I tried to think of a more appealing title for what I want to say, because I know that when some of you read the title, you will stop right there and never read the article. Strict training does not conjure up good ideas in our minds. People do not jump in line for strict training. In fact, most of us think strict training is something that is only done in Boot Camp.

But the phrase is a biblical one. It was used by one of the greatest church planting apostles the world has known.

Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.

I CORINTHIANS 9:25

Strict training: "They do it," says Paul. Athletes do it. Paul takes it for granted that we will do it.

This summer in Atlanta 11,000 athletes assembled on the field in front of 85,000 spectators to begin the Centennial Olympics. Those who competed knew better than to change into their shorts and run onto the field without training. They knew the humiliation that would await them. But do we as Christians try to take on the greatest challenge ever offered to men and women without training? Do we often go up against a powerful and cunning opponent without having dedicated ourselves to being prepared and equipped? Is it any wonder that some experience discouragement and defeat?

Athletes do it. Do we? Should we? Is this just religious talk, or is this something that we should be doing? Why do we cringe at the thought of strict training? Strict training is work. It is not easy. We may have to do the same thing repeatedly until we can do it right. We may have to sweat. We may have to practice. We may have to get up earlier. We may have to do something that has no immediate results. It may only generate pressure in our lives right now. Training is preparing for the future. It helps us to be more effective as a Christian. Strict training is designed to keep us from growing weak when we are in the battle.

Are you willing to develop a plan to do some strict training? Maybe we need to go back to those early habits we had when we first became a Christian. Habits like praying and studying the word daily. Habits like sharing our faith and our resources with others. When does it stop? Have you ever learned it all? Have you peaked out? Pride keeps us from thinking we could benefit from some more training. If you always do what you have always done, then the results will be what they have always been. If you set your course and then train for it, you can accomplish what it is that God wants you to.

...train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come. 1 TIMOTHY 4:7-8

One day last week I woke up while it was still dark outside. I didn't know where I was or what day it was. It was a very uncomfortable feeling. Then I realized that I was at home, it was Tuesday, and everything was OK. I thought about some of the men that are in my leadership class... some that I would be talking with that day. I wondered how it would feel to wake up in a maximum security prison every day for seventeen years straight, even though you have kept a clean record. And to know that chances are, you might keep waking up in that same prison until you die. I pondered that for a while. Then I prayed that God would give me His perspective and show me how I could minister life and hope to those who have lost all hope. In this prison there are about 200 men (out of about 500) in the general population who are serving life without parole sentences.

I decided that a sentence like "life without parole" does not have to mean "life without hope." God gives hope to those who have no reason to hope. "Life without parole" is not life without purpose. God still has a plan. It doesn't have to mean a life without peace. God gives us peace in the greatest storms. There is a battle raging - raging in the minds. Pray that I can impart hope to those who in the natural have no hope.

Later that morning Pat and I were out together, and a lady came running up to me and said, "I know you. Your Jim Britnell." I looked at this woman and knew that I had never seen her before. She began to tell me that about a year and a half ago I went to visit her 17 year old son in the county jail here, and that she just wanted to thank me for going. She told me I had given him a Bible, and that he has really stayed in Church while he has been in prison. I remembered then who he was, because he still writes me occasionally.

Still later I was eating dinner in one of the prisons (the food was terrible) with the men there and two men, whom I'd never met, came and joined me at the table. I began to speak with them about why I was eating in the prison, and they started telling me that, "God ain't never done nothing for me." I do not believe that to be the truth, so we engaged in a very lively discussion. Then they said they wanted to come hear me preach the next time I was there in the evening.

Friday I was counseling at the jail and a woman who is being held in solitary confinement came in crying. She began telling me this long story about her life and how she ended up in jail. I began to question her story, and finally realized that she was lying and just using me as a sounding board in order to test her lies before going to court. The next woman simply came in and said she needed help and just wanted prayer. She didn't talk about why she was in jail. She just cried and cried and cried. Then she said, "I ve been reading in Job, and I feel just like him." Last year her husband dropped dead in his bathroom, her father died of cancer, her son died of SIDS, and her cousin came to her house, then committed suicide in her bedroom while she was there. Since her fathers death, she had not been sober until she was arrested two months ago. As she was talking, I was asking the Lord, "What can I say?" I told her that it's been a bad chapter for sure, but don't end the book there. Many more chapters need to be written in your book. Look at Job, the one you can relate to. He was more blessed in the end than in the beginning. Things in your life have gone from bad to worse and then worse. God wants to help you turn it around. You must keep going. Don't give up. This is not the end. It will get better. Pray.

I met a lady yesterday who told me that she prays for me and my family everyday. Thanks! I needed that.

Pray that God will continue to give me unlimited access in the jails and prisons that I minister in. One of the finest men that I know recently got thrown out of one of the prisons for no reason.

Pray for me, as I try to train others.

Pray for our family.

This week I remembered a little note that someone sent us years ago that simply said, "All work and no play make Jim and Pat no fun to be with." We have found that little sparks of fun throughout the day and week is great "therapy", and more effective than trying to save all your fun for a well planned vacation. A happy heart is indeed "like good medicine", so we do try to be creative, enjoy life, and enjoy one another WHILE we work. We recently started a notebook compiling many of the questions that our 2 year old and 4 year old ask us. The entire family has been involved writing in this notebook that we keep on top of the piano. Here are some excerpts.

Jimmy, our 2 year old son:

When told not to jump on the bed.

"Can I bounce?"

The following 5 questions were all asked in less than 1 minute.

"Is your coffee hot or warm? Can I have a drink of your coffee? Can I? Did you say yes? Did you?"

After being told not to bite on the inflatable swimming pool.

"Can I lick it?"

After finding a keepsake Mickey Mouse napkin.

"Can I have 2 cookies on it?"

"Can I stand up on the table and jump off of it?"

"Is I big?"

"I ate 10 more bites. Now can I have a yogurt?

Can I? Can I? Can I?"

Rachel, our 4 year old daughter:

"Is the next day after today tomorrow?"

"Is today tomorrow?"

"Is Jimmy being ornery today?"

Series within about 2 minutes.

"Can I have a bite of yours? Can I have another bite? Can I have the rest of it?"

Commenting on a cup of cornstarch.

"Why did you put milk in that cup and let it dry out like that?"

"Daddy, where is the rest of your hair?"

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