Running Free

Check me out! I’ve got the new Nike® running shoes that hook to my new hot pink I-pod®. The sensor in my shoe will wirelessly connect to my I-pod to tell me how far, how fast, and how many calories. I’ve downloaded my choir CD, and I’m ready to run!

Okay, I must admit that all sounds cool, but I’m really not much of a runner. I’m 33 (ouch!) this year, and I’ve decided that it is time I met some of my life goals.

One of those goals is to run the Annual 4th of July Peachtree Road Race in Atlanta. I decided that if I gave myself a little over a year to train for it, that this bikini-challenged girl could do it—with God’s help.

When I first started running, I could run past three houses, and then it was time to walk for about 10 houses. Slowly, I worked my way up to running a mile (my I-pod told me so!). The key to doing this was good music. As I said before, I put in my choir CD, called God Is Here. The songs are all incredible and lifted my heart as well as my feet.

As I ran through my neighborhood, God started speaking to me. He told me to pray for my neighbors as I ran (walked) past their houses. Then he asked me to step outside my comfort zone – he asked me to stop and speak to the neighbors who were out in their yards. Exodus 34:11 says, “Obey what I command you today.” I was thinking about how things turned out for Jonah when he didn’t obey God.

Jonah 1:17 (NIV) But the LORD provided a great fish to swallow Jonah, and Jonah was inside the fish three days and three nights.

So, I decided that before a giant street sweeper swept me off the street to the trash dump, talking to my neighbors was a good idea.

I spoke to lots of people I had never met.

Sometimes, I just said things like, “God gave us a beautiful day.” One time there was a double rainbow after a shower, and I told everyone I saw that God always keeps His promises.

Then there were the neighbors that God really laid on my heart to invite to church with me. Some of them actually came! One day, I saw one of my neighbors just sitting on her front steps with her head down. God told me to ask her what she needed prayer over. So, I did. You would be surprised how people open up when they see you truly care.

An amazing thing happened…I began to find running easier. In my heart, I could hear the Lord repeating the verse, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33 (KJV) I was concentrating on pleasing the Lord and obeying Him. Meanwhile, he was working on the “all these things” that Matthew spoke of in that verse. My “all these things” were being able to run. God provided me the strength.

Now, I am up to running two miles without stopping. That is a big accomplishment for me. The Peachtree is six miles, so I’ve still got a ways to go. But I know Who will take me there.

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19 (NIV)

Watch out world, I am running free.