Hebrews 12:1

Well, the last two days I've been confined to the treadmill... I live in a place where running alone, especially at night, is not a good option. Today I finally put in two miles... building towards my goal of three miles per day.

I'm still trying to figure out the best way to continue to provide a message to someone while only utilizing a treadmill. For now, I will just share a Bible verse with you on here and discuss it:

"...And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." -Hebrews 12:1

The last few weeks, building up to the new year, there has been much talk about resolutions and goals. As I shared my idea for this blog and my 1,000 miles, I have had many people tell me that they also have running goals for this year. Our good friend Robyn decided to join Jacob and me and will also be running 1,000 miles. Additionally, she is attempting to run one race per month... go Robyn!  A friend from work told me his goal is to simply "start running"... fair enough. Another longtime friend told me he hopes to partake in a few half marathons.

I'm  truly optimistic that we all persevere and accomplish the goals we have set for ourselves. I'm optimistic that we will all find health, stress relief, and time to reflect as we run. Additionally, I hope that we all realize that running and breaking through our barriers can be a wonderful metaphor for our lives and our faith.

There is no doubt that we will all come across hard times during our running: injuries, illness, the chaos of life, but we will also come across this in our faith. In both cases, I hope that we will all continue to run the race marked out for us.




Keep running!

Exodus 14:14

I forgot to make my post yesterday!

I woke up not feeling well again, but again needed to make a step towards my goal so I ran one mile. I ran through the park that I played in growing up, past the playground, fields and lake. It brought back a lot of memories. And, while I did not feel well through the run it was somehow refreshing.

My Bible verse was Exodus 14:14: "The LORD will fight for you; you only need to be still." This was the perfect verse for me as I am going through something that is requiring A LOT of patience. Sometimes, I need to remind myself that the Lord has plans for me, I just need to stop and let him let those plans happen. I encourage you to do the same.

Today I will be running in the gym at my apartment complex. I need suggestions for how to continue to spread the word on days I am only able to advantage of the treadmill.

Keep running!

John 3:16

Well, I woke up this morning not feeling well at all, but I set this goal and needed to at least make a step in the right direction. I ran one mile and my pace was slow, but I was able to slide my notecard into someone's mailbox so I'll consider that a success. Jacob also ran, putting in almost four miles and leaving his notecard on a table at the country club.

My verse for today was John 3:16 and Jacob's was Isaiah 40:30-31. I chose John 3:16 because, to me, it is the most important verse in the Bible, and also, the book of John is what made me a true believer.

Happy New Year!

Welcome to 1000 Miles 1000 Messages

Earlier this month my boyfriend, Jacob, and I decided to each make a goal of running 1,000 miles in the year 2016. This may sound like a lot, but it's really only an average of 2.74 miles per day.

...

A few Sundays after setting this goal we were sitting in church when the pastor gave a sermon on New Year's Resolutions. He said, "You should always define who you want to be before ever deciding what you want to do." In other words, what is the purpose behind your goals?

He laid out two simple steps for defining who you want to be:
     1 - Write down your personal mission statement.
     2 - Write down your personal values.

I came up with this mission statement:  I exist to worship God, love my family, be an example of living a kind and healthy life, and tell everyone I can about Jesus' saving grace.

Here are a few of my personal values:
     1 - I will follow God's example and walk in the way of love.
     2 - I will be a woman of good character, doing what is right, no matter the cost.
     3 - I will have a giving heart; practicing acts of service throughout the year.
     4 - I will make my family a priority and make certain they know they are a priority.
     5 - I will do the things within my power to make certain I am living a healthy lifestyle.

 So, how do I tie my goal of running 1,000 miles to my personal mission statement? How do I make running 1,000 miles have a bigger purpose than just saying healthy?...

     "Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path." Psalm 119:105

I will use my 1,000 miles for spreading the word of God. Right now, I'm not sure what all that really means. I plan to post notecards with Bible verses around town, maybe drop a Bible off at someone's front door... I really don't know, but here goes...