Runners Church Devotions
Runners Church Devotions offer weekly encouragement at the intersection of faith and fitness. Each post blends scripture, inspiration, and practical lessons for life’s race. You’ll also find topics across our devotional archive, including Grace and Stewardship, Spiritual Identity and Purpose, Mental and Emotional Health, Witness and Influence, and Faith Through Adversity.
Sticks and Stones
Banter can turn into something that wounds without the speaker ever meaning it to. Dave Schapiro weighs the old 'sticks and stones' saying against Ephesians 4:29 and asks whether our words actually build people up.
Pick Your Battles
Political and cultural disagreements keep turning into personal battles. Dave Schapiro looks at King Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20 for a different way: pause, pray, and trust God with the outcome instead of fighting every fight.
The One Constant
Tampa sports gave Dave a Rays sweep and an 0–4 Bucs season in the same week. Life runs on the same sine wave — and the point is not to get cocky in the highs or panicky in the lows, because the One who never changes is with us in both.
Show Me, Don't Tell Me!
Jesus didn't just teach love and compassion, He lived them. Dave reminds us that actions, not words, are what make our faith credible and make people curious about the hope behind it.
What Has Your Attention?
Explore how our passions shape what we value, and why applying spiritual passion to understanding Jesus transforms how we live.
What's Filling Your Jar?
Dave Schapiro on Ephesians 5:15–16 and Stephen Covey's jar: fill it with sand first and the big rocks never fit. Time is the one thing that, once spent, is gone — so the question isn't whether we're busy, it's what we're busy doing. Big Rocks first.
When the World Slaps, God Elevates
Dave Schapiro on Matthew 5:39: a backhanded slap was a gesture of contempt, so turning the other cheek forces the aggressor to strike as an equal — or stop. Not weakness, but courageous nonviolent resistance that keeps your dignity intact.
Choose Wisely
Dave Schapiro on decision-making: the good choice comes from more than instinct. God gives us the Holy Spirit, His Word, prayer, wisdom, and godly counsel — so pause, pray, consider the consequences, and ask what would reflect Jesus.
A Better Reason to Grow
Dave Schapiro on school-year resolutions: growth is worth pursuing, but the motive matters. If our worth depends on outperforming others we never arrive — our identity is in Christ, and growth becomes stewardship rather than proof.
Beyond the Barrier
Dave Schapiro uses Roger Bannister's historic sub-four-minute mile to show that the barriers we face — fear, age, past failure — are not unbreakable. Vision, a plan, and commitment to the Lord are the way through.
More Than Miles
Dave uses Ted Lasso, exercise, and Elijah's story to remind us that we cannot always see what another person is carrying. When warning signs persist, the loving response is to listen, stay present, and encourage qualified help.
Honor the Practice
Dave Schapiro remembers Coach Dick Cook and the lesson that success is built in the ordinary work of practice, where preparation, consistency, and faithful effort shape a life.
Passing the Baton
Watching the young worshipers at church reminded Dave that the real legacy is the faith, values, and example we hand to the next generation.
The Long Run
Six couples from a small Missouri town—with a combined 416 years of marriage—remind us what faithfulness looks like. Dave Schapiro connects their remarkable longevity to the kind of steady, committed faith that honors God in every season of life.
It's the Hard That Makes It Great!
Two friends just finished a mini triathlon — exhausted and thrilled in exactly equal measure. Dave Schapiro connects their finish-line moment to Jimmy Dugan's most famous line, and to what James promises about the people who don't quit.
Consistency Beats Intensity
When the alarm goes off at 4:00 a.m., the couch makes a surprisingly strong argument. This week's Runner's Church devotional explores what keeps us consistent when motivation alone won't
What Can I Do for You Today?
This week's Runner's Church devotional reminds us that our 168 hours are a finite gift — and the greatest investment we can make with them is intentional availability in service to others, just as Christ modeled.
So Much to Be Thankful For
This week's Runner's Church devotional invites us to look past the noise and notice the blessings that often go unreported, from graduations and safe travel to new babies, freedom, and God's ongoing kindness.
What Is Success?
This week's Runner's Church devotional redefines success — not by wins, losses, or the scoreboard, but by the positive impact we have on others. Drawing on a Ted Lasso scene and Hebrews 10:24, it's a call to spur one another on toward love and good deeds.
What Shall I Do for an Encore?
This week's Runner's Church devotional asks what comes next when a season ends — the idea of an 'encore career' and God's invitation to stop dwelling on the past and step into the new thing He is preparing. Rooted in Ephesians 2:10 and Isaiah 43:18–19.