As my middle son Mark and I were playing tennis at the local tennis courts, I was reminded once again that tennis is a lot harder that it looks on TV! The proverb ‘It is better to give than receive’ applies well to my tennis game. Perhaps the reason why I do better at badminton than tennis is that tennis requires a remarkable speed to ‘receive’ incoming rapid-fire shots. On our ‘Island Hall Parksville’ honeymoon thirty-three years ago, my wife and I discovered that we love each other deeply, but tennis was not our secret to marital intimacy.
As I was recently out visiting, drinking tea and chatting, the famous tennis player Serena Williams appeared on the TV screen. Serena is a phenomenal tennis player who makes it looks so easy. There is an art and rhythm to her game that is gripping.
Watching Serena on TV reminded me of a promising young North Shore tennis player Rishan Kuruppa. A while ago, the North Shore News did a write-up on Rishan, as he trained at the North Shore Winter Club under the leadership of retired pro Grant Connell. Rishan has a deep passion for tennis that touches everything in his life. He eats, sleeps, and breathes tennis. I remember Rishan telling me how he daily ran up the Grouse Grind as part of his tennis workout. It left me feeling rather envious and relieved at the same time.
One of my favourite places to work out has been the Parkgate Gym. I’ve often run into Rishan there lifting weights and running backwards on the treadmill. One day we were both on parallel treadmills. I was on a fast walk at ‘4.2’ and Rishan was running at ‘7.5’. Having just received a tennis scholarship for the University of Tennessee, Rishan was determined to be fully up-to-speed before he left Deep Cove.
Rishan had often competed in the United States and began telling me, while on the treadmill, about some lively churches that he had visited in his tennis travels. I asked Rishan if he knew Jesus on a personal basis. Rishan said ‘no’ and genuinely asked me if I did. I shared my story of how I met Jesus on a personal basis while in Grade 12. Still fast-walking at ‘4.2’, I asked Rishan if he would like to ask Jesus into his life. Rishan, still running at ‘7.5’, promptly agreed, and so I led Rishan in a ‘treadmill’ prayer, to ask Jesus to be his Lord and Saviour. After prayer, Rishan said to me: ‘That’s great. I can feel Jesus’ peace.’
I believe that Rishan Kuruppa is a better tennis player today because of the inner peace that he received that day on the treadmill. Running, walking, or sitting, I believe that such inner peace is available to all those reading this article. Prayer anyone?
The Rev. Dr. Ed Hird, BSW, MDiv, DMin
-previously published in the Deep Cove Crier/North Shore News
-The sequel book Restoring Health: body, mind and spirit is available online with Amazon.com in both paperback and ebook form. In Canada, Amazon.ca has the book available in paperback and ebook.
-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
To purchase any of our six books in paperback or ebook on Amazon, just click on this link.
My wife, like many loving wives, wants her husband healthy. She had been encouraging me to get back on the treadmill. I enjoy walking, especially throughout the spectacular trails interwoven through our local community. But I had a lot of prejudice towards the idea of spending time on a seemingly never-ending treadmill at the local gym.
Even though I don’t want to be controlled by my wife, I do want to be healthy. So I took the ‘plunge’ and became a ‘convert’ regarding the benefits of Rec Centre treadmills. As a result, I feel healthier, stronger, and more peaceful inside. I actually look forward now to doing the very thing that I once dreaded. Lifting weights, maybe. Stretching, perhaps. But working out on the treadmill, never!
Part of what changed my mind was being ‘reared ended’ by a taxi. I started going for various treatments to loosen up my neck and shoulders, but nothing seemed to really last. The neck spasms and headaches had a nasty habit of sapping a lot of my energy needed for work and family. Finally while having my aching back adjusted, I was told: ‘You need a personal trainer’. My immediate reaction was to try to graciously change the subject. The next thing I knew, I was meeting with a personal trainer at the local Rec Centre. I have been involved in many sports and exercise programs over the years. Sooner or later I usually would push it too far and too fast, and injure myself. Once injured and ‘humbled’, I often thought twice before ‘getting back in the ring’.
Thanks to six sessions with a personal trainer, I have finally learned how to pace myself, and as a result, I have only injured myself once since getting back to the gym. I have learnt that the secret to virtually all the gym equipment is going ‘one step at a time’. Patience, while not my strongest characteristic, is definitely a virtue in the weight room!
Sometimes the daily routines of life like work, taking our children to school, etc, can seem like a never-ending treadmill. Many suffer from exhaustion and feel like crying out: ‘Stop the treadmill! I want to get off.’ Those of us who work out on Rec Centre treadmills know how dangerous it can be to get off a treadmill before it actually stops. As I was working out this morning on a Rec Centre treadmill, I sensed that perhaps there are two different treadmills in our lives: treadmills of life and treadmills of death. Treadmills of life bring strength, encouragement and renewed hope. Treadmills of death bring weariness, discouragement, and monotony. Many medieval treadmills were even designed as punishment for prisoners who would be given no rest.
What helps me keep going on the Rec Centre treadmill is the practice of silently lifting up names of people I care for. Rather than worry about these people, I have been learning how to give them back to the Lord, and trust that they are safe in his hands. Working out on the treadmill teaches me that I am not called to worry about tomorrow, but rather to just take one step at a time, one day at a time. Even though it may feel like my time on the treadmill is endless, experience has taught me that sooner or later it comes to an end. So too, the treadmill of life is over far more suddenly than many of us expect. Every funeral that I attend reminds me that even the best vitamins, the best sports workout, the best vacations can only delay temporarily the inevitable day of my last step on the treadmill of planet earth.
Jesus dismantled the treadmill of death by his death and resurrection on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. As a result, I no longer am chained to that ‘medieval treadmill’ of decay. I choose to take ‘one step at a time’ on the treadmill of life, life that is abundant, exciting, and eternal. See you at God’s Gym!
The Rev. Dr. Ed Hird, BSW, MDiv, DMin
-previously published in the North Shore News/Deep Cove Crier
P. S. Click this Amazon link to view for free the first two chapters of our new novel Blue Sky.
“I’m afraid there’s been an accident…”
Sandy Brown and her family have just moved to Spokane, Washington where her husband, Scott, is pastoring a new church. With a fresh start, Sandy is determined to devote more time to her four children. But, within weeks of settling in their new life, the Brown family is plunged into turmoil.
Sandy receives shocking news that her children aren’t safe, which brings back haunting memories of the trauma she experienced as a girl. Then, the unthinkable happens…
A brutal attack puts Sandy on the brink of losing everything she’s loved. Her faith in God and the family she cherishes are pushed to the ultimate limit.
Is healing possible when so many loved ones are hurt? Are miracles really possible through the power of prayer? Can life return to the way it was before?
Blue Sky reveals how a mother’s most basic instinct isn’t for survival… but for family.
If you’re a fan of Karen Kingsbury, then you’ll love Blue Sky. Get your copy today on paperback or kindle.
-The sequel book Restoring Health: body, mind and spirit is available online with Amazon.com in both paperback and ebook form. Dr. JI Packer wrote the foreword, saying “I heartily commend what he has written.” The book focuses on strengthening a new generation of healthy leaders. Drawing on examples from Titus’ healthy leadership in the pirate island of Crete, it shows how we can embrace a holistically healthy life.
To receive a signed copy within North America, just etransfer at ed_hird@telus.net, giving your address. Cheques are also acceptable.
-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
To purchase any of our six books in paperback or ebook on Amazon, just click on this link.
One of the best things to ever happen to me was when I was rear-ended eleven years ago by a taxi on November 29th 1999. My body began giving me signals that I couldn’t ignore. In countless ways, my body kept saying ‘Go to the gym. Strengthen your neck and back muscles’. When a wise friend said the same thing, my procrastination came to an end. Being assigned to a personal fitness trainer by ICBC, our insurance company, turned the gymnastic equipment from an unfathomable mystery into a set of helpful tools.
One of the weaknesses of my past ‘get fit’ experiences was that I tended to do too much in a short period. The result was usually that I would injure myself and end up being less than enthusiastic about ‘getting back on board’. I remember a period when I jogged a mile and a half every day, but didn’t pace myself enough. Hobbling up the stairs can be very humbling for a dedicated jogger!
What has worked for me is that my personal trainer gave me a set of gradually increasing gymnastic exercises that avoided reinjuring me. With my neck and shoulder pain significantly reduced, I look forward to going to the local gym. I have learnt that my body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and that I need to do my part in rebuilding that temple.
Ultimately my body does not belong to me. By working out and getting in shape, I am honouring the true Master of my body. Because I am made up of body, mind, and spirit, ‘getting fit’ applies to all three areas of body, mind, and spirit. Rather than letting my stomach be my god (Philippians 3:19), I can learn to offer my body as a living sacrifice to my Lord.
The Good Book says that ‘physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things’. Sometimes we put so much energy into getting physically fit that we forget about getting spiritually fit. Prayer, bible reading and church attendance can be seen as forms of Christian calisthenics. Getting physically or spiritually fit requires far more than good intentions. We have to discipline ourselves to get off the couch and go for it. Sometimes we feel too tired to lift weights, walk on the treadmill, or even to read our bible. But if we wait until we are in the mood, our physical and spiritual lives will take a nose-dive.
The Good Book says that ‘No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful’. As I watch my fellow Gym members huffing and puffing, it is easy to see why many people give up before they see lasting results. The Good Book also says however that perseverance in such discipline will ultimately bear fruit. Whether at the Rec Centre Gym or at God’s Gym (the local church), ‘hanging in there’ is the key to lasting change.
Some people have the idea that Jesus was a wimp. The truth is that Jesus was very physically and spiritually fit. There is no record that Jesus was ever sick. Jesus worked for many years until the age of 30, doing hard physical labour in his step-father Joseph’s carpenter shop. While spreading the good news through Israel, Jesus engaged in long-distance walking and mountain hiking. While cleansing the temple of money-changers and animals, Jesus showed such remarkable physical strength that no one dared stop him.
After his resurrection, Jesus said that he would be with us forever. He would never leave us or forsake us (even at the gym). Does Jesus hang around gyms? The answer is clearly yes. He is waiting for each of us at our local Rec Centres, waiting to show his love and peace, waiting to encourage us and strengthen us. My prayer is that each of us will let Jesus be our personal trainer.
The Rev. Dr. Ed Hird, Rector, BSW, MDiv, DMin
-previously published in the North Shore News/Deep Cove Crier
P. S. Click this Amazon link to view for free the first two chapters of our new novel Blue Sky.
“I’m afraid there’s been an accident…”
Sandy Brown and her family have just moved to Spokane, Washington where her husband, Scott, is pastoring a new church. With a fresh start, Sandy is determined to devote more time to her four children. But, within weeks of settling in their new life, the Brown family is plunged into turmoil.
Sandy receives shocking news that her children aren’t safe, which brings back haunting memories of the trauma she experienced as a girl. Then, the unthinkable happens…
A brutal attack puts Sandy on the brink of losing everything she’s loved. Her faith in God and the family she cherishes are pushed to the ultimate limit.
Is healing possible when so many loved ones are hurt? Are miracles really possible through the power of prayer? Can life return to the way it was before?
Blue Sky reveals how a mother’s most basic instinct isn’t for survival… but for family.
If you’re a fan of Karen Kingsbury, then you’ll love Blue Sky. Get your copy today on paperback or kindle.
-The sequel book Restoring Health: body, mind and spirit is available online with Amazon.com in both paperback and ebook form. Dr. JI Packer wrote the foreword, saying “I heartily commend what he has written.” The book focuses on strengthening a new generation of healthy leaders. Drawing on examples from Titus’ healthy leadership in the pirate island of Crete, it shows how we can embrace a holistically healthy life.
To receive a signed copy within North America, just etransfer at ed_hird@telus.net, giving your address. Cheques are also acceptable.
-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
-Click to purchase the Companion Bible Study by Jan Cox (for the Battle of the Soul of Canada) in both paperback and Kindle on Amazon.com and Amazon.ca
To purchase any of our six books in paperback or ebook on Amazon, just click on this link.
Watching Serena on TV reminded me of a promising young North Shore tennis player Rishan Kuruppa. A while ago, the North Shore News did a write-up on Rishan, as he trained at the North Shore Winter Club under the leadership of retired pro Grant Connell. Rishan has a deep passion for tennis that touches everything in his life. He eats, sleeps, and breathes tennis. I remember Rishan telling me how he daily ran up the Grouse Grind as part of his tennis workout. It left me feeling rather envious and relieved at the same time.
like to ask Jesus into his life. Rishan, still running at ‘7.5’, promptly agreed, and so I led Rishan in a ‘treadmill’ prayer, to ask Jesus to be his Lord and Saviour. After prayer, Rishan said to me: ‘That’s great. I can feel Jesus’ peace.’
-Click to check out our newest marriage book For Better For Worse: discovering the keys to a lasting relationship on Amazon. You can even read the first two chapters for free to see if the book speaks to you.
Sandy Brown and her family have just moved to Spokane, Washington where her husband, Scott, is pastoring a new church. With a fresh start, Sandy is determined to devote more time to her four children. But, within weeks of settling in their new life, the Brown family is plunged into turmoil.
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