GOD RAN AHEAD

May 18, 2011Read: 1 Corinthians 10

"And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear." --1 Corinthians 10:13

A couple of weeks ago, my wife Loretta ran the Big Sur Marathon in Central California. Big Sur is arguably one of the most difficult -- and beautiful -- marathons in the country. Known for it's brutal hills as much as its breathtaking views, if there's one race to run each year, this is it. But a month prior to the race, the runners were notified that due to landslides and weather, the course would need to change.

So the day before the race, thousands of runners met to get the new information and to participate in a group Q&A. You could actually feel the apprehension and tension in the air, as thousands of healthy lungs held their breath. After all, running a marathon is tough enough, but an untested course? That's another thing altogether. But it wasn't until the race director himself took the podium that the atmosphere changed. With one brief phrase, panic turned to peace. "I've run the course," he said. "It's tough, it's beautiful, and it's ready for you."

Much like Big Sur, the course of our marathon days is unpredictable. But God ran ahead. He promises we won't run into anything that He doesn't allow. He knows the course. It's tough, it's beautiful. And what's even better, He's made us ready for it!

--J.P.

RECIPE OF THE WEEK: Chicken Sausage & Pepper Flatbread

Serves: 4

Ingredients: 4 pieces whole-wheat flatbread (such as naan bread or pita) 2 teaspoon olive oil 6 ounces chicken sausage, crumbled (casing removed) 1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced ½ jalapeno pepper, finely chopped 2 cups sliced mushrooms ¼ teaspoon salt 2 cups sliced peppers 1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme ½ cup shredded part-skim mozzarella 2 slices provolone cheese, torn into small pieces

Directions: Preheat oven to 400ºF. Place flatbreads on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Heat oil in a small skillet and brown chicken sausage. Add onion, jalapeno and mushrooms; season with salt and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Top flatbreads with sausage mixture, sliced peppers and thyme. Sprinkle with cheeses and bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Nutrition Information (per 1 flatbread): Calories: 380 Total Fat: 14.5 grams Saturated Fat: 5 grams Total Carbohydrate: 45 grams Protein: 22 grams Sodium: 925 milligrams Cholesterol: 52 milligrams Fiber: 7 grams

Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, ATC is a registered dietitian and is currently a nutrition expert for the Food Network, and has worked as a media spokesperson for Cooking Light Magazine. She has appeared on Good Day Street Talk, Food Network.com, Access Hollywood and GMA Health. Visit her at Dana White Nutrition. You can also visit her blog for more recipes at http://blog.foodnetwork.com/healthyeats/.