The whole time.

Today, after work, I have a 6 mile run ahead of me. I'm going down to Alki to complete it. Do you want to know why I am going down to Alki? Not because it's beautiful scenery, not because there are other friendly runners, not because there is a dedicated path that I don't have to dodge traffic...nope, it's because Alki is FLAT! Oh flat roads how I love you! And of course, I have said this time and time again, but the hills do help in the long run. They do, they really do, but today, I will run on flat ground. I am a grown up (I think) and I will do what I want, so there! I will keep you posted on just how this flat 6 miles go. The last time I ran this flat path a "snotty" situation happened (see below). Pray for me that doesn't happen again.

Last night I was having a QT before A got home. I'm currently doing a Beth Moore Bible study on John. I love me some Beth Moore, and I really love me some Jesus so when you get the two together...OH I JUST AM IN LOVE! Anyway, the study was about loving the whole process of a hard season of your life. It talked about how we all know hard times in our life are coming and that God is going to use every bit of that hard time to help mold us into the person He wants us to be. He is going to use every moment that we have decided to give up, every moment where tears are flowing down our face to help us become stronger and closer to Him.

As I went through this study I couldn't help but remember hard times that I have gone through. And I questioned, did those really hard times, the hard times where there seemed to be no light at the end of the tunnel, did those times really make me "run towards Him?" And when I really thought about it, they did. I have a greater understanding of God's grace, love and greatness after those hard times. The foundation on which on my relationship with Jesus was built was stronger.

Crappy seasons of life suck (sorry for the language!). But there is always a light at the end. There is always a finish line. There is always one flicker of hope in Jesus. So yes hard times do suck, but they are always pulling us closer to Christ, always helping us run towards and with Him.

Look for the light in Christ, it's the most beautiful thing I have ever seen and been in relationship with.

But 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 feel faint. Isaiah 40:31

Brrrr....

I don't have much to say today (I know a rarity!) but what I do have to say is true: it was so frick fracken cold this morning when I went for a run I didn't know even know what to do with myself. I layered myself like always, and headed out for 5 miles. The cold struck me like it used to in Pullman. I tried to breathe and it felt like my face was in a freezer sucking down ice. My legs felt like logs as I tried to move them faster and faster. It was cold people!

The worst part of the cold this morning, was that my face went numb. Every other part of me was covered except my face. I finally realized my face was numb when some warm ewwy gewwy substance ran into my mouth and I realized it was snot! SNOT PEOPLE! I could not feel it draining from my nose...so it just went south into the first open hole it could find...MY MOUTH! So gross, so sick!

I can't wait for it to get warmer. Running will be so much easier...well probably not, but that is what keeps me going!

Lord, thank You for today. Thank You for the cold. Lord You are amazing. Lord thank You for today.

Invisable to Visable

On Saturday, right after I woke up, I headed into the gray abyss to run. Runners in the Pacific Northwest are really getting the short end of the stick. Getting up to run would have been a lot easier if it would have been sunny and not rainy aka, California, Hawaii, ect. But these are the cards I have been dealt so I just have to deal with it. My dad has a saying about that, but it is one of those sayings that uses all the same words, but one word is different the second time around. ANYWAY...this run was hard! I knew I was by myself the whole 10 miles and do you know what 10 miles of running plus being by yourself can do to you? Oh the things I thought about, concerts I rocked out to and OH the pain of every little motion. I knew I was in a lot of trouble when I reached mile 2 and I literally thought to myself, "I cannot do this today, I might not ever be able to do this." But of course I have WAY to much pride and am too stubborn to even think about that, so I kept running, at one point actually screaming out loud as I pushed through a hill. And yes the random old lady walking her dog, that could have been a cat, looked at me and considered calling 911.

As I reached my apartment and started on the last 4 mile loop that would return me home I did consider stopping, but that hunk hunk of burning love was sitting upstairs and I would have to explain to him why I stopped, and again my pride got the best of me. I kept running. I was slowing down and begged the Lord to give me strength in my legs and to stop this side ache that was attacking me at mile 8. But before I knew it I was back at home.

Here is where inlays the problem...I walked in the door, barely breathing, sweating up a storm and A gave me one of those "holy molly what semi truck hit you?" looks. Oh I knew it was bad, I looked horrible. As I sat on the coffee table staring blankly into the TV I started to pull layers off, just so my skin could breathe again. My lovely husband rushed over with THREE pain relievers. Oh wow, I thought, I must look horrible. My pain that I was feeling and trying to keep invisible was all too visible. I didn't talk for a good 7 minutes. As I stripped of my socks, my toes looked like the rest of me felt, disgusting. How do you hide physical pain? I don't think you can at times...and this was one of those times.

At church the next morning with my feet still sore and now this weird back pain taking over, I was violently reminded of something. It is our job as Christian, followers of Christ, to make the invisible God visible. Let me say that again, to make the invisible God visible. Now I am not sitting here saying we serve a God we can't see. Because clearly if you look around at people, nature, etc you can see the Lord. But what about the people that don't know the Lord? If they look at you would they be able to see Christ? I know that I have to say no. There are a lot of times when I am not making the visible expression of Christ that I need to be.

Let's face it, we will come across people who the only Christan they will know will be us. So what are doing as Christians? We need to step it up. I need to step it up; to make sure that I am making the invisible God visible.

Hills

Okay people, lets just get something straight. Hills suck! When Katie and I were little we were not allowed to say the word "suck" and to this day it rolls off my tongue with a bitter taste. But there really isn't any other way of describing hills. They are the worst part of running. I have talked about hills before, but on yesterday's short 5 mile run (oh Lord what have I become? Short 5 mile run? Someone smack me!) the hills were all too apparent. They mocked me as I begged the Lord to help me simply breathe. And you know what else I don't get? Why, why in the world is it uphill both ways? Okay laugh at me, but where ever I run, it is always uphill both ways. Ugh, I don't get it! And the downhills don't really seem "down" enough. And as I was swinging my arms looking like a fool, thinking that would "help" me get up these forsaken hills something struck me. A tree branch! Almost took my head off! I guess people don't really think of us "jolly the green giants" and like to keep there low hanging branches low. Well guess what people....there are humans over 5'2''!

As I finished the hill and got to a relatively flat stretch of road I was running so much faster. Did that hill just help me run faster on the flats? No, it couldn't be. There couldn't have been anything good from that hill? But as my legs kicked and my arms returned to a level swing I couldn't help but think that, the pain of hills were helping me in the long run. I mean, look at this elevation chart (full marathon in green) from the Seattle Rock n Roll Marathon. You can see that the first 13.1 miles looks pretty flat, but then all hell breaks lose. Can you see this people, I am in TROUBLE! If you are reading this and you find me at mile 16 log rolling up the hill because I have lost my mind and I think that might be easier, please, please I beg of you to pick me up, slap me on the butt and tell me to keep moving standing up, and to stop embarrassing myself. Thanks!

Isn't that how life works as well? No not picking me up and slapping me, because you know I will slap you right back, but the hills of life. Jesus has put hills in our run towards Him. He knows when they are coming. He also knows when the downhills are coming too. And when we really think about it, the uphills are the events in our life that force us to draw nearer to the Lord. The uphills are the events when all hope seems to be lost and the only thing that is shinning at the top of these hills is Jesus. The death of a loved one, a failed relationship, a job loss, I could on and on. After those events, doesn't it seem like you are right next to Christ running with him?

Because when all was lost He was there. He didn't leave you. He helped push and love you to the top, to where now you can run through life with a greater sense of purpose, because now you appreciate the flat stretched of life.

Research shows that running uphill is not only better for your lungs, joints, knees and muscles but also for the psyche of a runner. Downhills seem easier and a lot more fun, but really your body is taking harder hit then if you were running uphill.

So maybe, the next time we hit an uphill stretch of life we should turn our gaze towards Heaven and praise our Savior for this uphill. Because God would not give us a hill that we couldn't climb. And you know what? Jesus is there helping you. This is hard to practice, when all is lost; to say thank you to God when you have nothing left, but when you reach the top you will probably see why He made you climb this hill. He is amazing like that.

Lord, I pray that as I climb the hills of life you help me turn to You and thank You. I don't do it enough and I know it's what I need to do. Please help me Lord when I do climb and help me feel your presence. I love You Lord. Thank you for the hills.

My home girl...

I consider myself extremely lucky. I have the best girlfriends in the world. The type of girlfriends that would stop anything just to come and give me a hug (trust me I know this, it's happened). The type of friends that have dance parties with me just for the laughs. The type of friends that will cart you around, just to make sure you are having a good time. The type of friends who are utterly and completely just as screwed up as I am. The type of friends who are also crazy enough to run for "fun". My girlfriends are the best friends anyone can have.

But there is one; one home girl that has stolen my heart. And you know what, I don't really want it back. She can have it. She has been caring it now for almost 21 years. That home girl of course is my sister, Kaitlyn Elizabeth Albrecht. Her name is almost as beautiful as she is. Katie and I have been through horrible disasters and have seen God's plan rule out in our lives. She and I have gotten in brutal fights and have made each other laugh until we cry. I often force Katie to car dance and she often forces me to take a really hard look at what I am truly feeling. She is the ying to my yang, the peanut butter to my jelly, the lint to my belly button...okay okay you get it.

Katie is the runner in our family. She was granted the non-waddle run. When she runs it's like a gazelle. I have yet to convince her to be crazy and run "the distance" but one day she will. I just know it.

Katie's run with God has been inspiring to watch. With everything imaginable holding her down, with satan screaming in her ear to turn towards him, Katie has preserved and run towards Christ. Despite sickness, death and unfair situations, Katie has turned her eyes to Heaven and prayed, knowing with full confidence that the Lord was hearing her prayers.

Today, Jordan Hightower is giving her baby sister's eulogy. The thought of that makes me literally shake at that unthinkable task. Jordan and Molly have inspired me to be a better sister. Katie deserves one. She is my best friend and confidant. She is my car dancing, Jesus lovin' home girl.

I love you Kaitlyn "A-little-bit". I see Jesus in you. Thanks for being my main home girl...

Lord, thank you for my friends. Thank you for the light they all shine and how they run with intensity toward You. Thank you for my sister, one of the loves of my life. In her I see life, my mom and You. Thank you Jesus for Katie. Protect her today, tomorrow and everyday. Watch after her and guide her steps. Help me, Jesus, be a better sister. Lord help her keep running toward You. Thank you Lord for my baby sister. Amen

Facts...

Running seems simple enough. Pick up your legs and go. Right? Wrong! I just read a fact that states that LESS than 1/2 of a percent will ever finish a marathon! LESS THAN 1/2 OF A PERCENT. That is staggering numbers. Numbers that make this little goal of mine seem somewhat impossible. I keep saying the statistic in my head, over and over again. The reoccurring theme of "what am I doing?" also leaves a sting in my head. Really people, what am I doing? I am not half of a percent. No way Jose! But if I spent $100 to run this dumb thing, you bet I am going to finish it. I HATE wasting money, so if I have to crawl across the finish I will.

Less than half of one percent...WOW!

The facts of marathon running are quite eye opening. But what is more jaw dropping and heart aching are the facts of Christianity in our world as well as destructive behavior that is happening in these so called Christian homes. I could go on and on with numbers and statistics but here are a few that stuck out to me:

1. 171,000 Christians are martyred for their faith each year. That is more then seven times the number of students at Washington State.

2. In America, 75% call themselves Christians.

3. A woman is beaten every 15 seconds.

4. 1 in 13 Americans abuse alcohol everyday.

What are we doing as Christians? The first fact is a fact that makes it very clear, that we as Christians in America are living a life far less scary then those Christians around the world. But the three following facts are facts we must question. If so many of us are Christians, why are so many of us getting/afflicting abuse? Using alcohol to calm our hearts? What does being a Christian mean, if we as Americans, are living like this?

It says very clearly in the Bible being a Christian, is laying down our life to live the life that Christ has planned for us. To recognize that Christ died on the cross so we could live eternal life in Heaven. He died so our hearts and souls could be cleansed for our time here on earth.

Do you believe that? Are you calling yourself a Christian, but don't believe in Christ's death for our own lives? It is a question we must face. Christ is ready to meet us, at any point in our life. You don't have to do a certain thing or become a certain person, to be able to look up to Heaven and ask for Christ to come into our life. Its not our job to change our heart, Christ promised to do that.

I'm not quite sure where I am trying to go in this post. But I know these facts made me open my eyes. Are they opening your eyes? For what reason?

I love you...but Christ loves you more.

Come home

My legs are sore. Hmmm, maybe not sore, but very very tired. Yesterday, after an amazing church service, I grabbed a quick bite to eat and headed out to run. Yesterday was an 8-mile day. I hadn't run that far since my last half marathon. In fact, that distance was the farthest I had run in my training runs for all of the half marathons. Which by the way makes NO sense to me; here, only go run 8 miles to get ready for 13.1 miles. The last 5 miles....well its up to you to survive, just wing it. NO SENSE AT ALL! But anywho, within the first tenth of a mile I realized I hadn't let my food digest enough...uh oh! SIDE ACHE ATTACK! I had to run a good mile with my hand pinching my side as hard as I could just so I could keep going. But I did and soon that pain and been replaced with the pain of hills. Oh hills. They slow your pace down, they make you want to give up and cry for your mommy to come save you. I saw this great shirt at Nike Town that said "If I stop running, how will I get home?" So that was the mantra I kept telling myself. I also thought a lot about Molly Hightower. She wouldn't have stopped. So I kept going, somehow conquering one hill after the other. One the way back to finish the first loop and pick A up to run the last part of my loop with me, I started to well, have some issues. How do I say this lady like....I had to "tout" A LOT! It was quite embarrassing and I prayed and hoped that the walkers and runners that were going the opposite direction, didn't think I was the stinkiest woman alive. But, hey we are just keeping it real people. Lesson learned, let my food digest before I go and run.

When I saw A I knew he was going to convince me to keep going and I was going to fight with him and tell him I wanted to stop. He won. The hills were brutal in the last 3 miles. I had to often scream out to my manly man..."I can't freakin run that fast anymore!" I think he got the picture, as he slowed down and told me I was doing great. As we looped back around I could see home. I knew I had made it back home, with an 8 mile training run done. Home never looked so good.

Isn't that what Christ is trying to tell us everyday? "Come home to Me." It says right there in the Bible that God will say, fine if you want to go and not come home to me, go. Go ahead and live without me, but you will hit bottom. You will live a life, where you will soon come to realize that the pigs are living better then you. And as we read this, it becomes very clear, that God is being quite harsh. And we might even take offense to this. But then, if we kept reading we would see how gracious and loving our God is. He says, when you have hit rock bottom, when you can go no longer, when no one loves you, you can ALWAYS come home. The light is on. He will always accept us, He will erase our sins and love us. Christ's home, is the home I want to come home to. His love and grace is something that is a daily reminder that we serve the God that is more like a father then anything else. His arms are wide open, waiting for us to come home to Him.

Home never looked so good.

But 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 feel faint.