This may not seem like much to anyone else, but to me it is a BIG deal.
I'm turning 40 this year. Honestly, I never thought I would make it to 40. And if I did make it to 40, I never thought I would be here still single and with no kids. But life has taken me a completely different route than I ever imagined.
The word LEGACY has taken on a whole new meaning for me as well. I always thought my legacy would be in the family I leave behind, but what if I have no family behind me? What if no one carries on my name? What if I'm the end of my line? Those thoughts used to bring me down, but over the last few years I started doing something with them. You can go back to past blog posts where I talk about wanting to live and leave a legacy, and this year it has hit me hard...I AM!
This year has been a weird year. It has me tired, worn out, slothy, and yet energized about the life I am living. I know, none of that goes together! But let me be real and be vulnerable here. This year is ending in what my mind wants me to believe is failure. In 2018 I attempted 2 marathons. This is after running the race of a lifetime in 2017 with a PR (personal record) and being on the marathon high. My first marathon of 2018 I got sick for and couldn't run. I have some incredible friends and supporters who ran in my place and finished like rockstars! Each person took on a few miles to cover the 26.2 that I promised to run for clean water. I couldn't do it, but my community did.
My second race was supposed to be the race of a lifetime, and 3 miles in to it I got sick and couldn't finish the race. It was such a let down, especially knowing that I was so worried about the time cut off, but would have made it. But, you can't run...you can't walk...you can barely waddle if you're sick. That feeling of failure is still raw, but there was also a great success that came with it. 10 children were sponsored through that attempt. Again, my friends, my family, my community stepped up and finished the race for me! You took those kids and loved them like your own, and because of you they now have clean water, education, safety, their families are able to take care of them, and so much more that we will never know! THAT is the legacy!
So I'm finishing this year still feeling physically down. I failed in two races and so I don't want to run anymore, because I don't want to fail anymore. That's what my body is telling me and what my mind is telling me.
My heart? My heart is another story. My heart won't give up! My heart sees this little patch, and realizes that THIS is the legacy I am going to leave! I may not have kids of my own, but because of my commitment (sometimes my commitment to trial and failure), 10 kids have sponsor families, 160+ have clean water, and countless others are being taken care of in a variety of ways, including being saved from slavery, witch doctors, FGM, and so much more! They may never know my name, and they may never know my heart, but because you do, their lives are changed! YOU are making this world a better place!
So, THANK YOU! Thank you for joining me on this journey. Thank you for your countless moments of encouragement! Thank you for your donations, for sponsoring children, for loving these children as your own. Thank you for being a part of my life and for leaving this legacy. Thank you for giving my life meaning, and reminding me on a daily basis of the legacy I live both locally and globally.
We're not done yet! There is still a clean water project to be built! You have already helped me to raise $2575 of my $15,000 goal! Thank you for your donations and for taking time to read/listen to my heart. I am not just a legacy runner, but I am reminded of the legacy you leave in me that I then get the joy of sharing with others. I guess this is what being in the Kingdom of God is really about!
If you would like to donate to the well/water project, visit my donation page to learn more at www.teamworldvision.org/participant/carlypowne
If you would like to sponsor a child go to http://www.teamworldvision.org/sanantoniosponsorship and then tell me about the child you choose to sponsor!
Thank you for giving my life meaning and for being a part of this legacy team!
