Spirit Lead Me Where My Trust Is Without Borders

I wanted to share my latest journey with you all, it was one of the most wonderful experiences I have had.

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Six months ago a few of my friends…………………my crazy friends, committed to running a marathon in Vegas and raising a lot of money for St Judes. We started training right away and each week we all reached our goals.  Five weeks before our race date, I completed a 17 mile run, but I ran through sharp pain in my ankle and lateral shin, that last mile. BAM- I had tibial tendonitis, I was injured, and just like that my training had been put on hold, because, the only cure was REST!!!!!!! I rested for 4 weeks, no running, I did a 3 mile run a few days before we left for Vegas to test it out, but I could still feel that tightness in my ankle.   I had succumbed to the fact, I was possibly walking the Half Marathon. I was bummed, but when I truly thought about what we had accomplished as a group, I had no choice but to be proud. We raised over $4000 for St Judes, which was my Dad’s favorite Charity, so it has a special place in my heart.

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Day before Race, we were all super excited…………… picked up our race packages with our goodies and BIB numbers. On my Bib it said For My Dad, I had completely forgotten I added that to my BIB, 6 months ago, simply to run it for him, and to honor him.  I was saddened in the moment, sad because in my mind I felt I was not fully honoring him by not being able to complete full marathon. I know CRA CRA……but I have part runner brain. 🙂

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Race Day- We decided to pray during the race for our children, family, friends, and basically anyone that needed it. I had never done anything like that before, in the past I have always just been focused on the music, my breathing, and my pace- All about me!   This race was different…………… praying for others and thanking God for everything in my life, changed the entire experience.  The focus was shifted from me me me,  to being grateful and simply honoring God.  Before I knew it I was at mile 7 and had no ankle pain.  Little thoughts of possibly completing the entire 26.2 miles started to emerge in my head. I started thanking God over and over for everything and thanking and praising him to keep going, to persevere through the race.  Then I came to a fork in the road it was a little after 9 miles, it was literally a fork in the road turn left for the Half Marathon or right for the full. My body automatically went right, no doubt, no fear, I knew with 100% confidence I could do this. I know that was the Holy Spirit, all around me pushing me, protecting me, and giving me the strength to keep going.  I have never experienced anything like this in my life. I usually doubt everything, I try my hardest to stay in the Tree of Life and simply have child-like faith, but I will be honest it is hard sometimes.  This particular moment I had no doubt, I was 100% sure I could do this, even though I had not fully trained for this race and had taken four weeks off to rest. I reached 20 miles with no problem actually had a great pace, and felt good, when I became tired I repeated this verse, If God is for us, who can be against us, from Romans 8:31. I truly felt his presence all around me intensely that last 6 miles of that race. I was in severe pain and was tired but felt the strength and willpower to finish come from deep deep inside.  In the past, victories for me were the medals, and beating personal records, but  I had the biggest victory during this Marathon even though it was my slowest one. The victory was watching my faith blossom right in front of my eyes.

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In church today our Pastor said, “Your misery is often the start of your ministry”.  He may have been referring to a much bigger storm in life, but that race and injury felt like my temporarily BIG storm at the time.  During that storm I was running, I was moving but my mind was still and solely focused on thanking God and listening, and I clearly heard and felt his presence. I am a “baby Christian” and still learning but I definitely cannot wait to experience more of God’s grace………..truly AMAZING.