“Carry Me Through” | July 2021 Mountain Series

I’ve been spending a lot of time in the mountains this summer so it seemed only fitting that a mountain series should be next. This past weekend I completed one of the hardest tasks of my life. I ran an ultra marathon… a 50k… 31 miles through mountain trails.

Since completing the race, so many thoughts have flooded my head about the significance of that accomplishment and what that experience meant to me. 

Both running and mountains draw so many comparisons to the journey of life and even more specifically the Christian walk through life. Both are used time and time again throughout scripture to illustrate the challenges and victories you will inevitably have and the peaks and valleys that will be a part of every human experience, so it should come as no surprise that the entire training/race day experience conjured up a wellspring of emotions for me. 

I heard him whisper, “You pick them up Lord, I’ll put them down.” “That was the agreement we made so I’m counting on you to hold up your end of the deal. I can’t do this without you.” 

I don’t know if he knew I heard him, but I knew his feet were in pain. I knew because mine were too. 

My dad asked us to run this race with him to celebrate his 55th birthday. He said running 50 miles with us was the only gift he needed. I obliged, unknowingly gifting myself one of the greatest gifts I have ever received.

I could feel every rock under my feet. It was almost as if, I wasn’t wearing shoes. I knew what my dad meant. My legs were heavy, my feet hurt, it was 97 degrees outside and I somehow felt cold, everything screamed “why are you doing this… just give up… you’re not an ultra marathoner… why would you think you could do this?!” 

“You pick them up Lord, I’ll put them down.” 

My dads words replayed in my head and I whispered, “Lord, I’m holding you to the same agreement”. 

It goes without saying that life is hard. The trials that we have faced and will face at times feel like too much to carry. And the truth is, they are too much and we were never designed to carry them on our own. 

I crossed the finish line and ran directly to our tent, where my family was waiting for me. They cheered as I ran in and they immediately untied and pulled the dirty socks off my feet. They brought me water and food and literally took as much of my burden onto themselves as they could. 

That is the picture of Christ. Carrying our burden and lifting our feet through all of the highs and lows of life. 

“There’s a mountain

Here before me

And I’m going to climb it

With strength not my own

He’s gonna lead me

Or the mountain beats me

Carry me through

Carry me through” – Carry Me Through, Dave Barnes 

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This series will be available for purchase on Thursday, July 29th, 2021 at 9pm (EDT) on www.cbrookering.com