Food...Daily bread & provision

Today I am thankful that I had plenty of food to eat, and that I didn’t even have to cook it. I had a special dinner with my parents and grandmother, chips and salsa this afternoon, and leftovers for supper. Sometimes, when I get stressed I don’t eat, but the reality is that I have never been without food or worried about whether I would have food to eat the next day. Even when I haven’t been to the store in weeks, there are still cans in my pantry and some food in the fridge.

I am reminded about those around the world that don’t have food to eat, children here in Columbia who don’t have food to eat on the weekends when they don’t have school, those in Nicaragua who typically live on rice and beans and now are living on just rice, those all across the world that don’t know when or how their next meal will be provided.

For $9.00, Samaritan’s Purse can feed a feed a baby or nursing mother for a week. $9.00 hardly covers one meal out for us, but for others, it can make a huge difference. It can sustain life.

“She went away and did as Elijah told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the Lord spoken by Elijah” 1 Kings 17: 15-16.

http://www.firstgiving.com/columbiacollege-teamsp
http://www.samaritanspurse.org/

(reposted from Facebook - 11/14/10)

Health... Life unimpaired

Today, I am thankful for my health. I am able to train for this race, workout without pain or injury, and seek medical attention when I need it. Having access to affordable healthcare is a luxury even here in the US. Those with disabilities are even more disadvantaged.

When I was in Nicaragua this summer, our team met a family with an autistic child. Access to education itself was limited, but special needs education was virtually non-existent, particularly for those who lived in the barrios where we served. A member of our team happened to work with autistic children. She spent less than an hour with this family and helped them learn to communicate better and understand their daughter’s needs. It was such a small amount of time, but it made a huge difference to this family. They were so appreciative.

A small investment brings big returns. As you thank God for your health and wellbeing this Thanskgiving, please remember those who are less fortunate. For every $250 we raise, Samaritan’s Purse can help a disabled child function, by giving them access to treatment or prosthetics or aids that help them live as normal of a childhood as possible.

Please help us raise support to meet the needs of these children and hurting communities around the world. Giving online is easy - http://www.firstgiving.com/columbiacollege-teamsp. The money raised goes directly to Samaritan’s Purse.

We care. It’s the reason we run.

(reposted from Facebook - 11/15/10)

Family... Immeasurable love & support

Today is my grandmother’s birthday, her 86th birthday. I am so thankful for her and for all of my family. As I was running tonight with Carolyn, we were telling stories of Thanksgiving, fond memories and everyday silliness in our families. It was a warm fuzzy conversation and made me smile. It reminded me about how special my family is and how important they all are to me.

On the Biggest Loser tonight, one of the contestants had no support from her family. As other contestants received videos from home, no one from her family sent a video. She didn’t have the support and encouragement that the others did. I can’t imagine. I am so thankful for family and for all the support and encouragement they give me. I was reminded tonight that not everyone has that.

For some it is a lack of support and encouragement, for others it is abuse or neglect. For still others it is even worse, children being sold into sex slavery by their families. Unimaginable and inexplicable evil. Samaritan’s Purse ministers to these children, rehabilitating young victims and working to protect other children from the dangers and tragedy of human trafficking.

Please take time to express your gratitude to your family today. Will you also consider honoring them with a gift to Samaritan’s Purse? Giving online is easy - http://www.firstgiving.com/columbiacollege-teamsp and you can even add your comments “In honor of.”

Thanks for your support and encouragement. Don’t forget to check out my blog for updates on training and the race - http://runningfast131.blogspot.com/. I would love to know your thoughts as I share this journey with you.

(reposted from Facebook 11/16/10)

Water... The drink of life

Water…. The drink of life. I am so thankful for clean drinking water, particularly during a long run. I was running this morning and found a water fountain, only to find out that it didn’t work. I was tired and weary and so looking forward to refreshing water. As I found some, at the other end of the path, it was so wonderful and sweet that I think I could have drank the whole fountain. I couldn’t seem to get enough.

I was so thankful this morning for good water that could quench my thirst, thankful that I didn’t have to worry about getting sick from the water, or it carrying disease. I didn’t have to boil it before drinking it, or go to a distant well to retrieve it.

Even though I don’t like my tap water at home, I am able to drink it. Samaritan’s Purse’s Turn on the Tap Project helps people and communities around the world make their water safer to drink, removing contaminants from unclean water sources and poor sanitation. SP provides household filters, community filters and freshwater wells to provide clean sources of drinking water around the world. My tap water becomes much better with a simple filter - it tastes better and is healthier to drink. Their projects filter out disease and bring hope. They become a wellspring of life.

Hmmm… I am reminded of Jesus and the woman at the well. She came looking for clean drinking water. Jesus met her physical need for water and revealed Himself as the source of living water. “Whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14 NIV).

Wow! I am so thankful for clean water that replenishes after a long run. I am thankful for abundant water that is not scarce or contaminated. How much more thankful am I, though, for that living water, the source of abundant life and true replenishment!

Please continue to support us as we run and as we raise awareness for SP. My heart’s desire is not that we would raise some huge amount of money, but that God would be glorified in our running and that we would stir other hearts to give and to care about those around the world. I need to care more and this journey is as much about growing my heart as it is my ability to run long distances.

Thanks for reading. Please let me know your thoughts and feedback. And here’s the link to support our efforts for SP financially - http://www.firstgiving.com/columbiacollege-teamsp.
Have a great week!

In Christ,
Erin

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall

“Mirror, mirror, on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all?”

Sometimes I stare into the mirror and seek validation. I want to see me at my best, all my effort and all my strengths. I try to block out all the blemishes (and freckles), all the mismatched clothes, all the parts of me that I don’t like. The mirror doesn’t lie, good or bad; it doesn’t take sides or flatter. It just reflects what is really there.

I wish what I saw looking back at me was less of me and more of Christ. I wish that was the reality in my life, more of His joy, more of His peace, more of His love. I wish when people looked at me that they would see more of Him. I wish I didn’t get so caught up in my life, my wants, and my frustrations. I want a heart that mirrors His, a life that reflects Him and His glory.

This training has been part of God’s chiseling process in my life. The desire to run this race began with the passion to do something more, first as Carolyn’s passion then as mine. We both have the desire to raise money for Samaritan’s Purse, and even more so to offer our running as an offering to God, a way that we can glorify Him with the desires of our heart.

There have been many times in my life when the desires of my heart have not honored God – times when I have been completely selfish and sinful and closed off to the people around me. There have been times I have intentionally closed my eyes to the needs of others and sat on the sidelines versus getting involved in what God was doing or might want to do in or around me.

When I went to Nicaragua this summer, I was so completely uncomfortable not letting it be about me, and so completely inadequate to respond to the overwhelming need around me. God did some amazing things there but I still felt on the sidelines, not sure how to respond or what to do. I think about that even now, the needs that exist everywhere, and so often I close my eyes and my heart. I want to open my eyes and my heart – I want to see and to care. I want to be different.

And so I run. And I run with purpose, to glorify God and to help those in need. I choose to support Samaritan’s Purse because they not only see those needs but they work all over the world to meet those needs in Jesus’ name, with disaster relief, fighting sex slavery, providing drinking water, reaching out to the poor and the needy, sharing God’s love and His truth.

The running is slow going, particularly in the cold. I ran five miles yesterday to get ready for the Governors’ Cup 8K next Saturday. Then I proceeded to get sick for the rest of the day. Ugh. Please pray for me and for Carolyn and for the others running with us. Pray that God would be honored in our running and our training. Pray that as He prepares us physically for this race in February that He would prepare us spiritually for all that He has in store for us. And pray that as we raise awareness and support of Samaritan’s Purse that we would all open our eyes and our hearts to those in need around us, that we would be mirrors reflecting the love and the truth of Christ.

Giving Back & Running Forward

It has been two months since my trip to Nicaragua. I was amazed and startled at how easily I just went back to my life. My routines didn’t change much, my perspective didn’t change much, honestly my life didn’t change much. Of course, it is not all about me, so then I started thinking about what changed there. We had so little to give, but we gave what we had – our time, our talents, toiletry packets, love, attention. We ministered to them, met some of their short-term needs, and planted lots of seeds with conversations about Christ and the church. We made a difference, even though sometimes it seems so small in comparison to the need.

Since I have been back, though, I have wanted to do more. I develop programs – that’s what I do. I problem-solve to address needs, to educate, to produce change & growth. I connect people with resources and people who can help. And while I don’t have the time to go on longer trips myself right now, or to do longer-term work there, I know that effective programs take time, take passion, take resources. I want to invest in the people who work in communities like the barrio we visited, people who are serving and ministering long-term in the area, cultivating relationships for Christ and making a substantial difference in individual lives and the communities they serve.

John Smoak, from Shandon Baptist, is one such man. His organization Unto Me International is working with local churches there to sponsor children in the area – buying uniforms for school, food for their families, and giving them the opportunity for a better life. If you have not done so already, please visit his website – http://untomeinternational.com or link to his Facebook page from this group’s main page. Many of the children in the pictures are children that I met during my trip. His program is making a huge difference in the area.

Samaritan’s Purse is another organization that works in impoverished communities and makes a huge difference changing lives for Christ. Many of us know about Operation Christmas Child and the shoeboxes they collect at Christmas time for children around the world. They also have a visible long-term presence in developing communities and do substantial work meeting the physical and spiritual needs of others.

A group of faculty, staff, and students at Columbia College are training for a half-marathon in February to raise money for Samaritan’s Purse. It is a huge undertaking and a little bit overwhelming. 13.1 miles is an intimidating distance. But, we want to be involved and to invest in organization that is doing work that makes a difference.

Our training is just getting started. I am hoping to send out regular updates to this group, as I did with the Nicaragua trip, so I can share this journey with you as well. The two experiences are inextricably related in my eyes, as God continues to give me His eyes and His compassion for those less fortunate than us. I have also started a blog – http://runningfast131.blogspot.com where you find previous posts and get additional information about our training and group.

Thank you for sharing life with me and allowing me to share my journey with you. Please do share your thoughts and reflections with me. I would love for us to have conversations along the way.

Have a great week!

In Christ,

Erin

Team Samaritan's Purse

This 131 day journey actually began a couple of weeks ago. Carolyn, one of my students, emailed me and asked if I would run a marathon with her. At first, I thought she was crazy. But, as I listened to her talk, her passion was compelling. She told me that she wanted to run for Samaritan's Purse, and she wanted to raise money. She had looked at the webpage, and it suggested a goal of $1000 per person. She prayed about it and told me about how she wanted to use the desires of her heart for God. She has been a runner for several years and wanted to give that interest of hers back to Christ to use for His glory and to make a difference.

As I contemplated the decision to run with her, I couldn't escape the challenging call of her words or my desire to partner with her and be a part of this God-given passion in her life. It was not long before I had agreed to run a half-marathon, 13.1 miles. And we both talked about it and prayed about it, the passion became contagious. Others in my office signed on to run with us; other staff and faculty, more students. Over 20 people came forward saying they wanted to be a part of this race and this cause. Carolyn told me at one point that $1000 seemed like such a small goal. Now, instead of two of us running and raising $2000, we have a whole team of runners, for the half-marathon and the 5K, and instead of $2000 as our goal, we are raising $35000 to build a mission hospital.

The way the pieces have come together has been amazing! The excitement on campus, the different levels of expertise, people volunteering to help with coolers, or with T-shirts, setting up volunteer opportunities and events to support us along the way.

This is an incredible journey, about 20 weeks of training, and about 8 more miles than I am used to running. It will require a vast amount of time and energy, and at times, I am sure that it will feel overwhelming. As many of you know, though, I went to Nicaragua this summer and witnessed some of the world's deepest poverty and physical need. I came home and went relatively back to my former routine, not untouched, but perhaps unmoved to do anything more. What do I do to reach out with compassion? How do I show Christ's love to those who are hurting and in need? Part of running this race is putting that need at the forefront again and supporting Samaritan's Purse, an organization that helps communities and barrios around the world. This is part of what I have to give, my time, my effort, my desire to run - I want to be like Carolyn and lay it all on the altar for His use.

What do you have to give? What will you do to partner with us and make a difference? There is a link to our fundraising website on the right of this blog page. There is a video to learn more about Samaritan's Purse. Pray about giving, running, cheering us on, pray about being involved as Christ leads. Thanks for sharing this journey with us!

131 Days to 13.1

September 25th, I start a new journey, one that will take me 131 days to complete. I begin intensive training for my first half-marathon, 13.1 miles. I will be running the Myrtle Beach Half-Marathon on February 19, 2011. It is an intimidating goal. My longest race so far has been a measly 5 miles. 13.1 seems overwhelming and intimidating, daunting.

Why run? As I sacrifice my opportunity to sleep late on Saturdays and commit to workouts three times a week, I sometimes wonder myself.  I enjoy it. It is a stress reliever. It is good conversation time with other runners. But what drives me to sacrifice my time and my energy? What greater need does it fulfill in my life?

For me, the answer comes from the discipline of training. What I learn about myself from running is the importance of submitting to a knowledgeable coach, the necessity of constant practice, the commitment to overcome hardship & injury, and the challenge to succeed each time with my personal best. There is not much that can compare with the thrill of crossing the finish line and seeing my efforts pay off in doing something I wasn't sure that I could do.

I ran my first 5K last year. And as I look back on that experience now, I see how much I was able to accomplish in such little time. I went from not running at all to running 4.5 miles consistently in 12 weeks. I remember thinking what if I could apply this training, this purpose, this discipline to other areas of my life.

For me, that's what drives me to run, being able to see the metaphor of running play out in my everyday life. Everything that I learn from the training helps me develop that mindset of discipline, commitment, and excellence. I think of 1 Timothy 4:7-8 in the Bible which says, "Train yourself to be godly. For physical training is of some value, but godliness had value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come" (NIV).

Through this blog, I hope to share my journey with you, the physical training and the spiritual discipline. I'll share reflections along the way and invite you to join in the conversation. Hopefully it will inspire you to run your race well, whatever race that may be.

I look forward to seeing you at the finish line. Let the training begin!