There is no better feeling in the world than the joy of winning a race you were never expected to win!

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Bible Lessons
For Youth - Run
With
Perseverance
There is no better feeling in
the world than the joy of
winning a race you were
never expected to win!

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“Therefore, since we are
surrounded by such a
great cloud of witnesses,
let us throw off
everything that hinders
and the sin that so easily
entangles, and let us run
with perseverance the
race marked out for us.”
Hebrews 12:1

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There is no better feeling in the
world than the joy of winning a race
you were never expected to win!
Just ask Jenny Spangler. She won the
women’s marathon at the U.S.
Olympic Trials in February 1996,
earning the right to compete at the
Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta.
At the time of the trials, Spangler
was qualifier number 61, which
meant that 60 runners had entered
the race with faster times than hers.
No one had ever heard of her – and
no one thought she could maintain
a winning pace when she passed the
leaders at the 16-mile mark.

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Spangler had few successes to
her credit. She had set an
American junior record in the
marathon during college, but
then she left the sports scene
after a stress fracture dashed
her hopes in the Olympic Trials
of 1984. Abandoning the sport
after she ran poorly in 1988, she
returned to school and earned a
master’s degree in business
administration. She ran only two
marathons between 1988
and 1996.

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At the marathon trials, she was such
an unknown that the second and
third place finishers asked each
other, “Who is she?” after she took
the lead and held on to it.
The favorites in February’s race
expected Spangler to fade, but she
never did. Somewhere inside
herself, she found the courage and
stamina to finish strong. Not only
did she make the Olympic team, but
she took home first prize – $45,000.

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Does the day ahead of you look
as grueling as a marathon?
Keep Jenny Spangler in mind as
you jog through your various
commitments and
responsibilities. Believe you can
get the job done. Run the race
God has marked out before
you. Keep moving!
You can end each day with the
satisfaction of knowing you are
that much closer to the goal!

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Creative Youth Ideas
Go for the Gold
Need an evangelistic Youth Camp/ Bible
Study Series with an Olympic Theme?
What is salvation all about? What does it
mean to be saved? This sports themed
Bible Study / Camp Curriculum uses the
Olympic Flag to introduce the concepts of
sin (black circle), forgiveness (red circle),
purity (white background), spiritual growth
(green circle), heaven (Yellow Circle) and
(Baptism) blue circle.
-> Tell me about “Go for the Gold”
www.creativeyouthideas.com/goforthegold.html

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Creative Youth Ideas
Destined to Win
Need a Youth Camp/ Bible Study Series
on ”Running the Christian Race”?
The race as a metaphor for the Christian
life is used in several places in the Bible.
This series is a great follow up for new
Christians or to re-emphasize the basics of
our spiritual Journey in the Faith. This
Bible Study / Camp Curriculum has a
sports theme and is great for athletes as
well as a tie in to the youth Olympic
Games.
->Tell me about “Destined to Win”
www.creativeyouthideas.com/destinedtowin.html