Ohhhh running, how I love thee! Let me count the ways.
~I love the smell of running - the trees, people cooking food, fresh laundry, grass, fresh air...
~I feel free - from bondage, stress, laziness, every day stuff
~It works the largest muscle group in your body!
~I've become an inspiration to my kids and will continue to be!
~I feel closer to God. My quiet time to talk to Him, listen to Him.
~Nature - I love experiencing God's world. Weather, climate, seasons, seeing the beautiful world He's made.
~The challenge - new races, new distances, always conquering something new
~My health - I'm stronger, more confident and I've lost 63 pounds so far!
~It constantly reminds me me of how intricately and amazingly the Lord has made us.


So, why do I run?

Well let's start off with why I didn't run until I was 25 years old and 3 kids deep. I was unmotivated and unhealthy. I didn't see the big deal in exercising and eating right. I was thin most of my life and didn't have to work hard to keep it that way. I smoked from 12 to 21. I was one of the last kid to finish the mile test in school. I remember having problems breathing while running starting from 8 years old when I tried a season of soccer. I tried joining the track team once in high school. I was really fast, but had no stamina. I lasted a week and gave up. My experience with running was never positive and therefore my thought was "Why run at all?". As we get older, there's less need to run anyway so I never felt it hindered me. Well, boy was I wrong. Especially after having 3 kids to chase!

I desired to feel strong and accomplished. Instead I was feeling lazy and some really unhealthy habits took over my life. Looking back, I can see that I was in bondage. And now? Now I feel completely FREE! Running isn't just a sport, a hobby, or something I do to keep in shape, eventhough all those things are true! For me, running is FREEDOM!

For months I prayed to God that something would come along where I could run for His glory. A good cause, reason, or purpose that would become a way for me to give back to Him all He's given me in running. A way for me to bring joy and glory to His name through something I was only doing because of HIS love for me. There's so much love and joy bottled up inside me from how much He's changed my life through this sport that needs to be poured out! So when Alan and Jackie proposed the "i run for His glory" idea, I was ecstatic!! Thank you Lord, for answering our prayers!!