Anatomy for Runners

I've been reading Anatomy for Runners by Jay Dicharry, MPT, SPS.  The book gives some great details about why we continue to reinjury ourselves during training.  First of all, it is important to understand the right amount of rest is necessary for the healing process, but too much can allow for our muscle fibers to become weakened.  Over training results in injury because we don't allow the body mechanics to allow for healing for the strengthening to occur.  

I hope to share some key points I learn as I read this book and also get trained to become a fitness instructor for Mercy's Health for Life in Ft. Scott.  

Overcome Evil with Good

Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else. (1 Thessalonians 5:15 NIV)

It is so easy to get angry and want to "get even."  However, God wants us to "overcome evil with good" as it says in Romans 12:21.  I've wondered why it is so easy to want to strike back at someone who has wronged me in some way.  Why is it human nature to feel this way?  

The true blessings come from when you have decided to serve the "hater" in your life.  It is easy to be loving or giving to someone who treats us with respect.  However, it is difficult to repay evil with good.  I believe we build our treasures in heaven through these actions when we find the strength to overcome the revenge spirit in all of us.  

I thought about this today during my run.  I think God makes us work for our treasures in heaven, but we just don't realize how he is molding us to be like Christ through these actions.  

Week 6 of Marathon Training

Monday - Rest (zumba / weights)

Tuesday - 4 miles

Wednesday - 2 miles

Thursday - 5 miles

Friday -Cross-train

Saturday - LONG RUN 10 miles

Sunday - 3  miles

 

Naaman and the leprosy

In 2 Kings 5: 1-27, Naaman, a great army commander who suffers from leprosy, goes to the prophet Elisha for healing.  Elisha tells him to go to the Jordan River and dunk himself seven times.  It sounds ridiculous, and maybe that was the point, but Naaman went away mad.  At first, he didn't do as Elisha told him, but once he did he was healed.  

How many times has God asked us to do something that seems strange and we ignore the request? How many times do we miss out on the healing or the blessing because of our decision to ignore God's request? 

 The Bible says,  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. (Isaiah 55:8 NIV)

I never thought I could run a marathon a few years ago.  However, God sent an encourager into my life, (my husband, Jeff) that told me while training for 5K's that I would be running a marathon within a year.  I thought he was crazy.  However, my heart was created by God to serve the weary and broken spirits on this Earth.  St. Jude Children's Research Hospital became one of those service projects and through the help of many Phi Theta Kappa friends and resources, Jeff and I made this an annual service project.  My desire to run longer miles in honor of those children being treated at St. Jude became more prevalent in my life.  

By May of 2012, I ran my first half-marathon for the tornado victims in Joplin.  In June of 2012, I hit a personal record at the Hospital Hill Half-Marathon.  Then, in Sept. of 2012, I completed my first triathlon at the Olathe Medical Center Women's Triathlon. I ended the 2012 year by running the St. Jude Memphis Marathon my husband told me I could run, with him by my side.  I never felt so emotional like I did during that race.  The inspiration you feel from all the patients and their families are tremendous.  

This year, we won't be able to make the race date, but still running our marathon in honor of St. Jude. We are both committed to raising $500 a piece for the hospital and hoping when we run in Ft. Scott on Nov. 23rd, we have groups who will come out in honor of St. Jude and their life saving mission to cure pediatric terminal diseases.  

If you feel lead to donate, go to our fundraising links and the donation will go directly to St. Jude!  

http://heroes.stjude.org/julianahughes

http://fundraising.stjude.org/site/TR/Heroes/Heroes?px=2229061&pg=personal&fr_id=4820

Digging Ditches

I've been reading in 2 Kings about the prophet Elisha and his great faith he had to serve God.  In chapter 3, it is interesting that the kings of Edom, Israel, and Judah come to Elisha as they go to fight against Moab.  Their war strategies apparently didn't go as planned and their men and animals became dehydrated before they finished their journey to fight.  

Elisha tells them to go dig ditches (in King James Version).  God is able to provide water and rain for these men. However, many times it is our duty to learn from our faith and hard work before the miracle arrives. After they dug the ditches, God filled the ditches with over flowing water to nourish the troops and their animals.  Then, they were able to defeat Moab successfully.  

Can you imagine what those kings thought of Elisha when they asked for water, and he told them to go dig ditches?  However, they did obey and through faith God provided.  What ditch are we supposed to be digging right at this moment so we too can get the nourishment we need to conquer our goal?  

2 Kings 3: 1-27

 

ENCOURAGEMENT

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24, 25 NIV)

Jeff shared this passage with me today.  Yesterday in church part of this passage was used and I came upon this verse one other time this past week.  Therefore, it has to be God telling me to continue to encourage my brothers and sisters in Christ in their walk with Him, the message we give to others about God and the faithfulness many of us are trying to grasp through our times of trials.  

My husband has been a blessing from God in all he has encouraged me to do and live.  I never thought I could have ran solid for more than 3 miles back in 2011, but by 2012 he trained me and encouraged me to run the Joplin Half-Marathon, Hospital Hill Half-Marathon, the Olathe Women's triathlon and the St. Jude Memphis Marathon where he ran side by side the whole 26.2 miles.  

We all should encourage each other in our faith and gifts God has given us to glorify Him.  Too many times, I get caught up in the daily tasks, I wonder, "have I encouraged anyone today?"  

I pray God will strengthen me to be an encourager, not only to Jeff but others.  This week we are on WEEK 5 of the marathon training but our fellow Team TENN-KAN runners are on WEEK 3.  I posted last night on our Facebook group to encourage them in their training and reminded them a small fact about St. Jude Children's Research Hospital so they would remember why they are running and raising funds.  It is quite an encouragement message to me to know I can run for such a worthy cause.  

This is from the TN Region's Honor in Action Academy back in the summer of 2011.  Jeff and I went to encourage the TN members of Phi Theta Kappa to join our fundraising,  volunteering and running efforts in Memphis for the St. Jude's Memphis Marathon.  

Arma Homecoming 5k

Jeff won first in his age group and I won second in mine. 

The Race to Give the Message

While in the Dominican Republic, we were blessed to attend a church service where the message was about our duties and responsibilities to share God's message.  

During the sermon: The paster gave these verses -

I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the foolish. That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. (Romans 1:14-16 NIV)

The pastor talked about how messengers in history would carry important messages by running with the  message rolled up like a baton (scroll) and would run a marathon of miles to spread the message to the next destination.  Jesus as he died past the baton to Peter, Peter past the baton to Paul, Paul past the baton and so on.  We now have the obligation to grab the baton and take the message to as many people as we can who need to hear the message until it is time for us to pass the baton to someone else.  

In this DR photo, it is the Sunday School teacher giving a lesson before the service started:

Now I rejoice in what I am suffering for you, and I fill up in my flesh what is still lacking in regard to Christ’s afflictions, for the sake of his body, which is the church. I have become its servant by the commission God gave me to present to you the word of God in its fullness— the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people. To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. He is the one we proclaim, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone fully mature in Christ. To this end I strenuously contend with all the energy Christ so powerfully works in me.

(Colossians 1:24-29 NIV)

Paul is speaking to the church about not only their sufferings but his own and all Christians.  

Faith like Elisha

In Kings 19:14-21, Elijah goes to appoint Elisha as his predecessor.  Elisha shows amazing faith by dropping his farm work immediately, burning his plow and slaughtering his ox to give to his neighbors to eat.  He immediate leaves all he knows, all he has and all his inheritance to serve God's purpose in his life.  

Faith is so important, but how many times are we as obedient as Elisha?  We ponder our decisions.  Sometimes, we wait because we want to make sure it was God's plan.  Sometimes having faith isn't the popular among your culture or society in general. I've personally struggled with that in the past, but I don't want to now.  I want to become more faithful and open to God's plan.  Especially his calling for us and mission work.  

I've had this feeling to get rid of a lot of my stuff even before I went to the Dominican Republic.  When I returned the drive inside me to simplify my life grew even deeper.  I have to have the faith to just do it.  I make excuses that I need to have a rummage sale and give the proceeds to the orphanage in the Dominican Republic or donate it to our St. Jude's mission.  However, I just keep piling one Saturday after Saturday with activities I have to complete leaving no time for a sale.  There are Planet Aid bins all over town I could stash my clothes in.  I'm sure the other stuff could wait for a rummage sale or I could take pictures and post it online to sell.  Faith like Elisha, that is what we need. 

Philipians 1:3

I thank my God every time I remember you. (Philippians 1:3 NIV)

This verse revealed to me today, reminded me of the deep passion I have for my mission field here in Pittsburg and what I was given the opportunity to experience in the Dominican Republic through SCORE International.  In addition, while listening to Christian radio today, I heard Word of God Speak twice within 10 min. of each other.  The song was performed by Casting Crowns first and then Mercy Me, two of my favorite bands.  

I know God was talking to me.  I pray God will continue to speak his guidance in my heart where he wants me to go with my St. Jude mission for Phi Theta Kappa and marathon running/fundraising, my middle school kids in Pittsburg I work with on Wednesday and Sunday, and the people of the Dominican Republic and the many missionaries who blessed our group while working down there this summer.  

Pray for Jeff and I as we start with a new group of 7th graders coming up into my Sunday School class.  We want these kids to grow spiritually, knowing how to pray, when to pray, why we pray, and actually learn details about the stories in the bible and how we apply them to our daily lives.  One day, I hope to learn Spanish, well, and learn it with a biblical background so I can do the same teaching in the Dominican Republic on a return mission trip.  

The following photo is from a nursing home in the Dominican Republic.  There were Haitians, Dominicans, and Americans speaking 4 different languages when we got there.  However, the unique blessing we found was we all could sing in our native language praises to God at the same time and worship Him in all his glory.  

Update on Aidan

Aidan's mom, Miranda, said his tests came back negative on the masses and/or seizures.  All this is good news.  His problems are due to his SDS.  He still needs prayer, but this is an answer to prayer.  Thank you, Jesus.  

Week 4 of training:  I swam 1000 yards Monday.  Tonight I ran 4 miles.  Tomorrow is 2 miles and Thursday is 5.  Saturday's long run is 8 and Sunday's is 3 miles.  22 miles total.

Please Pray for Aidan Davis

Our fellow Phi Theta Kappa friend from Tennessee, Miranda Davis, needs prayers for her son, Aidan, today.  He is one of the St. Jude patients we ran in honor of last year at the 2012 St. Jude Marathon.  He has Shwachman-Diamond syndrome (SDS) which is a rare autosomal recessive disorder characterized by exocrine pancreatic insufficiency, bone marrow dysfunction, leukemia predisposition, and skeletal abnormalities. 

Today, Aidan is having some neurology testing because of some pretty significant eye problems. The  medical team is hoping this is isolated to the eyes and not caused by the brain. His SDS can cause several problems with his health, but Jesus can heal all because he endured all. 

Isaiah 53:5 says, “But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.”

Marathon Date

God is so amazing how He can work things out. Jeff and I both signed up for the St. Jude's Marathon again this year. In fact, this will be our 4th year, attending with our Phi Theta Kappa family and friends as runners and volunteers.  Unfortunately, we found out neither of us would be able to attend this year due to our new job opportunities God blessed us with.  We know our new jobs are in God's plan, but also know that He placed this passion in our hearts to raise money and run for the kids of St. Jude.  

Therefore, we decided to run Nov. 23rd in Ft. Scott, a couple of weeks before the actual Memphis Marathon.  I just found this clip on YouTube showing how special Nov. 23rd is to St. Jude this year.  

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=87novGCeDuI&feature=g-high-u

I hope this will inspire our running friends to come out and help us.  We need aid stations and people to encourage us.   

Week 3 of the Marathon Training

This week, we are running 3 miles Monday and Wednesday,4 on Tuesday, 5 on Thursday, and 8-9 on Saturday.  Sunday, I will run the WINGS 5K in Garnett to support their local Breast Cancer foundation with my class of 1993!  In addition, my mom will be walking in memory of one of her past co-workers and good friend.  This will be the first 5K I get to do with my mama!  I'm quite excited.  

Not A Fan

I'm reading Not A Fan by Kyle Idleman. I heard it was a great book to read after returning from a mission trip, so I made sure to buy it when I returned home from the Dominican Republic. I was so blessed by the Dominicans and the Haitian people we met and served on our mission trip. In fact, it has been a difficult transition back in the states of, "What do I do next, God?" I grew very close to God while I was down there in the DR working in this third world country. I had no access to internet, cell service, or other technology. It gave me a chance to just be quiet and listen for his word.

Now, with this book I'm reading, Idleman points out just because you have knowledge of the bible or Jesus doesn't make you a follower. In fact, it might just make you a fan. We don't want to be Jesus' fan, we want to be his follower. We want to intimately know him and grow close to him.

My runs each morning during my new St. Jude Marathon training has become an alone time with Jesus. My husband always told me he used his runs to reflect on his past day or week and the bible devotion he just read that morning before hitting the pavement. I felt it would also be a good time for me to start doing this especially as I start to build more miles into my weeks.

Meanwhile, if you have time read (Luke 7:36-50 NIV). It shows how the Pharisee Simon is a fan of Jesus but the prostitute becomes a follower. The book pointed out has Simon ignores the traditional cultural greetings of the times; when Jesus enters his house, he does not greet Jesus with a kiss or wash His feet. However, the prostitute, after realizing where Jesus was and becoming convicted of her sins, uses all the rest of her expensive perfume, her own hair, and washes Jesus's feet while kissing His feet. It reminds me a little of the reflection I felt of of the mission trip. Americans are so rich. Even the poor are rich compared to people in the DR. However, the people in the DR openly were happy and were open to hearing more about Jesus and us sharing Jesus with them.

Here is a photo of the men who work in the Sugarcane Fields. No modern farming equipment. They work with machetes.

St Jude Marathon

Jeff & I started our marathon training a couple weeks ago. We ran 8 miles today and then went for a 9 mile bike ride with Carigon around the lake.