Running Up the Hill

Running Up the Hill

Turkey Trotters

So, I came to Kenya not sure how I was going to exercise and try to keep my girlish figure. At home I had my beloved treadmill that I spent quality time with every day, while my children slept.

Here, no treadmill. So I had to get creative. I started running around my apartment building 35-45 times every morning (literally). It wasn’t so, bad, I got to see the beautiful sunrise every time I came around the corner. I used this time to pray. However, there was a group of ladies who ran together a few mornings a week. They invited me to come along many times. There were two problems with this, however. #1. I don’t run with other people (mainly because I am very, very slow) #2. It is uphill the first half of the run. I declined many times. I used the excuse that I had to be back by the time Eric left at 6:50. They told me I would be. But I still declined. For those reasons I listed, but also because of fear. Fear that I would fail. That I wouldn’t be able to do it. That I would look foolish. That it would be hard. Then Thanksgiving rolled around. There was going to be a 5K Turkey Trot. 

I have done a few 5k’s so that sounded good to me. However, the run was up the hill. Hmmm. I knew I couldn’t just up and do this run the day of without having practiced the route. So I worked up my courage and joined the group a few weeks before the Turkey Trot. I was right. It was HARD. I couldn’t breathe, my legs hurt, I was SLOW. But I did it! I finished and felt good about myself. So, I did it again a few days later. It was a tad bit easier this time. (or at least I had a better idea of where the end of the hill was!) And I completed the Turkey Trot. In last place of all the runners, but I finished. (Bet most people can't say they came in LAST in a race :) 

This has become much more symbolic for me than just a literal run. As I was running today I was thinking about all the times in my life that I was afraid to do something, to take that next step. Moving to Ohio in middle school, going away to college all alone, moving to the Dominican Republic, leaving the Dominican Republic when the Lord said to go, even though I had no job, having a baby while my husband was in medical school, trying to recover from a life-threatening illness, moving to Africa, etc.

These things have not all been easy (just like running up that hill is not easy), but the Lord has been with me every step of the way. I feel like song Never Once by Matt Redman could be my theme song. I know I will encounter more trials, more challenges in my life journey. I pray that I will have the confidence to face my fears and do the hard things, because that is really living. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e02UNZRsdSQ: Never Once by Matt Redman