Today. Today we boarded our flight to New York. We are having ALL THE FEELINGS. This week has been a whirlwind. Sunday we served tacos (in orange tutus) and share with our community about the "why" of our running. Our community generously responded and we were incredibly blessed to be able to donate more money toward child protection!!
Wednesday our church staff prayed over us and "sent us off". It was incredibly sweet. I got super weepy just by the picture of our staff rallying around us, on behalf of the whole church. It's like we're being sent off to battle, and that Jen and I have the honor of representing our community well. That we have been entrusted to carry out the kingdom, with the full support of them. There's nothing like it. There's no words to adequately describe the emotions I feel about the love and support of our community. It's been life changing. It's through their strength and love that we will take on the streets of New York for the kids. We know that we know that it is not just us 2 running this weekend. We have our people right there with us.
I'm extremely grateful and humbled by a community that says yes to the uncomfortable. That says yes to fighting for the freedoms of kids all over the world. And that doesn't quietly stand on the sidelines, but loudly jumps into the fight for freedom. Because they know that's what Jesus calls us to.
The past 20 weeks have been the best and hardest weeks of my life. I have had to at times fight with everything in me to keep pressing with Relentless Forward Motion. I have had to press into Jesus harder than ever, and allow Him to speak to my heart and remind me constantly of the "why".
This journey isn't for the faint of heart. It tests every.single.boundary and limitation I have put on myself and the Lord. It has reminded me to be faithful and persistent. To be still and quiet. And to allow the Lord to mend my heart to His. Over the past 20 weeks I have marveled and stood in awe of the Lord. He has showed up in incredibly big ways. He has reminded me what it means to truly follow Him, no matter how crazy the journey might feel.
Over the past 20 weeks, we have gotten the opportunity to train all over the world. From Mission, Tx to Uganda to Haiti to Georgia to Houston to Kansas to Waco. We have never stopped running, because we knew the fight is worth it....and we had to keep going.
We have run almost every single run together. And come Sunday we will cross that finish line at the TCS New York Marathon....together. Because to run a Marathon, and fight for the freedom of kids....you have to have community. You have to have people standing in your corner cheering you on every.single.step of the way. We couldn't do it without the support of those we care most about.
We can't wait to gather with our 50 other Team World Vision Teammates and take on the streets on behalf of the kids. I know that with every one of our runners that finishes, the Lord will be looking down saying "well done, good and faithful servant. you have fought the fight well, you have kept the faith". It's going to be the biggest, baddest, EPIC finale to the most incredible journey. I get weepy just thinking about the world changers I get the honor of running with.
Please keep our team in your prayers. We are praying for sweet sleep, and an injury free, peaceful, joyful, incredible run on Sunday for every single one of our teammates. We are all in this fight together, and we are so glad you are a part of it!
"And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus" Hebrews 12:1-2
