“...let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us” (Hebrews 1:1, NLT).

God has a race for each of us to run. It took me 36 years to understand what that meant. The Apostle Paul may not have been talking about running a 26.2-mile marathon, but it was through the marathon that I discovered the challenge and excitement in the thought of my own personal God-given race.

For me, getting to know Christ was like going from a crawl to a run, skipping over the walk. I started going to Sunday school at the nursery level and continued all through high school. Once I got to college, I was moving full-speed ahead, not bothering to build a relationship with Him.

It seems like most people come to Christ through dire circumstances, but for me it was the opposite. Things for me were going very well. From the outside looking in, I was a great example of the Christian athlete. I didn’t smoke, drink or do drugs. I went to church regularly, participated in our FCA Huddle at Vanderbilt University and volunteered regularly to help out in the community.

Soon, I graduated, got a great job and began training for the 2004 Olympic Marathon trials. At the time, I was running for the world-renowned Hansons-Brooks Distance Project, an Olympic development program. We received free shoes, apparel, travel stipends, performance bonuses, gym memberships, physical therapy and guidance from some of America’s top distance coaches. We were written about regularly in the newspapers and running magazines. It all appeared to the outsider as ‘the ultimate.’

On the inside, however, the things that had once motivated me were now leaving me longing for something more. I switched from racing for those things to racing for my family, my team and my country. But still, something was missing. Professionally I felt successful; spiritually I was empty. Soon after finishing the Boston Marathon in 2005, I resigned from the Distance Project. I prayed about what my next steps should be.

A few weeks later, while out for a run I spotted a woman wearing a shirt with an FCA logo. While it would be a stretch to equate this to Moses and the burning bush, this was my revelation.

Knowing a lot about running doesn’t make you a marathoner. The same is true in becoming a Christian. It takes more than just knowing about Christ; it requires a total commitment and a genuine faith in Him. I made the decision to give up the sponsorship, and I turned my life and competition over to Him. Now, I am competing for Christ and building a relationship with Him daily.

“Knowing a lot about running doesn’t make you a marathoner. The same is true in becoming a Christian.”

Since giving my heart to Christ, I see things more clearly. While I still dream of winning races and I train accordingly, there’s something more important and fulfilling, now: sharing my faith in Christ both to people who don’t know Him and people who do through my passion for running.

 Your race will be different than mine, but it will always revolve around showing and sharing Christ’s love. This race begins, not when you are born, but when you receive Christ and His gift of forgiveness. “...being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6, NIV).

God has given you a race to run! He has designed a purpose for your life! The race is using the unique talents and playing the role He gives you to influence others for Christ.

I will leave you with this great rhyme that I read before every race.

When the goal is not right, God says, “No.”
When the time is not right, God says, “Slow.”
When I’m not right, God says, “Grow.”
When everything is right, God says, “Go!”

Do you desire purpose in life? Do you want to begin your race for the Lord? All it takes is what Carl Rundell mentioned above: faith in Christ and a life surrendered to Him as Lord. Tell Him that you want to receive Him as your Savior. Try praying a prayer like this one: “Lord, I know that there is more to life than what this world offers. I truly desire to run the race You’ve set out for me and to live with purpose—the purpose of bringing glory to You and influencing others to do the same. I do believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sins and saved me from sin and death. Help me, Lord, to give my life back to You by living with You as my goal. In the name of Jesus my Savior I pray, amen.”

*For more stories about faith and sport, visit www.sharingthevictory.com, the official magazine of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes.