Run With Horses

What’s Wrong With The Church? -Ep.247 -Run With Horses Podcast

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Welcome to Run With Horses! My name is Norman and my goal is to help you Thrive as a disciple of Jesus. You have a lot of choices to make every day. Thanks for including me in your journey of following Jesus.
 
Recently I have been thinking about the church and particularly the relationships that make it up. Regularly I have seen news and info about church relationships that are broken on an almost weekly basis. From pastors and leaders in the church to ,members who are behaving badly, we seem to be struggling to get along and to act like Jesus with each other.
 
It is really a matter of spiritual growth and maturity at it’s core. Our sin nature aggressively drives us from God and unfortunately wins many of the daily battles. The result is that the church, instead of being the beautiful bride of Christ, is a soiled mess that looks almost identical to the world. The world expects the church to be different and is either surprised and disappointed or overjoyed when it is not.
 
Our relationships don’t look like God intends for them to look. And the problem begins with the primary relationship that we have, our relationship with God Himself.
 
Our relationship with God is possible because of the blood of Jesus, applied to our lives, removing our sin, providing us with the righteousness of Jesus Himself. The result of receiving such an underserved gift should be a heart overflowing with Thanksgiving. That thankful heart lifts up the name of Jesus and praises the God from whom all blessings flow. Worship is a natural outflow of the Thankful heart. A heart turned to God glorifies Him through heartfelt obedience and pursuit of holiness. We long to be like Him when we see Him as He is!
 
This heart, in tune with God, pursuing His righteousness and holiness, is filled with a peace and joy that cannot be explained outside of the work of Jesus. It is incredibly calming to know that God is in control. To know Him is to know His love, His grace, as well as His patience and long-suffering. A true relationship with God requires for us to KNOW Him, not just know ABOUT Him.
 
Paul challenges Timothy to pursue godliness and righteousness. We are invited to pursue God in all His glory. He invites us into His presence.
 
A genuine relationship with God changes us in many ways but one of the most important is the way in which it changes our relationship with other people. Our relationship with the church, like our relationship with God Himself, is only healthy or even possible in Christ.
 
The church is a special group of people who are united by a special bond through the power of the Holy Spirit. Unfortunately this bond doesn’t prevent us from sinning against each other time and time again!
 
A relationship that should be marked by a deep and abiding love, is severely tested by our selfishness and focus on our own desires. The world looks at the church expecting to see a kindness and grace that is missing in their own lives but instead see a mess that looks a lot like the one they are in. Why is it this way? In part, many in the church struggle to really know God personally. While weekly sermons give information in abundance, a genuine relationship with the True and Living God is more difficult to find. So we struggle.
 
And we take that struggle to the world. Our relationship with the world, rather than being marked by grace and loving truth, is always tainted by our own sin and make more difficult because we struggle to see God as He is and see His hand at work in the world. And we really struggle to BE His hands at work in the world. Rather than bringing grace and truth to the world and seeing Him change people into His image, we go into the world and take on the characteristics of the world rather than our Savior.
 
How do we change that?
1. Release control of your life to God. He bought you with a price! What does it mean to live His life? If you aren’t wrestling with that question, you might not be living the life God intends. It’s not easy though. God isn’t making cookies so there is no cookie cutter approach to following Jesus. My guess is Peter and Matthew were vastly different in their personalities, gifts and ministry. You and I will be different too.
 
2. Pursue Jesus. Really seek to get to know Him. This is the path to righteousness, godliness and holiness. To really KNOW Jesus. Not just about Him. Are you wrestling with how to know Him better? You should be, it is one of life’s greatest joys and journeys!
 
3. The humility of Jesus asks us to consider others better than ourselves. We are asked to submit to one another. Are you wrestling with how to do that in your home, in your church, and in your community? You should be. It does not come naturally for sinful hearts.
 
I will stop at these three for today. They are all huge if you take them seriously and really attempt to live them out. Jesus didn’t call us to an easy life. He called us to a meaningful one. You choose every day how you will live. Choose real value that lasts. Choose to follow Jesus and learn from Him. Choose to help His family be what it can be.
 
Thanks for joining me today. Write me at norman@runwithhorses.net with your questions or comments or just to say hi. I would love to hear from you. My prayer is that you reflect the glory of God into the world around you every day. The journey is worth the effort, keep running!

The Body of Jesus, The Church.Ep.246

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Today we are thinking about the church and who is responsible for it.
 
Welcome to Run With Horses! My Name is Norman and m goal is to help you grow as a disciple of Jesus. He invites you to follow Him and there is no choice you can make that is more worthwhile.
 
After a summer of travel and never ending upheaval in our lives, we may have the end of this stage in sight. Part of that transition is working on an office for me to use as a home base for the next year or so. I am in the space I will be using today and it is mostly empty and very large so if you hear an echo, it si the natural reverb of a large space, much like an empty warehouse. But it is a blessing to have access to it so I am not complaining. A room is in the planning stages and a generous supporter is working to make it happen as soon as the next few weeks. More info to come!
 
The church is something we talk often about and today I wanted to cover a few of the basics.
 
What is the church? A group of believers. Saved by grace through Faith.
Romans 15: 3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus, 4 who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles. 5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house.
 
Colossians 4: 15Greet the brethren who are in Laodicea, and Nymphas and the church that is in his house.
 
Ephesians 1:22 And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
 
Acts 20:28 Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. - NKJVJesus Builds His Church. - Matthew 16:18 - On this Rock I will build MY church.
 
Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus said, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations.”
 
Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to His disciples,“If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.
 
The church, as the hands and feet of Jesus in the world today, has an important role to play.
Gospel witness, Equipping of more workers ( the process of disciple making), bring worship of the True and Living God to every corner of the globe and every street in every village.
What is your part? Not always easy but always worth it!
 
Thanks for joining me today! Write me at norman@runwithhorses.net with your questions, comments or just to let me know you are listening. Keep your eyes on the prize and keep running after Jesus.

Acorns into trees, Disciples into Churches

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Every tree is full of acorns, making thousands of them every year. Forests are full of trees that came from similar tiny acorns. Each one making it's way somehow from the branches of the tree to the ground somewhere. Some hit the ground in a great spot, sprouted and grew in to anther massive tree. Others landed in spots with poor soil, little water, too much shade or for any of numerous other reasons, failed to thrive They sprouted and grew, even produced a handful of acorns of their own, but they are a far cry from the big tree that gave them a start.Why are we talking about trees today? Because like every tree produces the seeds that are needed to produce more trees and every seed has the potential to produce a new tree. Every Church is designed by God to produce disciple makers and every disciple maker has the DNA to produce another church.Welcome to Run With Horses. My Name is Norman and my goal is to help you thrive as a disciple of Jesus. And today, we want to check your DNA!The church is to be an acorn producing machine!Disciple makers are the fruit of a healthy church and the seed of new healthy churches. It' sin their DNA!That means you are a church planting nut! Right?What if we aren't? Churches die. Churches decrease in number and health. New churches aren't started.SO what should I do?Grow where you are planted! or where you fell. Just grow where you are!Healthy spiritual growth results in seeds of the gospel taking root in peoples lives. The Gospel changes people. Seed, sprout, seedling, young tree, fruit bearing tree, forest.How do I grow?Pursue Jesus yourself and invite others to go with you. Embrace the challenge of living for Jesus in the world today. It isn' t easy and Jesus never said that it would be. He did say that it glorifies God though!Learn to see the world through the eyes of Jesus. People are lost. They are hurting and looking for something to make life worth living for. People want hope. They want to think that this all means something. See the world with the compassionate eyes of Jesus and recognize that He is the Hope that the world needs. God offers the meaning that we all seek after and He offers healing for the pain we all feel.Get to know your community and the people who are barely surviving in it. Be a friend to the friendless and a help to those in need. Share your Hope through your life into your relationships and make it clear in your words.Be an acorn. Don't try to control where you are planted but make the best of the ground you are given. Some soil is hard. Soften it by digging your roots deep into the Word of God and draw life giving water from Him. God is able to grow fruit on trees that are connected to Him wherever they are planted.Pray for your church to be a tree full of acorns sprouting across your community. Each one carrying the DNA of the church and the potential to change every person in their path.God is a big God. He is never limited. You may be a small seed, but dream big and trust a bigger God to use you to build His church.Thanks for joining me today. We serve a Big God. Trust Him to do the work in your life to make you like Him and to use you to work change in others. You may be a small seed in a large field, but God is more than able to use you to build His church. Commit to growing and never stop running after Jesus. 

Prepare for the future today!

Today we consider how important it is for us to be preparing today for the opportunities of tomorrow.
Welcome to Run With Horses! My name is Norman and my goals is to help you Thrive as a follower of Jesus. Your day is a series of choices. Thanks for choosing to make me a part of your day, today!
Life IS ultimately about your choices. All those questions we have, Who, What, When, Where and the big one, WHY, are answered for us in our choices.
Who will you encourage today? Who will you marry? Who will you work for?
What will you do for lunch? What will you do next year?
When will you go to bed? When will you begin that next project?
Where will you live? Where will you go on your break?
Why?
All of these questions are answered in the choices you make and don't make. Those choices make your life easier or harder. They make up many pieces of your spiritual journey.
They are HOW you answer Jesus' call to follow Him.
My question for you to answer today is, "Are your choices preparing you for future ministry and spiritual growth? or are they taking you further away from Jesus and down a path of self-interest and personal desires.
God has given you gifts and daily gives you opportunities to choose Him and His path. How do you respond when you are faced with those decisions?
We live in a time when there is a shortage of leaders. Godly men who consistently choose godliness and holiness above personal pleasure and success. Certainly the world is constantly inviting you to indulge in your desires and gives you a constant stream of things to desire through every possible medium that you can imagine.
Make the choice to put Him first and prepare for the challenges that will be in your path as you follow Him. To be the man or woman of God that you have the potential to be, you will need to make consistent choices that show place a high value on godliness. Your choices will give evidence that your priorities are God's priorities. Your life will reflect Him clearly.
WHY is this so important?
Tomorrow gets before you know it!
If you don't give intentional effort to your preparation you may miss the opportunity to be a blessing to others.
God's intention is for you to grow in Christ-likeness.
You have to DO something!
God has a ministry prepared for you in the future. You need to be preparing to be the right person for that ministry.
There is an expectation of spiritual growth throughout your life.
HOW do you do that?
Be quick to volunteer to learn new skills and to take part in challenging projects. Engage with the leaders and ask WHY they make the decisions they do.
Take responsibility for a small group, whether it is for a project at work or a home group through your church.
Volunteer to be a substitute for teachers in any context that you have available. Ask for a one on one time, lunch maybe?, to go over how the current leader prepares and ask for advice as you begin. Once you have led a class or group, ask for feedback and humbly consider how you can grow in this area.
Ask if you can shadow a leader who is doing something you are interested in.
Pursue internship opportunities.
When classes are offered that will teach you new skills, take advantage of them.
Ask someone to mentor you! We grow best in community so be a part and invest in those around you.
Make sure you keep in God's Word daily and put in the time to understand what Biblical maturity looks like. Pray for God's work in your life and be open to the Spirit's leading every day.
Keep pursuing Jesus daily and keep on growing your faith.
Thanks for joining me today.  Write me at norman@runwithhorses.net with questions or comments. God is at work in your life and He is preparing you for ministry even as He prepares your future ministry for you. Commit to getting ready and keep running! 

Is Your Life on Fire?

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When we were kids and went to mom to complain, she would sometimes say, "Into each life a little rain must fall." Although it is true it wasn't usually what we wanted to hear. What we wanted was an instant solution to our very immediate problem.We don't really grow out of that temptation to run to someone bigger, God in our case as adults, and complain about our situation hoping for an instant fix. And God often responds just like mom. Sorry, you have to go through this one. But unlike mom, God is working in the trial to accomplish something that can't be done without the trial.Check this out."Without the right kind of fire regimes, some trees simply can’t reproduce, and overall forest health can be negatively affected."https://www.nationalforests.org/our-forests/your-national-forests-magazine/how-trees-survive-and-thrive-after-a-fire#:~:text=As%20opposed%20to%20serotinous%20cones,a%20fire%2C%20for%20several%20years.Some seeds have a hard outer shell that needs to go through the heat in order to germinate. Others require severe cold. On the other side of the trial is new life. I personally believe that some of the gifts that God gives us require fire to be release to us. That fiery trial is a spiritual proving ground.How does that work? In the same way that a seed covering is changed by the heat or cold. The trial in our life changes us in fundamental ways that make us more sensitive to God's work in our life. The fire helps us orient toward God in a new way. The heat softens the seed covering so that it knows it is time to grow. The trial breaks through spiritual hardness and God's Spirit lets us know that it is time to grow!The trial is never fun but it is always profitable. Our problem is that we don't see what God is doing so we don't always see the growth until years later when we have had time to process the expierience through the more mature eyes of our future self. When we look back at our struggles, we often see how much we have grown because of the struggle. Many people have a new ministry because of their struggle.2 Corinthians 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. 6 Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. 7 And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation.vs.6 If we are afflicted, it is for you! There is a purpose to all of our trials. Fire in your life leads to growth in yourself and others!So don't give up. You may not see the purpose today. You may not know who will benefit from your trials down the road, but God does.I know we don't process the struggles in our life this way as we are going through them. But when you come out the other side; and you will come out the other side. You will think about it, process it and begin to deal with the ashes and burnt material in your life. That is the time to remember that new growth comes from the fire. Seeds are now prepared to germinate and bring new growth and eventually fruit.It won't be easy and probably won't be soon, but one day, just maybe, you will be in a position to thank God for the fire.Thanks for joining me today! If you have come through a fire and recognized God's hand at work once you looked back, I would love to hear your story. Write me at norman@runwithhorses.net and let me rejoice with you! If you are in the fire now, feel free to write and I will pray for God's gracious hand to guide you though the trial. May God bless you as you seek Him during this time. But whatever you do, don't stop pursuing Him! 

Maintaining Motivation.- Ep. 241

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today we look at how to maintain motivation over the long haul. I had to record this in a hotel with less than ideal equipment which worked fine until the fridge kicked in toward the end. Enjoy!

Questions Christians Are Asked.- Ep.240

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Twitter: https://twitter.com/RWH_podcastToday we are going over some questions that unbelievers sometimes have about religion in general and Christianity specifically.Welcome to Run With Horses. My name is Norman and my goal is to help you Thrive as a follower of Jesus. The choices you make every day define you as a person and help you make spiritual progress or make it more difficult. Thanks for making the choice to include me on your spiritual journey.If you are a follower of Jesus, you are probably at least occasionally asked a question or two about your faith. Sometimes by well intentioned friends who just want to know more about what you believe, other times by people who just want to tear you down.Today we will look at a few questions that you might have already been asked or might want to think about for the future.1. What religion do you believe in?2. Do you believe in God or another deity?3. When did you choose your faith?4. What is your idea of what God looks like?5. Is there a heaven?6. Is there a hell?7. What does heaven look like?8. What does hell look like?9. Why should someone start believing in God?10. What should a believer do before they die?11. Does your past play a role when joining a religion?12. Does someone need to attend church to be spiritual?13. What’s the difference between being spiritual and being religious?14. Did you have to change your life before you started following a religion?15. How often does someone need to say “amen?”16. Should someone start attending a church if he or she doesn't believe in God?17. Can someone believe in God but not attend church?18. Should someone read a Bible before he or she starts believing in a religion?19. What’s the best part of going to church?20. What benefits can someone get from going to church?Thanks for joining me today! If you have questions or would like to make a suggestion for future shows, send me an email at norman@runwithhorses.net or look for the Run With Horses podcast on facebook and leave a message. We all have questions. Keep asking and keep looking to God for answers. And keep running!
 
 

Change Starts With One Thing.- Ep. 239

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Twitter: https://twitter.com/RWH_podcastToday I am challenging you to evaluate your life and do one thing to defeat inertia and get your spiritual life moving.Welcome to Run With Horses. My name is Norman and my goal is to help you Thrive as a disciple of Jesus. It is not always easy to follow Him in this life, but it is always worth it. Thanks for including me on your journey.Most people at least occasionally get stuck. Maybe it is a rut that you can't get out of or maybe it feels more like a wall that you can't seem to get around, over or through! Either way, for some reason you can't seem to move forward. It can be a problem in your career but it is an even more critical problem when it is in your spiritual life.A stagnant spiritual life will affect your career, your relationships at work and your relationships at home not to mention your relationships with God and His family! When you are stuck, it is a sign that something needs to change.There is an expectation in Scripture that we will be growing. We have talked about it before many times. We begin our spiritual life as infants and children but we shouldn't expect to stay that way! God intends for us to move from the milk of the Word to the Meat, doing the Will of the Father.I have mentioned the definition of insanity before, doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. IF you are stuck in your spiritual life, I say it again, something needs to change! God intends for you to be making progress along the path. He provides the resources needed, the power for change through the Holy Spirit and the promise the He will be with you every step of the way.But HE has also chosen to give us a certain responsibility in this life to put in some effort. Where are you applying effort to your spiritual life now? How is it going? Feeling stuck? Ready to change?IF that is you today. I want to encourage you to take one step. Be willing to make ONE change in ONE area of life. Often taking the first step is key to unlocking the door to further growth. I know I often find it hard to get moving but once I am doing better in one area, the success seems to pull me to put in more efforts in other areas. What is ONE thing you can work on today?If you are genuinely stuck and aren't even sure where to begin thinking about making any changes, maybe this list will help. It is not exhaustive and you certainly can't jump in and make changes in every area at once but I truly believe that if you take one or two things and make prayerful efforts to move the needle in your spiritual life, God will meet you there and you will see fruit.A little caveat. I am making some assumptions with this list. I am assuming that you are already having a meaningful time in the Bible daily and that your prayer life is in order. I am also assuming that you are part of a group of Christ-followers who are regularly meeting for fellowship, encouragement, and time together in God's Word. If any of these are NOT true of you. Start there!ExerciseRead a bookDo that thing you have been dreadingTake a break from social mediaTake a break from TV, Internet, Radio, MP3's, etc.Call a friend you haven't talked to in awhile, be intentional about Spiritual conversationStart a journal of your spiritual lifeStart a prayer journalGet up 15 minutes early and spend the time with GodDo a spiritual evaluation, what areas are in good shape and what areas need some attention?Evaluate your prayer life, Bible reading, church relationships, service to others, opportunities for the Gospel, Disciple making relationships, etcTake one of the spiritual disciplines and add it to your life over the next month. Need a refresher list? Here are a few to consider!Solitude, Silence, Journaling, Meditation, Memorization, Fasting, Service -The Spirit of the Disciplines by Dallas Willard

Why aren’t we happy?

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Rights, Pride and Humility. -Ep.237

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It seems to me that the discussion of entitlements and rights is very much wrapped up in the discussion of pride and humility. Our pride causes us to believe that we deserve something because of who we are. Humility helps us to give up our rights for the sake of someone else. All of us have an ongoing struggle in our hearts between pride and humility.
 
It also seems to me that it's wrapped up in the idea of loss. We are afraid that we will lose something if we don't get what we believe we deserve. If we aren't treated as we think we deserve we will lose honor or respect. If we aren't taking care of as we believe we deserve we may not have the comfort or safety that we desire. The problem is, God never promised us comfort, or safety, or honor, or recognition for anything that we can do or have done.
 
What is your heart answer when you think about the question, "What do you really want?" For most of us and probably all of us the answer is not God. What we want is focused on our creature comforts, our human desires , and mostly on this life, here and now.
 
We want to have a comfortable house, a nice car, a tasty meal and a lifestyle that we feel we deserve. It seems a far cry from following Jesus, who said that the Son of Man has no place to lay his head, and asks us to deny ourself, take up our cross, and follow him. I'm not sure where we get the idea of safety, comfort and all of these material goods as part of that package. Maybe it was in the fine print?
 
Why is there such a disconnect between what the Bible teaches and what we say we believe and how we think and live? I think it's the whispering of the serpent in the garden in our ear, telling us that we deserve more. The idea of sacrifice and service to others requires too much. Too much effort, too much sacrifice. We shouldn't have to give up our rights, our comforts, our safety, just because Jesus ask us to follow him.
 
Spiritual warfare is for others, sacrifice is for others, service is for others. Certainly we understand that the cause of Christ is important, that the world needs to hear the message of the gospel, but that's something that someone else is responsible for, not me.
 
Because thinking of others is so foreign to us, we can only only see what we want. Our hearts desires control us and drive us. Life is about us. And is life is about us, obviously we deserve a certain kind of treatment.
 
We feel that we deserve certain things just because we exist, but that's not true. What we deserve is to be eternally separated from God. Fortunately God has reached out and given us so much that we don't deserve. Everything we have is a gift from him. If we understand that we can live a life of Thanksgiving. Humility takes the place of pride, service and sacrifice seem reasonable in light of all we have received. We will have the ability to joyfully approach each day.
 
To fully follow Jesus means to give up our rights (not hard since we don't have any), accept his gifts, and join Him on a journey of Faith.
You have to give up the right to your time. It is important to understand that you have been given time and energy and a certain degree of health and now you are a steward of all you have received. You were an ignorant steward without Christ, but in Christ, you know what a gift you have. A weight of responsibility is lifted, you no longer have to "succeed", whatever that means. You only have to follow Jesus and use His resources to accomplish His purposes. He will succeed.
 
You have to give up the right to your relationships. Your relationships are given to you by God although we don't often think if them that way. Your ability to have a relationship is given to you by God. It is part of being made in the image of God. God is relational. He communicates. He desires fellowship.
 
You don't have the right to have enough, whatever that means. Instead of relying on enough, whether that's time, health or money, we learn to trust God to supply our needs. We don't have a right to have our needs met. But we often have the joy of having our needs met by an awesome God. Along the way He fulfills needs that we didn't know we had. Needs for worship. Needs to know our Creator.
 
We live in a society that doesn't value humility or self-sacrifice. But we serve a God who not only values it but modeled it for us in the life of Jesus. While most people search for significance and temporary fame in this life. Jesus leads to a path of eternal significance and true value that doesn't fade like the newest Youtube sensation. Youtube fame may be measured in the approval of millions of people. Real value is found in the approval of ONE. It is found following a path that few take. A path of humility and service. A path of sacrifice.
 
But on this path we meet others who travel with us. Family, united by a bond stronger than DNA, national pride, or culture. We are united by blood. The blood that was shed to remove the barrier of sin and give us access to our heavenly Father. We are united in a family that will be together for eternity. Each member loved and appreciated.
 
We live is a world that values rights. But I relinquish my rights and claim a promise. The promise of Jesus to never leave me nor forsake me. The promise that His completed work on the cross is sufficient. The promise that His resurrection will be my resurrection one day. The promise that He who started a good work in me will complete it.
 
I have chosen the ancient path. I want to live with my focus on the footprints of Jesus, leading me home. And I accept the challenge to deny myself, give up whatever rights I have and follow Him. Will you go with me?
 
Thanks for joining me today. You can always write to norman@runwithhorses.net with questions or comments or suggestions for future topics. All past shows are available at www.runwithhorses.net or rwh.podbean.com and on most platforms where you listen to podcasts.
Keep your eyes on Jesus and never stop running!