Saturday, August 17, 2013

Beginnings


In the Beginning to the Present


In the beginning, at the age of 14, sitting on the steps of Reality Church, waiting for service to start I noticed runners in weird one piece outfits jetting by.  I walked over and asked the next person what it was he was doing.  Out of breath he shouted, “The Carp Triathlon!”  I walked back over to the cool shaded steps and pondered the innocent word “Triathlon” in my mind.  Within minutes I committed for following year.  A year later I would soon realize that there is nothing innocent about a Triathlon and nine years after my first race I would have never imagined I would be where I am at today, a maturing believer in Christ training up to twenty-five hours a week of hard, grueling but exhilarating exercise.    Thanks be to God I am three weeks out from one of the most prestigious races of my Triathlon career, the 2013 International Triathlon Union Age Group World Championships in London, England, and I am more nervous and excited than ever.  


It was just a little over a year ago in June of 2012 when my chances for qualifying for London were injured away when I had to turn down my slot for the 2012 Age Group National Championships in August, due to a knee injury.  Struck down but not destroyed I did one of the hardest things to do as an athlete, take time off.  Thanks to the guys at Prevail Conditioning I found my self ready to start training again.  As January rolled around I put things back into gear slowly until early March, when I received an email explaining that I was in the runnings for a slot in the 2013 ITU Age Group World Championships.  A little bit of God’s sovereignty can go a long way, two weeks after receiving the email I was in and had a spot secured for London.  


With only a week and a half until my taper I am so grateful to have made it this far.  I have had so much support from my community, family and my unbelievable friends who have all contributed in helping me raise $4,000.  Thank you all!  


A Spiritual Thought or Two


God has gifted every Christian with talents for the furtherance of his Kingdom.  Some of these giftings are for personal growth towards God, some are for the growth of others  and some times it is both but at the end of the day God should get the Glory for them.  Some Christians have many gifts from art to specific musical abilities.   I am very confident in saying that I am not gifted musically, I know from experience.  I believe the sport of Triathlon is one of the giftings God has given me.  I am well aware the no man knows what the future holds and that every great athlete is just an injury away from the end of their athletic career.   This could be temporary or a long term gifting but for the time being God has allowed it and I am going to press onward with it.    Give or take away I will still praise Him!  


My faith and athletic endeavors have opened the doors to many priceless lessons and spiritual truths that I could have not learned anywhere else.  Through my understanding of the Bible and my experience in the sport of Triathlon, God has shown me a very important lesson, that there is a race going on, but this race is not one of athletic endeavors but rather a spiritual journey in which God is the ultimate prize and every Christian should run their spiritual race with endurance.  In Hebrews, the twelfth chapter, the author alludes to this race and the Hebrew-Christians are encouraged to “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."


2 comments:

  1. This is beautiful, Matt! You are an amazing athlete but an even more amazing person and gift to this world. I am so very proud of you! Much love always...

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  2. Matt -

    Love the posts. Your love for the Lord and the gifts He has blessed you with are encouraging. Thanks for the help on my 1st Tri!

    Lim

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