Willing . . . to Dig Deep!

Introduction

My Journey Begins with a Single Step and a Leap of Faith…

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Proverbs 3:5-6

December 21st

Gathered in our kitchen, we are enjoying each other’s company. It is an extremely blustery night. Outside the wind is howling and the snow is drifting, but we are warmed in the comfort of our own home. The candles are glowing, the fire is crackling, and children are giggling. We are all sharing in conversation and great company with the people we have come to love. Our neighborhood small group has become some of our closest friends and confidants, and is cherished much like our extended family. We meet together, serve together and worship together. We laugh together, cry together and grow together. We challenge each other to grow in God’s will as individuals and families. We are committed to leaving a legacy for all of our children. We pray for our children; that they will learn to love God with all of their heart, soul, mind and strength, and that they will be eager to show that love and serve others. We know that we cannot just pray for them or lecture to them…we have to show them through our own example.

Tonight, we are celebrating Christmas together, and have just finished attending one of our church’s Christmas Eve services. As we gather for a prayer before we eat, we collectively thank God for the birth of His son, Jesus. We thank Him for his blessings and faithfulness throughout the past year, and ask for His guidance through the new year. We enjoy dinner together around our dining room table. The conversation is rich, for a time laughter ensues….then, the conversation turns….

Amy says: “We were at church last weekend, and there was a segment on running the Chicago Marathon for World Vision to raise money for clean drinking water in Africa.” Those who were there chimed in and agreed that it was a very moving plea for others to support the cause and join Team World Vision. I’m intrigued. Amy feels prompted that this is something she is supposed to do. She has run a half-marathon before, vowing never to do it again, but God works on hearts! Her husband, Jeff, is still undecided. He has run one marathon, knows how brutal the training can be, and yet feels a tug at his heart. He’s contemplative, but not yet committed. A couple of others join around the table to hear more.

Amy knows that I’ve been running again for about a year. We adopted a Golden Retriever puppy about a year ago for our son’s 10th birthday. He’s a fantastic companion, but definitely needs a lot of exercise. Funny story, it was supposed to be one of our many routine “walks” around the lake near our home, but the dog wanted to stay near my son who was riding ahead on his bike. I was being dragged around the lake, and out of pure frustration gave into the battle. I ran about 100 yards, walked about ¼ mile and repeated. We returned home two miles later; I was completely out of breath, but that’s how the ball began rolling. Now a year later, I am running about two miles straight with the dog, three times a week. In the fall, Amy and I had also been running together as parent volunteers two times a week for our sons’ after school running club. What I’m constantly amazed at, is that I was never really supposed to run again. I had two reconstructive knee surgeries in the early 1990’s, and was strongly advised against doing any high impact sports ever again. I’ve been running for almost a year, and have had no pain.

Amy asks: “Anyone interested? Who’s in? I’m not doing this alone….”

“How far is a marathon?” one of the others asks. “26.2 miles.” Amy answers.

For a few moments, the conversation carries on without me. I am lost in my thoughts….lost in a promise I made to God over four years ago…a promise to “run straight toward the things I can’t stand” – the suffering of, and injustices to the young and old; a promise that I would do something about injustice if given a chance, that I would not turn away.

“I’m in!”

The rest of the evening the conversation ebbs and flows, always returning to the idea of running a marathon for a cause much bigger than our own. I can hardly sleep that night as my thoughts run wild. Maybe this is really the reason I began running again...