This week I was able to spend some time catching up with folks who haven't seen in church in a while - church family who have been in nursing homes or stuck at home due to sickness or injury.

It's one of my favorite things to do. I shouldn't be surprised that godly faithful Christians who are suffering are grateful, content and thankful for God's blessing. But when I visit someone going through an awful lonely season and they talk about how thankful they are for their Faith, for our supportive church community and... I think everyone I visited this week mentioned that they pray for me and our church leaders daily. I can't help but leave more encouraged than when I got there.

I'm also thankful - we've been praying a lot for them and so many of them have had really really hard seasons. It's been Psalm 23's "valley of the shadows of death". But they aren't afraid - and they seem well... because their Shepherd is with them.

Some things are just easier when you're young and healthy - But, sprinting is easy... it's the runners that finish the race well that get the prize.