Ep 91: Life and Barefoot Running (w/ Jerrie Barber)

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What can running barefoot teach
us about enduring the discomfort

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of life?
We'll talk about that in just a

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second.
Welcome to the show.

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I'm Daniel Dalp, and this is for
your Sunday morning drive where

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the short podcast with the goal
of providing some motivation,

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Dr. and encouragement on your
way to worship and helping you

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recenter your mind on those
spiritual things on a hectic

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Sunday morning or whenever you
listen.

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And I'm thankful that you're
listening today because today we

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have our first guest episode of
2026.

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And boy howdy, our are you in
for a treat?

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Joining us today is Jerry
Barber.

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Jerry has been preaching since
1961 and has worked alongside

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his wife GAIL In interim
ministry since 2007.

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Jerry is truly one-of-a-kind.
He's a ventriloquist, a barefoot

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runner, and he hosts the
excellent podcast Gleaning

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Mustard Seeds.
It's absolutely one of my

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favorites.
I love the wisdom he puts out

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every week.
Be sure to check it out.

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You can see more about what
Jerry and GAIL are up to,

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including Gail's book Fleecy
Clouds, by visiting his guest

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page on our website.
I'm going to be sure to throw a

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link of the show notes.
Now, normally here I'd tack on a

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little blurb about the show and
and ask you to share it.

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But when Jerry sent in his audio
recording for this episode, he

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shared, completely unprompted I
might add, the following words

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about the podcast.
I appreciate the privilege of

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being on this podcast for your
Sunday morning Drive is

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excellent in every way.
The concept and reason for the

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weekly message, the cover art,
the attention getting intro, the

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length of each podcast, and the
production quality make it one

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of my most recommended podcast.
Thank you for listening.

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Tell others about this weekly
message.

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Thank you, brother.
I'm honored by your words and to

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have you on the show.
Speaking of, let's get it on the

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road.
This is episode 91, Life and

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Barefoot Running.
Let's go to church.

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Are.
We there yet?

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I've been running for my health
for 56 years.

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Since March 2010, I've been
running without shoes when the

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temperature's above 50°.
I've learned or been reminded of

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several life principles during
that time.

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I'm often asked why I run
without shoes have two reasons.

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One, it brings back good
childhood memories.

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When I was a child, every spring
I'd take off my shoes, toughen

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up my feet, and enjoy playing
without shoes for the rest of

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the season. 2 Running without
shoes is a good parable for

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life.
Lesson number one Life is

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painful.
People ask me, doesn't that

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hurt?
My answer is absolutely, life is

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painful.
If my aim is to stay comfortable

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all the time, I'll be a failure
physically, mentally,

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spiritually, and financially.
One of my favorite leadership

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writer says a good leader is
someone who increases toleration

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for pain in himself and others.
Lesson #2 Many big things can be

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accomplished by doing little
things consistently.

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I trained 3 months to run 15
miles a week without shoes.

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The first week I finished my run
each day, removed my socks and

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shoes, and walked slowly over
smooth surfaces for 1/4 of a

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mile.
The following week I ran my

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regular mileage to with 1/2 mile
of my home, removed my socks and

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shoes, and ran the remainder
barefoot.

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The following week I ran the
final 3/4 of a mile without

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shoes.
The following week, I ran the

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last mile without shoes.
Each week after that, I added

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one mile until I was running 15
miles each week with no shoes.

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I can apply the same principle
to learning more of God's Word,

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saving money, and being
competent in many fields of

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study by doing a little
consistently over a long period

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of time.
Lesson #3 important things in

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life.
Take a commitment, not a trial.

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One day when I was participating
in a Six Mile run, a lady asked

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me several questions about
running without shoes.

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We discussed it for a few
minutes.

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When we had finished, she
commented I thought about trying

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barefoot running.
My mental reaction to her

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statement was you don't try it,
you evaluate the evidence,

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become convinced it's worth the
effort, make a commitment, and

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after months and years of
practice enjoy the benefits.

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The same principle of plastic
selling in any area of work,

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having a successful marriage and
living for Jesus.

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You don't try it, you commit to
it.

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Lesson #4 Many people will think
you are weird.

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I've been stopped by the police
several times to ask me if I

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realized I didn't have any shoes
on and if I was all right.

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One lady asked, do you know
where you're going?

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Are you lost?
Does anybody know where you are?

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Do you need a ride?
More than one person's offered

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to buy me shoes from time to
time.

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I need to ask myself, am I doing
what I'm doing because I think

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it's the best, or am I doing it
to please other people and to

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escape all criticism?
Paul asked 2 questions in

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Galatians 110 for Am I now
seeking the approval of man or

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of God?
Or am I trying to please man?

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If I were still trying to please
man, I would not be a servant of

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Christ.
I should make my decisions based

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on what's best to glorify God,
not on what will please

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everybody else or eliminate
criticism from my life.

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I don't think you have to run
barefoot to be a good Christian,

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but you and I do have to follow
Jesus to enjoy the benefits He's

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willing to give us.
Jerry, thanks again for sharing

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these excellent thoughts.
Now it's time to hear yours.

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Here's our discussion questions
for this week.

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How can we shift our mindset to
see life's discomforts,

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emotional, physical, or
spiritual, as essential parts of

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growth instead of obstacles to
avoid?

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In what ways can we move from
trying something to truly

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committing to it, even when it's
difficult or judged by others as

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weird?
Thank you for listening.

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I hope you have a fantastic
week.

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Embrace and overcome those
discomforts that might be coming

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your way.
Do it through Jesus Christ, not

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on your own.
Take care and I'll see you

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Sunday.