Keeping the Child, Running the Race, Following the Light
When I started this blog, almost freshly into Pasadena, I did so with the intention of exploring ourselves—not in isolation, but in relation. To understand who we are so we may better navigate this world together. To communicate, reflect, and observe. Beneath all our thoughts, there remains something essential: the child within us. Not the world-worn version, but the one who trusts, imagines, and believes before fear takes hold. In a world consumed by distraction, efficiency, and noise, keeping that child alive feels almost countercultural, yet it remains central. Jesus spoke of this when He said, “Truly, I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3).
Recently, the LA Marathon passed through Pasadena, and I watched something remarkable unfold. Runners of all paces, all backgrounds, fully committed to the same race. The energy was contagious. I watched the first runner, disciplined and steady, setting the pace for everyone behind. I also watched the last runner, tired but unwavering, carrying more time and weight in each step, yet covering the same distance. And what moved me most were the spectators—strangers cheering strangers, encouraging one another forward, sharing in the perseverance of each runner. How different would the world feel if we lived like that—running our own race while cheering for others? Scripture reminds us: “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11), and again, “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds” (Hebrews 10:24). Life was never meant to be a solo race.
When Christians think of a race, Hebrews 12:1–2 comes to mind:
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”
Paul, once a Pharisee named Saul, transformed by God into a leader of faith, understood this deeply. Transformation is possible when God is allowed to guide.
I grew up with the Bible. It has been my lamp in the dark, my compass when my internal one faltered. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). This blog has always sought to navigate humanity at its core—not to impose belief, but to edify, to offer a spiritual lens that transcends the material. That lens reminds us there is something beyond the seen, something anchoring when direction feels unclear.
What God ultimately cares about is not appearances, not performance, not position—but the condition of the heart. “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (Proverbs 4:23). Del corazón mana la vida. From the heart flows life itself. Hardened or fearful soil yields little; humble and rooted soil bears fruit. Faith is believing God can even transform what seems toxic into fertile ground, as He did with Saul, turning him into Paul, and as He continues to transform anyone who allows Him.
Perhaps this is why growth often feels uncomfortable. Exfoliation is rarely pleasant. Animals shed skin; humans shed what no longer serves. Spiritually, God refines us in much the same way. Toxins left unchecked are dangerous; removal may sting, but it clears the path for new life. Jesus spoke of this process in the parable of the sower: “The seed falling on good soil refers to someone who hears the word and understands it. This is the one who produces a crop” (Matthew 13:23). The difference is not in the seed, but in the soil. Transformation requires fertile hearts.
“The time is always right to do what is right.” – MLK
As believers, we also hold the gift of free will. God does not coerce love, and neither should we. Faith imposed is no faith at all. Jesus reminded us: “Render to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and to God what is God’s” (Matthew 22:21). Systems govern structures; only God transforms hearts. Even Nietzsche recognized the peril when God is absent, declaring, “God is dead,” as a warning. Figures like Martin Luther King Jr. emerge as salt to the earth, living courageously, fighting injustice not with weapons but with prayer, wisdom, and truth. “You are the salt of the earth” (Matthew 5:13). Salt preserves, heals, stings when necessary, and prevents decay.
“The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” – MLK
God does not move backward. He is the God of new ways. “See, I am doing a new thing… I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the desert” (Isaiah 43:19). Lot’s wife looked back and became salt (Genesis 19:26), not because memory is wrong, but because fixation paralyzes. Our call is forward. Not to make the past “great again”—for as some have tried to claim with slogans—but to strengthen the Americas and build bridges in an age of speed, communication, and streamlining. Like the red oaks whose roots are not the deepest, yet interconnected, allowing them to stand among the tallest trees, we too stand taller together.
“Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.”- MLK
Growing up playing sports taught me this early: good teams win when roles complement each other. Defense needs offense. “Two are better than one” (Ecclesiastes 4:9). Nations, like teams, thrive in cooperation, not envy or fear. MLK dreamed of unity, of people living together in justice, truth, and love. So do I.
MLK, Paul, and countless others were not perfect—they were willing. They followed the One leading the race: Jesus.
Like Saul becoming Paul.
Like wood shaped by a carpenter’s hands.
Like a child who still believes.
I still dream a dream—of nations growing together, of leaders who build forward instead of backward, of faith that transforms without imposing. Of hearts made fertile. Of people who remember that love, not fear, is what makes us strong.
“We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.” – MLK
May we guard our hearts.
May we be good soil.
May we run our race well.
“Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend.” – MLK
Today's Thoughts 