If you read my last post, you know that I was waiting to see if I'd be able to run the marathon this coming Sunday. Due to an injury completely out of my control, my doctor finally has given me a pretty absolute "no." So as I come to grips with what this all means... I look back at all my hours of training and wonder if it was all for nothing. As disappointed as I am in how this turned out... I can honestly say that "No, it was not for nothing."
If you read my last post, you know that I was waiting to see if I'd be able to run the marathon this coming Sunday. Due to an injury completely out of my control, my doctor finally has given me a pretty absolute "no." So as I come to grips with what this all means... I look back at all my hours of training and wonder if it was all for nothing. As disappointed as I am in how this turned out... I can honestly say that "No, it was not for nothing."
Here are the reasons why I can look out through my disappointment, brush the tears away, and keep my head up.
1. Over $700 will be going to Compassion International to help children in need all around the world. Due to my injury and crazy schedule with school, I didn't reach my fundraising goal, but $700 dollars is still a lot! I figure that if you don't set huge goals, how will you ever do crazy things? To break down that $700 into the practical sense, $700 is enough for 20 kids to be given support for one month. For some children, that support could mean the difference between life or death. It also might mean the chance for these children to hear the good news and hope of Jesus for the first time! I don't know exactly where exactly in the world this money will go, but I do know that it will change lives.
2. I pushed myself to the limit and grew in perseverance and mental toughness. Sure, I never had the opportunity to run the 26.2 miles in front of screaming crowds with 12,000 other runners. But you know what I did do? I went out for 15, 18, and 19 mile runs without anyone to cheer me on or anyone to even see it happen. In some ways, maybe that's more of a personal victory than the actual marathon... Either way, I know now that I can push past my own limits and achieve more than I once thought possible. That lesson will always stick with me.
3. I have seen God work a miracle in my life. 6 months ago I was so sick I could barely function. Less than 6 months ago I was told that I'd have a permanent IV line for probably a year if not longer. I felt like I was no longer among the land of the living after several years of illness and no foreseeable end in sight. It's hard to believe that in the last 6 months I have ran three 5ks, one 10k, and one half marathon along with hours and hours of training runs along with all the normal tasks of living and working. I don't list those off as a way to toot my own personal horn. I can take NO credit. It's all God. He has worked a miracle in my life, and I'm so incredibly thankful that He has given me these days to live. I pray that I won't let even one day go to waste.
Life is all about the journey. My path has changed significantly this week, but God is still in control. I'm still on the journey. I can't begin to understand all of God's plans, but I know without a doubt that they are for my good. Each day I'm going to live with purpose on the path that He has placed me, because each day is a gift.