The Running Dream

 

I will admit that I have a love/hate relationship with running.  And when I say that, I basically mean that I love stopping and hate starting.  When I finish running, I know I have just done one of the hardest things I will do all day.  I have a thing for challenges, so I have been running for several years.   And right now you are thinking, “So what?”

The “so what” is:  I just read this book for teens and was pleasantly surprised at the message.  In a sentence, it’s about a runner (Jessica) who, against all odds, learns to run with a prosthetic after having her leg amputated.  OKAY, so I’m not very good at book reviews cause I just made that sound totally lame.

 

The gist of it is:  it made me really appreciate running.  Because the coolest thing about running is that I can.  I am healthy and strong, thanks be to God.  My legs carry me through even when I don’t want to go another step.   So when Jessica says, “I ran everywhere.  Raced everywhere.  I loved the wind across my cheeks, through my hair.  Running aired out my soul.  It made me feel alive.  And now? I’m stuck in this bed, knowing I’ll never run again,” let’s remember that we have a lot to be thankful for.  We never know when something will crash into our lives, changing everything, so let’s appreciate it before it’s gone. 

Lastly, I want to share with you another quote from this book. 

“It’s disturbing how fast weeds take root in my garden of worthiness.

They’re so hard to pull.

And grow back so easily.”

Stop and think about how profound that is.  Even though God tell us we are His precious children, we let others strip away our self-worth.  We let what they think define who we are, instead of letting God define us.  We need to stop that cycle now.