If you haven’t been reading my blog, you need to know I injured my back 4 weeks ago doing deadlifts at the gym.  I’ve also been training for the Publix Ga Half Marathon.  How do deadlifts fit into a half marathon training schedule you ask?  NOT VERY WELL!   So yesterday I showed up to run a race not having run in 4 weeks and the longest run I’d done was a 7 miler. 

Here are 3 Things that stink about lack of preparation

  1. WASTING YOUR POTENTIAL

The first half marathon I ran I finished in 1:57.  This one I came in at 2:16.  I have very real evidence that my potential is greater than my performance, you may not have the advantage of quatifying your potential like I did.  all the more reason to make sure you prepare.  

When I think about the churches I’m in, I see the construction of new facilities to be a great opportunity to get some of the people in the church to sit down and, maybe for the first time, organize thier finances so they can contribute financially to the project and be a part of what God is doing through the church.  As leaders in the church we’re responsible for the church reaching its potential during seasons like this.  You have to prepare by having a written plan of how you will engage the staffe, the influnecers, the volunteers, and the general congregation if you want to reach your potential.

2. THAT LITTLE VOICE IN YOUR HEAD

I saw a guy holding a posterboard that said “Pain is temporary”.  Right behind him there was a lady with a sign that read “But internet results last forever”.  The whole time I was running I found myself rehersing what I’m going to tell people when they ask what my finish time was.  Several of my close guy friends had planned to run the race and didn’t, and I was stressing over what I’m going to tell them.  They will ask ……but they don’t really care how fast or slow I am.  In fact, nobody cares!

That little voice in my head seems to be louder the less time I spend in prepartation.  Just like that little voice seems to wisper different things in my ear when I’m not connecting with God on a daily basis. 

Preperation for Church Construction takes on many different roles.  One of the most important is to have a clear understanding of exactly what God has called you to do in your community.  Every time that little voice pops up in a panic you can remind yourself, and your team that you are on a “mission from God” (Blues Brothers circa 1988).  Having a plan of how you will focus on Him when the tension rises is the best way to shut the little voice up.

3. PAIN & SUFFERING

About 2 hours after the race I could really begin to feel my39 year old body speaking to me (more of a speaking in tounges than that a wispering voice).  By last night I was rethinking my meeting schedule for today due to lack of ability to move.  You don’t always pay for lack of preparation in the moment. Sometimes it’s later, when it comes to building churches it can be several years down the road before you realize you weren’t properly prepaired. 

Not preparing for a race will cost me until the middle of the week maybe.  Not preparing your church for a season of church construction will cause you long term pain and suffering.  I spoke to a church last year that had to sell their facility and release the pastor because they built a building they couldn’t afford.   These are big, painful problems easily solved with a strategic preperation.

So that’s your three things, I learned alot more (funny how that happens when I don’t distract myself with an ipod) and I’ll share some of it down the road.  Before I let you go I want to add a bonus fourth thing I learned as well.      

4. Sometimes the juice is with the squeeze

Sometimes you just have to go for it.  I’m no longer talking about building churches.  However, sometimes opportunities present themselves and you just have to say yes.  I bailed on this race 2 years ago becasue of a knee injury and I questioned it for a long time.  I knew that I wasn’t prepaired and the race would be a painful experince.  My beautiful, and wise, bride Kristy kept asking me if this was “smart”.  I always said “nope, but I”m doing it anyway”.  Sometimes, even if you haven’t prepared properly, you have to keep promises you make to yourself because……. the juice is worth the squeeze. 

Tomorrow – Georgia Marathon Lesson 2

Tomorrow I’m going to talk about getting 18,000 people moving in the same direction while suffering for it.  Subscribe on the top left corner of my blog and have it come right to your inbox.