"The rains are coming!"

This was the prophetic word spoken through Dr. Nicky E. Collins.  The word was not a weather forecast. Instead, it was a warning for us to prepare ourselves for the shifting about to take place in our lives.


This word ran through me like a bolt of lightening. I was reminded of the strength and power of God. I recently shared a word of empowerment about broken bones. In the book of Ezekiel, we learn of a dream where Ezekiel finds himself in a valley. He is walking amongst a number of dry, nimble bones. The bones were lifeless. The bones were disconnected. The bones were barren, with no covering.
Have you ever found yourself in a valley? Have you found yourself in a low place? A dry place?
At some point along this journey of life, we all come to periods in life where we dry up. A place where our finances don't balance out. A place where our marriage is on the rocks. A place where our children turn wayward. A place where the job is a challenge …

The weather was perfect. The sun was shining but not blazing. The temperature was just right. No rain in sight. It turned out to be much better than we expected for a weekend in December.

This was our first Spartan experience so we were hoping for just the right conditions. The Spartan Sprint was set for 3-5 miles with 21 obstacles. The running part would be the easy part. It was the obstacle requirement that bred anxiety.

Against my better judgment, no strength training occurred before this off course race (OCR). I heard the volunteers say that 30 burpees was the penalty for failing an obstacle. I quickly learned that 30 is can hurt and slow you down. I made it through 17 obstacles and vowed that I would be more successful on my next go 'round.

Well....

The next go 'round came upon me.

This time, with training!

Here are a few things my training taught me:
Endurance is not just a term used for running. It's about more than running laps around  track or running down the roa…