Menu
Bible Gateway logo
account
  • read
    Read
    the Bible
    • Reading Plans
    • Advanced Search
    • Available Versions
    • Audio Bibles
  • study
    Study
    Tools
    • Scripture Engagement
    • More Resources
  • plus
    Bible Gateway
    Plus
  • explore
    Explore
    More
    • News & Knowledge
    • Newsletters
    • Devotionals
    • Bible Gateway App
    • Bible Audio App
    • Bible Gateway Blog
  • store
    Store
    • Bibles
    • Deals
    • More
Access insights on any verse—BibleGateway+ starts FREE!
close
Go deeper and gain insight into every verse. With 60+ trusted study resources, start your FREE Bible Gateway Plus trial today!
close
account Log In/Sign Up show menu
New Century Version (NCV)
Version
Bible Book List Bible Book List
Font Size Font Size

◀Devotionals/Family Talk Night Light for Parents - Wednesday, September 17, 2025
Share Print
Prev Day Prev Day
Reading Completed Reading Completed | September 17, 2025 Use the calendar to view readings from this plan. close
Next Day Next Day

Use the calendar to view readings from this devotional.

September 2025 Previous Next
Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa
  1 2 3 4 5 6
7 8 9 10 11 12 13
14 15 16 17 18 19 20
21 22 23 24 25 26 27
28 29 30        
Return to today's reading

Log in to read this devotional and:

  • Have reminders sent directly to your email
  • Record your reading progress
  • Pause your devotional at any time to read at your own pace
Log In

Family Talk Night Light for Parents

Duration: 365 days

Run, Tami, Run

by John William Smith

I have a dear friend who lives in Dallas, and he has a daughter who is a very talented runner. The regional cross-country championships were held in my town, and he called to ask if I could pick up his wife from the airport and give her a place to stay while she was there to watch their daughter run. I was delighted to do it and so I found myself on Saturday morning witnessing the Texas Regional Cross-Country Races at Mae Simmons Park. I saw something there—a wonderful, moving thing—a thing of beauty worth telling and retelling.

It was a marvelously bright, clear, cool morning, and hundreds of spectators had gathered on the hillsides to watch. They were mostly family members who had traveled many miles—in some cases, hundreds of miles—to watch just one race. I had no child running, and so I found myself watching those who did. Their faces were intent, their eyes always picking out the only runner they were interested in; and often, when the runners were far away and could not hear their shouts of encouragement, still their lips would move, mouthing the precious, familiar names—and one other word. Sometimes they said the names audibly, but softly, as if for no ears but their own, and yet it seemed that they hoped to be heard.

“Run, Jimmy,” they whispered urgently.

“Run, Tracy.”

“Run.”

The cross-country race is two miles for girls, three for boys. It is a grueling run—physically and mentally exhausting—over hills and rough terrain. There were ten races that morning, beginning with class 1A boys and girls and ending with class 5A boys and girls. Each race had from eighty to one hundred twenty competitors. The course ended where it began, but at times the runners were nearly a half-mile away.

As the class 5A girls’ race came to a close, I watched a forty-plus-year-old mother—who was wearing patent leather shoes and a skirt and carrying a purse—run the last hundred yards beside her daughter. She saw no other runners. As she ran awkwardly—her long dark hair coming undone and streaming out behind her, giving no thought to the spectacle she made—she cried, “Run, Tami, run!—Run, Tami, run!” There were hundreds of people crowding in, shouting and screaming, but this mother was determined to be heard. “Run, Tami, run—Run, Tami, run,” she pleaded. The girl had no chance to win, and the voice of her mother, whose heart was bursting with exertion and emotion, was not urging her to win.

She was urging her to finish.

The girl was in trouble. Her muscles were cramping; her breath came in ragged gasps; her stride was broken, faltering; she was in the last stages of weariness—just before collapse. But when she heard her mother’s voice, a marvelous transformation took place. She straightened; she found her balance, her bearing, her rhythm; and she finished. She crossed the finish line, turned, and collapsed into the arms of her mother.

They fell down together on the grass and cried, and then they laughed. They were having the best time together, like there was no one else in the world but them. God, I thought, that is so beautiful. Thank You for letting me see that.

As I drove away from Mae Simmons Park, I couldn’t get it off my mind. A whole morning of outstanding performances had merged into a single happening. I thought of my own children and of a race they are running—a different and far more important race. A race that requires even greater stamina, courage, and character. I am a spectator in that race also.

I determined in that moment that my voice, too, would be heard above the rest. Like Tami’s mother, I would not be concerned about what others thought. I would see no other runners. Whether they were in first place or last, I would urge my children to keep going. And if they faltered and seemed ready to collapse, I would run right alongside them, my words a gentle and encouraging whisper that would lift them to the finish:

“Run, children. Run.”

Looking ahead…

We all weary at times of the race of life. The idea of even finishing whatever project or challenge stands before us, let alone of “winning” or doing it exceptionally well, can seem like an impossible hurdle. That is true of athletes, of businessmen and women, of pastors, of teachers—and most certainly of parents and their children.

Yet the Lord sees each of us in our weakness and discouragement, and has compassion on us: “You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry” (Psalm 10:17). Though we may feel alone, He is running alongside us, giving us the strength and encouragement we need if only we listen for His voice.

We’ll talk more this week about how the Lord encourages us, and how much He wants us to uplift each other. Why don’t you get our discussion started off right with a kind word for your spouse tonight?

- James C Dobson

  • From Night Light For Parents, by Dr. James & Shirley Dobson
    Copyright © 2000 by James Dobson, Inc. All rights reserved.

“Run, Tami, Run” by John William Smith. From Hugs for Mom (West Monroe, La.: Howard Publishing Co., Inc., 1997). Used by permission.

Prev Day Prev Day
Top
Next Day Next Day

About

  • About
  • News & Knowledge
  • Statement of Faith
  • Mobile App
  • Store
  • Blog
  • Newsroom
  • Support Us

Help

  • FAQs
  • Tutorials
  • Use Bible Gateway on Your Site
  • Advertise with us
  • Contact us
  • Privacy policy
  • California Privacy Rights
  • Do Not Sell My Personal Information
  • Cookie notice
  • Site: Terms of use
  • Widget: Terms of use

Our Network

  • FaithGateway
  • StudyGateway
  • ChurchSource
  • HarperCollins Christian Publishing
  • Grupo Nelson
  • Editorial Vida
  • Thomas Nelson
  • WestBow Press
  • Zondervan
  • MasterLectures

Social

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • TikTok
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Preferences

  • Versión en español
  • Preferences
Sign Up for Bible Gateway: News & Knowledge
Get weekly Bible news, info, reflections, and deals in your inbox.

By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 501 Nelson Pl, Nashville, TN 37214 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. You may unsubscribe from Bible Gateway’s emails at any time. If you have any questions, please review our Privacy Policy or email us at privacy@biblegateway.com.

Preferences

  • Versión en español
  • Preferences