The Unexpected Way Running Led Me to Jesus

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Welcome to One Day Out, a weekly newsletter to help deepen your faith, enhance your health, and guide you in pursuing a purpose-filled life.

Opening Prayer

Lord, You and You alone can save nations, cease fires, and bring rains. I pray that you bring rain in abundance to our brothers and sisters in Los Angeles and use this to bring people together and that more people will come to know you. Help me be your hands and feet and focus on service to others and You, Lord.

I Started Running for Fitness… But Found My Faith Instead

It was 2022. I was 23 years old, driving home to my mom’s house in Pennsylvania after a weekend of partying at the Jersey Shore, and the Sunday Scaries were hitting hard.

So, I did what I always did when I wanted to escape—I turned on a fitness podcast. It was my way of convincing myself I was still on the right path. That if I just trained harder, worked more, and pushed through, everything would eventually fall into place.

But this time, it wasn’t just a fitness podcast.

This was right around the time I started running, and I was soaking up everything I could from Nick Bare’s content. I turned on a recent episode where he was a guest on The 4:8 Men podcast with Christian Huff.

I expected to hear training tips—how to run faster, lift heavier, and push harder—but what I heard wasn’t what I expected.

It was exactly what I needed.

Nick started sharing a story about his mom—how before she passed away, she told him that if he ever wanted to see her again, he would have to find a relationship with Jesus. That moment changed everything for him.

And man, that hit hard.

I hadn’t been to church in a while. I had been feeling a kind of anxiety I had never experienced before. And at that moment, sitting in my car, I just broke down crying.

Because I knew what was missing.

It wasn’t more discipline. It wasn’t another self-help book. It wasn’t another training plan.

It was Jesus.

My mom had been inviting me to church every week. I grew up in the faith but drifted away when I got to college, thinking I could figure it all out on my own.

But this was my breaking point—the moment I realized I couldn’t find the peace, joy, and fulfillment I was searching for on my own.

Only Jesus could provide that.

So, I decided to give church another shot. I went to a non-denominational church where I finally understood that Christianity isn’t about religion—it’s about a relationship with Jesus.

A few weeks later, I made the decision to give my life to Christ, turn away from sin, and follow Him for the rest of my life.

That was the day I was saved.

Not long after, I chose to get baptized in front of the entire congregation—a public declaration of my decision to follow Christ. I was baptized wearing a shirt that said "I AM NEW" across the chest, and I couldn’t think of a better way to describe how I felt.

Since that day, I’ve been striving to deepen my relationship with Jesus. It hasn’t been perfect—far from it. But it’s not about perfection. It’s about showing up, surrendering, and walking with Him each day.

For so long, I had been trying to control everything—my body, my future, my success. But the truth is, Jesus is the answer to all of our problems, and His plans are so much greater than ours.

Some of my favorite Bible verses that I come back to when I start to feel that anxiety, worry, doubt, or fear are:

Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.

Philippians 4:6-7 – Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Jeremiah 29:11 – "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Matthew 11:28 – "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest."

I share this because maybe you’re in that place right now. Maybe you’ve been running, chasing, and striving—but still feeling like something’s missing.

God will use the most unexpected moments to get ahold of your heart. Be open to it.

You might think you’re just going on a run. But He might be leading you home.

Closing Prayer

Father, thank you for finding me in my darkest hour. Thank you for being the one I can turn to when I feel like there is nothing else to do or nowhere else to go. You are my rock and my salvation. You are the author and perfecter of my faith. I pray that you give me a sound mind and a still heart to be open to the plans you have for me. You are a good, good Father.

In Jesus’ name,

Amen.

Know others who want to grow in their faith, optimize their health, and live a biblically sound life according to God’s word? Share this and let’s grow His Kingdom!

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