PineApple Fanta

 Jack, like lots of us, spent a lot of time running away. Running away from pain, running away from things he had done wrong.  And in his running away, he was pushing people away. He was believing wrongly about himself. It was an isolation move that had him stuck.  

On the flipside though, he was a great runner. Running is a big deal for us at Orchard Ministries. Our Young Lions running team, which we started in 2019 became the foundation of a discipleship group that continues to this very day. Many of those early Young Lions who ran with us around Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, Tusha Farms trails, and all around CHIFUBU are now the leaders of our ministry! That team became a family, and that family became a force. A force for good in the neighborhood that needed a new model of roaring lion men.  

We still have running teams today.  Our original Young Lions are coaching Junior Lions, Little Lions and Lady Lions and Chifubu is taking notice. Our runners are changing the face of their community.  

Back when I met Jack we realized quickly we were both pretty competitive. And I remember early challenges when Jack would tell me he would beat me to a point all the way across Chifubu, even though I was driving a vehicle! Once, we decided to run and race each other, and the winner would receive a pineapple Fanta. Now, pineapple Fanta and Fanta of all flavors are quite normal these days pretty much anywhere you go in the world; but back then, Africa had pineapple Fanta and we in America, at least where I lived, did not!  

It was a thing of beauty to sip a cold pineapple Fanta on a hot Zambian day. Jack won the race and he won the Fanta. But the message here is this, we don’t have to keep running away. We can shift our focus and run towards goodness. When we do, there’s a different pep in our step and wind beneath our wings, there’s pineapple Fanta level goodness waiting at the end of the race. 

When we run towards the goodness of God, we will never be disappointed. We will always be satisfied and refreshed. 

Taste and see that the Lord is good.  Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!

- Psalm 34:8 

Lion, stop running away and start running toward goodness this week.