Each morning Joy Johnson laced up her running shoes and read from Isaiah: “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint” (Isaiah 40:31).

Mike Runion

Joy took up running at age 59 and went on to run the New York City Marathon 25 times. Every day, Joy decided to live higher and nobler — above the mediocre. She placed her mind on something larger, and she disciplined herself to travel lighter and live longer. In 2013, at age 86, she embarked on her final 26.2-mile run. Around mile 20, she stumbled and fell, but she went on to finish the race in less than eight hours. The following morning, with her running shoes on and her medal around her neck, she headed over to the “Today” show to chat on-air with Al Roker. After he congratulated her, she returned to her hotel room, lay down across her bed, and died the same day — with her running shoes on.

No one knows for certain what the future holds; what we can know for certain, as believers in Jesus Christ, is who holds our future. We have this day to decide how we will live life and how we will cross the finish line.

More than my heart can tell, I want thank all the wonderful South Carolina Baptist pastors for the honor of serving as your president for the 2016 Pastors’ Conference. This year’s theme is “Not Ashamed of the Gospel.” I am confident this November’s conference will encourage each of us to “run and not grow weary” in our calling so that we may keep our eyes on the prize and faithfully cross the finish line — with our running shoes on!

— Mike Runion is pastor of City View First Baptist Church in Greenville and president of the 2016 South Carolina Baptist Pastors’ Conference.