Sammy Tippit - The Race: Run Like a Champion

the race

run like a champion

SAMMY TIPPIT

contents

copyright page

THE RACE

run like a champion

2011 by Sammy Tippit

All rights reserved

Printed in the United States of America

ISBN: 978-1-935507-50-5

Scripture quoted by permission. All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the NET Bible copyright 1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. www.bible.org. All rights reserved. This material is available in its entirety as a free download or online web use at http://www.netbible.org/.

Scripture quotations marked ESV are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version (ESV), copyright 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible, Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

Cover Design by David Siglin of A&E Media

Page Layout by Kelley Moore of Points & Picas

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dedication

To: Coach Boots Garland who has been one of the great speed coaches in America and a true friend during this past year.

To: Dr. Dennis Kinlaw, former President of Asbury College, a man who has inspired me as Ive watched him run The Race .

in memory

Dr. Bobby Moore, who ran well and finished his racehe left an example of how to run The Race that God has given each of us.

endorsements

I never fail to come away inspired after hearing or reading something from Sammy Tippit. The Race is no exception. Youll be challenged and refreshed if you let its message reach your soul.

JERRY B. JENKINS

Co-Author of the Left Behind series

Colorado Springs, Colorado

I was gripped from the first word of The Race ! If you are a sports fan, a God fan, or just a fan of living the life you were meant to live, you are going to love this book. Even better, you will be changed by it. You will run!

DR. JOHN AVANT

Senior Pastor

First Baptist Church, West Monroe, Louisiana

As a runner throughout my life and as one who has competed in the Boston Marathon, I have been enthralled with the stories and life lessons in The Race. As a friend of and fellow minister with Sammy Tippit for over thirty years, I know the heart of this champion for the gospel of Jesus and the price he has paid to proclaim it. And, like Sammy, I know that champions, in both running and life, become champions because they face and overcome adversity. The athletic insights in The Race will help you turn lifes painful experiences into awesome victories, and they will cause you to run lifes daily race with a more intense focus on The Finish Line!

BARRY ST.CLAIR

President

Reach Out Youth Solutions, Atlanta, GA

Sammy Tippit lives what he writes about. Ive been blessed to hear him share his heart on this subject and to now see it in print is a double blessing. Sammy is one who has run the race well. He is a champion on every level. The Race is a book you will want to read and recommend to others.

MICHAEL CATT

Senior Pastor

Sherwood Church, Albany, Georgia

Executive Producer, Sherwood Pictures

What an incredible challenge! I just couldnt put it down! In a day of lukewarmness and half-heartedness, The Race challenged me to a higher level of personal discipline. Sammy has done it again! Another book that pours his journey into mine.

DAVE ENGBRECHT

Senior Pastor

Nappanee Missionary Church, Nappanee, Indiana

Sammy Tippit brings together his experiences as a runner along with the wealth of biblical material that applies to running and physical fitness, and gives us a challenging word for running the Christian life in a way that honors Christ. I was rebuked, encouraged, and trained as I read, and feel better equipped to run the race before me.

DAVE BUTTS

Chairman

Americas National Prayer Committee

Embedded within these pages lie some critical forgotten factors that will help ignite a fire for personal revival while enabling you to endure the challenges we all experience on our journey toward Christ-likeness. Discover and digest these truths, and the times of refreshing God wants you to experience will enable you to complete lifes race successfully.

BYRON PAULUS

Executive Director

Life Action Ministries

The Race is the perfect example of a dramatic human plot portrayed before divine themes that are as real to the reader as the pages upon which they are written. A masterpiece! You cant put this one down!

DR. JOE AGUILLARD

President

Louisiana College, Pineville, Louisiana

foreward

I first met Sammy Tippit a little over thirty years ago when he was inspiring a generation of young people across America. He continues to motivate people today to fulfill their potential in life. He presents us with an incredible challenge in his latest book, The Race. I readily understood the pain, agony, and victory in his story of running the course of the original Greek marathon.

While Governor of Arkansas, I quit digging my grave with a knife and fork and took up running and lost more than 100 pounds, and completed 4 marathons. Since then, Ive realized there is a great health crisis in America. As a people, we need the inspiration, motivation, and discipline to make lifestyle choices that place us on the road towards health.

Sammy Tippit provides such inspiration and motivation in The Race . His story of his bout with cancer and decision to run the original Greek marathon shows the way to overcoming lifes great adversities. Its laced with testimonies from some of Americas great athletes. Yet, this book is much more than a tutorial on running. Its about life and how an ordinary person can live as a champion.

Sammy Tippit intertwines running principles with biblical truths that show the way to personal renewal, strength and character development. Reading his words and sensing his excitement, you will want to run well The Race. He provides practical insights to running and living from men like Ryan Hall, Americas great marathoner. The book is deeply spiritual, very practical, and extremely helpful.

Its filled with exciting stories and life lessons that will enable you to run The Race and run it well.

GOVERNOR MIKE HUCKABEE

acknowledgements

Several runners and coaches have helped me to understand the running principles found in this book. Many thanks to Ryan Hall, Americas great marathoner. He opened his heart and understanding about endurance running as well as The Race . Charles Austin, Olympic and American record holder, spent time helping me to understand how to overcome injuries. Former L.S.U. head football coach, Jerry Stovall, taught me the meaning of focus and discipline. My former high school track coach and former L.S.U. track coach, Boots Garland, reintroduced me to the basics of speed training. Julio Reyes taught me the value of running hills, and Tom Flournoy has been a great running partner. Kirsta Leeburg Melton ran the Athens Classic Marathon with me. I appreciate all of their input into my life and understanding of these running truths.

Others challenged me to bring this manuscript to a higher level. Les Stobbe challenged me to think outside the box and write with greater creativity. Andy Scheer did wonders with editing the manuscript. Its been a privilege to work with the publishing team at Ambassador International. My wife, Tex, has been my best critic and a pro at proof reading the manuscript.