On our way...

Today we are traveling to Florida! I'm so excited for several reasons. I haven't seen some of my family in over a year. It seems crazy that it has been that long but it has. Im also super excited about running in the largest 15K in the US, the Gate River Run!!! Not exactly sure how I feel about it being the biggest but super excited about being able to run 9 miles in my hometown!!! The forecast calls for rain but I'm hoping it will hold out at least until after the run. I have yet to train in any kind of rain so it should be interesting.

Last week, my running partner and I ran 10 miles on the treadmill. I added some hills in the run to hopefully prepare for the bridge ill be running over. We've been training in very hilly neighborhoods. We will have to see if they compare to the bridge experience.

I haven't decided whether or not I'll use my tunes while I run. Normally when I run with Teri, I don't use music but I won't have her to chat with while I run this time. Yet, I know the adrenaline might give me enough juice to run without my tunes...but they are my security so I just might use them. I'll also be doing a run/walk combo. I know I can run the whole time but I find it more enjoyable to run for a while then walk for about 30 to 45 secs then run again. That little break gives me the fuel I need to keep going.

9 miles !!!! Today, it seems like its really not that far. Well until I'm into about mile 2 and begin thinking I'm insane to attempt to run this far. That is where having a running partner is soooo very helpful. It just reminds me of how we need relationships in life to keep going when the journey looks too difficult to accomplish. We all need different kinds of people in our sphere of influence. We need those people who will be our cheerleaders, that tell us to keep going even though we don't think we can make it. We need people who will give us a difference perspective on things. We need people who will be real and raw with us. We need people who need us and we need people who can serve us. These are people we need in our life.

I am so blessed to have each of these kinds of friends. Sometimes I get discouraged that I can't be all things to all my friends...but is that what Christ really wants us to be? Can't we be who we need to be for a particular person in a certain time in each of their lives?

I am sooo thankful for the relationships God has given me in this season of my life. Sometimes I feel like I take too much from others or give too much of myself. But it all evens out. God is sooo good.

I look back on my life and see different place He has taken me or allowed me to go. I can see sometimes, how the failures brought me to the place I am today. I can see how his miracles in my life were just that..miracles. There was nothing I could do to deserve the blessings He has given me. There are times I haven't understood how my relationships with other people would affect my future. But everything I have gone through in this life has brought me to the place I am now.

I'm excited about how God is revealing Himself to me. He speaks so gently whispering in my ear as I run or loudly though me as I testify to His goodness to those he has entrusted to be in my sphere while I teach or just be a listening ear.
I am resting in the fact that I don't have to know what tomorrow holds...even though I want to have that control.

So I am excited about Saturday...because everything that is my past has brought me here...to this day...it hasn't been easy....I've wanted to quit...I have quit...but I'm back...I'm a fighter. I'm fighting cancer, diabetes, obesity, and the demons that want me to fail but it's going to be better than I've ever dreamed!!! Why? Because that is how outrageous God is...

So yep...I'm on my way....