When Walking ='s Running

"I delight greatly in the LORD;

my soul rejoices in my God.

For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation

and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness,

as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest,

and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.

11 For as the soil makes the sprout come up

and a garden causes seeds to grow,

so the Sovereign LORD will make righteousness and praise

spring up before all nations."

Isaiah 61:10-11

The other day when I went for my walk at the track God started making me very aware of what I was doing. Have you ever had those moments when God just stops you in your tracks so to speak, and wants you ALL THERE in that moment. That was me.

You see I am a runner at heart. I love it. I am one of those crazi's that get out there and run and run and love it and do it some more and then after a little rest want to do it some more. Now you might be thinking that I was just born running, but that my friends just is NOT the case. You see I didn't start running until I was about 30. Yes you read that right. So what in the world possesses a girl to start running at that age? I mean really. I know.

Well you see all my life I had been heavy. I don't mean a few pounds over weight, I mean HEAVY!! My doc had put in her report that I was a 27 year old MORBIDLY OBESE FEMALE. When I saw this I nearly fell over. Now granted I was a little pleasingly plump, but MORBIDLY OBESE, seriously doc that was harsh. Anyway... it got me off of my tush. There is a lot to this story so I'll not go into all of it, but the long and short of it is that I lost 100 lbs. WOOHOO!!! And have kept (most of it) off for 12 years now. And part of that keeping it off regimen included running.

Since the whole knee situation I have been unable to run. It is such a bummer to me. I have been walking and so happy to be up and going again to where I can, but when I get on that track I just want to take off running. Seriously. Even with the knee hurting and swollen and there is pain in every step, I want to take off running. That is where I feel empowered and free.

So at the track I just wanted to take off, and of course didn't, because can't be adding insult to injury and all, but oh how I wanted to. Well, while I was walking God just showed right on up at the track. And as I was walking I was imagining myself running. And part of my memory verse came right into my head. "And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." Hebrews 12:1b And I have just felt God saying to me "This is when walking equals running. When you are doing it unto me." How great is that?!! One of the most difficult part of this journey with the knee has been the limitations. I like to be healthy and running. But I am okay with not doing that right now, if what I am doing is pleasing to God.

Running the race really has less to do with physical running and a whole lot to do with obedience. This verse tells us to run with perseverance. Why is that? Because this my friends is a marathon and not a sprint. We have to hang in there and run with strength and run with perseverance, because He is coming back for us. We must have our lamps trimmed and ready and be running this race with perseverance to win it!!!!!

So you may be wondering why I started this post out with that verse from Isaiah. I love those verses and they are the ones that God has been speaking to me about lately. They may just be my next memory verses!! One of my favorite parts of these verses is in verse 10: "For He has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness." And trust me, we have never looked better than when we are wearing these garments!!

Have a Blessed day,