It's almost race time!

One week from today is the Cooper River Bridge Run!! For those of you who do not know, I have piriformis syndrome, and about this time last year, I realized I had it.  To put it in a nutshell, piriformis syndrome, for me, feels as if I have broken my butt and makes it quite painful to move around.  But, the main issue with this is that it keeps me from one of my absolute favorite things--running!  It just so happens that this obstacle reappears in my life before the Bridge Run.  This time last year, I was extremely bitter because this specific 10k race was my New Years Resolution, and I wanted to prove to myself that I could do it.  So you see, the big problem was that I was focusing ONLY on "I", and not the One who gave me the wonderful gift and desire to run in the first place.

Luckily, I was directed to a chiropractor who helped realign my hips so that my gluteus maximus no longer felt broken.  With no practice for the run a month before the big day, I had to learn a hard lesson that should have been easy.  Every time I run, each step is a gift from God.  I cannot rely on myself and my own strength to carry me, but know that I NEED God by my side the whole time and know that His strength is more powerful than any injury or race that I could ever encounter.  This year, it seems as if the same lesson is here for me to learn from again.  The joy that fills my heart every time I am allowed to run is because my heart is full of "THANK YOU" to God!

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 perseverance the race marked out for us. -Hebrews 12:1

Throughout my journey of injuries over the past year, I have learned the valuable lesson to rid myself of pride.  I now refuse to let anything that holds me back affect me and my relationship with the Big Guy!  I have done nothing great in this world on my own and can never take credit for it.  God deserves all the awe and thanksgiving!!  Who else could have carried my broken self across that finish line last year in under an hour? Certainly wasn't me!

My challenge to you wonderful people is to really think about all that the good Lord allows you to do.  Each and every one of us has been given special and unique gifts in order to enhance the kingdom of God here on earth.  Pretty cool, huh?  Honestly, I am still trying to figure mine out, but I can rest assure that as long as I am trying to follow His plan, that everything will work out the way that it is supposed to! 

I could not have made it through that race without Him last year, and I know He'll carry me through again this year! 
The JOY of the Lord is my strength! -Nehemiah 8:10