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I ran for the women. The women I have known for years. The women who inspire me. The women who have faith I can not hold a candle to. Women who have overcome so much just in their daily living. Women who desire change for their communities and a different future for their children.
As I ran, I prayed. I prayed for Mary and I thought about Precious who died. I prayed for our Agness and prayed for Justine. I prayed for all of the women who have come to know Christ at our women's conferences. I prayed for Ennie who walked into our women's conference off the street crying and distraught and came to know Jesus in a small room with Sandy and Joyce Sakala and I. I prayed for our partners on the ground and for Chongwe, where we are going to live. It was an honor and a privilege to run and think of them.
I knew it was going to get hard. I knew I would struggle. I knew I would have to overcome my legs and feet telling me to please stop running. I knew this was about pushing myself. About running with my running partner, Jesus. I knew He would have to help me. And I knew He would be there to do it. I had set a goal to finish under the 5 hour mark. I had my running app on but it was not matching up to the mile markers on the course, so I stopped listening to it. I was not sure really what my time was when I hit mile 13 then mile 20 and then mile 25. I just kept running. Well, after I saw the video of me running at mile 25 that my husband took, it looked more like a painful shuffle but I told myself, I was not going to quit. If the women in Zambia do not quit, neither do I! I wanted so badly to hit my goal, though. I knew it was going to be close. I got to mile 26 and on my playlist, my favorite song came on, Fill Me Up, by Jesus Culture. I could not believe it. I went up that stupid hill over the bridge to attack the last .2 miles. It gave me that extra energy to finish strong as I lifted my hands up to Heaven and praised God as I crossed that world famous finish line. I did not know what my official time was at this point but I was thanking God for all He had done.
I thought about that today as I was praying this morning. He reminded me that when we praise Him and trust Him, He will take care of the rest. That when our goals line up with His will, He will come through. He reminded me that our goal to leave next Spring and move to Zambia is also His goal. He will come through. For this is His plan and He can make it happen. What an awesome God we serve.
Oh, and my official time.....4:59:26.
