This whole last week was such a roller-coaster across almost every aspect of my life and God was so unrelenting in his presence in it all. The energy that filled me last weekend from meeting you all and catching the vision for this summer didn't waver at anytime and served as such a strong undertone throughout the week. Thank you all so much for that!!! I don't want to take any credit for what happened last week. Last week, as I expect this week to be, was a gift that only God could give! As my family, and I believe that's who you all are, I want to share this gift with you.. as briefly as I can, of course!
One of the first challenges presented last week was a challenge to step out in faith and to be bold in telling others about what God has done/is doing in my life. This conviction came from Tuesday's Selection for Meditation and was later echoed while reading through Acts when the Lord speaks to Paul in a vision and says, "Don't be afraid! Speak out! Don't be silent! For I am with you". The two scriptures were such complements of each other that I knew God had a purpose for giving them to me in the same day. I was going to have a long shift at work that day and I prayed about how I could use this opportunity at work to glorify God in the way he convicted me. He clearly put "asking for sponsorships" in mind which scared me because I hate asking people for money in any way! But GUYS!!! He was so faithful to show up in that shift. While I was on my lunch break, I came up to a regular customer and started telling him about Sonshine, about last weekend and about how I'm collecting sponsorships for the LA Marathon to fund camper scholarships. HE DONATED ON THE SPOT! Gave me cash straight from his wallet. But that's not all! When I went to shake his hand and thank him, he took me by that hand and started praying over me in the lobby of my Starbucks without any warning!!! How crazy is that! :D God is so faithful! He is so good. That whole day was full of blessings and grace. What a gift. "Christ breaks down self-doubt, timidity, and fear" but only if we are faithful to act upon his convictions!
THEN THERE WAS YESTERDAY!
OOOH MY! OH MY! 26.2 miles is crazy... 26.2 miles in the rain with lows of 43 and highs of 56 is insane! But although my knees started going at mile 3, he got me to mile 20. And although my entire body seemed to fail and say "NO MORE!" at that point, HE WALKED ME ACROSS THAT FINISH LINE at 7 hours and 16 minutes! God was in the pain, God was in every runner, God was in the cramps! He made himself known!!!
Yesterday I ran with a friend and I remember somewhere around mile 15, the cold and the rain were really getting to me and it was then that my friend started singing out loud! He sang "How He Loves" and I joined in and forgot the pain. God is HEALER! Looking back, I'm reminded of how Paul and Silas start praying and singing while they were in prison together after they had been stripped and beaten with wooden rods! I love that story and I once wondered "how can I ever have the chance to praise God like that"? Yesterday, God gave us songs and we sang!
Although today I'm sore like I've never been in my life, praise God for being so faithfully present! I'm confined to my house today and I've eaten so much already! The only "walking" I've done is more of a waddle but even in that PRAISE GOD! For He has finally helped me realize a life long dream...
I AM A PENGUIN!!! yus!
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