Freedom!

Saturday was the shortest "long run" of the entire training plan. So In my mind it was so do-able. But no matter how long or short the distance is, it is always hard. Praise the Lord my mile was actually a bit faster than the week prior! He made me move faster!!! woohoo!
As for today, Its always great coming off of a rest day. Let alone a rest day filled with Gods word being preached, rain, and a nap... this just made for such a great day! And the Lord had granted me rest so that come this morning my run was great! It was definitely hard because in my head I always have to be pushing my speed. But I finished strong and a nice old man at the gym looked at me as i was walking out and said "Wow girl, you must have worked hard" (I was really gross and sweaty, he made me laugh) He was definitely not complimenting me! hahaha! Anyways! During the run, i was listening to John Piper's sermon on the humble servant. I don't know the real title, I just know what convicted me! And let me tell you, THE LORD IS AWESOME!!! The reality that true humility frees us from the bondage of fearing man. If i care what people think of me (in a self centered,approval seeking kind of way) I'm not being humble! I'm obviously not thinking of others, and I'm definitely not thankful I am just consumed with myself. I'm so arrogant because i think in the moments of sin that I deserve to look/act/ sound/be liked more than i actually am currently being noticed for. What a lie and disbelief of the word of God! Lie, that my worth is defined by men. (2Cor 3) Disbelief that God is good! SO with all that said... all those thoughts swimming around in my head as I'm running... He nails it at the end by talking about my favorite person!!! JESUS!! He came to serve... not to be served. I know i have heard this a bunch growing up.. but I'm afraid i have become numb to this marvelous truth!
 There is so much freedom found in humility. Jesus was the most joyful person!!! I can be who the Lord made me to be, I can look the way he made me to look, and i can worship him fully by understanding how much i don't deserve any of His attention! Only He is worthy to be praised! Only He is sovereign and all powerful. Only He made everything that I see, everything I don't see but I know to exists, and everything I don't see that I don't even know to exist! Wow! Who am I to answer back to God! With all that said, I just want to encourage anyone reading this to get to know how massive and awesome our God is! How goo His plans our for us that love Him. I desire to praise Him and to trust Him while striving to distrust my flesh. To be thankful despite how slow my mile may be! Today was a day of great rejoicing! He gave me grace to understand a glimpse of true biblical theology of me that leads to freedom because I am but dust, there ain't nothin glamorous about dust people! So I have to stop trying to fool everyone to think I'm something when the bible says I'm nothing apart from Christ!

This picture is quite funny. It is the actual finish line for the Boston Marathon(Ignore the truck!). My sweet mom had taken this pic when her and my dad went to Boston a few years ago. She had no clue I wanted to run this at the time. But i found this laminated on my bed when I got home with a sweet and super encouraging note on top to remind me of the goal!
This is my favorite quote of hers "This is the REAL street with the REAl line, and we serve a REAL Savior who can make it REALLY happen!" AMEN!!! =)

By the grace of God, even short girls can run fast!