Yesterday, I ran in my first half-marathon and finished 13.1 miles in 2 hours and 27 minutes. My time isn't very impressive but hey, I finished and that was all I set out to do ha. More important than my time, however, were my other two goals...Goal #1: Get a bunch of friends to run the race with me (there were 10 of us that ran) and Goal #2: raise a lot of money for Feed My Starving Children (I raised $500!). For these reasons, and the fact that I simply finished the race, I'd say it was a total success!
The race was such a great experience and I'm so glad I did it. Today, I'm paying for all the steps I took and can literally feel every single muscle from my hips down haha but it was totally worth it. I must say though, if this is what it feels like to get old, I don't ever want to grow up ha! #ithinkillpassonthatone
I felt so loved yesterday and was amazed at the outpouring of support from my friends and family. Running the race was just about as much mental as it was physical and there's no way I could have done it without everyone's encouragement...trust me when I say, their love went a long way! Not only was their support much appreciated but so were their prayers. It was crazy the way God answered our prayers and gave me the strength and endurance to keep on running! As I ran, I couldn't help but praise Him and I loved worshiping the entire time I ran. I was continually thanking the Lord for my wonderful friends and family, for the beauty of the crisp fall morning, for the opportunity to run in this race, and simply for a healthy and able body! I just felt so blessed and so humbled.
I seriously am so in awe of our Heavenly Father as He continues to reveal Himself to me in new and exciting ways every single day. All I can do is stand and sing How great Thou art, how great Thou art!
Also, here's my latest song obsession...it's called "We Are" by Kari Jobe. Enjoy!
"In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
When all the world is blossoming And everything around is bursting into life And I don't have to strain to hear the beat of Your heart When all the world is under fire When skies are threatening to thunder and rain And I am overcome by fears that I can't see If everything is Yours Everything is Yours If everything is Yours I'm letting it go No, it was never mine to hold No, never mine Who could command the stars to sing Or hold the raging seas from breaking through the doors? And tend the fragile roses with the very same hands If everything is Yours Everything is Yours If everything is Yours I'm letting it go I am, I'm letting it go, letting go Yeah, I'm letting it go 'Cause everything is Yours Yeah, everything is Yours If everything is Yours, God And everything is Yours If everything is Yours I'm letting it go, let it go, let it go, let it go It was never mine, no, no It was never mine, never mine [Incomprehensible] no
Just today, I discovered this song called "Everything Is Yours" by Audrey Assad. I completely love it's lyrics and wanted to share them with you...for me personally, I feel like this song couldn't come at a more appropriate time! Basically, these past several days, I've been reminded that EVERYTHING is God's and nothing, absolutely nothing, is our own. Whether it be a relationship, a friendship, a career, etc., God has everything under control and His ways are perfect. I love being reminded of this and the hope we have in knowing that God holds everything in His very capable and loving hands. As we meander through this crazy thing called life, I think it's easy for us to want to take things into our own hands and try to figure things out ourselves. This idea is totally bogus...who are we to ever think we know what's best or to think anything belongs to us?! Uhh...yeah right haha! We may not understand the way God is working and things may not make sense at the time, but trust me--GOD IS AT WORK! I can fully attest that He moves in unbelievable ways and His timing is so perfect...just be patient and seek Him before anyone or anything else!!!
Additionally, I think it's so important for us to submit. Submit your desire to be in control and recognize that God is able. Recognize that every single gift is from above and that EVERYTHING is His. The God who made the Heavens and the Earth is the very same God who created you and knows you more intimately than anyone ever will. He knows the desires of your heart and He promises to work all things together for good for those who love Him. So let's let go of the control we think we have and trust in a God who is seriously amazing and just wants us to run to Him, to know Him more, and to love Him deeper every single day!
Father, may we die to ourselves daily. May we submit to your power and the work you're doing in each of our lives. Help us not to forget that everything is Yours! Lord, use us and guide us. May we go where you send us and be obedient to what you have commanded of us. Cast out fear and uncertainty and help us to trust in you. Would you remind us of your faithfulness and provision? God, you are good and all honor and glory and praise belong to you and you alone. We love you, God!
"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." -James 1:17
And, it's been a while since I've added any new pictures! So, here are just a few gifts God's been showering me with lately...
God's been revealing Himself to me in some pretty amazing ways lately. Literally, every single day for the past few weeks has been absolutely gorgeous and filled with blessing after blessing. I can't help but walk around with a giant smile on my face, singing praises to our Heavenly Father, and exclaiming "You are good. You are good." over and over and over again.
Today, my devotional spoke right to this exact feeling...I love it when everything seems to come together like that (not a coincidence). The entry reads this:
"Though I have brought many pleasures into your life, not one of them is essential. Receive my blessings with open hands. Enjoy My good gifts, but do not cling to them. Turn your attention to the Giver of all good things, and rest in the knowledge that you are complete in Me.The only thing you absolutely need is the one thing you can never lose: My Presence with you." -Jesus Calling
I just loved this and found it so encouraging to be reminded of. Right now, I honestly feel like our Heavenly Father is just looking down and smiling upon me...it's like every single day He makes another crazy awesome thing happen that I absolutely know is not of my own doing! So so cool. I'm loving the work the Lord is doing in the Woodhill Community and am so grateful for all that's happening over there...not only are doors opening up but hearts are too. It's pretty much blowing my mind, plain and simple. And, His good work isn't just stopping at Woodhill...it's happening in lots of other places too. Ahh I love it so much.
That being said, I often struggle with why God has blessed me so much. Seriously...why? Why do I have so much while others have so little? Why do I get to go to college while others don't have the opportunity to further their education? Why do I get to live in a free nation while others live in fear under a dictatorship? Why do I get to have such a wonderful family and amazing friends while others have such broken and messed up relationships? Why, why, why?
I look at countless friends and people all around me who are struggling--people who are broken, sick, mistreated, lonely, and lost. Seeing this absolutely breaks my heart and I hurt for them. Yet, our Heavenly Father has chosen to lavish me with blessing after blessing, even though I am so unworthy. I just don't really get it. But...what I'm learning is that the Lord fills people up so that they can pour into the lives of others. So, that's just what I'm trying to do. Every single day I pray that the Lord would use my life to be a blessing to others because He's given me such an unexplainable joy that I want every single person I encounter to be able to see and experience it, too. Every day, I want to lay down my life just as Jesus laid His down for us. Let's not forget...it's not about me and it's not about you. It's all about the One who saved us! May we rest in the fact that He is all we ever truly need and the promise that "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." (Hebrews 13:8)
Oh...andddd I just want to say that I'm pretty much loving the glorious fall weather and the changing of all the leaves. The red, orange, and yellow colors are just gorgeous and make everything so beautiful to look at. Plus, who doesn't love stepping on a big crunchy leaf on your way to class? #itsthelittlethingsinlife :)
God is good and I'm so thankful. All glory, honor, and power is His!!!
[[You are holy, great and mighty. The moon and the stars declare who You are. I'm so unworthy, but still You love me. Forever my heart will sing of how great You are.]]
"For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies. Be exalted, O God, above the heavens; let your glory be over all the earth." -Psalm 57:10-11
"So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand." -Isaiah 41:10
Lately, I've been thinking a lot about the power of prayer and resting comfortably in the certainty I have in knowing that God hears my prayers, He listens when I talk to Him, and He cares about the things I come to Him with. Somedays, I wake up in the morning and before my feet even hit the floor, I'm crying out to God asking Him for strength to get me through the day. Oftentimes, all I can think is "Lord, I need You" and I say this to Him over and over, proclaiming my utter dependence on Him. It's true. We all desperatelyneed Him.
I was reading "Jesus Calling" the other day and was reminded that although God is King of the universe, He is totally accessible to us and is with us wherever we go. Just think about it for a second: the God who set the world in motion, the One who created the moon and the stars and can call to each of them by name, the God who made the Earth and everything in it--that very same God is available to us all the time and wants to hear from us! I don't know about you but I think that's pretty amazing.
Right now, my future is so uncertain and there is more I don't know about what's to come than what I do know. I'm already a Junior in college and am realizing the bliss of college life is fleeting...my how time flies when you're having fun! At times, this uncertainty can feel daunting and overwhelming...so many unknowns are hard for my little Type-A self ha. This being said, however, I find such comfort in knowing that while I don't know what my future holds, I know the One who holds my future and know He works all things together for good for those who love Him. I often remind myself that there's nothing this day will hold that hasn't already passed through God's hands first and that no matter where I go, He is always with me. What comfort we have in that promise!
In my devotional the other day, I was reminded that Jesus calls us to live this very day abundantly--to see all there is to see and do all there is to do rather than be distracted by future concerns. We are called to focus on His Presence in the present and trust in Him, casting all our anxieties onto the One who cares for us (1 Peter 5:7). So...
Let's live this day in worship.
Let's live this day in prayer.
Let's live this day in service.
Let's live this day in surrender.
Let's live this day in gratitude.
Let's live this day in peace.
Let's live this day in trust.
Let's live this day in grace. Let's live this day for Him and Him alone!
And let's ask ourselves this question: What if His people prayed?
Yesterday, I ran in my first half-marathon and finished 13.1 miles in 2 hours and 27 minutes. My time isn't very impressive but hey, I finished and that was all I set out to do ha. More important than my time, however, were my other two goals...Goal #1: Get a bunch of friends to run the race with me (there were 10 of us that ran) and Goal #2: raise a lot of money for Feed My Starving Children (I raised $500!). For these reasons, and the fact that I simply finished the race, I'd say it was a total success!
