2.5; 13,200; 4,400.

2.5 miles. 13,200 feet. Roughly 4,400 paces. That's how much I ran tonight.

Some people are track stars and can run like 5 miles without breaking a sweat but for me, this is a big accomplishment. It's a milestone for my jogging-for-health-and-fitness career.

See, when I first started jogging a little over a year ago, I could barely run 1/4 of a mile before my stomach cramped, my legs felt like wet noodles, my shins were so sore, and my head was pounding ...but I kept pushing. I knew how much it would hurt, but I also knew how good I would feel after I ran and how good it would be for my heart.

(In case you didn't know, heart disease and diabetes run pretty rampant in my family and I'm determined to do what I can to ward it off in my body and hopefully in my kids someday.)

So anyway - I used to barely be able to run 1/4 of a mile, but I kept on going. After a little while I was barely able to run 1/2 a mile, but I kept on going. Pretty soon I could do a mile, though I felt like I was gonna die every time I ran that much. But then it was a mile and a half, then 2 miles. Tonight it was 2.5 miles!

My next big goal is to train myself to run 3 miles at a time without feeling like I'm gonna die as soon as I stop running.

"For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come." - 1 Timothy 4:8, NIV

Yes, I want to run 3 miles and feel like I could run another 3 when I'm done. Yes, I want to be healthy and fit. Yes, I want to have a healthy heart and not have to deal with diabetes, high cholesterol, heart issues, circulation problems, and other things that run in my family. Yes, I want to develop a strong core in order to support my back so that I won't have as much back pain.

I want all those things, and I'm working hard towards those goals - but if those things were all that mattered to me, I'd be a pretty sad soul. If all that mattered to me was my physical health, I'd be pretty pathetic because us humans are body, mind, and soul.

So I exercise to train by body, and I read blogs and books to train my mind, and I pray and serve and worship to train my soul in order that I will be the kind of man God wants me to be, the kind of man God can use to do great things for His Kingdom.

2.5 miles tonight...pretty good if I may say so.

God, help me to get to 3 miles. Please help me to train my body, train my mind, and train my soul so that I can use my body, mind and soul for You and for Your Kingdom.