I love parties. I love to throw them, and I love attending them. It’s quite an honor to be invited, don’t you think? Out of all of the people you know, and surround yourself with, YOU are chosen. Or, if it’s your party, you’re choosing others to hang with. That’s pretty powerful.
An invitation is a pretty special thing. Some invites are casual and word of mouth. Some are posted on social media. And some are so special, they come sealed in an envelope.
I remember a specific email I received a few years ago. It was from a listener to my radio show, Crissy. Crissy heard me talking on the air about my passion for running. She sent an email inviting me to meet up with her run group from Gazelle Sports some Saturday morning. (I didn’t even know that run groups even existed) I held onto that email, and was grateful for her invitation.
Fast forward a months. I was at Gazelle Sports, and began chatting with one of their workers, Aleksandra. Guess what she did? She invited me to run with their Gazelle Sports run group some Saturday morning. That’s 2 people, that I barely knew, giving me an invite to join the same run group!
So, one Saturday morning, I took Aleksandra up on her offer. I sheepishly walked into a room filled with other runners. I didnt know anyone but Aleksandra. As we headed out for our miles, I heard another voice saying, “Tommy, you made it. I’m Crissy who emailed you a few months ago inviting you to join us.”
Crissy and Aleksandra changed the trajectory of my running routine. Before their invite, I was a solo runner. An ear bud runner. In my own head with my own thoughts. It’s like I was a different man!
It reminds me of another amazing story about a guy whose life was changed by an invitation. He was paralyzed, and spent his life on a bed. But, he had some amazing friends who invited him to go see this man who was walking around healing people. They tried getting into this “healing session” but it was too crowded. So, they figured out a way to lower him down from the roof, and placed him at the feet of the Healer. “Your sins are forgiven…rise up and walk.” (You can read this story in the Bible, Luke Chapter 5)
Those friends, because of their investment, and invitation, helped change this man’s life. Jesus forgave his sins, and he was longer bound to a bed. It’s like he was a different man.
As we approach Christmas, who, in your life, needs an invite. An invite to church? An invite to a party? An invite to coffee? Your invite might change someone’s trajectory, and make them a different person!
Now, go make a difference and run by faith!
TommyRunByFaith 