I ran a painful 5K in 2017 and 2018 for Rachel’s Home, an orphanage in Lesotho Africa. I say painful, because in 2017 I ran with a cold and in 2018, I was just getting over a gastro bug. My times were not personal bests, but I finished each race. So, why do I run? The reason in three-fold. First, because I can. Second, because I am a mom. Third, I need to be obedient. Let me explain why.
I run because I can, and used to believe a lie that I couldn’t. Lies are from the enemy and I am on to him. God can do anything! On December 25, 2002 (yes, Christmas day!), my boyfriend (now my husband) and I were in a serious car accident while driving to my parents home. It is a miracle that none of my bones were broken in that accident. The doctor told me that my knee cap would have been crushed, had the dashboard hit my leg 1 cm to the right. I won’t lie, I still have some residual pain from that accident, but, thanks to an incredible personal trainer, I am strong, and am back to running. God spared my life in 2002, and I can run!
I run because I am a mom. As I write this, I am listening to my incredibly loud children play with our incredibly hyper dog. While it is difficult to concentrate, these sounds are a sign of the life that I am grateful for. My fertility was not taken away in our car accident. I was able to marry my very cute boyfriend and give birth to two beautiful (and loud) children. Women in Lesotho are dying of AIDS and children are being left on the doorstep of Rachel’s Home. Their noise is not joyful, like the noise I hear in my home right now. Those babies are crying because of hunger and fear. In 2017 and 2018, every time I wanted to give up on my run, because they enemy was telling me “boohoo, you’re sick”, I thought of those children. I thought of those mothers, and I prayed for the Spirit to give me the strength to soldier on.
I run because I need to be obedient. Running used to be something I did for fun, and I gave up on it because I thought my body was too weak after the accident. God does not put hobbies and passions in our hearts for no reason and when God spares your life, we should really listen. On a typical Sunday in church, I was listening to announcements before the service and it was announced that members of our congregation were running for Rachel’s Home. “You should do that”, was the voice I heard in my head. It took me a couple of weeks to to sign up, but I did and I started to train. You know what? Running was fun again! God provides!
So, in short, I praise God that I can look back on that Christmas day in 2002 with gratitude. I have so much to be thankful for, and am honoured to run to raise funds for the beautiful children at Rachel’s Home.
