Does God really care about triathlons?

I had a Sgt. at work last night say to me "I heard you do triathlons?" I told him with much excitement & pride about the Ironman I just completed in November in 14 hrs 36 minutes. He promptly said you don't look like someone who could do an Ironman.

I'd be insulted if it wasn't true. Fact is I'm a big fat triathlete. I complete numerous triathlons every year in spite of having a gut that hangs over my belt & have what my buddies call a "ghetto booty". I mean, I'm only 5'11 and weight 236!!!

Almost 6 years ago I weighed 300 pounds & couldn't run more than 20 yards at a time. Even in high school when I was reasonably fit I was a horrid runner. I was in the slow runners group in the military too. All that changed when I got down on my knees & prayed for God to help me. He threw triathlon in my lap almost immediately. Through Him I've found a healthy lifestyle that assists me in keeping some of my weight off. I've become a good swimmer & cyclist. But most surprising I've become a great runner. In May I ran in a triathlon that I kept up a 6 minute 15second run pace for 5 Kilometers. I then topped it off by keeping a 23.3 mph pace on the 20 Kilometer bike & an 8:30 400 meter swim. That's not me I can promise you. That's a higher power working there.

When my wife & I first got married we tried to conceive. After almost 2 years we were at whit's end. We had tried everything to have a baby. Nothing had worked. One particularly hard day after my wife & I broke down & cried my wife & I got down on our knees & prayed. We continued to put it in God's hands from that point on. A little over 2 months later we found out we were pregnant. Not coincidental timing I assure you. I ask you what is impossible through God? Miracles don't need to be a rare thing. They are possible to anyone who does what Jesus asks of us. I told my Sgt. these things & he asked & I quote "Do you really think God cares about triathlons & who races in them? I mean come on He's got bigger things in the world to be concerned about!"

I don't want to win if my only goal is to win. Even 1st place trophies eventually collects dust & are forgotten. God put me here for Him. To honor Him Jesus said the most important thing is to love God with everything we are & to love others like we love ourselves. So if I win every race & miss that then I've accomplished nothing. I think triathlon is just another way to honor God. God cares about my faith. He cares where my heart is. If I can carry my faith into triathlon then yes He cares about triathlon because He cares about me. He sent His only son to die for me so that I could live for Him. It's not just on the triathlon course I need to honor him. I need to honor Him in my relationships, in my respect for authority, at work, & when I'm at home surfing the inter-net. I'd like God to bless me so much in triathlon that people talk about what He did through me. But that means I have to give Him my best in every area of my life. If I win I'll praise Him, if I lose I'll praise Him. Either way I'll try to honor Him in my actions & my attitudes. Our attitude is the aroma of the heart. If our attitude stinks then our hearts not right. I have resolved to give God everything I've got. Then I'll leave the results to Him.
Cody Hanson