Somebody Stop Her!

I have a lot to catch up on, so bear with me.

I've been training for a marthon for the past 15 weeks. Before I started this training, I always considered myself to be in good shape – boy was I wrong. Running has a way of humbling even the toughest of competitors. After my first "long" run, I was limping back to my car complaining about everything – my shoes, my shorts, the weather, the strange man who looked at me funny, the dog on the long leash, the little kid who cut me off on his trike, the bowlegged man who ran past me like I was standing still – well, you get the idea. This was a run of four miles. HA! HA!

Now, I'm grateful for a four mile run and can whip it out like the fiercest of runners. Funny how our perspectives change after we've been through the hard stuff. What seemed like an insurmountable obstacle is now a welcome relief. Running has now become a glimpse into my Christian life. While I'm going through the fire, I'm struggling with every step and just waiting for the finish line. When it's over, I feel tired, sure, but more than that, I feel at peace and strong and am so grateful for the blessings I'm given that allow me to survive it. For running, it's strength, endurance, determination, focus and mental clarity. For life, it's all those same things.

I've been through some "marathons" in my life, and now I'm much better off for them. I didn't realize it at the time.

I'm up to sixteen miles, now.