After a week of normal running and super aerobic VBS music, my knee seems to be ready to resume my plan to hit five miles (continuous) before the season is out. With football season right around the corner, my son has been getting up and running my last mile with me. For a time, my daughter ran with me, but she's decided she's more of an afternoon runner. Even so, it's fun to have a buddy, and it's fun to coach my kids along. 

 

On the flip side, every once in a while, I'll run with my husband, he of the "eight-and-a-half-minute-mile, eleven mile" runs.  Thankfully, he lets me set the pace and I feel accomplished just getting out with him. Even on my solo runs, he encourages me, and checks on my progress. He's good to diagnose my pains and recommend treatment. If we need more help, we consult with his running buddy, Jay. (Jay is so far out of my league, I'm not even going to discuss him.  )

 

In the same way that I'm coaching and being coached as a runner, as believers, we find ourselves in between newer and more mature Christians, with opportunities to learn and to teach. The New Testament is full of descriptions on how this works in the body of Christ. My favorite is 2 Corinthians 1:4.

 

[God] comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. (NLT)

 

All the lessons we learn in our trials, all the comfort we receive, God expects us to turn around and share that with someone else. See, He designed the coaching system.