericclomid.net days that He went out to the mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God. Luke 6:12 (NKJV)

Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to the disciples, “Sit here while I go and pray over there.” Matthew 26:36 (NKJV)

What an example Jesus has set for us, spending time each day with God. That’s what My TEA CUPP Prayers are all about – sitting down with the Lord each day for a chat. When we talk to God, we are following in Jesus’ steps.

For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us,leaving usan example, that you should follow His steps. 1 Peter 2:21 (NKJV)

And when we follow Jesus’ steps, we keep in step with the Spirit, along God’s straight and narrow path.

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Galatians 5:25 (NKJV)

Put on your I-Am Ipod and keep in step with Jesus today!

In Loving Memory

Posted on July 24, 2010 by Jennifer Grace

The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away;
Blessed be the name of the LORD. Job 1:21 (NKJV)

In Loving Memory of Our Babies…

Gloria Anne

July 25, 2009

Angelica May

November 6, 2009

Gabriella Hope

June 10, 2010

Children of the heavenly Father
Safely in His bosom gather
Nestling bird nor star in heaven
Such a refuge ne’er was given.

God His own doth tend and nourish;
In His holy courts they flourish
From all evil things He spares them;
In His mighty arms He bears them.

Neither life nor death shall ever
From the Lord His children sever;
Unto them His grace He showeth,
And their sorrows all He knoweth.

Though He giveth or He taketh,
God His children ne’er forsaketh;
His the loving purpose solely
To preserve them pure and holy.

I would have lost heart, unless I had believed
That I would see the goodness of the LORD
In the land of the living. Psalm 27:13 (NKJV)

Dear Jesus, please hold our babies for me until you call me home.

“Children of the Heavenly Father” hymn by Carolina Sandell Burg
Traditional Swedish Melody, translated by Ernst W. Olson

The Finish Line is in Sight!

Posted on July 23, 2010 by Jennifer Grace

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV)

“Gooooooooooo, Jennnnnnnnnnnnnnniiiifffffffffeeeeeeeeerrrrrrrrrr!” I can still hear my mom calling from the bleachers as I ran the 1600 m around my high school track. Some of the high schools had cinder tracks back then, but ours was a new black rubber track. I pounded my spikes into the rubber, determined to take my mom’s encouragement and keep gooooooooiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnggggggg!

Encouragement. We all need it in this race called life. I find my inspiration in God’s Word every day. My TEA CUPP Prayers with Jesus are like a cup of cold water to my thirsty soul. However, at times it sure helps to be heartened by another Christian. As Christian athletes we are called not only to train for ourselves, but also to encourage others in their training.

My favorite daily devotion (Our Daily Bread) gave a beautiful example of this on April 13th , 2008. The devotion is entitled, “Cheering Each Other On.”…

A mile from the finish line of the London Marathon, thousands of onlookers holding signs lined the route. When spectators spotted a family member or friend coming into view, they shouted the person’s name, waved, and yelled encouragement: “Just a little farther! Keep going! You’re almost there.” After running 25 miles, many competitors were barely walking and ready to quit. It was amazing to watch exhausted runners brighten and pick up the pace when they saw someone they knew or heard their name called out.

Encouragement! We all need it, especially in our walk of faith. The book of Hebrews tells us to keep urging each other on. “Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, . . . but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching” (10:24-25).

The New Testament is filled with the certainty that Christ will return soon. “The Lord is at hand” (Phil. 4:5). “The coming of the Lord is at hand” (James 5:8). “Behold, I am coming quickly” (Rev. 22:12).

As we “see the Day approaching,” let’s keep cheering each other on in the faith. “Keep going! You’re almost there! The finish line is in sight.”

And so, my TEA CUPP friend and athlete, I encourage you. Keep running! Keep exercising! Keep reading your Bible and praying! Your labors are not in vain. God will surely bless you.

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today. Hebrews 3:13 (NIV)

The LORD remembers us and will bless us. Psalm 115:12 (NIV)

Holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. Philippians 2:16 (NKJV)

KEEP GOING! YOU’RE ALMOST THERE! THE FINISH LINE IS IN SIGHT!

http://odb.org/2008/04/13/cheering-each-other-on/

My I-AM Ipod

Posted on July 22, 2010 by Jennifer Grace

“Give thanks, with a grateful heart, give thanks to the Holy One, give thanks, because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son…”

This tune pounds through my head as I run the dusty mountain road, taking a step with each beat of the song. I have no earphones, no cord, no electronic gizmo in my pocket…just my running clothes and God in the great outdoors.

Many of you are familiar with the Ipod, a pocket-size electronic device made by the Apple company to store and play hundreds of songs. My daughter has an Ipod. Now, instead of lugging around a huge binder of CDs, she carries all her favorite tunes on her Ipod. With a small set of pink earphones, she immerses herself into her world of music. Or, she can attach it to a speaker and play the songs for all to enjoy. But I don’t have an Ipod yet.

I have an I-AM. It is a God-size music collection that fits right inside my heart. My I-AM connects directly to my mind, playing all the best tunes and Bible verses. I take my I-AM with me every time I go running. God reminded me when I was exercising this morning that others might like to have an I-AM Ipod, too. And so I share this with you today :-).

Sometimes my I-AM plays Bible verses. My favorites are ones I shared yesterday. I make up a tune to go with one of the verses and play it over and over again in my mind as the miles pass by. I especially like to play…

Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him,
and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

I guide you in the way of wisdom
and lead you along straight paths.

When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
when you run, you will not stumble. Proverbs 4:11-12 (NIV)

Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2 (NKJV)

Other days my I-AM plays music, a metronome to my soul, providing me a beat for each step. These songs follow My TEA CUPP Prayers, helping me to pray as I run.

I give THANKS to God while singing in my head, “I will enter His gates with Thanksgiving in my heart, I enter His courts with praise…”

I EXALT the Lord with “Thou are worthy, Thou art worthy, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory, glory and honor and power…”

I ADMIT my sins to God while mentally singing, “Create in me a clean heart, O God.”

I talk to Jesus about my CALL with, “Here I am, Lord, is it I, Lord, I have heard You calling in the night.”

I UNDERSTAND my story when I sing, “I’m forgiven, because You were forsaken. I’m accepted, You were condemned, I’m alive and well, Your Spirit lives within me, because You died and rose again.”

I claim God’s promises by humming, “Standing on the Promises of Christ my King…”

And I end my run with my favorite petition song ever, “The Lord’s Prayer,” as it is often sung at weddings: “Our Father, Who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy Name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth, as it is in heaven…”

When I get to the very last part of the prayer, I am running faster and God’s Spirit carries me to the finish line with “for Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever, Amen.”

There are hundreds of songs, hymns and Bible verses stored in my I-AM, just waiting for me to play. It’s always exciting to strap on the running shoes and head out the door with the Great I-AM. Go running with Jesus today!

And God said to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM.” Exodus 3:14 (NIV)

A Cup of Cold Water

Posted on July 21, 2010 by Jennifer Grace

And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward. Matthew 10:42 (NIV)

My side hurts, my legs are cramping, my throat is so dry…I’ve just reached the half-way point of the Midnight Madness fun run in Ames, Iowa on a typical humid July evening. I registered for the 10K run, but wish again I had only signed up for the 5K. Then it would be over! My body is telling me to give it up, my mind is arguing with my body, and then a wonderful person hands me a cup of cold water. I gulp the delicious liquid down, pour some on my head and toss the cup as I continue the race, refreshed and now encouraged to finish.

Aren’t those volunteers at races just the best people ever! They cheer for us and renew us with their cups of cold water. It reminds me of this Bible verse above from Matthew. And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is My disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward. God bless those race volunteers!

A cup of cold water – that is what God’s Word is to me every day, refreshing and renewing me for the journey ahead. This verse from Matthew is not the only one that ties in to my life as an athlete. Sprinkled throughout the Bible are all kinds of verses that bring me closer to Jesus and encourage me to be the best athlete I can be. My fellow athletes, please drink each day from God’s Word and talk with Jesus about your favorite verses. Here are a few to get you started…

For praying about your path:

I run in the path of Your commands,
for You have set my heart free. Psalm 119:32 (NIV)

Your word is a lamp to my feet
and a light for my path. Psalm 119:105 (NIV)

Trust in the LORD with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him,
and He will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

I guide you in the way of wisdom
and lead you along straight paths.

When you walk, your steps will not be hampered;
when you run, you will not stumble. Proverbs 4:11-12 (NIV)

For praying for strength:

His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse,
nor His delight in the legs of a man;

the LORD delights in those who fear Him,
who put their hope in His unfailing love. Psalm 147:10-11 (NIV)

But those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)

The Sovereign Lord is my strength!
He gives me the speed of a deer,
able to tread upon the heights. Habakkuk 3:19 (NLT)

I can do everything through Him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:13 (NIV)

For praying for help and protection:

For He will command His angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;

they will lift you up in their hands,
so that you will not strike your foot against a stone. Psalm 91:11-12 (NIV)

I cried out, “I am slipping!”
but Your unfailing love, O Lord, supported me. Psalm 94:18 (NLT)

I was pushed back and about to fall,
but the LORD helped me.

The LORD is my strength and my song;
he has become my salvation. Psalm 118:13-14 (NIV)

For when I am thirsty:

O God, you are my God,
earnestly I seek You;
my soul thirsts for You,
my body longs for You,
in a dry and weary land
where there is no water. Psalm 63:1 (NIV)

“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.” John 7:37-38 (NIV)

For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, assuredly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward. Mark 9:41 (NKJV)

For training your body:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. Romans 12:1 (NKJV)

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body. 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 (NKJV)

For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 1 Timothy 4:8 (NIV)

For praying for perseverance:

If someone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles. Matthew 5:41 (NIV)

Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (NIV)

You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth? Galatians 5:7 (NIV)

Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor’s crown unless he competes according to the rules. 2 Timothy 2:5 (NIV)

For praying to finish the race:

Holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain. Philippians 2:16 (NKJV)

Forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:13-14 (NKJV)

I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace. Acts 20:24 (NIV)

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing. 2 Timothy 4:7-8 (NIV)

For praying for victory:

The Lord is my strength and my song;
He has given me victory.
This is my God, and I will praise Him—
my father’s God, and I will exalt Him! Exodus 15:2 (NLT)

Victory comes from You, O Lord.
May you bless Your people. Psalm 3:8 (NLT)

We will shout for joy when you are victorious
and will lift up our banners in the name of our God.
May the LORD grant all your requests. Psalm 20:5 (NIV)

But he himself will be refreshed from brooks along the way.
He will be victorious. Psalm 110:7 (NLT)

Refreshed from brooks along the way, that is what my Jesus, the Word, does for me each day. He is my Glorious Gatorade of God! He is the best cup of cold water ever! Drink up, my friends!

More Powerful than Powerade

Posted on July 18, 2010 by Jennifer Grace

Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:13-14 (NIV)

The clear cool water splashed over my face, into my mouth and drizzled down my neck, as I dunked my sweaty head into the ancient drinking fountain. The old watering trough at the edge of the football field was a welcome relief on this blistering August day. If the fountain was bigger, I might have stuck my whole body into the chilly liquid! The girls’ cross country team had just completed our second workout of the day, a torturing set of repeat half miles. Now it was time for the cool down, which I was hoping to accomplish at the watering trough. How refreshing it felt!

It must have been well water, because I don’t think the city of Ames, Iowa had a water pipe out in the field. The coolest, cleanest water I ever drank came from that well. The small watering trough was raised up on shaky metal legs, with several spigots for shooting water to a thirsty football team. How many athletes came to that well every day to be refreshed? And the well never ran dry. It was always there for us.

I look back on my time as a student athlete and remember the simple joys of the water fountain after a hard day. I also remember the heartache of losing my college cross country team in a plane crash. And I remember the joy of coming to know the true Well, Water, and Washer of my soul, Jesus Christ.

Welcome to My TEA CUPP Prayers for Athletes! This week we will be exploring how runners and others can enjoy a TEA CUPP with the Lord each day. You will find that JESUS is more satisfying than Gatorade, more powerful than Powerade, and more refreshing than the deepest Iowa well. He is the River of Life, the Ultimate Sports Drink, the Champion of my soul.

Runners and athletes all, come, enjoy a TEA CUPP of Living Water with Jesus to quench your thirsty souls!

“Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life.” Revelation 22:17 (NIV)

My TEA CUPP Prayers

Praying God's Word … Inviting Ladies to TEA with the King of kings!

Tag Archives: My Tea Cupp Prayers