Crying is good!

My emotions are on high.  I don't know if it's because I finally talked to Liz about what to expect on race day.  I don't know if it's because I'm realizing that in 2 weeks from this minute I will be running the New York City Marathon with over 51,000 of my closest friends.  Or maybe it's because I'm seeing God work left and right in these God sized goals.  As one of my sweet middle schoolers always says, "All of the above!"

Today I cried.  I cried hard.  Tears of joy!  I was sitting in service thinking about the $2100 that I needed to raise to meet my goal, knowing that God was going to provide, and when I got back to my office, I got a message that I had made it.  Did you catch that?  I MADE IT!!!  $10,000 has been raised to protect children worldwide!!!  That means that there is a girl somewhere right now being pulled out of terrible conditions, who has been separated from her family and sold.  She is getting the help she needs to get her life back!  She is being taken care of and someone is fighting for her to get her sellers thrown in jail, thus keeping her and other kids safe.  She will be listened to and fought for.  She is getting the justice she deserves!

Another kid is being searched for because their village has been given a way to alert each other when someone is taken.  This child is being saved from human sacrifice!  Another girl is being saved from FGM.  The list goes on and one.  Kids are getting rescued!  They are being protected!  They are being given another chance at life!

This thought makes me want to run!  I want to run for these kids, for their freedom, for those who can't run for themselves.  I want to rejoice knowing they are being saved.  I want to hug every kid I see and help them to enjoy their childhood.

I am so excited to see what God is doing, and I am so thankful to be a part of it!

Thank you all for supporting me, for listening to my cry, and to believing in this cause as much as I do!  You can still give!  Every dollar helps to protect a child, so the fundraising doesn't stop just because I reached my goal.  You can still give!  

These last 2 years have moved my heart in ways I never could have imagined.  Who knew that I could combine two of my passions in such a way!  I can help children worldwide while running for them, that's quite a deal!  Maybe your next step is to run with me!  :)

Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you.

That's all I have left to say!

Thank you!

I made the front page! And other news...

When I started this journey almost 11 months ago, I took on a God size challenge.  I remember walking with a friend in January talking about how I was going to raise $10,000.  I had these big dreams for fundraising, and I had these big dreams for my health.  I was setting out to run the New York City Marathon, and nothing was going to stop me.

Things don't always go as planned.  My big fundraising ideas fell through.  My health is the same.  And I am no where near what I'd thought I'd be in November.  But that's okay!!!  Let me repeat that...THAT'S OKAY!!!  Because God is GOOD!!!  Nothing went according to MY plan, but it is all working out for GOD'S plan!

I'm just $3,165 from reaching my goal of $10,000.  Can you believe that?!?!  That's just with your help!  You, who have read my blog!  You, who have put up with an overwhelming amount of facebook posts!  You who have supported me on this journey!  Because of you, I woke up today and found that I was in 9th place as a fundraiser out of the 52 on our team!  What an achievement!  But more than that, our team is rocking it!!!  It's not about the money we've raised, or about what place we are in, but about how many children are getting help!  They are being saved from circumstances that we can't even imagine!  Kids...KIDS...are being saved from slavery!  SLAVERY!!!  KIDS!!!  

Yesterday someone gave my friend a hard time because we were out of creamer in the coffee area.  Creamer.  Free coffee and your mad about creamer.  I get it, I'm being kind of rude about this, but as I learn more about kids in slavery, it's really hard for me to get upset about creamer.  When I'm learning about children being used as human sacrifice, children being caught in sex trafficking, children being killed because of their gender, and so much more...It's really hard for me to get upset about creamer.

I've been amazed over these last few months at how God has kept me in check on my runs, and in life as I've learned about why I'm running.  I tend to listen to a lot of books and podcasts as I run, and so often a message of children being caught in slavery or being trafficked, or a message of people needing clean water, pops into these stories.  It's amazing how God continues to teach me and remind me of the importance of this run.

I know that NYC has been a dream of mine, but this event has changed from running the NYC Marathon to running to bring children life.  To bring children their childhood.  To let kids be kids.  I can't necessarily go and help every child, but I sure can learn and educate people about what's happening in this world, and in that, I can help some children.

In the last 3 years I have had 3 failed marathons.  2 I signed up for as marathons, but competed as half marathons, and 1 that I didn't finish, so I finished from home.  I told myself that I couldn't sign up for another marathon until I lost 50 pounds, because I'm tired of not finishing.  I'm talking a big game but not following through.  When I was given the opportunity to run NYC with Team World Vision, I had this fear that I wouldn't finish, but I said yes anyways.  Honestly, I'm still scared I won't finish.  I've spent the last few days timing my runs, looking up times from last years finishers, and comparing my times with theirs.  Anything can happen on the course.  I went in to this year ready to train.  I knew if I trained well, the weight would melt off.  Well, that didn't happen.  Yes, I trained well, but I look the same as I did in January.  In fact, I've even managed to gain some weight.  You try telling someone that you're training for a marathon when you look like me.  But even in that, God has reminded me that this isn't about me!  I'm sharing my story!  People are donating!  Kids are being rescued!  Good is happening in this world!  It's not about me, I just get to tell people about it!  And THAT is exciting!

Now when I tell people I'm running a marathon in 2 weeks I get to explain why!  I get it, I don't look like a marathon runner, but I've got a purpose and a mission, and nothing is holding me back!

Will you help me share my story and help me to reach that final goal of $10,000?

As for my time, right now it looks like I'll be at the tail end of the race, but I'll finish on time.  I'm okay with this!  This means that even though I didn't lose weight, I gained health.  I might be slow, but I can go...and I can go far!  My long runs have been good, I'm making decent time.  I've got 2 weeks left to gain strength and build speed.  Please pray for me as I now taper off my training.  Please pray for my strength and for health.  I'm in the final weeks and I'm ready to go.  

And, on another note, I may have already said yes to my next marathon!  I'll be running for water in April!  (That is, after my next half in December!)

Want to know where these donations are going?

Through World Vision’s work in child protection,

• $20 is enough to help a child who is a survivor of sex trafficking to be adequately represented during a police investigation. (Cambodia and Bangladesh)
• $45 is enough to help 2 child survivors of labor trafficking receive free legal support during trial. (Cambodia and Bangladesh)
• $90 is enough to help 2 girls to go through an Alternative Right of Passage and avoid FGM (Female Genital Mutilation) (Kenya)
• $500 is enough to help provide 2 cell phones for the village Amber Alert System to combat child sacrifice (Uganda)
• $1,310 is enough to help to provide school scholarships for ten girls vulnerable to FGM and child marriage (Kenya)
• $5,000 is enough to help fund a 2-year, village “Amber Alert” Radio Program to decrease child abductions and combat child sacrifice  (Uganda)
• $3,500 is enough to help to fund a province-wide community event to promote Gender Equality and the fight against prenatal sex selection (Armenia)