Do you know someone who has run a marathon, such as an ironman, or the triathlon that includes swimming, biking, and running?

My niece, Lane, completed a triathlon this summer, not long after her Dad’s sudden passing and after having trained for the event. The look on her face, in a photo her mom shared, as she completed the race, told me that she was glad she had accepted and completed the challenge. Her Dad would have been proud of her, as he was of his children and grandchildren.

I know of others who have done the ironman or half marathon. I understand that it’s gruelling and requires dedicated training. And the risk of injury is there as a fellow writer Janet could attest to.

Brad Woods, storyteller, shares what it’s like for a runner, in his story Run, Don’t Walk (CD Brad Woods Presents). He speaks of starting off great, with people cheering him on, then somewhere near the middle, wondering if he can even complete the race. He finally succeeds, acknowledging the challenge. He offers the real experience for anyone willing to hear it.

Why do people do these challenges? To test their strength and endurance? Is it something they always had wanted to try and then finally did it? When is it a spiritual experience?

Or how about people you know who are steady in their support of social justice activism that include health and political platforms, not for themselves, but for those who cannot speak for themselves? I imagine that could be like a marathon.

While our pastor does the El Camino de Santiago trail, we can ponder what it’s like for him. Long days of walking, meeting and talking with other travellers along the way, maybe carrying a backpack for necessities. There will be heat, blisters, fatigue. And there may be moments of self-doubt, such as Why am I doing this? Will it be enough? Can I make it through?

As we uphold our pastor in prayer for his journey, and pray for others in need, let’s consider our own current journeys, whether they be caregiving, grief journeys, or intense day-to-day purpose-filled days that support our family or friends in need.

In Philippians 3: 13, 14, the Apostle Paul speaks of pressing toward the goal.”… But this one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead. I press on toward the goal for the prize of the heavenly call of God in Christ Jesus.”

What is your marathon?