The D.R. Diarios
Two-A-Days in the Dominican Republic
(Dedicated to my
Fairfield Athlete’s and Coaches)
Monday marked the beginning day of two-a-days for the
student athletes that I have taught for two years, not to mention, the
WONDERFUL staff of coaches that spend countless hours planning workouts,
practices, schedules, personal goals for kids, etc… It just so happened that Monday, I began my very own
two-a-days with a little trip to the local track with a new running friend.
LET ME JUST SPEND A FEW MINUTES DESCRIBING HOW THE D.R.
THROWS DOWN SOME WORK OUTS.
Old women. Track suits. Entire families (including twice
removed cousins that you forgot their names) all walking in a
shoulder-to-shoulder line blocking all traffic. A super wide track that is not
marked. Random car parked on the side of the track with Dominican music
BLARING. Men doing a few reps of a
random workout with their friends, as we run by they would kind of strut for
ya, then they move on. Women upon
women all walking and gossiping together in the fastest Spanish ever heard. A
few serious runners that make no eye contact, they just blaze along with their
pacing buddy.
Dominican does
morning workout’s right… they do it together.
RUNNING IN THE
DOMINICAN IS JUST AS MUCH FAMILY TIME AS EATING MEALS TOGETHER.
During my little three-mile trot, I noticed that the D.R.
showed me why I love running so much. It makes family. The friend I was running
with is an AMAZING 21 year old woman named Emily. She’s an American that has a
distinct ache to see the Dominican Republic become a land that follows well and
sends out missionaries to other places.
She’s a woman that walks boldly about the Word and shares it with a full
heart. Simply put, she is our
ministry contact for the first two weeks while we’re here and I am blessed to
call her my newest family member.
We shared our stories with each other. We shared a 3-mile
journey, step for step. We shared a little sweat as we high fived after a good
run. Most of all, we shared. We did not care how fast we ran or if
we hit our pace for a good workout, we just enjoyed the journey.
ATHLETES: You guys are beginning the endlessly long, muscle
busting, air sucking playground of pain coaches like to call TWO A DAYS! You
are pushing your body to the max; learning new levels of pain, toughening up…
you are choosing a way that is less traveled. I travel this road with you and have seen that it is a much
better journey when not traveled alone. There are so many that have run this
race before you and will run after you that did it in community. Their races
made others better. They did not compete; they just ran well and shared the
journey.
CHALLENGE: Why would we run to win a prize that’s so awesome
and stand alone in the winner’s circle because we ran it alone? This race is meant for each other just
as much as it is meant for us individually. Learn someone new this year. Pick a buddy and choose to push
each other and keep each other accountable for the entire season. Choose to serve because that is the
best way to lead. Prefer your team before yourself. Encourage before you
grumble. At the end of the day, if you can’t find something positive in a team
member, you weren’t looking hard enough. Praise instead of grumble. Don’t let
the destination tempt you to take your eyes off of the journey.
I challenge you to journey after Jesus. It’s the ultimate
work out. It will cause pain and bust every thing you have ever known into
pieces. It is declaring war between all that your flesh wants and the Spirit
inside of you. It’s hard. It’s
beautiful. It’s a journey with a heavenly destination. So many won’t understand why you choose
this path. So many will try to weaken you because they won’t walk it with you.
Persevere and continue on because YOUR joy in walking the narrow will draw
others to the God that designed us to be more than conquerors.
I LOVE YOU GIRLS. I hope you grow this year in learning who
you are in Christ. I pray that you are the generation that will change this
world. I declare that you are a BEAUTIFUL creation… you are loved by a big
Daddy! I see you in every teenage face that I here and NEVER forget to lift up
prayers for you. Can’t wait to see you again… until then… ERRRRR
EEEERRRRRRR!!!!!!!! What time is it… GAME TIME!
COACHES: Have you lost your voices yet? How many whistles have you
lost? Don’t wear shoes that Coach Hand doesn’t like, she’ll make fun of you
(mine are red and yellow, she would be ripping me right now). I know you guys are in full swing and
thank God that these girl’s are in the care of a staff that LOVES THEM before
they coach them. I’m praying for
strength, thanksgiving in all situations, PATIENCE (poor freshmen), wisdom in
your decisions, good communication, and most of all… love. I couldn’t imagine
doing our job without love. Thank ya’ll for your service and PRAISE GOD that
you get paid for it.
CHALLENGE: Ya’ll run a race together. ALL OF YOU. The ENTIRE GIRL’S
COACHING STAFF… trotting together. It’s one thing to encourage our girls to gel
but something much different to show it. I know a few of you do it anyway, so
it shouldn’t be hard. Throw me some
stats every now and again. You guys are my ONLY LINK to life in FF. I would
love to hear about which defense is working and how we could tighten up our
full court press. Most importantly, love your families, whether they are far or
close, related or not. Ya’ll are a huge part of the community I call my family.
The track made me miss you dearly.
Until I see you again, lead fearlessly!!! You are changing a life with
every word you speak!
Until I see you
again…
LOVE LOVE MY
FAIRFIELD FAMILY!
