The Run...It's Done!!!

I was emotional leading up to the event and I really thought it was going to be an emotional day for me but it really wasn’t and that was a great relief! I’m trying to stop my mind thinking that healing needs to look like this or that (that I needed to be all emotional for the healing/past of this event to take place). I feel that God had me run for a reason...I’m still trying to process what that reason is. (Maybe there’ll be a “Run for Raped & Sexually Abused Victims”) Nevertheless, I know that God had me run “For such a time as THIS”!!! Maybe you would continue to pray for me that God would reveal anything He wants to from this, that I’ll hear his voice just as clearly as I did when He told me to “Choose to Run”.

The run itself was difficult but good. I marveled at the symbolism of the run compared to my true life event – there were 13 miles to symbolize my 13 years before being raped and .10 miles to run to the police station/the end...13.1 never felt SO good!!! (Freedom!!!) Believe it or not, a week ago I hurt my ankle on the 8mile training run but my ankle stopped hurting at the start of the run and really didn’t bother me until about mile 10 when EVERYTHING in my body was wanting to quit and aching....I stuck it out and though I was a bit slower than I had hoped (finishing at 3hours & 3 min)...I didn’t have to be taken out of the race for medical reasons or have to be picked up by the wagon because I was too slow so those are both good things. It was great to spend time with the Lord just knowing I was doing what He asked/called me to do and knowing the completion of it all was behind me. And kind of comical for me to pass a penny on my run facing heads up right smack dab in the middle of the two yellow lines I was running down around mile 9...those that have read my blog will understand the symbolism of that.

I’m not sure what my future holds as far as running goes but I know my healing is complete and God has a plan and a purpose for all of this. I do know I’ll need some new running shoes cause mine are officially “retired” after their 135 miles these last 2 months.

Choosing to Run...

When I was 13 years old, I was held down and forcibly raped by a guy that I babysat for and kept there to endure more at a later time in the night. During the in-between time of events, I had an opportunity to “RUN”. There was a police station a block away and I was one of the FASTEST cross country runners at school...if I had only gotten up off that couch and “RUN”.

Why didn’t I run? I was afraid...FEAR kept me from running. Thankfully God was with me then and God is with me now!!!

In April of this year, (after 27 years) God told me it was time to forgive the guy who raped me. I walked through that process and I forgave him and it was one of the most freeing things for me!

And now...it’s time to RUN!

Over the last few months, I have been training to run the St. Louis 1/2 marathon (13.1 miles)...not because it’s anything that “I’ve” ever wanted to do but it’s more of a command from the Lord for me. I’m suppose to “Choose...to RUN”! I’ve tried to quit a couple of times but God has awaken me in the night telling me “Choose to Run”. Therefore, that’s what I’m choosing to do...that 13 year old girl can get off that couch and run...fear will NOT keep her there any longer!

I’m not the FASTEST runner anymore but I don’t care about times...I just want to FINISH the race! Jesus is who He says He is and I can testify by what He’s done in me...I’m an Overcomer!!!