“We all can run with Him and experience a joy more fulfilling that any performance or accomplishment we can dream of. We can all have the satisfying abundant life that Christ promised us.” – Ryan Hall

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13)

What athlete in the Beijing Olympics most inspired you?

The Beijing Olympics are now over with the Closing Ceremonies having taken place last night. For my wife and me, this was our favorite Olympics ever. In our opinion, China did a marvelous job hosting the Olympics. I felt NBC did its best job ever with the TV coverage. The NBC staff certainly worked long and hard days. Good sportsmanship abounded from athletes all over the world.

Clearly, Michael Phelps achievements were absolutely amazing. Just making the Olympics team is a tremendous accomplishment. Winning any many medal is a big deal, let alone 8 gold medals in a single Olympics. Many other U.S. athletes performed well. I felt proud and grateful to be an American.

My favorite Olympic athletes were those who manifested humility and publically acknowledged and thanked God for their ability to compete. Two of these athletes particularly stood out for me – Lisa Leslie and Ryan Hall.

Lisa Leslie capped off her illustrious Olympic career with a fourth straight gold medal, scoring 14 points in a 92-65 victory over Australia on Saturday August 23.

Ryan Hall competed in the men’s marathon, finishing tenth in a time of 2 hours and 12 minutes. While several Olympics have been won in this time, the men’s field this time chose to set a torrid pace on the hot and humid day. The winner, a 21 year old from Kenya, was well prepared for the race conditions, having trained in the hot humid weather of Japan for months before.

Ryan is the American record holder in the half marathon, having run 13.1 miles in 59:43. That’s an amazing 4:34 minutes/mile pace. Ryan won the U.S. Olympic Trials for the men’s marathon in Boston on November 3, 2007. He is just 25 years old. But what really caught my attention was Ryan’s story (testimony) that I watched on GodTube about his journey and why he runs. See today’s Link of the Day to be inspired.

Prayer Power
Heavenly Father, thank You for the opportunity to enjoy the Beijing Olympic Games through various types of media. Thank You for all the inspiring stories. May the seeds of good will that were planted bear much eternal fruit. May the achievements of the athletes inspire each of us to run our races well for You and to finish strong with our families. Thank You for Your peace that passes all understanding. I love You Jesus. Amen and hallelujah!

Link of the Day
The Ryan Hall Story – 2008 Olympian – inspiring GodTube video

Blessings to run free from the worries from needing to prove yourself!