Hello Friends!
I have taken a little break this summer from blogging to work on NEW sites, prepare NEW messages for fall classes and upcoming speaking events for 2012-2013.
This Blog is still a work in progress but I hope you enjoy the NEW look and extra information!
In between trips to the family lake house, lazy pool days, marathon training and kids I manage to find time to work on all these projects due by fall.
Yes...FALL is right around the corner, I just love summer so that 4 letter word makes me cringe a bit.
Within the last few weeks I received emails from friends and strangers stating they missed my daily posting. WOW, this really blessed me and made me realize even more the great opportunity God has given me to share and make friends!
Thanks to so many of you that have emailed me with your struggles, praises and encouragements.
The last couple personal emails grabbed my attention and my heart. Both emails came from complete strangers that strolled across my website while looking for comfort due to life's struggles and pains. Both concerns had to due with a hurting marriage and relationship.
Now I am going to take a fast turn for a second but follow me because it will all come together in the end!
I have been training my body for a full marathon that will be this October 7th. The training has been VERY hard and extremely SWEATY due to Michigan's unseasonably HOT weather.
The training has provided a challenge to my fitness level and I feel the aches and pains on a daily basis but I also see results and new shape taking over my body.
I tell my body during each run that WE WILL complete the 26.2 miles on race day.
A grueling yet satisfying experience this training has become. It has required dedication and commitment on a daily basis.
KEY FACT:
Runners stay in shape by running.
But there's a process involved... they have a PLAN.
If they stick to the plan it will help the with endurance and strength training.
I have always stunk at sticking to any type of plan! So this training has me talking to myself on a daily basis to get myself moving and focused on the specific weeks plan. I have to tell myself to JUST DO IT!
Last night on my LONG run I began to HIT THAT WALL that all runners seem to experience, it was HARD and I felt the word impossible creep over me! I began to think about how hard it felt at mile 13 and visualized another 13 miles and I felt discouraged!
I immediately grabbed my mental state and stated out loud while I was running "I GOT THIS" over and over repeatedly.
My mind began to tell my body how to feel. My race is 99% mental most of the time.
Think about this verse with me:
" let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus."
Hebrews 12:1-2
In the race of life, the joy of knowing Jesus is what its all about!
Life's tests are worth the sweat, tears, training, and straining. Even when you think the next breath just might be your last due to the difficulty just mentally picture yourself keeping your head up, and keep your eyes on the prize.
"When I see the vision God has for my life, even as I am mired in the mundane, I can keep running. When I see the tapestry of life, even as I live on the edge of a frayed thread, I can keep trying. "
But inevitably, my head gets heavy with the weight of the worries or problems. My head droops even as I will it to look forward.
When I run my legs get so tired and sore and full of weight that I just want to stop. This is when I tell myself, "Keep going, you can do it!"
My race friends cheer me on, reminding me to keep my chin up. Yet my head drops, full of doubt and fear.
We all hit WALLS in life.
Whether it be our marriages, family relationships, fiances or careers. We HIT those WALLS.
You and I have so many opportunities to feel sad or discouraged and have a bad attitude, but God wants us to stay strong in Him. Those who do will eventually come out on top, because there’s no way the enemy can hold you back if you will trust God and keep your hope in Him.
Train yourself to Trust Your Helper
Not only will God deliver you, but He will also sustain you while you’re waiting for your breakthrough. He keeps us strong while we’re waiting and keeps us from going under!Even when we’re tempted to think, It’s not going to do me any good to pray after the way I’ve acted, we can’t let that stop us from asking for God’s help. Why is that? Because when we go to the Father in prayer, we don’t go in our name…we go in the name of Jesus.
When you’re hurting, in trouble, or WAITING IN A MUDDY MESS you need to believe that your help has been sent out from heaven and it is on the way. God may not come early, but He won’t be late.
No matter what your circumstances look like or what the world may say, hang in there. Because help is on the way!
During my long runs I am praying for marriages and families.
Again, the enemy wants us to HIT the wall and stay down.
I pray when we do HIT those walls and get back up even stronger with Gods help.
If you feel like you have HIT A WALL and need extra prayer feel free to email me, I will be taking time during my long runs to pray for you. I know its hard and you just want to give up but tell yourself that...
YOU CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH CHRIST WHOM STRENGTHENS YOU PHILIPPIANS 4:13
A personal shout out to Deborah..."Keep running and keep your eyes fixed on Jesus, I believe in you friend"
"strong is what happens when you RUN out of weak"
Running with you my friends,
heather@hbministries.com
