Northeast Tennessee

‘Merkin Mania, Hidden Trails, and Surprise Tokens!

Northeast Tennessee Johnson City Iron Horse (Founders Park)

Conditions: Mostly sunny, 70 degrees, and 95% humidity made for a wet, hot American Workout

23 PAX took a little trip across town and put in some work.

After seeing a challenge posted on Twitter about hitting 10,000 ‘Merkins in the month of July, QIC scraped the sheet and added a few extra in so the boys could get a head start on their daily 323.

After prayer and disclaimer we jumped right in for 20 ‘Merkins (IC), shoulder pretzels, 5 ‘Merkins (IC), LBAC, 5 ‘Merkins (IC). Yep, if your counting at home that’s 60.

Mosey- 1 mile nice and easy. Wait on the six with 40 more ‘Merkins. Find our way to a 5 story parking garage and explanation is give, for each floor as follows:

10 Outlaws

10 Hallelujah Lunges

10 Squats

10 Hillbilly Walkers

10 Imperial Walkers

10 Turkish Getups

 

BUT WAIT! QIC had a surprise waiting for everyone- 50lbs sandbags to have and to hold all the way to the top deck.

At the top we did suicides with ‘Merkins going up by 2s to 10 and 5 ea of crucibles, standard, diamond, and wide (making the total now 150). Paula Abdul down the stairs and drop of sandbags (don’t worry, they’ll be back!)

Indian run back to AO just in time to do an additional 55 ‘Merkins in various forms taking us to 205 for the day. TClaps to Donny and Rudy who kept vested up all day. Total miles Approx 2.5+

25 flutter-kicks (IC) and that makes time.

 

I shared Ezekiel 37 with the guys and stated that the passage reminds me of the sadclowns that walk amoungst us every day; we are surrounded by the walking dead. This is a region full of brokenness, where addiction binds our communities and breaks our families. F3 Northeast Tennessee is getting ready to expand into the nation’s epicenter of opioid addiction in Sullivan County. In this same county, 72.9% of adults are overweight or obese, the community is way below average when it comes to physical activity, and 26% of adults use tobacco. It is no exaggeration to say that we are desperate for the breath of life to fill the lungs of our neighbors

…and of us. Yeah, we need it too- Before F3, I had gotten back in decent shape, loosing 40 pounds by running everyday, but I was starting to wither a bit. Like verse 11 reads, I was “cut off.” I was feeling lonely and isolated. Even though I am surrounded by people at a great job and I have a beautiful family, I needed the 2nd F to help me strengthen the 3rd and that is exactly what these guys gave me, so thank you NETN PAX. I appreciate each of you.

 

The Valley of Dry Bones

37 The hand of the Lord was on me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the Lord and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

I said, “Sovereign Lord, you alone know.”

Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord! This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the Lord.’”

So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them.

Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: Come, breath, from the four winds and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” 10 So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet—a vast army.

11 Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the people of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ 12 Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign Lord says: My people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel.13 Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. 14 I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord.’”

 

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