I have waited to post this for a week now. I felt as though when I crossed the finish line last Saturday, that this experience wasn't done and that there were still things that running, and more importantly Christ was teaching me on an everyday, if not hour by hour basis. It has taken me a week to really let this all soak in and come up with some type of conclusion. And the conclusion that I came up is......drum roll please....there is no conclusion.
I have loved learning and experiencing Jesus in different ways over the last five months and the sweet and precious times I have been able to spend with Him over hours of running, and I simply feel like the Lord is calling me to continue running, not because it keeps me in shape or even because I really like it all that much, because we all know I have a love hate relationship with running, but more because it is "our" time we get to spend together. So this is no conclusion post, nope, it is simply things I learned last Saturday, some about running, but more about the Savior that I get the pleasure to serve:
1. God is so good. It is because of Him that I have the privilege to run and to live. He has designed this sweet path called life that I get to experience, with Him at the wheel. There are simply not enough praises and thank yous to Him for this experience and the people I met.
2. Shirts with inspirational quotes during a marathon are awesome! But shirts with Bible verses on them, especially ones that you can recall off of memory are even cooler! Thanks guy in the blue Phil. 3:14 shirt! I loved running behind you between miles 21-23.
3. Yes, you can drink too much water during a marathon. Lesson learned....never again! I am sticking to my plan.
4. The Lord is the one who provides your strength and power. It was amazing to have my prayers answered as I called out to Jesus for His power and His strength.
5. Prayers are always answered, even if it is no or not yet. A hard lesson that I was reminded of at mile 20.
6. Friends, family and a support crew are essential. They were such beacons of hope on the course and to see them FOUR times throughout the course brought a smile to my step and a giddy up to me step.
7. It is okay to walk during a marathon...for crying out loud it is 26.2 miles!
8. To meet "new" friends on the course is also phenomenal...to have something to look forward to right around the bend or over that hill.
9. Around mile 14 I started to think of what I wanted to do after this marathon and I remembered something one of my best friends, Meg, a sweet mommy-to-be, who is an amazing servant of Christ said she wanted to start doing again, journaling. I am going to copy her, and I want to start journaling again, to be able to look back and see the answered prayers and where God has transformed my heart. Not sure if this is something I learned, but thank you for encouraging me, my little Meggggggggie! :)
10. My husband is the most self sacrificing, humble servant-minded people I know. Thank you, my Jamaican sprinter.
11. And finally, like I said above a lesson I learned is that this will not be my last marathon, God willing. I have loved this experience and the things the Lord has taught me and I am ready to learn some more! And so...my next big run....Super Jock and Jill 1/2 Marathon on September 6.
Who is with me??
Isaiah 40:31 But for those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on the wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Thank you Jesus!
Beautiful! :)
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