Today was kind of a surreal day for me in a way. I realized that had I never surrendered to God's plan, had I not released my desires for my life, that I would have been getting married today. I knew it wouldn't be a day of brokenness or hurt, too many wonderful things have happened in the last year for me to feel that. Instead, it was a reminder that the right choice was made, that God honors those who sacrifice their plans and their desires to follow Him, and that He is able to do immeasurably more than we can dream or hope for!
So instead of going to the chapel I went to Kensington for their leadership conference celebrating the last 25 years and gaining a vision of what the next 25 years will hopefully look like. As I walked into what is normally the worship area at the Orion campus I saw tons of round tables decorated with table cloths, lovely centerpieces, and table numbers. It resembled the look of a reception hall on wedding day. And instead of family coming together because of the union of a couple, there was "family" gathered on mission for Christ to celebrate and worship God for all He has done. And during the last worship set it hit me that this is but a glimpse of what the wedding of Christ to His bride will look like, joyfully worshipping and finally being joined as one to the one who died for us and rose again victoriously! I may not have been a bride in a white dress standing beside her new husband, but I was a bride of Christ gazing upward and joyfully worshipping my Groom to be!
In the last session the founders of the church pondered the question, "What would've happened if we had missed this? If we hadn't obeyed the call of God?" If they hadn't the 1,000 leaders gathered would not have been there, let alone the thousands more who attend our campuses on a weekly basis. If they hadn't then many people could say that they may not have come to know Christ! Wow! And I began to ponder the same question. What if I had missed all that this year had offered, missed what is happening in my life right now? What if I had chosen to disobey God and move forward in my own plans? I wouldn't be where I am today, and I don't think I would've known God in the same way I do today! Wow! I'm so thankful for the woman God has been transforming me into and for the risks He's asked me to take! And I'm so thankful for my ever growing understanding of my Heavenly Father and my Prince! It's nights like this that make me fall to my knees, filled with the love of Christ, and just praising Him for what He's done this year in and through me.
I didn't get married tonight, but because of Jesus, I couldn't have been more joyful! And I can't wait to see what He's going to do this year! Amen!
Friday, August 14, 2015
Saturday, July 11, 2015
Single (with Jesus) Doesn't Suck
I've been single twice in my life now; pretty much all of my childhood up to August 2012 and then July 2014 to the present. In my time of singleness I've noticed how there really is a negative stigma on being single, especially for the female gender. Sure, men get their fair share too, but the girls really have it tough. You see, the world tells us that we're valuable if we can get a guy to like us enough to date us and marry us. If you're single it must mean that you don't have anything to offer men, I mean, why can't you get a guy to like you? So as women we grow up making it our main mission to "find a man". You can tell by all the time both younger and older women spend talking about men, deciphering what they said or did, and evaluating our performance in luring them in. We're asked at weddings and family gatherings, "So, are you seeing anyone? When will it be your turn?" And singleness is often thought to be synonymous with lonely. Even in the church you will sometimes see this. How do I know? The first time I was single I was right there with them. I saw all the girls around me with boyfriends and wondered what they had that I didn't. I dreamed of the day I would be swept off my feet and felt bitter toward all the girls who had what I didn't. My standards weren't even that high because I thought, "I'll be valuable if I can get a guy to like me". I faired better after coming to know Christ, but I still struggled with this.
This time around I've had my struggles, but ultimately I feel much better because I know two very important things:
1) My value doesn't come from having a man, a job, a house, money, clothes, friends, etc. My value comes from Jesus, and He thought I was to die for! He loves me more than anyone ever could and He knows the real me more than anyone ever will!
2) Sure, singles experience loneliness from time to time, but so do those who are coupled up or married. Single does not equal lonely just like married does not always equal happy.
We seem to believe that being married is the ultimate goal while forgetting that God made singleness as wonderful of a gift as marriage. One is not better than the other, especially when you're following Jesus. Paul even says in 1 Corinthians 7:26-28;32-34, "I think that in view of the present distress it is good for a person to remain as he is. Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife... Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that... I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband." I can definitely say from my own experience that I have had an easier time focusing on God as a single woman pursuing a relationship with Christ than as a woman in a relationship. God has been able to do so much more in and through me whilst single than when I was in a relationship!
Marriage, like singleness, is a gift from the Lord, He created it! I'm not saying it's bad and that everyone should desire to be single. However, we need to remember that God didn't create marriage to be an idol to our culture and society. When people desire marriage so they can wear the pretty dress, have the big ring, and throw the biggest party of their lives then we have a problem. When people get married thinking they no longer have to be lonely, well, we still have a problem. The worst offender in the church is people who get married so they can have sex without sinning. Marriage can be a gift or it can be a ticking bomb, and this all depends on our reasons for desiring/getting married.
Yes, I still desire marriage someday, even though I'm enjoying being single and set aside for the Lord right now. However, I refuse to get married for any reason other than bringing God glory and experiencing a more physical embodiment of His love for me. I refuse to get married because of the pressure that society puts on me, or because I want it. The marriage that would follow would leave me more lonely and distressed than singleness ever has. Last year I learned a lesson, one I was fortunate enough to learn before becoming a part of a covenant of marriage when God said, "Not yet". My reasons for wanting to get married then were much more worldly. I didn't want to be lonely and I wanted to do what my friends were doing (I didn't want to get left behind). I know that at the right time God will fulfill His promise to me, and it will allow me to grow emotionally and spiritually as much or more than how much I've grown single. The right relationship will deepen my relationship with my savior. Until then, I will walk hand in hand with Jesus and learn all that he wants me to!
In this last year of singleness I can definitely say that being single with Jesus is amazing, I would choose it over and over again! If you're single right now and find yourself absolutely hating it then I encourage you to turn to the One who loves and values you more than any man or woman ever could. I hope that you'll ask Him to use this season in your life for something amazing! Maybe you have more to learn about yourself, maybe He wants to send you somewhere, maybe He wants to sweep you off your feet to show you how loved and valued you are! Your time being single with Jesus will not be wasted, and I know that someday you'll look back and be thankful for it. Remember, marriage isn't a prize, you aren't missing out on something just because you don't have that special someone. Talk to the coupled up people around you and hear their struggles and you might just find yourself thankful for your single status. God created the gift of marriage, but He also created the gift of singleness. Singleness doesn't mean that you're alone, it means that you're putting all of your focus, faith, and love into Jesus; with Jesus you'll NEVER be alone!
This time around I've had my struggles, but ultimately I feel much better because I know two very important things:
1) My value doesn't come from having a man, a job, a house, money, clothes, friends, etc. My value comes from Jesus, and He thought I was to die for! He loves me more than anyone ever could and He knows the real me more than anyone ever will!
2) Sure, singles experience loneliness from time to time, but so do those who are coupled up or married. Single does not equal lonely just like married does not always equal happy.
We seem to believe that being married is the ultimate goal while forgetting that God made singleness as wonderful of a gift as marriage. One is not better than the other, especially when you're following Jesus. Paul even says in 1 Corinthians 7:26-28;32-34, "I think that in view of the present distress it is good for a person to remain as he is. Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be free. Are you free from a wife? Do not seek a wife... Yet those who marry will have worldly troubles, and I would spare you that... I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband." I can definitely say from my own experience that I have had an easier time focusing on God as a single woman pursuing a relationship with Christ than as a woman in a relationship. God has been able to do so much more in and through me whilst single than when I was in a relationship!
Marriage, like singleness, is a gift from the Lord, He created it! I'm not saying it's bad and that everyone should desire to be single. However, we need to remember that God didn't create marriage to be an idol to our culture and society. When people desire marriage so they can wear the pretty dress, have the big ring, and throw the biggest party of their lives then we have a problem. When people get married thinking they no longer have to be lonely, well, we still have a problem. The worst offender in the church is people who get married so they can have sex without sinning. Marriage can be a gift or it can be a ticking bomb, and this all depends on our reasons for desiring/getting married.
Yes, I still desire marriage someday, even though I'm enjoying being single and set aside for the Lord right now. However, I refuse to get married for any reason other than bringing God glory and experiencing a more physical embodiment of His love for me. I refuse to get married because of the pressure that society puts on me, or because I want it. The marriage that would follow would leave me more lonely and distressed than singleness ever has. Last year I learned a lesson, one I was fortunate enough to learn before becoming a part of a covenant of marriage when God said, "Not yet". My reasons for wanting to get married then were much more worldly. I didn't want to be lonely and I wanted to do what my friends were doing (I didn't want to get left behind). I know that at the right time God will fulfill His promise to me, and it will allow me to grow emotionally and spiritually as much or more than how much I've grown single. The right relationship will deepen my relationship with my savior. Until then, I will walk hand in hand with Jesus and learn all that he wants me to!
In this last year of singleness I can definitely say that being single with Jesus is amazing, I would choose it over and over again! If you're single right now and find yourself absolutely hating it then I encourage you to turn to the One who loves and values you more than any man or woman ever could. I hope that you'll ask Him to use this season in your life for something amazing! Maybe you have more to learn about yourself, maybe He wants to send you somewhere, maybe He wants to sweep you off your feet to show you how loved and valued you are! Your time being single with Jesus will not be wasted, and I know that someday you'll look back and be thankful for it. Remember, marriage isn't a prize, you aren't missing out on something just because you don't have that special someone. Talk to the coupled up people around you and hear their struggles and you might just find yourself thankful for your single status. God created the gift of marriage, but He also created the gift of singleness. Singleness doesn't mean that you're alone, it means that you're putting all of your focus, faith, and love into Jesus; with Jesus you'll NEVER be alone!
Monday, July 6, 2015
Building on Solid Ground
If I haven't written this before then it's time to confess, I'm a musical nerd. There, I said it! Judge me all you will but I love my musicals! I sometimes wish that life could be one big musical, but oh well. Anyway, yesterday I was sharing in my musical nerdiness with a fellow nerd and dear friend as we watched The Last Five Years with Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan. My friend told me about it, I looked up the musical, and I got hooked! For those who are not as nerdy as I am, this musical is about the rise and fall of a couples' relationship. What makes it different is that the girl, Cathy, tells the story from the end of the relationship to the very beginning while the guy, Jamie, tells the story in chronological order. They temporarily meet in the middle for a beautiful duet that features the couples' engagement and wedding.
So why am I writing about this? Well, the relationship featured was definitely worldly, and I couldn't help but notice how the couple was founded on passion and the excitement of love. They worshipped each other and the fact that they had each other. They were both also very selfish, putting their own career needs over the other person. It created such a shaky foundation that as soon as they started experiencing problems they fell apart, with Jamie eventually having affairs because he "needed love" and finally leaving Cathy. I couldn't help but wonder, how different would this story have been if they had placed their foundation in Christ and kept the passion at bay until marriage? Would they have made it? I have to believe that they could have.
As a relationship starts it can be very exciting and we can become enraptured in the feelings of love and passion that come with it. But if we fall for the lure of establishing our relationship on the feelings of love and the act of passion that can connect us all to soon then we set ourselves on very shaky ground. I realized while listening to Pyramid by Charice that a Godly marriage and lasting relationship is held up by two people who have firmly created their foundation in Christ and seeks to build responsibly upward, helping each other become closer to God. If even one person's foundation is not fully in Christ then the whole pyramid will tumble. Even scientists say that passion and the wonderful feelings of love can hold up a relationship for at least 18-24 months, but after that love is about action, about sacrifice. A conscious decision to put the other person before yourself on a daily basis. Talk about dying to self! This can only be done if you are firmly centered in Jesus, only he can give you the strength to do this. And in order to have that reciprocated, you need to focus on finding someone who is doing the same thing, because they can't love you the way you truly need without Jesus.
I love these lessons because they help to prepare me for what's coming. But they also remind me of what can happen if I choose not to obey God in this, if I seek to be worshipped and adored, if I place a relationship in a higher place than my Lord. All of us need to consider the cost of what we are getting into. However, do not fear if you've gotten yourself into a relationship that you realize you shouldn't be in or can't continue, or even if someone has ended a relationship with you. God is our amazing healer and redeemer, He is more than happy to comfort you and heal your wounds and lead you down a better path! He is so good!
Thursday, July 2, 2015
Open Hands
As I reflect on the last year I am absolutely blown away by everything that God has done, and most importantly, by what He's taught me that have changed my heart and will help me with every step I take for the Kingdom. He's teaching me to walk in unconditional love, and the lesson of the last few days just adds to it.
As I thought about a dear friend's impending move to South Korea, the message that suddenly resonated in my head was "Live open-handedly". Ever since this friend re-entered my life a year ago I had a distinct feeling that I should hold her friendship with open hands because God might move. As the spring approached and my friend made the exciting decision to teach in South Korea I realized why God had impressed that upon me. So why is this so important? Because I didn't use to live this way. In the past, I would cling tight to whatever was given to me; friends, family, clothes, jobs, plans, etc. When I received something I would be like, "Ok, so what's my plan for handling this? How do I make sure everything will be alright?" This winter God showed me that I was clinging too tightly to certain friendships that I was beginning to suffocate them and He asked me if I would trust them into His care. I was reluctant but I agreed. As I began to lose touch with some friends I let go of my desire to control and make sure I wouldn't lose them and put my faith in the Lord. Thankfully, with each friendship, He brought them back to me in times that they were most needed. He was faithful!
By living with open hands we say to the Lord, "Thank You for this gift that you've given to me, but I understand that You could ask for it back at any time and I'm okay with that because I know that You're good." We give up our plans, our dreams, our desires, our people, our lives. And God places in our hands what He sees best at the right times. Some gifts He never gives back, some gifts He allows us to hold onto for a very long time. However, when we try to cling and squeeze ever harder we find that we begin to break the gift, that we're destroying it's beauty. Living open-handedly is not easy because it requires a huge amount of faith and humility, faith that God will be good no matter what and humility to help us realize that only God knows what's best for us. It also requires knowing the only place where your identity and value can solidly lie: in our Savior.
I encourage you today to give up everything You have to the One who can be trusted to work something amazing for your good and the good of the Kingdom. Surrender yourself, your plans, your people, your home, your job, your car, your clothes. And realize that whatever God does take from your hands He will replace with something even better because He loves you!
As I thought about a dear friend's impending move to South Korea, the message that suddenly resonated in my head was "Live open-handedly". Ever since this friend re-entered my life a year ago I had a distinct feeling that I should hold her friendship with open hands because God might move. As the spring approached and my friend made the exciting decision to teach in South Korea I realized why God had impressed that upon me. So why is this so important? Because I didn't use to live this way. In the past, I would cling tight to whatever was given to me; friends, family, clothes, jobs, plans, etc. When I received something I would be like, "Ok, so what's my plan for handling this? How do I make sure everything will be alright?" This winter God showed me that I was clinging too tightly to certain friendships that I was beginning to suffocate them and He asked me if I would trust them into His care. I was reluctant but I agreed. As I began to lose touch with some friends I let go of my desire to control and make sure I wouldn't lose them and put my faith in the Lord. Thankfully, with each friendship, He brought them back to me in times that they were most needed. He was faithful!
By living with open hands we say to the Lord, "Thank You for this gift that you've given to me, but I understand that You could ask for it back at any time and I'm okay with that because I know that You're good." We give up our plans, our dreams, our desires, our people, our lives. And God places in our hands what He sees best at the right times. Some gifts He never gives back, some gifts He allows us to hold onto for a very long time. However, when we try to cling and squeeze ever harder we find that we begin to break the gift, that we're destroying it's beauty. Living open-handedly is not easy because it requires a huge amount of faith and humility, faith that God will be good no matter what and humility to help us realize that only God knows what's best for us. It also requires knowing the only place where your identity and value can solidly lie: in our Savior.
I encourage you today to give up everything You have to the One who can be trusted to work something amazing for your good and the good of the Kingdom. Surrender yourself, your plans, your people, your home, your job, your car, your clothes. And realize that whatever God does take from your hands He will replace with something even better because He loves you!
Monday, May 25, 2015
Stop Trying to Figure it Out
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding." ~Proverbs 3:5
How many times have we all read this verse? For many of us this is a favorite verse that reminds us to trust God no matter the circumstances. I know I've looked to this verse many times to help me in times of trial. However, I realized over the last few days how often we focus on the first part of this verse (Trust in the Lord with all your heart...) but forget the second part, "...and lean not on your own understanding."
Having grown up outside of the church I was taught to look at logic and reasoning to help me solve problems or understand solutions. I've always enjoyed helping people figure out a solution to their problems and making predictions about what might happen next based off of patterns that I see whether it be in a story/movie or real life. So when I came to know Jesus I took this with me. Excited to see how the Lord would work I would try to figure out what His solutions would be before they happened and want to know why God was doing things the way He was doing them. Each time I would do this I would notice that I would be filled with anxiety and emptiness. That was when I realized the second part of this verse. It's been in these moments that I go off of my own understanding because that's all I have, but I'm not supposed to be leaning on my own reasoning. I'm not saying that we follow God with totally blind faith, but we ask for His understanding and realize that we're only meant to understand so much. We're not God, we didn't create everything existence, so we're not going to get all of our questions answered. This is faith, that we say to God, "I trust You to move" instead of saying "When You move I'll trust You". Our faith shouldn't be conditional, just like our love shouldn't be conditional.
We also have to realize that when we go off of our understanding and make decisions based off of it that we're going to make a mess because we're humans, we're flawed! If we really want to follow God and see all of the incredible blessings that He has for us then we need to follow Him and discern His understanding from our own so we can best follow Him. Faith is trusting without fully understanding. Joyce Meyer actually wrote in Battlefield of the Mind about abandoning our reasoning because it can distract us from God's voice and God's work in our lives. If we're relying on our reasoning then we're not relying on God, and if we're not relying on God then we're not trusting God, and if we're not trusting God then often times we're not following Him. So ask God for His understanding, wisdom, and discernment in your life and let go of your own so that you may follow Him with a much stronger faith!
"My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts and my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9
How many times have we all read this verse? For many of us this is a favorite verse that reminds us to trust God no matter the circumstances. I know I've looked to this verse many times to help me in times of trial. However, I realized over the last few days how often we focus on the first part of this verse (Trust in the Lord with all your heart...) but forget the second part, "...and lean not on your own understanding."
Having grown up outside of the church I was taught to look at logic and reasoning to help me solve problems or understand solutions. I've always enjoyed helping people figure out a solution to their problems and making predictions about what might happen next based off of patterns that I see whether it be in a story/movie or real life. So when I came to know Jesus I took this with me. Excited to see how the Lord would work I would try to figure out what His solutions would be before they happened and want to know why God was doing things the way He was doing them. Each time I would do this I would notice that I would be filled with anxiety and emptiness. That was when I realized the second part of this verse. It's been in these moments that I go off of my own understanding because that's all I have, but I'm not supposed to be leaning on my own reasoning. I'm not saying that we follow God with totally blind faith, but we ask for His understanding and realize that we're only meant to understand so much. We're not God, we didn't create everything existence, so we're not going to get all of our questions answered. This is faith, that we say to God, "I trust You to move" instead of saying "When You move I'll trust You". Our faith shouldn't be conditional, just like our love shouldn't be conditional.
We also have to realize that when we go off of our understanding and make decisions based off of it that we're going to make a mess because we're humans, we're flawed! If we really want to follow God and see all of the incredible blessings that He has for us then we need to follow Him and discern His understanding from our own so we can best follow Him. Faith is trusting without fully understanding. Joyce Meyer actually wrote in Battlefield of the Mind about abandoning our reasoning because it can distract us from God's voice and God's work in our lives. If we're relying on our reasoning then we're not relying on God, and if we're not relying on God then we're not trusting God, and if we're not trusting God then often times we're not following Him. So ask God for His understanding, wisdom, and discernment in your life and let go of your own so that you may follow Him with a much stronger faith!
"My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts and my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." Isaiah 55:8-9
Wednesday, May 20, 2015
Drop the Expectations
This weekend I had an amazing time at SMASH, my church's all-women's retreat, up at SpringHill camp! I was able to spend time with some of my beloved sisters-in-Christ having fun, meeting new people, hearing amazing messages, and spending time with my Prince! However, before I left I was in a spiritual funk. Some things hadn't gone the way I thought it should or the way I thought God was leading and I was confused and struggling to connect with God. I was also feeling trapped, like I had to move or I couldn't grow anymore, and I thought it was because a big change was coming. What I didn't realize until the retreat was that my feeling trapped was being caused by expectations. And let me be clear, these expectations were not put on me by God, and very few were placed on me by others. The expectations trapping me were placed on me were bestowed by none other than myself.
My walk this past year has not been easy, and I've constantly had this feeling that I didn't fit in. I felt that I should be married like my friends and thinking of starting a family, I felt that I should already have a better job and be living out of my parents house, and I felt that I should know my calling for the Kingdom. Yet God doesn't feel it's best for me to have none of these yet. And it would leave me in a state of confusion or a state of obsessive hope that something, anything, would move! And when it didn't I felt like God had left me. But I realized this weekend that this was far from the truth! God was with me, but I couldn't hear His voice or feel His presence because I was too concerned with me and what I felt like God would want for me because I wanted it (I know this probably sounds confusing, but just roll with it). I couldn't hear from God because I was too busy listening to myself and the world. And sometimes it takes a change of location and scenery to truly understand that. So finally I took all these expectations, confessed my sinful selfish thoughts, and peacefully accepted God's expectations for me, which were so much lighter! He expects me to worship and glorify Him, to spend time with Him, to love others, and to share the light He gave me with others. He expects me to accept His grace because of the cross, and to put Him first before all else in my life! And you know what? It's wonderful, it's peaceful, and it's joyful! His expectations don't condemn, they love! How wonderful!
So now I'm finally back to a state of peace where I rebuke unfair expectations that distract me from God's incredible love! And now I'm free to dance with my Prince and accept whatever He brings me! I'm not worried about when I'll get married or have children because He is enough for me, and I know that the season of life that I'm in right now is being used to prepare me for the seasons that are coming! God is good all the time, and we can see it if we will get out of our own way! So I challenge you to look at the expectations that either you or the world are putting on your shoulders and give them to the One who's expectations are much better!
My walk this past year has not been easy, and I've constantly had this feeling that I didn't fit in. I felt that I should be married like my friends and thinking of starting a family, I felt that I should already have a better job and be living out of my parents house, and I felt that I should know my calling for the Kingdom. Yet God doesn't feel it's best for me to have none of these yet. And it would leave me in a state of confusion or a state of obsessive hope that something, anything, would move! And when it didn't I felt like God had left me. But I realized this weekend that this was far from the truth! God was with me, but I couldn't hear His voice or feel His presence because I was too concerned with me and what I felt like God would want for me because I wanted it (I know this probably sounds confusing, but just roll with it). I couldn't hear from God because I was too busy listening to myself and the world. And sometimes it takes a change of location and scenery to truly understand that. So finally I took all these expectations, confessed my sinful selfish thoughts, and peacefully accepted God's expectations for me, which were so much lighter! He expects me to worship and glorify Him, to spend time with Him, to love others, and to share the light He gave me with others. He expects me to accept His grace because of the cross, and to put Him first before all else in my life! And you know what? It's wonderful, it's peaceful, and it's joyful! His expectations don't condemn, they love! How wonderful!
So now I'm finally back to a state of peace where I rebuke unfair expectations that distract me from God's incredible love! And now I'm free to dance with my Prince and accept whatever He brings me! I'm not worried about when I'll get married or have children because He is enough for me, and I know that the season of life that I'm in right now is being used to prepare me for the seasons that are coming! God is good all the time, and we can see it if we will get out of our own way! So I challenge you to look at the expectations that either you or the world are putting on your shoulders and give them to the One who's expectations are much better!
Sunday, April 26, 2015
Blessings Through the Tough Stuff
Yesterday was the second group run for my church's marathon training and can I just say, OWWW!!! I have never been a runner, my furthest distance has been just over a mile. But for some crazy reason God's like "You know what, you're going to run a half marathon this year!" So now I'm learning how to run. Anyway, this group run ended the second week of training and overall I've been feeling like I've been doing alright. On my run days I'm doing intervals of 2 minutes running to 1 minute walking and repeating that over and over until I hit the time limit, which on Saturday was 35 minutes, the longest yet.
For most of my runs so far I've had no problem getting started and just doing it. But yesterday, for some reason, as soon as I started I wanted to stop. I told my running buddy and she pushed me through it, but throughout the entire run I felt like I was dying and couldn't wait for my phone to tell me it was time to walk again. I had a tough time regulating my breathing and figured I was going to land one of my slowest mile times yet (which at this time all averaged around 12 minutes 30 seconds). As my phone alerted me that I had completed the first mile I fearfully waited to hear my mile time until I heard "11 minutes and 40 seconds"! I thought my phone was broken, there was no way that I had broken the 12 minute barrier! And even if I had, I was probably going to get a slower time for the second mile. I kept going.
A painful while later my phone dinged again signaling the second mile. My time? 11 minutes and 30 seconds! I was shocked! I couldn't believe that on a run where I was feeling so bad that I was recording my best times so far. For the first time I hoped that I'd finish with an average time under 12 minutes. My friend caught up with me (after lapping me) and she went the rest of the way with me, encouraging me the whole time. I pushed myself through. Finally I finished the run with just over 3 miles and an average time of 11 minutes and 45 seconds!! Personal record! Who knew?
As I drove up to Michigan State to visit my brother I reflected on the morning's run and brought it to God. Why, when I felt like I was doing my worst running, did I ended up doing my best? And God told me, "Sometimes the biggest blessings come out of the toughest situations". A reminder of trust, a reminder not to be afraid of difficulties, a reminder to have faith that God was in control of all circumstances. That message was a blessing in and of itself.
So today I encourage you, if you're going through a really tough situation, bring it before God and trust Him with it. He will turn your difficulty into a blessing, He is in control. And because He loves you He's going to show you by coming through for you and blessing you beyond belief!
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:6
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6
For most of my runs so far I've had no problem getting started and just doing it. But yesterday, for some reason, as soon as I started I wanted to stop. I told my running buddy and she pushed me through it, but throughout the entire run I felt like I was dying and couldn't wait for my phone to tell me it was time to walk again. I had a tough time regulating my breathing and figured I was going to land one of my slowest mile times yet (which at this time all averaged around 12 minutes 30 seconds). As my phone alerted me that I had completed the first mile I fearfully waited to hear my mile time until I heard "11 minutes and 40 seconds"! I thought my phone was broken, there was no way that I had broken the 12 minute barrier! And even if I had, I was probably going to get a slower time for the second mile. I kept going.
A painful while later my phone dinged again signaling the second mile. My time? 11 minutes and 30 seconds! I was shocked! I couldn't believe that on a run where I was feeling so bad that I was recording my best times so far. For the first time I hoped that I'd finish with an average time under 12 minutes. My friend caught up with me (after lapping me) and she went the rest of the way with me, encouraging me the whole time. I pushed myself through. Finally I finished the run with just over 3 miles and an average time of 11 minutes and 45 seconds!! Personal record! Who knew?
As I drove up to Michigan State to visit my brother I reflected on the morning's run and brought it to God. Why, when I felt like I was doing my worst running, did I ended up doing my best? And God told me, "Sometimes the biggest blessings come out of the toughest situations". A reminder of trust, a reminder not to be afraid of difficulties, a reminder to have faith that God was in control of all circumstances. That message was a blessing in and of itself.
So today I encourage you, if you're going through a really tough situation, bring it before God and trust Him with it. He will turn your difficulty into a blessing, He is in control. And because He loves you He's going to show you by coming through for you and blessing you beyond belief!
"Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." Philippians 4:6
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight." Proverbs 3:5-6
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