Running The Race

This past Thursday I had the chance to play the role of a proud parent once again. My daughter Miriam graduated from Grand Canyon University. I was so excited for her and so proud of the way she pushed through to the end to earn her degree.

School was not always easy for her. She was slow in learning how to read and didn't really learn until 3rd grade when we home schooled her for the year. When she was in high school she did well, but she always had to put in the extra effort.

As she started college I knew she was going to do well, but then in the middle of her sophomore year she told my wife and me that she decided to stop school for a while to go into the mission field. We were excited for her and happy with her decision. However, I think there was a part of me that wondered if she would ever go back and get her degree.

So here she was on Thursday, the girl who struggled to learn how to read, the person for whom school never came easy, who took a year away to do mission work, walking across the stage and getting her diploma. I found her name in the graduation book and there was an ** next to it to indicate she graduated Magna Cum Laude. I was really at a loss for words.

As I reflected back on all of this I thought of Hebrews 12:1-2, "... And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

​It took a lot of perseverance for my daughter to run the race of education and graduate from college. She ran even though sometimes it wasn't fun for her and it was difficult. We are called to do the same in our race of life; to run with perseverance, but as we run see the goal. We must keep our eyes fixed on Jesus.

​-Bob Koehne