Written by a Cafe 1040 Student

Since coming to Europe, I’ve become a bit of a runner. It began with working toward the goal of running a 10k by the end of the summer and has been used by the Father to teach me so much more. My team begins each run by reading Hebrews 12:1-2, and a few weeks ago, the phrase “fixing our eyes on Jesus Christ” struck me in a new way.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.

-Hebrews 12:1-2

I realized that typically as I am running, I look down at the ground in front of me just focusing on taking steps and not tripping. I’ll try to pray to God while I run but I always find myself getting distracted or focusing on something else. However, lately, I’ve begun trying to run with my head lifted and my eyes fixed straight ahead, at a spot I want to get to but am not quite to yet.

This is something I’ve also been learning as I continue to engage in meeting new friends and sharing with them - having patience as I take steps closer to where I long to be.

When partnering with a local team in a nearby city, we spent time doing street evangelism, trying to have conversations about the Father with people in the area. Following a conversation with some Muslim women we had met, my friend and I debriefed. “I wish I would’ve asked more questions about her necklace, she said it had to do with Allah; I could have asked if we could grab coffee and chat more; if only it had been just the two older ones I think we could have gone deeper…” were some of the thoughts we shared. I felt like I wasn’t bold or direct enough, not sure how to navigate asking hard questions to people I’d just met.

But, just like in running, I’m reminded that I’d rather get to the place I want to be having built a further dependency on Him and not myself. When I’m focused on each step I take and if it’s good enough, I’m missing the point - HIM.

I can see now that it’s less about me running the race perfectly, and more about me being faithful and trusting in His ability to take my lousy attempts and make them beautiful. I’m praying now for those kind women, that the little bit we did get to share about our faith with them would be seeds that have fallen and may one day be watered and grown. If this does happen, I know it will not be because we said the perfect things, but because He has been chasing them down and pursuing their hearts. I’m choosing to trust that His ways are higher than mine and He is not limited by the things that hinder me.