When I walk onto the track, I am focused, ready to compete. Seeping into the deep red ripples of the eight-lane strip, my spikes begin to melt into it. I begin to warm up and down the track as my minds travels to its celestial thoughts. I start to meditate. I think of what God has done for me and how He has blessed me in my success. I look to the hills where my help comes from: My help comes from the Lord.
One of the my special places to pray is on the track. It is a calm and peaceful domain for the runner's soul. Yes, it seems like quite an unusual territory to pray, but to me it is God's territory. Everyone knows about track and field, but they probably never saw it through my eyes. Through my eyes, I see heaven glisten. Through my eyes, I draw closer to Jesus. Through my eyes, I find unspeakable joy.
When I stretch, arching my back so that my fingertips graze over my toes, I feel as if I am bowing down to the Lord, giving Him reverence. When I run, I get the notion that the breeze behind me is God's precious hands sweeping me along to the finish line. When I long-jump, it almost seems as if God has given me wings, like an eagle, so that I may soar above the rest for a brief moment. Then God's love and kindness gracefully plant my feet back on solid ground again.
The track is my favorite place to pray because I know that God is there for me when I lose or when I win. I end my track workout or meet with a lap of victory because I know that God will answer my prayers in His time. When my day on the track is completed, so is my prayer.
(Jillian Yvonne Sherman, 17, attends the Academy of the Holy Names in Albany. She is a member of the Church of God of Prophecy. She is a winner of this year's teen essay contest, sponsored by The Evangelist. Teens were asked to describe their favorite place to pray. Five winners, selected from the hundreds of entries, appear in this special teen issue.)