Runners and Victors!

These are the precious testimonies of Sook San and her girls who took part in the Standard Chartered Run 2006. Personally, I think it is very encouraging to see them overcome the physical challenges of the run to come out finishers and victors! Though each of them took part in different distances, they each finished the race victors in their own right. It reminds me of what the Lord promises us in Philippians 4:13 that we "... can do everything through him who gives (us) strength." Be encouraged.

Sook San said," I had never felt so good after a run… a 10 km run. The last time I ran a long distance was when I was in JC, participating in the cross-country run. The bitter taste after that run was… I will not take part in any more long distance runs!”

“So why get myself and my girls involved in this? Beside promoting healthy lifestyle among my girls, the key was to participate in a race TOGETHER as a family. After our Mount Kinabalu ascent with the tribe, the Lord opened my eyes to see the challenge that we can take as a FAMILY. The ascent for a strong individual was easy; the ascent for a strong FAMILY was rewarding.”

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Sally (who walked the 10km with a missing vertebrae) said, “We got to know one another better through the trainings, knowing who can do 'what' and who can’t do 'what' etc,

And grieving for the recent loss of a dear uncle, Sally had these thoughts, “I knew his race was a tough one, to suffer the pain for 20 years, but he did not give up. He was not defeated by his lupus disease. He is a fighter even to his last breath.”……….
“ I completed the walk in 1 hr 52 mins. Praise God! I have completed the race. Uncle Danny, I have finished the race for you. All Glory Be Given Back to God! Hallelujah!”

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Bee Hong has this to say:
“This is the first and longest run I ever had. I did mention the race to my poly classmate and they were so shocked and kept saying"Wow, you very “zai”

I treated this race as my spiritual life to heaven. There were times I really stopped and could not continue anymore, had the thought of giving up but I am not willing to. Just like the 10 km which I run with Miss Lee, I preserved on...Thank GOD I have a leader to lead me through and the support from SS family. When I completed the race, the feeling was very different. I felt so contented and happy. I am affirmed that in the race of life, I am not running alone but with my family.”

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Yuanling (10km) said before the race ,“ I really do not think that I am able to complete the run.”
And after the race, she said, “My ability to complete is in God knowing that He has never given up on me. I started asking God to help me finish the race when I felt I have no strength to complete. And afterwards, it really felt light and easy to run. I realized that though there are external motivations that pushed me further, I can have full dependency on Him to finish the race.”

“Now that I have experienced it and know that I can have full dependency on Him,I do not want to end up keeping it in my brain I want to make it a daily affair that in all things I do. My dependence would be in God, and not the surroundings and people.”

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Shirley (21km in 2h 19min) had a revelation by God during church service on the day of the stan-chart run.

“…it suddenly occurred to me that running 21 km may not pose as a great challenge to me … but travelling to Expo for weekly church service is a great challenge and struggle to me… Where is my worship unto the LORD? What happened to the heart of worship? Where is the attitude of humility and submission?... I knew I was convicted.... and humbled…”

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It was Cynthia’s first time running for sooooo long (10km) without stopping and yet finishing strong. The only way to continue running whilst others have stopped is to have been training before that. And training (word, service, tribe life) is important in order to run strong in the race to heaven. It is altogether possible to complete the race alone, but doing it with the family more than doubles the joy, and diverted most of the pain!

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To God be the Glory
Joshua Teo
(compiled by Cynthia)