5. Recovery Tools

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When I was a young pastor, my boss, Gary Rust, asked me to go jogging with him. Well, I was 15 years younger than he was, and in good shape, so I figured I’d be setting the pace. I showed up at the jogging track in sweats and tennis shoes, ready for a casual jog. Then Gary arrived, dressed like the serious runner he was.

This was the 80s, so he had on those mini shorts with slits up the sides, and the whole running outfit. This guy meant business. And when we started to run, he lapped me. I thought: “Wow! I’m 15 years his junior, and he’s walking all over me!”

One day, he invited me to run a marathon with him, and I wasn’t to be outdone, so we trained. On the day of the marathon, he was sick, so I ran it without him. And the strangest thing happened. I felt so good! After that, I never quit exercising. I was hooked.

I think much more clearly when I exercise, sleep well, and eat good food. When I’m healthy, I’m not a prisoner of my emotions; I can manage them. You can’t win the battle of the mind if your body gives out. I still battle with myself. Some days I don’t want to be active or eat right. But I know the kind of life I have when I take care of myself versus the kind of life without it, and to me, it’s not worth missing a day.

-Gary