Jamaican Bobsledding

     So, who else was really hoping the Jamaican Bobsled team would be more of a force in Sochi.  A little disappointing, but it brings me back to the days of watching Cool Runnings with my brother and idolizing the quirky Olympians.  I am now fully convinced that if I almost make the Olympics as a track runner, but tragically fall short of my dreams: I will go for the bobsled.
     How about you?  What Olympic sport would you try?!  Comment below!

A-Z of Me: Letter "E"

What are my three essential items?




1. My Bible
Yes, I am aware that people go without their Bible in extreme situations (ex. captured martyrs, ect.)  But if it's all the same to you, I'd like to keep mine please.  Not only is it vital to my well-being in so many ways, but if I were to live with only three possessions: You'd better believe I would need this one.  Besides being the guidebook for my life, my Bible has so many notes written in it about where I've been and how far I've come.  The highlighted spots and scribbled messages are markers of different periods in my walk of faith.

2. A pen and (giant) notebook
If pens and notebooks can be bought in a bundle, I think it qualifies as one item.  I'm doing the list so I figure I can stretch the rules a bit.  Anyway.... I love to write.  Love it.  It is one of the chief ways I express myself, and I would go crazy if I could not write down how I feel, my experiences, what God is showing me, stories and anything else that flies through my head.  I've come to find that writing is cathartic for me, and while I may not always produce "worthy" pieces, my writing serves to remind me of my past, much like my Bible.  I can look and see what was important in my life, how I was growing or struggling and the extent to which I've grown.

3. Indestructible running shoes
To preface this point, I have to remind you that running shoes become worn out after only a few months of use.  For that reason, these "magical" shoes would have to have indestructible soles that didn't wear down-- causing injury.  In the same way that writing is cathartic, running has a way of clearing my brain and bringing me back to the simple joy of letting go.  I know I could very well survive-- and thrive-- without running in my life.  But I also know that I feel God's joy when I run and I have a sense of freedom that can elude me in other areas of life.  I think running shoes are a must, if I wanted to be able to continue running without some terrible injury.

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     There you have it.  If I were trapped on some island, with only three things: I think these would be my essential items.  Perhaps I'm missing some glaringly obvious item, but these three things jumped out at me.  Aside from the practical things like water filtration or a working GPS, I'd say my three essential items would very much aid in my survival-- but probably in the emotional and spiritual sense more than the physical.

     Want to read more in my "A-Z of Me" series?  Read last week's entry HERE.  Don't forget to check out the first few entries as well:

What is my favorite animal?

What books am I reading?

What chores do I love and which do I hate?

ENJOY!

Speeding Up: What I've Been Up to Lately

     With school and life being so busy lately, I have all but neglected to post normal updates and be a "good blogger."  I just published a post on how God has been working in my life this past week, so check out A Presence Filled 2014: February 8.  But here's the thing:  That is only the tip of the iceberg.  As life has sped up, the amount of blessings has only magnified!  Finally, I'm taking the time to sit down and share them with you (and myself!):



1. So....Am I running?!
     Yes, I've failed at giving the scoop on where I'm at with running, but I'm happy to report: God has healed and is restoring.  Interested?!  Please read about what God's been doing in my running HERE.

Here's a super-blurry picture of me wearing
my flats for 1st time since the second day of xc practice!

2. My Birthday!
     In all honesty, I was kind of dreading my birthday a few weeks ago (Jan. 29).  I had never had that sensation before, but I was worried that it would be extremely hard and lonely since it was my first birthday away from home.  These worries were only compounded when my older brother's birthday (five days before mine) came and I found myself crying because I couldn't be there like I have always been.
     I secretly prayed to God that He would cause someone at school to remember, but also that I would rest my value and my joy in Him.  After all, I always say that birthdays are a time to celebrate all God has done in someone's life.  I didn't need people celebrating me to do that.
     Yet, I was amazed at God's grace.  Not only did a lot of my friends remember, but my family lavished me with love.  Each and every one of the many packages I received over the course of three days was so perfect for me.  My grandma bought me a devotional of Hebrews that I told her I wanted....last summer! (I didn't even remember voicing how much I wanted it!!!)  Each gift was truly from the heart and that was what made it so special.  I knew that my family had not just gone out and grabbed something typical that I would enjoy.  There was so much love in it that I was overwhelmed.  For the first time in my life, I didn't know how to respond.

{I couldn't repay my family for the gifts they had given, 

and yet: I still had those gifts.  In the same way, I can 

never ever pay for God's grace and forgiveness.  

And yet: He still freely gives.}

What girl doesn't love birthday flowers :)

   
     I am so used to spilling over with "Thank You's" and lots of excited emotion, but I knew: it wasn't enough.  It served as a glaring example of God's love.  In a tangible way, I could see there was no way I could ever say thank you enough.  I couldn't repay my family for the gifts they had given, and yet: I still had those gifts.  In the same way, I can never ever pay for God's grace and forgiveness.  And yet: He still freely gives.  He even knows that there is nothing He will get in return!  That, friends, just BLEW MY MIND.
     In the end, I did miss giving my mom a hug and seeing the joy in my daddy's eyes when I received the gifts, but I am amazed at God's goodness.  This was one of the most special and unique birthdays I have ever had.  And I have never, ever felt so incredibly loved!


3. Volunteering
     In the midst of all this craziness, I also felt God tugging on my heart to reach out more.  Since serving Thanksgiving dinner at a homeless shelter in November, I have been desiring to be more of a blessing to others and give back more.  I began to practice an "outward focus--" let me tell you: It will be a lifetime of practice-- and simply help my friends and those I didn't know.
     This was when God showed me the reality of His agape love.  See, I wasn't too happy when people didn't say thank you after I went out of my way for them.  I was downright upset when they ignored my kind gestures or cards.  God set me straight though.  He reminded me that there are hundreds of times every single day that I choose to ignore His gift of being nailed-- bloody and naked-- onto a cross for me.  I quickly realized that true love doesn't require a response.  It isn't given in order to receive a specific reaction.  That isn't the love He has for me, and that's not the love I wanted to have for others.  FYI-- it's still a work in progress!
     After this was in my brain, I miraculously received an email about a group on campus looking for members to volunteer at a school for the blind and visually impaired once a week.  "Yes!  God, this is what I've been praying for," I whispered as I clicked "REPLY."  I'm sure He was chuckling: "Uh...ya.  I know, I kind of did it this way on purpose!"
     Anyway, I started that this past week and cannot wait to go back!  It blessed me so much to see the simple joy on these kids faces.  They have been through a lot-- many even live at the school-- and yet, they were so full of hope.  I absolutely adored getting to know them and looking for ways to assist them, rather than focusing on myself.  God is so good!

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     I think that is about it for now, but now that I've dug through the "archives" of the past month, I will make sure to do more regular updates.  I pray that this blesses you.  I love keeping friends and family updated, and it is a great tool for me to go back and see how God has worked in my life and what I've been up to.  If you want to read more, click over to my main page HERE or check out my "A-Z About Me" blog series by clicking HERE!

Back from Injury and Ready to Go!

     Yes, I've failed at giving the scoop on where I'm at with running, but I'm happy to report: God has healed and is restoring.  Interested in what else God has been doing in my life lately?  Click HERE            Basically, my stress fracture has been healed up for a while, but I couldn't start doing hard, speed workouts until my ferritin went up.  It was at 12, which is super low for a runner-- coach wants me up in the 60s.  For a  month or so, I prayed and took iron supplements and ate lots of iron rich foods.  Although I was doing all that, it was still a little nerve-wracking to go and test my blood during the first week of the semester.  My running for indoor and outdoor basically depended on that level going up to at least 30.  I had been feeling MUCH better though, so I was very hopeful it had gone up.  It was just a question of how much, and would it be high enough?  My head was flooded with worries: Would I get to race indoor at all?  What if my iron actually went down?  What if this period of waiting never ends like I believed?  What if God isn't for me?  

Here's a super-blurry picture of me wearing
my flats to do strides.  Haven't worn them since
the second day of xc practice!  It felt so good
to slip them on! 

     I've never been depressed but I've heard depression described as a slow slide into deep sadness.  I would compare that to having low iron.  My iron had been low for so long, that I didn't remember what it felt like to have energy.  All I knew was running was no fun and I was constantly worried during runs that I would just konk out.  Sometimes, in the fall, I would just be running and suddenly stop because my body had absolutely nothing left.
     So I was already praising God that I felt like a completely different person.  And then: He surprised me even more.  My ferretin level went up to 36.8!  Praise the Lord!
     So where does that leave me now?  I am enjoying running-- thrilled with it-- for the first time in a year.  I am running better than I have and feeling better than I have in almost two years.  I was able to start doing moderately-hard workouts two weeks ago and have felt great and confident.  It is so fun to get some speed-work under my belt and let my legs fly again.  Granted, I've lost a the quick turnover that comes from doing hard workouts, but God has granted me so much grace in that I have not only maintained, but improved my aerobic fitness.  I am doing recovery runs faster than ever and with less effort.  In the words of Grant Taylor from Facing the Giants: "Tell me: What is impossible with God?"
     To that, I would tell you: Nothing.  Nothing is impossible with God.  Perhaps you think that is a bit presumptuous because I'm not racing yet and my iron still needs to go up and I still have a lot of work to do.  But I would say it is not presumptuous in the least.  When I look at all God has done in my life and all He has brought me from, that answer does not even seem to suffice.
     I am excited for all His promises to come, excited to be living freely and using the talent He has given me and I'm excited to keep growing closer and closer to Him.
     What Satan intended for evil, God has used (and is using) for good.  So tell me: What is impossible with God?

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     Read more about what God has been doing in my life the past few weeks by clicking HERE!

Francis Chan PASSION 2014: Let Your Life Be Worthy

I saw this amazing video from PASSION 2014 a few days ago.  This is definitely a message worth tuning in to.  It is based on Phillipians 1:28, and really provoked me to examine how my life is falling short in representing Christ.  So how about you, are you living worthy of the calling?  To view more of what God has been doing in my life lately, check out my running update HERE and see what else has been up by clicking HERE!

A Presence Filled 2014: February 8

     Life has been flying by lately, but I have been really amazed lately by God's grace.  This past week was a blur of classes, running practices, extracurriculars and homework.  Sandwiched in there was a much appreciated snow day!  Regardless, I seem to keep messing up and falling short.  That's why God's grace has been so prevalent in my life this week.
     I am constantly in awe that the creator of the universe is so much in love with me, that He takes me back time after time when I choose something else over Him.  Because, that's what sin really is: choosing something else over God.  Whether it's worry or control or jealousy or bitterness, those things take God's primary place in life if we let them.
     I have been meditating on Hosea 10:12 lately, and this verse has been such a motivation in seeking the Lord in freedom:

{Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy; break up your fallow ground: for it is time to seek the LORD, till he come and rain righteousness upon you}

     It is such a good reminder for me, and all of us, that if we seek God: we are going to get Him!  I'm reading a book right now about spiritual warfare, and one of the points that stuck out to me this week was the concept of the belt of truth, and how righteousness is the best defense against the devil's schemes.  If I choose to follow after Christ and Christ alone, I leave little for Satan to accuse.
     At first, that caused me to feel anxious.  I know I will never live free from sin in this life, and I also tend to get sucked into a perfectionist cycle that ends in condemnation and self-hatred.
     Yet, this verse doesn't condone condemnation.  In fact, it speaks to freedom.  Freely, I can seek after Christ.  I can't sow righteousness by myself; it's only possible with God right at my side.
     Today, in this moment: we are free.  All your sins are wiped clean with Christ's blood and you stand in righteousness in this very moment.  Doesn't that lift such a weight off your shoulders?  I know it does for me.
     I often see myself as a timeline of sin that extends far back and far ahead of current time.  But according to scripture, I am free and righteous.  In this very moment, I am free and blameless in Christ.  I can use this moment of freedom to sow righteousness and seek God or I can fall into sin and seek something other than God.
     I challenge you the same way I challenge myself: Take this liberty Christ offers.  Accept the freedom that has been given right now and leave the sin and condemnation in the past.  Let us reach forward toward Christ, because once He comes and rains righteousness upon us, we are going to love and desire more and more of Him.  It's part of the continuous separation from our fleshly selves and the continuous journey to being filled with more joy in the Lord.
     Woohoo!  Get excited: it only gets better from here!

The A-Z of Me: Letter "D"

All about my dog

     Although I am very biased, I am certain that I have the best dog in the world.  After years of dragging around a stuffed bear to show my responsibility, we finally adopted two year-old Lily when I was in middle school.  It was around the same time my parents split up, and I gratefully clung to Lily as my confident and playmate when everything else was out of control.  

     Lily, a chocolate lab, is a petite 50 lbs.  But don't let that fool you.  She never fails to find a Clif Bar that is left out or-- in one instance-- an entire 6-pack of blueberry bagels.  

Mom dressed her up for my birthday this past week :)

     I take Lily walking, running and swimming-- as she enjoys all three.  She is also the object of affection for the two children I nanny during the summer.  They constantly ask when they can see Lily again and how Lily is doing.

     Although she is a bundle of energy and great with kids, Lily has also been known to comfort elderly residents at senior living centers, where she somehow calms down and takes on the role of "therapy dog extraordinaire."

     She hates vacuums (and the deceptively similar Swiffer), lettuce, spinach, dog clothing and loud beeping (reminiscent of her collar).

      Lily loves sprinting up and down the hill at the dam near our house, making friends, eating Clif Bars and greek yogurt and bananas, snuggling, watching Animal Planet and chasing snowballs.   

     She is special to me in so many ways and I'm missing my little girl like crazy while at college!

She is alert, looking for her toy

And then...she found the toy

Look at that cute smile!!!

Check out my previous posts in my "A-Z of Me" series by reading about letters C, B and A!  There's plenty of wacky and interesting stuff about your favorite Christian-collegiate runner-blogger :)