"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perserverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." Hebrews 12.1-3

in the fall, we were two miserable students sitting in anthropology class attempting to occupy the lecture time with anything but what the professor wanted to say so, we began reading a blog. it's the story of libby ryder and her battle against cancer. since september, God has used libby's story to awaken in us a realization of the story he has written for our own lives. libby has shown us what it means to set our eyes on Jesus and run, with reckless abandonment, into the arms of the Father. libby's friend angie has decided to run a half marathon in celebration of the end of libby's chemo and, lord willing, her cancer. following libby's example, we are joining in the celebration. we. are. not. runners. we are scared. we are full of doubts. but, we are inspired. the past year has been full of triumphs and tribulations for us, too. this is a physical representation of us throwing off everything that has hindered and entangled- pain, heartache, doubt, shame- and running to Jesus and basking in his grace. this run is for libby. this run if for freedom. our only hope is that He will be glorified.

"Let us hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have broken rejoice!" Psalm 51.8

Thursday, May 26, 2011

the 13.1 in nashvegas.

well friends, it's been 4 days short of a month since we ran 13.1 through the streets of downtown nashville. i'd like to have a good excuse for why it's taken me this long to post but i can't think of one. however, i have thought about how inconsistent i feel that i am.

in the beginning, han and i talked about how we both had never finished something huge. how we had never reached a huge goal that entailed us leaping out of our comfort zone and sacrificing ourselves. i feel like my lack of consistency plays into this. well, at least for blogging. but, i don't want to focus on that as much as reflect on how our consistency in running and training for the marathon led us to the finish line. how we made it. we ran 13.1. we met libby and became real friends with her. we did it. but the story is just beginning...

for about 3 months, we ran. we ran up and down hills through raleigh, NC and prayed for our legs to continue to move. fast forward to april 30th in nashville. we had done the work. our bodies were prepared. but woah, how my heart was anywhere but ready.

when we got started late, i think it threw me off a little. but honestly, that 13.1 was my hardest run. ever. i could say that it was the hardest because it was the longest distance but then i would be lying. it was the hardest because on that morning i was the least focused i had ever been. i hate that. i hate that when we got to the race i wasn't focused. i wasn't focused on Jesus. i was focused on the site seeing, and the people, and the pain. everytime i prayed during the race it was for Jesus to take the pain away and make it easy. he didn't. ha, and i'm actually glad he didn't. i'm glad that i got to feel the weight of my own helplessness. the weight of the pain, this time physical, of what it's like to try and do it on my own. i am so helpless and lost without a savior. father, thank you for your grace. i got caught up in myself. but after almost a month of reflection i have come to this conclusion: we had already run the race. for those 3 months of training, everytime han and i would fall at the feet of the Jesus and pray for endurance and focus and strength and libby and open up our hearts to be healed before we ran, we were racing. running to the finish line that is described in Hebrews 12.

it's summer now. school is out and i'm home in wilmington. han, laney, libby, and i are all scattered but i'm thankful that this experience has brought us together. (and we will see each other when we vacay to chesapeake...)

"for the joy set before us", we continue to run. together, in freedom.
Julia
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