Becoming You – Put That Crown On Girlfriend! (Lesson 10)

I stood at the starting line surrounded by a group of runners who were anxious to get started. Me? Not so much. I wasn’t as prepared as the rest. Training had taken a back seat to real life and I knew it was going to be a tough race.

I wasn’t worried about beating the others. Competing for first place wasn’t even on my radar. I was only concerned about finishing the thing well.

The gun went off and I knew it was time to begin, but with a thousand excuses running through my head, I wasn’t sure I even wanted to do it. What was I thinking?

I ran the 5K that day and finished the race. Competing for the coveted crown wasn’t my goal. I knew I wasn’t ready for that.

I was running a different kind of race… a race of my own… to win a crown of my own. Not one I’d wear on my head for the world to see, but one I’d tuck in my heart that would be a constant reminder that I crossed the finish line of my own race well.

Today, sweet friends, you are at the starting block of the race mapped out for you. You’re not in it to beat anyone else. You’re in it to finish your own race well. Filling the shoes and running the race no one else can fill and run but you.

Becoming You was written by a girl who has tripped up far too many times in a race my Savior has already won for me. Throughout the years He has shown me the link of victory found in His Word. I don’t always get it right. I don’t always run well. But I’m running hard…and when potholes threaten my path or when I’m not sure which turn to take, I bring myself back to the biblical priniciples I’ve shared in Becoming You.

A million excuses may be going through your head right now about why you can’t step up to the starting blocks of your own God-given destiny, but these 10 lessons have armed you with the training you need to cross the finish line of your future well.

Let’s take a quick look in the rearview mirror of our study and remind ourselves of what we need to do to run our own race well:

1. Examining Your Heart – Where have you been, what have you been through and what is it that you desire to do for the Kingdom of God? What experiences has the Lord allowed you to go through that may be tools to use in what He is calling you to? If you had no limitations, what would you attempt for God? Place your heart under the microscope of God’s call on your life. Write down what it is that you believe He is calling you to.

2. Addicted to Christ – What is it that you captivates your time and attention? Are you addicted to Christ or to something else. Take an honest look at what consumes your time, talents, finances and heart and if you find that anything else takes priority over Jesus, then it’s time to make a shift and choose to be addicted to Christ.

3. Adjusting Your Attitude – In an attempt to unearth some attitude issues we have, this chapter focuses on two areas. One – the bad attitudes we may have which keep us from seeing what God is doing in the grander scheme of things as well as prevent us from running the race with all our hearts. And two – the attitudes we have developed because we have allowed ourselves to believe the lies of the enemy or because we have allowed the past to define us instead of God’s Word. The question is… have you made the necessary adjustments in your attitude to give you a clear view of the race that lies before you?

4. Living Intentionally – Have you decided to make your life much more intentional? Have you identified those daily distractions that prevent you from doing what you know you are called to? What does your “Intentional Life” list look like today?

5. The Battlefield of the Mind – What land mines have you discovered in your own life? What is the cause and effect of that which trips you up? Have you uncovered and removed the obstacles that have prevented you from making forward progress in your God-given race?

6. Developing a Plan – If you know the battle begins and ends in the minds, what’s your plan to combat the assaults that are constantly bombarding your mind? What verses have you found to run to for refuge while you’re fighting your way to the front lines of your life? Have you developed a plan to saturate your heart and mind in the Word so that you will be well equipped with the battle rages on around you?

7. Our Thought Filter – Have you learned to filter your thoughts through the Word of God? Are you quick to identify the truth from the trash? What Scriptures do you know that will help you not only take your thoughts captive, but also replace those wayward thoughts with truths for the Word of the Living God?

8. Whatever! – Have you written out your “Whatever List”? Are you actively choosing to think on those things that will bring peace to your restless heart? Remember, each time you replace wayward thoughts with intentional truths you’re one step closer to becoming you!

9. Target Your Prayers – Who  and what is on your Prayer Target list? Did you make it? Have you tried to use it yet? The battle for your future is often won when you choose to make others the object of your thoughts and prayers. The Lord reveals this truth in Job’s life, “And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.” Job 42:10

And today is our final lesson! The gun just went off and it’s time to confidently begin running your race. And although a crown awaits you, just go ahead and put it on now knowing you are going to run your own race well. Don’t worry about your past, your future, your fears or your failures. JUST RUN.. AND RUN HARD!Put that crown on girlfriend… you are a daughter of the King! It’s time to become who you were created to be.

I hope this lesson has helped you be more prepared to courageously run your own race. Your finish line awaits you…so run well, sweet friends. Run well!

2 Comments

  1. What a great post full of practical tips. If we run the race for the world's recognition, what have we gained? There's something about tucking the victories of Christ deep in our hearts knowing that He was faithful. To me. Personally. Regardless of what the world says.

  2. Good post Stephanie. Love all 10 of the practical tips. Hugs and blessings, Cindy

Leave a Reply