Jogging With Jesus

"What do you mean, 'If I can'? Jesus asked. 'Anything is possible if a person believes." Mark 9:23 I know that it's not quite 2019 yet, but I have big goals for the upcoming year! And one of my biggest, most terrifying goals is ... ... running a sub-2 hour half marathon.   Honestly, the thought of attempting to do this terrifies me more than the thought of running a full. I am sincerely sitting here, in this moment, believing that there's no way I can run a half that fast. I really believe that I'm more likely to achieve finishing a slow 26.2 miles than I am completing a half in under 2 hours.  But I've written out the training plan to at least try. There have been many things I've told myself I can't do ... so there's no point in trying. But if I've learned anything over the last several years, it's that I'm capable of doing a lot more than I believe . God has truly shown me that He can use me to do am...

"You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross." Colossians 2:13-14 Death. Life. Two opposite sides of the spectrum.  One gives, one takes away.  One an ending, the other a beginning. Our greatest ambition: to live. Our biggest fear: to die.  How do we feel about both of these on any given day?  Some days I feel dead inside. Numb. Purposeless. Just going through the motions. Other days, I feel full of life. Overwhelmed. Purposeful. Overflowing with joy. The difference? JESUS. Every morning I wake up, and my selfish, prideful nature fights so fiercely to take control. No matter how hard I try, in my own power, I can't seem to overcome it. I can go weeks without reaching out to God, even though I know He's right there...

  "The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps." Proverbs 16:9 30 is a milestone. I can't help but reflect over the last decade as I watch the clock click closer to my birthday. On this day ten years ago, I was scared out of my mind. I was leaving my teenage years and I'd just found out I was going to be a mother. My mom held me as I cried, realizing my childhood was officially over. I'd been determined to grow up for so long, but when the time came, I was convinced I wasn't ready. For my entire pregnancy, God drew me closer to Him than I'd ever been before. I had no choice but to lean on Him, and I felt Him promise that He had big plans for my life. I wasn't so sure I believed Him wholeheartedly, but I was at peace. Time began to pass rather quickly after that. My beautiful son was born that year, and 15 months later, in my 21st year, I became a wife. I remember being extremely sick with the stomach virus on...