Running on Faith

Always a Writer

2012-02-12T17:30:00.000-08:00

I must blog. I am sitting here on a Sunday evening doing Sunday evening things, and, in an effort to familiarize myself with pop culture, I turned on the Grammy Awards for background noise.

Noise.

Is it just me?

No slight against Chris Brown here. The man is wildly talented! He can dance like few people on the planet. I bet the Lord smiles on him when he pop and locks (is that still a relevant term?) on beat. But I wonder if He isn't a little brokenhearted watching him prostitute his talents for the affection of the world. Sorry if that's a little rough, but it's kind of how I feel.

A former roommate of mine used to refer to Michael Jackson as one of the greatest intended worship leaders of all time. Interesting philosophy, isn't it? Unbelievable gifts given to those who would so tragically fail to realize that they'd been blessed in order to use those gifts for His glory.

This is a tough concept because it could easily be taken as if everyone should be in vocational ministry. SO not true. The point is simply that it's a capital miss if people don't recognize their talents as opportunities to both bless and be blessed.

Obviously no one knows a person's salvation, so I'm not going to point out anyone in an example to the contrary and single out a Christian in a "secular" industry--especially in pop culture. You hear things, but only God knows the heart. Even now I feel a little judgmental calling out Chris Brown and Michael Jackson. Who knows what their hearts beat when it comes to Christ? I can't know that.

Anyway...So, the Grammys. Interesting show. I wonder what Dave Grohl really means when he screams "I never wanna die!" into his microphone. I wonder what's going on in his heart? In his soul? I wonder if he's satisfied with life. I wonder if he knows that the Lord created his very fingers, which so fantastically slam the strings of his blue guitar. (FYI: I don't follow the music scene much, so if Grohl has publically stated anything about faith, I obviously won't know about it. If I seem naive, it's because I am! haha! This is one reason I'm "studying" the Grammys.)

Do I have a point? Yes.

Back to my opening line. I have to blog.

I'm getting ready to go through a variety of major life transitions, and I'm having to filter through what about me stays the same and what changes. What passes with the seasons, and what is locked in? One thing: my relationship with Christ. Steadfast. He will NEVER leave my heart. I am sealed by the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1, somewhere).

But what else? What about me will be there for the long-haul?

One thing is writing. I've realized that by now. No matter where I go, what I do, what roles I play, I fully believe that God has placed this gift/talent/passion in my life and that it will last as long as I have a functioning brain. And I hope it does! I LOVE it!

When something happens to me--good, bad, big, small, funny, sad, whatever--the first thing I want to do is write about it. It's how I express myself. It's how I process information. It's how I communicate best with others. It's one of the main ways I pray. The written word comes so much more naturally to me than the spoken or even the thought. Don't know why. It just does.

The older I get, the more I learn about how much of a blessing this is. The more I understand it, the more I can use it for good. Yes, I can use it to grow spiritually. Yes, I can use it to help others see Jesus more clearly (at least I hope so!!). Yes, I can use it to encourage others. And that's what I want to do! I believe it's one of the reasons I was created! And you know what? I believe that nothing can steal that from me because I believe it's God-protected. Whether I'm in my little one-bedroom apartment, the future home of me and the Mighty Man--whether I'm in my office at FCA or behind the counter of a coffee shop--whether I'm rich or poor--I will always be a writer. Well, let me rephrase, because I hate it when people label themselves as anything other than a child of God. I will always be a daughter of the Most High God who loves to express things with written words.

So, what's your thing? Maybe it's more than one thing. What are the things that God has given you that will be with you forever? Whatever that is, how are you stewarding that gift? Do you know that you were given that ability/passion as a way of drawing closer to Jesus by using it? Are you aware that you can use that gift in some way to bless others and draw them closer to Christ as well? Man, I hope so. There's nothing like using those gifts knowing that the Holy Spirit is in it with you.

Well, friends! If you're watching the Grammys, maybe you can explain to me why the aforementioned Dave Grohl has something pink and strappy around his wrist. haha! OH! The Beach Boys are back!!!!!! Okay, I gotta go. This WILL be worth watching. I hope. :)

Go forth and use your gifts for good!! BIG hugs, all!

-Jill

Mrs. Mighty Man

2012-02-02T13:32:00.000-08:00

We're ENGAGED!!! :) :) :)

Hi, everyone! It's official! If you haven't heard the news or read it on Facebook, the Mighty Man asked me to marry him last Friday. :) And I said yes, of course. How any girl could turn down the proposal of such a wonderful, godly man is beyond me. But I'm praising God that this one chose me. :) Thank you, Mighty Man, for picking me to be your princess. :) I'm thankful beyond measure.

It's so funny. I have been telling folks that I can see why the wedding industry is so lucrative. There are SO many material things to get lost in! Good grief! The day after the engagement, I went to the bookstore just to find an inexpensive wedding planner/notebook/checklist, and there were so many to choose from! And for every topic! "Getting married in less than four months? We have you covered!" "Wedding on a budget? Get this planner!" (Which is weird, because that was one of the most expensive.) "Destination wedding? Pick me!" And, of course, each one says the same thing, just with different-colored paper. haha! Oh, well. That's half the fun of being a bride, I guess.

But with all the chaos, I quickly realized that it's going to take a major effort to remain focused on Christ as the point of this wedding. At the end of the day, the Mighty Man and I want this to be a way of bringing praise to Jesus. Our marriage is His design and His purpose, so we want that to be the focus. But wow. Invitations, flowers, colors, dresses...those can all get more attention than they deserve. And easily.

That's one reason why I'm so thankful for the MM. He's so laid back! I don't know how he does it. haha! Nothing phases him. And I so need that. I'm pretty high-strung most of the time and like to have an agenda and to-do list for all occasions. He is so good at helping me see the bigger picture of God's hand at work and His timing. MM has the gift of being the best tranquilizer. They should really bottle him and sell him. :) He'd put Xanax out of business! :)

There's really no spiritual lesson for the day other than my prayer request. And, I guess, a reminder to all of us not to let second-place things take first. It might be a wedding, a job, a sport, a vacation, a ministry even--whatever it is, don't let it rule your life. That's God's role and no one else's. Lay down whatever you're fixated on and allow Him to be the Lord over it. Search the Bible for passages that help you remember this, too. There are tons of them! In fact, I'll leave you with one:

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2).

Hugs to you all! :) Have a great day!
- Jill (The Future Mrs. Mighty Man)

Hot tea, John Schneider, and Jesus.

2012-01-24T11:47:00.001-08:00

I think my new love language might be hot tea. haha! :) I have such an affection for coffee (affection? addiction?), but lately I've been craving tea. It comes in so many wonderful flavors! Peppermint, Wild Sweet Orange, Cinnamon Spice, Vanilla Roobios, Chai, Earl Grey, Sleepytime (um, yes please)--you name it! If there's an appealing flavor, I'm sure there's a tea to go with it. Plus, its health benefits are through the roof. Why do I always forget how much I love this stuff? haha!

Yesterday, I took a spontaneous vacation day and had a chance to screen a movie that had been sent to FCA for review. Um, wow. I bawled like a little girl. (Or like a perfectly normal grown woman with emotions.) It was called "October Baby," and it's coming out March 23.

I won't give it all away, but it's about a girl who is the survivor of a failed abortion. You follow her journey as she discovers who she is, both literally and spiritually. It's fantastic! But the best part is the relationship between her and her adoptive dad, played by John Schneider. (My sister will just DIE! We're both fans from way back, but she's, like, a megafan. With good reason, of course, as he IS a rock star.)

Man, this dad LOVES his daughter. He's not her biological father, but it's obvious that that makes zero difference to him. That is clearly shown through the pain he experiences as he walks (or tries to) with his daughter through the identity crisis.

Sometimes I can't imagine being a parent who has to watch a child suffer while there's nothing they can do about it. That has to be one of the most heartbreaking experiences in life. And, obviously, every parent has to go through it at some point. You want so badly just to fix your child's problem, but you can't, and it tears you up inside. This person whom you love more than anything in the world is struggling, and there's not a thing you can do to save him or her. How gut-wrenching must that be?

Sure, you could lock them in a closet in your house and try to protect them, but what good would that do? How would that help them? You can talk until you're blue in the face, but they just don't get it. Or, what if it's medical? What if there's cancer? Your hands are completely tied, and the only thing you can do is pray. Wow. I can't imagine.

Kind of reminds me of God as our Father. He gives us choices, and has to watch as we deal with them. He could lock us away and protect us from everything, but He knows that wouldn't help us. We'd never get stronger. We'd never need faith. We'd never know we needed Him. We'd never develop a relationship with Him at all. So, He lets us choose for ourselves, always offering the wise way, but never demanding that we take it. And always there to pick us up when we stumble and redirect us back to His path.

Wow. What a God. Every time I stop to think about who He really is, I feel like I get a little punch in the stomach. It's because I know that I don't have a constant proper perspective of Him. I don't realize who He is and His unbelievable love for me--what He does for me constantly, daily, hourly, by the second. His grace is constantly being poured out on me. His peace is always available. His joy; His very presence. And yet, I forget. I minimize Him. I humanize Him. I ignore Him.

Oh, Father.

The part that really gets me is how willing He is to take me back. The story of the Prodigal Son has always been a favorite of mine, as I feel like a prodigal very often. I go off with my riches and play in the mud pits, ashamed of what I've done and scared to go back. But when I do, He runs to meet me with open arms and throws a party.

Now, let me ask you this: Why would you NOT want this kind of relationship? Why would you NOT want this kind of unconditional love from the God of the entire universe? That's maybe the most baffling thing of all.

Through His Son, Jesus Christ, we are offered forgiveness for EVERYTHING. Every mud puddle we've ever trampled through. Every pig sty we've ever wallowed in. Every sin, every stain. Jesus Christ gave His life so that we could be forgiven and restored completely. And even more, that we could LIVE--both here on earth and forever with Him. That we could have an abundant, full life here and go on to live in relationship with Him when we transition to heaven.

Man...If you don't know Jesus, you have GOT to. He is the everything you've ever wanted. He's the everything you've ever needed. He's the everything! You've got to get Him. You've got to allow Him to get you! You've got to. How can you possibly live without Him? All your pain, all your sin, all your trouble--you can take it to Him!! And He will love you, care for you, forgive you, carry you. Just invite Him in! He stands at the door of your heart and knocks. Please, let Him in. It's not just about "fire insurance" and avoiding hell. It's about living in peace and joy here on earth! Let Him be the Father you've always wanted. He LOVES you!

With that being said, I'm out.

-Jill

Closing Tebow Thoughts

2012-01-16T07:49:00.000-08:00

I wonder if this isn't a sign of maturity. Last week the Mighty Man and I went on a date before he left town for a week. It was to Jiffy Lube for mutual oil changes. hahaha! :) You might be over 30 when... :) I don't mind. I think it was awesome! Totally responsible. :) We're growing up. :) Define irony, though. Right after the oil change, I got home and checked my mail only to find a coupon for $15 off at Jiffy Lube waiting in my mailbox. (*sigh*) Oh, well. :) Maybe that's encouragement to get it done more regularly.

Since my last post, there has been so much going on! I had a ton of feedback from my post on Tim Tebow, which was awesome. Some folks agreed; some didn't. And that was awesome! Certainly the whole point of this was to talk about it and to seek/find the Lord.

I really loved watching the Tebow Mania play out. It raised so many questions and forced Christians to evaluate their personal level of public witness. What they believed about it and what they were comfortable sharing and why. What kind of public witness we all are called to. It was highly entertaining to watch some of the Facebook discussions every time Tim would make a new statement (or score another crazy-awesome touchdown).

Personally, I thought it was completely awesome. His heart was so sincere in his desire to honor and love the Lord and to share the name of Jesus. I fully believe that all Tim wanted to do was to let others know that they had a Savior available to them. That he wasn't operating in his own strength, but in the strength of the Lord. Who on earth would fight that?

My opinion? Any naysaying was based in selfishness. People made it about themselves and what they were comfortable with rather than allowing a child of God to express himself in the way in which he wanted. It reminded me of Scripture saying that the would would hate Christians because of Christ. I believe that's what happened with Tim. And what was truly sad was that most of the hating came from the Body of Christ. AHH! Why on earth was that?

Here was someone who had the guts to take a HUGE stand for Christ, and all some folks wanted to do was to tear him down. Why? Why on earth would you want to stop someone from bringing glory to the Lord? Tim wasn't saying anything that was out of line with Scripture. "I want to thank my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for giving me the ability..." There's NOTHING wrong with that. He never said God had caused him to win; he just said that God had given him the abilities that he used on the field. I'm sure if someone had asked him, he would have said that God gave Tom Brady the same ability to beat them last Saturday night.

What is wrong with that? To me, nothing. I loved every minute of it. I, honestly, WISHED that I had half the courage of Tim Tebow to just speak the name of Jesus and not care what kind of fiery darts came at me as a result. Isn't that right in line with Paul's prayer in Ephesians 6:19-21:

"Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should."

Why were we so busy tearing down this courageous heart instead of praying that he be courageous enough to keep standing for Christ? That just makes me angry.

Aren't we one Body of believers? Shouldn't we be empowering each other to be who God has called us to be at the moment? I believe Tim's role from the Lord was to proclaim the Lord's name while he was on a big stage. And I believe we should have been praying for him the whole time and then just focusing on doing our part: being ready to answer the questions of faith that came up as a result.

Friends, let's stop trying to control each other and let God take care of the actions of others. It's not our responsibility to manage those in the spotlight. Rather, let's focus our own hearts on the Lord and on seeking Him in our own lives. Let's pray for the Body of Christ and focus on what God has called us to do--not on what He's called others to do.

I'm excited and encouraged! I can't wait to see what the Lord continues to do in the world of sports. This season, it was headlined by Tebow Mania. Who knows what next season will bring? Or what the Super Bowl will bring yet this year? Either way, I know that He's at work in all things, whether we can see it in the life of the main players or not.

Praise God for His love and mercy to us all! :)

Love you guys!
- Jill

Passion, Purpose and Spilled Milk

2012-01-04T06:09:00.000-08:00

Funny story. So, last night, I was getting ready for bed and getting ready to pour myself a glass of milk like I always do. Well, I have a habit of always shaking the carton before I pour it. Don’t know why. Just habit. So, I go to shake it not realizing that I’d already taken the lid off. Haha! Yep! Milk flew everywhere, just like a scene from out of a sitcom. I busted a gut. It was hilarious! The miser in me, though, was angry that we’d wasted, like, $.50, though. Haha! :) But, truly, there is NO use crying over spilled milk.

I’ve been having a BLAST this week. The kind folks at my book publishers gave me my first freelance editing project, and I’m just living it up! I’m so thankful for this opportunity for two reasons. One: Because I’m getting to read a very cool book that is challenging me spiritually and
bringing me closer to Christ. Two: Because I am learning more about my talents and how much they bring me joy and glory to God.

This weekend, the KC Star ran a section for those who were trying to start fresh this year and discover their passions. They said that one clear way to find your area of passion is to list out the things you do that make you lose track of time. I thought about that for a while, and because I’m
such a clock-watcher, I couldn’t think of many. But when I sat down to edit this project, I quickly found out that editing is one of my things! I absolutely love being able to take someone’s thoughts and make them clear and concise in written word. It’s so much fun! And I know it’s such a gift from God. And the best part is that it DOES bring Him glory! Because I can take the
talents He’s given me and put them to work for His Kingdom by helping Christians communicate lessons and truth to others, I am privileged to help advance His Kingdom here on earth. HALLELUJAH!! :)

I want to be careful here and make sure that I don’t communicate that you have to work in quote-unquote ministry in order to glorify God. Totally not true. My Mighty Man’s dad is gifted with numbers, and he’s able to bring glory to God by accounting. My Momsy is able to bring glory to
God through her attention to detail in a clerical role in which she gets to use another gift for His Kingdom: her people skills. (She’s such a prayer warrior and sweetheart to those around her—and that’s a talent/gift!) But what I’m saying is that when you strike that chord of combining what you are good at with what you love, you really hit a God-given sweet spot. And I believe that He’s created us all to discover that. It pleases Him when we are filled with joy by serving Him. Scripture tells us that we were created to enjoy our work, and I fully believe that we can when we are operating in His strength and gifts.

Okay, second note: This doesn’t mean you’re in the wrong spot if you hate your job. That’s between you and God. It could be a relational issue, a time-management issue, or a variety of other things. But that’s between you and God whether or not you are in a position of maximizing your gifts and talents. What I can encourage you to do is to pray about it and seek out the areas of passion that He has instilled in you. He gave you gifts for areason and wants to use them to bless you, others and the world around you. To make a difference in the lives of others by showing His truth and love and character—one aspect of which will be His joy, which you will display as you work.

So, off I go to edit some more. Good thing is that it’s also magazine copy deadline week, so I’m getting double-duty of editing for the next few days, both at work and at home. Yee haw!!! (Mighty Man, I miss the heck out of you, though! My computer is no match for the joy you bring me. Guess I have a little lesson to learn in time-management as I discover these passions, too.) :)

Here’s to praying we all can find our passions in life and live them out in the full, abundant life that Christ promised in John 10:10.

Love and hugs!
- Jill

A Good Lesson from a Cold

2011-12-28T10:37:00.001-08:00

Hi, everyone! Happy December 28th to you, and a big Happy Anniversary to two of my best friends in the world: EE and JE. Love you guys!! :)

The Christmas this year was absolutely amazing. I got to spend my first holiday with the Mighty Man's family, and we had such a blast. For a girl who is used to Christmas-hopping to about four different places every 12/25, it was a big dose of amazing to stay in one place with one family and just hang out for a day. That was incredible! (Memo to my family: I love you guys, and this doesn't take away from the crazy amazingness of our typical Christmas routine.) The biggest blessing, though, was actually realizing that the Lord has surrounded me with such a godly family on both sides. MM's family is just filled with the love of Christ from top to bottom, and my family is building a godly heritage that has been up and down depending on generations. I'm so proud of them, especially my Momsy, PPB and sis/bro-in-law. It takes work to break chains and barriers and to respond when the Holy Spirit calls you to faith. And they have answered. I loev it, and I'm super thankful for what my Father is doing. Thank You, Lord.

Today is a little challenging. Okay, the last two days have been super challenging. I'm sick. And it's no fun at all. It's been a while since I've been too sick to run, and this is the first time in a very long time that I will take my second consecutive day off from the daily discipline of pounding the pavement. It's hard!!! My mind is so used to it that when I am sidelined, it takes a big amount of mental energy to realize that IT'S OKAY not to run once in a while. (Runners out there, you will most likely understand this.)

But, the good thing is that when times like this come up, I get to re-examine why I do love to run. Isn't it true that when something you take for granted is taken away, you realize what it means to you?

For me, running is a wonderful outlet for so many reasons. One, it challenges me. Running isn't easy, so it's a great way to challenge myself and build mental/inner strength. Two, it's a great way to maintain health and fitness. (Duh.) Three, it's a WONDERFUL way to get away from all distractions and to enjoy solitude. And this leads me to four: It's a fantastic time to communicate with the Lord. He meets me in so many ways out on the road. I've blogged about it many times in the past, but I often forget just how many different ways this can be an experience of worship. It gives me a chance to pray and to listen. If I put on music, it gives me a chance to praise. If I listen to a sermon, it provides time for teaching. And, regardless, it gives me the chance to use the physical gifts and abilities that He has given me. Endurance isn't something everyone is passionate about, so I know it's a gift from Him that I enjoy it so much and can take to it so naturally.

So, today, as I sit here guzzling down my umpteenth cup of hot tea, I want to celebrate the art of running and thank my Father for such a good gift. May I hold it loosely and always allow it to be His, and may He restore it in His time. (It's just a cold, so I don't doubt it will be soon. It just feels like it when I am in the midst of it. haha!)

You know, I want to encourage you all with a little spiritual spin on this and broaden it up to life in general. God gives us all gifts, and when we experience them daily, we can really begin to take them for granted--even to dislike them at times. When I'm tired or lazy, I totally don't like running. I fully admit it. But that's because I'm focusing on the difficult parts of it instead of the good things that provide it's base. I focus on the fact that it's hard work and that I'd rather stay in a warm, cozy bed, when I could focus on the awesome fact that I have two legs that can carry me for miles and an opportunity to spend some quality time with my Lord. Super cool.

This really applies to relationships in life. Maintaining relationships is hard work. Many relationships are constant, and when we are in them continually, we can stop seeing them as blessings, taking them completely for granted. Why did we start this relationship to begin with? Wouldn't it be easier just to not participate in it? Can't I just take a break from it altogether? Can't I just leave?

When these times come, we need to refocus. We can choose to recenter on the good aspects of these dynamics instead of the challenges. When can realize that there are so many wonderful things about these relationships and see that the challenges are more than worth it. Then, when we do this, our perspective will shift and we'll get a renewed passion to love and serve these others with the power of the Holy Spirit.

Today, let's all celebrate the gifts that we are taking for granted. Running, working, serving, relating, whatever! Let's examine the good gifts we've been given and reflect on why they are GOOD. That way, when the challenges come up against them, we'll realize that they are truly worth every amount of effort.

Love and hugs to you all! And Happy New Year!
- Jill

Weighing in on Tebow Time

2011-12-12T09:02:00.000-08:00

I can't not blog about this. It's burning a hole in my heart. After yesterday, I can't not say something.

PLEASE PRAY FOR TIM TEBOW!

I'm totally serious. haha! I've been a Christian sports journalist for almost 10 years now, and I've seen so many great stories in that time. God is certainly manifesting Himself through Tim right now and leading a LOT of people to ask questions about faith. And the character of Tim himself is proving to be one of great division and opinion as well.

But let me assure you all. This is all good. Romans 8:28 says that in all things God is working for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. From all we can tell, Tim Tebow is a child of God. It would be seriously difficult for someone who isn't sold on his faith to make such a stand in the face of tremendous opposition. Obviously, I don't know his heart, but I can observe just like the rest of you.

All I want to do is give him a big hug and tell him to keep it up. That God is with him. That he can do it. That he's not alone. That the body of Christ is standing with him. That we're in his corner.

He's taking a beating right now, I assure you. Yes, things are good on the field as the Broncos keep winning, but there is tremendous pressure mounting. I'm personally praying that the Lord protects him from the pressure. From what he says in the media, he certainly seems to "get it," that it's not about performance. That God loves him regardless of fumbles, touchdowns and pass completions. I pray that takes root in his heart like never before.

I read an article on Relevant Magazine's website this morning, and it made a great point. This isn't just about Tim Tebow, but about the body of Christ together. While Tim is the one who is setting the example, we are the ones who are going to be answering the questions of those who observe him and start asking. Are we ready for those conversations? When Tim thanks Christ in the post-game interviews, are we prepared to talk with our buddies who are sick of hearing it? Are we prepared to talk to others who question the point of sports and faith in general? We need to be. Because regardless of what happens on the field, we are in this together. Tim's setting the example and doing his part to raise awareness. We have to be willing to do our part to follow up with those around us.

1 Peter 3:15 says that we always need to be prepared to answer questions about our faith. I'm going to copy it below as an encouragement to all of us today to get ready. I don't care what you think about Tim Tebow. (Personally, I love the kid and am finding myself cheering for the Broncos more than the Chiefs on the weekends.) But I do care about what you say when others ask you questions about why he's saying what he does.

Let's remember that we're in this together. Pray for Tim and prepare your minds. Seek the Lord and get ready to talk about what's going on. But, as Peter says...do this with gentleness and respect.

Love and hugs, y'all! Verse is below!
- Jill

1 Peter 3:15-16
"But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander."

Truth and Cliche

2011-12-08T08:50:00.001-08:00

Hey, y'all! (I say in my best Paula Deen voice.) Merry Christmas!! Don't you just love this time of year? It's funny. Every year I start missing Christmas even before it's here--especially the music. haha! I could listen to Christmas music all year and never get tired of it. Sometimes I set my Pandora station to Bing Crosby in July and just enjoy it. :)

Another great thing about Christmas? Jesus. Sad that it's gotten to the point of saying that He's just "another" aspect of Christmas. Isn't He Christmas itself? Not if you ask the media. The point of Christmas to our world stops with family, fireplaces and more cookie recipes than you can shake a stick at. (To a habitual baker, though, that's definitely a perk.) :)

I read a devotion today about familiar Scripture verses and how we tend to dismiss them. Ones like John 3:16, Philippians 4:13, Proverbs 3:5-6, etc. We hear them so much that they become cliche. But the whole reason they're so familiar is because they are powerful and true!! John 3:16 says that God sent His Son to bring anyone who believes in Him eternal life. Wow! That's true and powerful!

Philippians 4:13 says that we can do all things through Christ who gives us strength. WOW! What a promise! We are empowered by the Savior of the world to do whatever He sets before us. No excuse of "I can't" in His economy. That's awesome!!

Proverbs 3:5-6 says that we are to trust in the Lord and lean not on our own understanding. If we look to Him in all things, He will make our paths straight. LOVE it! What kind of peace that can bring if we take the time to let that sink in!

It's so funny how we dismiss cliches. Why? More often than not, they're cliche for a reason: because there is truth in them! You know what? The grass does always seem greener on the other side of the fence. You really can't make a horse drink even if you lead him to water. And, to my knowledge, there is no such thing as a tree that grows money.

Cliches have gotten a bad rap. Especially when they are snippits of the Word of God. Those, most certainly, have no place being skimmed, skipped or allowed to become stale. Even if we've read them a thousand times and heard them even more, they are still part of the LIVING and ACTIVE Bible. One that, according to 2 Timothy 3:16, is entirely God-breathed and useful. Every word.

Yes, it's Christmas again. And, yes, you might hear the Christmas story again whether you read it or just hear it from Linus as you watch A Charlie Brown Christmas. Either way, don't let it go in one ear and out the other (haha! True cliche!!). Let it sink in and serve the purpose that it was indended to serve. Let it remind you that you have a God who loves you enough to become flesh, and live to die for you. Wow. Now, that's true and powerful.

Big hugs!
- Jill

Thanks Thanks Thanks!

2011-11-29T13:21:00.000-08:00

I can't believe it! I never win anything! But I totally just got a call from a local spa saying that I'd won their giveaway for a free one-hour massage. Hallelujah!! Praise God! haha! He must know that I need stress management. :) Um, yes. Scripture does tell us that He knows what we need before we ask. I'm super blessed by that. :)

What a great week it's been! Thanksgiving was awesome. I got to see my wonderful family and be with my Mighty Man the whole time. And, of course, turkey leftovers are my favorite. My tummy just growled thinking about them. . . sitting there in my freezer. . . waiting to be devoured with dallops of mustard. . . Oh, joy. :) :)

Can you tell that phone call just made my day? I'm in such a great mood!

So many good things have happened lately, too. I had the blessing of a great phone interview with Les Norman of 810 Sports Radio and host of "Breakin' the Norm" this morning. (Thanks, Les!!) It was awesome! It's always a blessing to talk to guys who are out in the world, but who have a faith in Christ. He's got a tough spot as a Christian in secular sports radio. But I have no doubt that God is using him to make a difference there. If you ever get a chance to tune it, do it!

What's funny is that this whole idea of thankfulness has been recurring in my life and in my times with the Lord lately. It's like He's trying to tell me something. haha! :)

I don't know about you all, but I have a tendency to dwell on negatives a little too much. If I have a great day but one little thing sours it, I will ruminate on that one thing instead of seeing the bigger, greater picture. It's a bad habit, and a total hindrance to my ability to walk in the joy of the Lord.

One of our FCA staff girls out in Maine wrote a great devotion this week about that. She talked about the ability we have to rejoice in the Lord ALWAYS even if for no other reason than that we are continually covered by His grace.

Shouldn't that be enough for us? It most definitely is, we just don't choose to see it that way. We (and by "we" I mean "I") tend to expect every day to be completley problem-free, and when that doesn't happen, we dwell on the little things that go wrong. All the while, God is blessing our socks off with His love, grace, mercy, power, forgiveness, and so much more! Daily blessings like total redemption from sin, unconditional love by the Creator of the Universe, constant care and protection from evil. . . What on earth do I have to complain about? Ever!

It isn't just Thanksgiving. It isn't just Christmas. This is a life lesson. I want to rejoice in the Lord. He asks us to do that continually, and I fully believe that when we really understand who He is and what He's done/is doing for us moment by moment, we will walk in that attitude of gratefulness. Lord, forgive me for focusing on what I view as "bad" in my life and for not trusting You and thanking You as I should. Help me to see life from Your point of view and through the lens of salvation in Christ.

If we really want to get into theology there really is no "bad" or "good" at all. It just is. Romans 8:28 says that in ALL things God is working for our good, so that means even what we think of as negative is actually something that can and should be positive according to His ultimate plan. Kind of mind-blowing, isn't it? Now, that's something to rejoice about. Even the most devastating of news can be sent to the Lord in praise if we truly trust Him. Not saying we can't be sad when things hurt or cause us anger/frustration/pain, but we don't have to dwell in it as the end of the world. We can trust Him with it to care for us and redeem it for His glory.

Okay, I'm a little nervous that He's going to test my mettle in this message. haha! Lord, have mercy! :) haha! Oh, well. You gotta practice what you preach, right? Faith in action. Walk the walk. All the cliches you can handle!

Anyway, I hope this has encouraged you a little today. No matter what you're going through, there is always a reason to be thankful when we trust in the Lord. His love, His grace, His salvation, His eternal home for us in Heaven (if we've trusted Christ as our Lord and Savior and engaged in a relationship with Him). All things that nothing here on earth can touch. No matter how "bad" the day gets.

Hugs to you all!
- Jill

Motivation from the Mighty Man

2011-11-20T14:10:00.000-08:00

I am so fantastically proud of my Mighty Man today! :) In an act of unbelievable strength and courage, he ran his first half marathon without walking a single step. It was a goal he'd had since the beginning of the year, and he completed it today on one of the most dispicable courses in the area and in the November cold. Way to go, Mighty Man. I'm so proud of such a strong warrior.

I can hear the "gag me's" now. haha! Don't care! I love him!! And not just because he ran today (my sport of choice), but because he did something he said he would do even though it was hard. That takes discipline and integrity.

It reminds me of another story he has from his childhood. He recalls jumping from a tall tree limp into a pond because he promised a girl he would. (Of course he was trying to impress her. He's quite the charmer.) :) But, he almost didn't. He was pretty confident on the ground, but when he got up to the limb itself and realized how high it was, he climbed right back down.

Eventually, he dad got wind of this, though, and instructed his son to be a man of his word. He had to make good on his promise. And so he did.

I'm sure the little Mighty Man was terrified, but his word was important. And I'm so thankful to his dad for teaching him that important lesson. It goes straight back to Scripture and the many times that God instructs us to keep our words. Over and over He tells us and others in the Bible to keep our vows and to, like the Mighty Man preached a week ago, let our "yes" be "yes" and our "no" be "no." That's in Matthew from the Sermon on the Mount.

But it's a sad reality that our world isn't very familiar with the concept of following through. We see it all the time. People just give up when things get hard. Especially in relationships, right? We've gotten so used to relationships breaking apart that we have started to believe that they're disposable.

My Momsy and I had this conversation a while ago. We have a similar fear of people abandoning us when emotions get flared. It's what we've seen. It's what we learned. People walk away when there's a fight.

And we are NOT the only ones who have this issue. Because it's true! This is how many relationships end up today. People just choose to leave instead of sticking together and working through tough patches.

But this is where we, as Christians, have a chance to show the world something different. In the power of the Holy Spirit, we CAN stick with a relationship no matter how hard it gets. It's the supernatural love and grace that He gives us. When we choose to accept it and give it to others, we can fight, argue, weep and wail and not have to worry about whether or not the relationship will end. If both parties are committed, through the Lord, to seeing it through, there's no abandoning. Even if it is absolutely horrible for days, weeks, months, whatever. There's a shared supernatural ability to stick with it until it's resolved.

Why? Because we understand the grace and love that we ourselves have been given through Christ and that we are shared holders of that same love and grace. Jesus died for us even though we were/are guilty, sin-stained and broken. But He loved us so much that He paid the price for us so that we could be forgiven, saved and free. And when we receive Him as our Lord, we become recipients of the Holy Spirit, who enables us to love like He did. Forgive like He did. And in that power, no relationship is doomed.

Today, I'm thanking God for the perseverance of my Mighty Man and for the hard-earned sweaty salt he earned that covered his face. It was tough, but he did it. He stayed with something that was challenging and made good on his commitment. And Jesus did the same thing. He stayed with it until He had been crucified and risen again so that God's Word could be fulfilled and His children restored.

Thank You, Jesus. May we all follow Your example of perseverance and commitment. May we learn to ditch the concept of abandonment and to walk forward in the freedom of Your love and be willing to share that with others. No matter how hard it gets.

Oh! And, yes, I did run too. haha! It was not one of my PRs. I will NOT mince words. I hate this course. But it wasn't bad at all. It was a great long run with 2,300 of my fellow runners who all experienced the same thing. And, lo and behold! I did get 2nd in my age group. I guess we all felt it a little today. :)

Enjoy your Sunday!
- Jill

The Extent of Belief

2011-11-11T09:00:00.001-08:00

Is it bad that a small part of me wants to skip my own book signing to go meet Martha Stewart? Haha! She's speaking tonight at Unity Temple, which is about 500 feet from Barnes & Noble, where I'll be signing copies of the book from 7-9 p.m. (subtle hint to come on out!). And, I'm like, "It's Martha Stewart!!! Let the hallelujah chorus begin!" haha! I don't get star-struck, but, um, I just might around her.

It's been an interesting week, I won't lie. I've been in a battle mentally, spiritually, emotionally, physically. Just one of those weeks. And a lot of it has to do with how much I really trust the Lord. I'm finding that just because Jesus says something in His Word, doesn't mean I believe it.

I believe He's the Son of God. I believe He died on the cross and rose again. I believe He is the Savior of all who believe and trust in Him. I believe His death paid the price for our sins.

But...

When He says that we don't need to worry about things? I don't buy it. When He says that God will provide all the money we need and that we don't need to waste time worrying about it? I don't take that literally. I still would, 9 times out of 10, choose to take a safe money route instead of following Him.

For almost a year, now, I believe God has been telling me to step out in faith on a few things. But I just won't do it. There are a lot of contributing factors, but one of them is the "need" for money. Of course I don't want to be foolish, but I don't believe what God is asking me to do is all that foolish, it's just risky to me. And how much am I willing to believe Him when He says that He will take care of me so much more than the lillies of the field and the birds of the air? (Matthew 6)

I won't belabor this very much, but it's on my heart to share with you all the passage from Matthew 6 and ask you to evaluate what YOU believe. Does your belief stop at a certain point when it comes to Jesus? Do you stop at who He is and dismiss His teachings just because they are difficult or counter-cultural?

If we believe that He's the Son of God, then I believe we should be free to take Him completely at His Word. If we're willing to believe that He was/is the Messiah, then I think we could be okay believing what He instructed. Doesn't that make sense? Why would we believe the hard truth of His divinity and then throw out His message? That makes no sense.

So, here's the passage (Matthew 6:25-34):

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

“And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

What are you worrying about today? It's time that we stop worrying and start seeking God. Trusting Him. Believing Him. I'm going to believe Him today. Tough teachings and all.

Love to you all!
-Jill

Our First Calling

2011-11-03T09:05:00.000-07:00

Hallelujah!! I can't thank the kind folks at Millstone Coffee Co. for their Holliday Peppermint coffee. Um...Let's talk about taste buds rejoicing. Especially after battling the wind and cold on the run this morning. I got pistol-whipped by a hard NNW wind this morning--so much so that I could literally barely make it up the hills--so I gave myself the gift of opening my new bag of java, which I'd gotten with a coupon, of course. $2.00 off just made it taste even better!

I had a great Bible study last night. I got to visit the precept study that a group from my former church is doing on 1 Peter. It was awesome! I just love those folks. And the lady who leads it might be one of the most passionate women of God I've ever met. She teaches with authority! And I just love that. It reminds me of God's power and fires up my heart to love and be loved by Him.

It's interesting what message God shared with me through the study last night. I've been doing a lot of thinking about my "calling" lately and examining it with a magnifying glass. What did God put me here to do? Am I doing it? How can I fulfill my purpose here? Questions we all ask ourselves periodically.

Anyway, last night was awesome. God spoke straight into that question through my girl--since I'm into funny blog nicknames, I'll call her C-Lo. She actually shared in her message that if we were wrestling with those questions, we could rest. If we were always wondering where God would place us and where we should go and what we should do, we needed to relax and understand that our first and primary calling is to know Him and let Him conform us to the image of Christ.

Wow. GREAT reminder.

It's part of life that we all question what we're here to do. If we're where we're supposed to be, doing what we were created to do. But I personally don't believe that matters as much as we think it does.

Don't get me wrong, I fully believe that God has specific plans for each of us, but I think those will happen naturally if we are faithful to latch on to our primary role of knowing Him and becoming like Christ.

Matthew 6:33 is one of my favorite verses. It's one of those verses that pretty much sums it all up. I'll paraphrase, but it says that we are to seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be given to us, as well. He's talking about our basic needs in regards to what we will be given, but I believe it applies to life in general in a great way.

Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and He'll take care of the rest. I needed that reminder last night. It's not so much about "doing" for God as it is about knowing Him--being in relationship with Him and allowing Him to conform us into the image of His Son. That's why we're here on this planet: to bring Him to earth. How we do that is by allowing Christ to live through us--to love others and to let them know that He loves them. To live in that loving relationship with Him ourselves. Man, it's so simple when we really look at it from God's perspective. Just seek Him and let Him take care of you.

Today, I'm reflecting on that. How am I allowing God to change me into the image of Christ? Am I more like Christ today than I was yesterday? What exactly does it look like to be like Jesus? Do I know enough about Him to walk and live like Him? Great questions that we all should ask ourselves. Moreso that where we should be going or what we should be doing. Those are okay to ask, but they're not the first ones we should be posing. They should fall in line after we have examined our hearts and allowed God to reveal His will for us in living and loving like His Son.

Love and hugs to you all. :) Be encouraged knowing that God loves you more than you can ever know.

-Jill

Oven fires, emotions and HGTV. :)

2011-10-27T06:53:00.000-07:00

Okay, don't tell my neighbors or my apartment complex ladies, but yesterday I totally set my oven on fire. haha! :) I had spilled something in the bottom, and wouldn't you know it, it actually caught fire! I was on the phone in a deep discussion with the Mighty Man at the time, and all of a sudden I just said, "Um, babe, I gotta go. My oven is on fire. haha!" It was casual because it was surprising. But that was a funny moment. I just opened the oven door and let the air kill the flame (it was small). But that was definitely a first for me!

Don't let that fool you, though. I'm still a killer baker. And I'm learning about the cooking thing, too. I'll get there. :)

So, these past couple of weeks have been very enlightening for me. I'm learning so much about who God created me to be, and I had the most wonderful self discovery the other day. I'm so tired of trying to be a boy. :) I want to be a girl!! :) :) And that's okay! :)

Here's the story because that sounds funny.

Growing up, my dad didn't really know how to handle girls, so he involved me and my sister in his interests as a way of showing love. He taught us all about deer hunting and football. (I can throw a wicked spiral...just sayin.) But that really had an effect on me. I know he didn't intend it do, but I grew up believing that Jill the little girl wasn't worth approval. Jill the little girl who loved My Little Ponies and Barbies and games of Candy Land--she wasn't going to be accepted. I would have to pursue other avenues against my nature if I wanted to be approved.

Thus, I became a jock. I played sports to please my dad. I got involved in athletics in college to please my dad. (And, by this time, all men.) And I took a job in the sports field to please my dad. I'm living, as a 31-year-old woman to please my dad, who probably didn't care one way or the other, but who couldn't express that to me.

Wow. Okay...Can anyone relate here?

This is getting deep for a blog, but I want to share it because I think it's something that a lot of people struggle with. My dad was an amazing man. I respect few people more than I respect him. He was a brave man who served in Vietnam, and he came home and worked so hard every day of his life in order to provide for his family. The only trouble was that he never expressed or validated emotions. Thus, I kind of made up my own assumptions about what he wanted from me. And I also learned that emotions weren't really okay to have. They needed to be tucked away and stuffed down with distracting sources.

Now, I KNOW I'm not alone there. Especially with the emotional part. That's why addictions are so rampant! We don't want to feel the things we're experienceing--the pain, the anger, the fear--so we distract ourselves with a thousand different things to take our minds off what we're really experiencing. But that's SO not healthy.

Emotions are so natural. We all have them! And we need to learn how to experience them and allow them to be sources of wisdom. It's okay to feel angry. What does it tell you about the situation you're in? It's okay to be afraid. What does it tell you about the situation you're in? Is your fear even necessary, or is it irrational? Only by feeling it can you examine what's going on and how to handle it.

Interesting, huh?

Anyway, I think I blogged about something totally different than I'd intended to. But let's just go with it. Let's finish up by talking about distractions. I've blogged about keeping busy before and getting absorbed and consumed by to-do lists. I think for me that's been one way that I try to deal with difficult emotions. I do things. What about you? Are there emotions that you don't allow yourself to experience and try to stuff away? Here's my challenge to all of us. Let's start pausing when we feel an emotion going on inside of us and ask ourselves what's going on. Why do we feel that way. Then, let's take it to the Lord! He's the One who gave us emotions to begin with, and He is the One who will administer peace and truth to us in the midst of them. Especially if we are willing to open His Word. We'll find that He's in control, working for our good and madly in love with us. Thank You, Jesus!

So, if you'll agree to do that, I'll agree to start being more girlie. (Is that girly or girlie?) I'll embrace that inner Paula-Deen-lovin-coffee-drinkin-Better-Homes-and-Gardens-reading-fru-fru lady that I wanna be without guilt or remorse! I will feel unashamed when I get bored of ESPN and turn it to HGTV. (No, I probably won't abandon SportsCenter altogether, but I won't feel bad for changing the channel if I want to.)

Be free, friends! Be you! Be who God created you to be! :) He didn't mess up. He loves you and made you for a purpose! :) Live it up!

-Jill

An Ode to Family

2011-10-19T11:08:00.000-07:00

I am not a big fan of fruit. I admit it. When I eat it, I like it, but it's not something I'll just voluntarily choose. BUT, this morning, I was being bold and trying to incorporate fruit into my day by making a smoothie. Man, I messed it all up. haha! Smoothies are an art, aren't they? I didn't use enough yogurt and put in too much milk, so it was basically way to liquidy. Oops. Noted. I guess that will be a craft I'll have to work on a little bit. It's not nearly as good as my vanilla cream pie. haha! :) I wonder what that would taste like blended in a Magic Bullet. :)

So, this past weekend, the Mighty Man and I went down to Oklahoma to visit his sister and brother-in-law and to meet their brand new baby boy. YAY!! :) It was such a wonderful trip. It was quick, but it was such a blast. Their household is so full of love and energy. It's fantastic! They now have five kids ranging in ages from newborn to 10, and they are each so wonderful in their own ways.

The oldest is one of the smartest and respectful young men I've ever met. I felt so honored when he came straight out to the car and gave me a hug first-thing when we arrived.

The next is a marvelous young princess who is independent, yet, fully alive in relationship--and is definitely a natural mama in the making. One of my highlights of the trip was just coloring with her. I LOVE her. :)

The next is my little stud-muffin of a 5-year-old. He will tease and taunt, but at the end of the day, is one of the most tender little men I've had the blessing to love.

Ah, then there's the 2-year-old, who is as patient and curious as can be. And so full of love. He's so affectionate and expressive and he loves to wear mismatched cowboy boots and a cowboy hat around while wearing nothing but a t-shirt and diaper. haha! I did get a picture. It was classic. Oh! And he also provided us with some wonderful entertainment on Monday morning by treating us to an exploding diaper disaster. haha! Talk about a thrillingly awful odor! haha! Welcome to parenthood! Can't wait for that someday in my life. haha!

And finally, there is the newborn little boy. Born on Friday afternoon and just as tiny and precious as can be. I loved just holding him and smelling his head. :) He's got the softest hair and is just the most precious gift from God. Thank You, Lord, for a safe arrival!

What was even more amazing was watching MM's sister handle the whole thing. By kid #5, you can tell that she's got this thing down. She's the most patient and peaceful mom I've ever seen in action. I don't think I have a code name for her on this blog, yet, so I'm going to call her Lady Green. :) Well, I just gotta say that watching her in action was just amazing. I'm so used to seeing the challenges that new moms go through (because it is HARD), so to see someone who handled it like any other life situation with complete peace and grace was just amazing. Lady Green, I can only hope to be half as peaceful when I have kids someday. You are a model of the peace of Christ that surpasses all understanding. Way to go, lady!

How fun. I like that code name for her. And I think I'll dub MM's younger sister as Queen Biz. :) Lady Green and Queen Biz. My two new sisters in Christ. I just love them both. It's been such a blessing getting to know them as MM and I have grown together. Queen Biz had her first child not too long ago, and this little gem of a girl is just about the cutest thing you could EVER see. Maybe I've blogged about it before, but she's a miracle baby, and you can tell that her parents understand the gift they've been given with her. They treasure her in a very real way and really model how all parents should view their children: as GOOD GIFTS from God. So proud of King and Queen Biz and how they are already bringing up a strong woman of the Lord who KNOWS she is loved.

Anyway, I didn't have any major lessons to share this morning other than by saying how awesome it is to be coming into such a wonderful family. I'm so thankful for MM's family and their love and acceptance of me. And a big shout-out to his mom and grandma who displayed such love and grace in helping out Lord and Lady Green while we were there, too. Kudos on the Sunday night dinner, ladies! And great salsa Lord Green! :)

And, MM, thank YOU, my love, for bringing me into your life. You bless me so much every day, and I look forward to many more road trips with you in the future. May we be blessed with miles and miles of Garth Brooks and Dave Ramsey, holding hands all the way. :)

Love to you all today! Don't forget that Jesus loves you!
- Jill

P.S. To my wonderful family: Know that this only makes me value YOU more. Spending time with the new family enhanced my love for my Momsy, PPB, "Famous" and the others who are near to me already. You guys are truly the most wonderful blessings to me. :) I love you dearly!!

Power to Choose

2011-10-14T10:52:00.001-07:00

haha! I just love it when I surprise myself in the mornings with specialty coffee. Last night, I ran out of regular coffee as I was filling the tank for the morning brew, so I supplemented by adding a little of my favorite pre-ground flavored coffee: Starbucks Cinnamon. Yummmmmmmmmmmm! Anyway, when I got up this morning and poured my first cup, I was so pleasantly surprised to taste the sweet cinnamon in my cup instead of just the daily blend. It was awesome! :) What a great way to start the morning. Especially on long-run Fridays! :) Way to go, Thursday-night Jill. Good call. haha! :)

So, yes, this morning I had a wonderful time out on the road. It was a little breezy, which made it appropriately challenging, but it was a great run all around. And it was good timing for a long run thought-wise, as I've had a lot on my mind and plate lately that I've needed to process with the Lord. But that's for my heart to know. Not the entire internet. :)

But there is one thing that I had to share on the blog this morning. One lesson the Lord is really teaching me is how to set and keep priorities, especially when it comes to how I spend my time.

I had coffee with a reeeeeeeally good friend, yesterday, and she was talking about how busyness distracts her from intimacy with the Lord. And I totally identified. If we want to develop intimacy with the Lord, we have to choose to cultivate it.

There is ALWAYS going to be something to do. There are always chores to do, errands to run, appointments to keep, entertaining events to attend. That's just the way of life. We will never have a reason to be bored in today's world. (Ladies, can I get an amen to the phrase that a woman's work is never done?)

Since that is the truth--and it is--we have to CHOOSE to spend time with the Lord. Let me say it again: WE HAVE TO CHOOSE IT. The things that vie for our attention and beg us to pay attention to them immediately will always scream at us. We have to choose to say no to them. And we can!! Do you realize that? You (and I) have a choice in the matter! You have a choice as to how you will spend your time.

Yes, there may be groceries to buy. There may be a car to fix. There may be a coffee date that needs to be kept. There may be trash to be taken out. There may be a project that has to be done. But do any of those come before Christ? NO! The world screams at us to obey it while the Lord waits for us to choose Him.

We have to! We can say no to the things of the world in order to spend time with Him. It may seem like we don't have a choice, but we do. And it's our responsibility to take it. No one else will make it for us. If we're waiting for life to slow down, we'll be waiting forever. And meanwhile, our relationship with God will grow stale and our souls will dry out. We will become barren wastelands spiritually and feel completely empty and burned out.

BUT...If we choose to ignore the world--to put it on the second tier of priorities--we will find that our souls are filled. I believe that those tasks on the to-do list will probably be a little more enjoyable, too, because we'll have been reminded that we are loved and have a purpose. God, our Father, is with us in them all. If we don't spend time with Him, we'll tend to forget that and lose sight of the meaning of the tasks. (Yes, even laundry can bring Him glory, but we won't realize it if we don't spend time with Him beforehand. See what I'm saying?)

Today, I totally want to encourage you to CHOOSE to say NO to the world. Do it regularly. You have to! No one else will do it for you. People won't stop asking for your time. Tasks won't stop demanding that you conquer them. It's only going to happen if you make the choice to do it. You have that choice. You do! It may not seem like it, but you do. Make the wise choice!

You'd be proud of me. I actually just realized that I hadn't been doing that myself, so I carved out some Jesus time tomorrow and postponed my car appointment until next week. Thank You, Lord, for the power to choose. Help us all to choose You! :)

Joshua 24:15 - "But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve...But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD."

Love you all! Big hugs!!
- Jill

The Love Tank

2011-10-10T10:22:00.000-07:00

Yee haw!!! I'm so excited! I just checked out the results of yesterday's half marathon, and I have to share this. I stinkin' placed 2nd in my age group! It wasn't a PR. I was three seconds shy of that, which I'd set back in June. (I think it was the presence of my Mighty Man at that one that spurred me on.) :) But it was still a great race! Clocked in at 1:35:20. Not too bad! Thanks so much to the awesome Prairie Fire Wichita Marathon organizers for putting on such a great event. I love this race! :)

And a HUGE HUGE high five to my girl, AMac who set a new PR in the full marathon. 3:46:46, baby! Way to go, lady!! :) She's a stud. My little marathon mama. :) Hugs, friend! :) Love you!!

So, after the big race yesterday, I was blessed with a day of rest this morning, which was such a blessing. With the time, I was able to spend an extended amount of time in the Presence of the Lord this morning. And, oh, how I needed that. He really, really blessed me.

Last Sunday, the Mighty Man started a new initiative at church called "The Bridge," in which the congregation would come together an hour before service, divide into small groups and begin studying different subjects. I'm SO blessed because our group is going through the 5 Love Languages by Dr. Gary Chapman. This is going to be awesome! :) I'm so excited to learn how to give and receive love based on how God created both me and the Mighty Man, and to apply it to family and friends, too! And huge thanks for Mr. and Mrs. P for leading. You guys are great!

One of the things that we talked about in the first session was how full our love tanks were. Man, that is a great question to ask the people who are closest to you. "How full is your love tank and what can I do to help fill it?" That really makes you think! I've asked MM that, and I've also asked my family. It's really interesting to hear the answers they give based on how they give/receive love. Like last night, I asked my PPB, and he said, "Just give me lots of hugs." :) No problem! I can do that. :) Now, if I asked MM that, it might be to offer verbal affirmation or just to sit with him for a while based on how he gives and receives love. It's totally awesome! And it's such a testament to Psalm 139 and how God created each of us uniquely and specifically. It really makes me appreciate the specific and wonderful design of those in my life.

The MM and I, as part of our homework for the class, took a survey from the book to discover our individual love languages. While my man is actually tri-lingual (way to go, babe!), I had a clear frontrunner: quality time. That's apparantly the biggest way that I receive and give love. Totally not surprising to me. But what WAS surprising was how little I actually employ this love language when it comes to the primary relationship in my life: the one with God.

This morning, as I was able to spend an extended time in His presence, the first thing that came to my mind was how incredible it was just to be with Him. No agenda. No rush. Just be with Him. Just sit with Him. Just let Him pour into me. Just let the conversation go where it would. I rarely do this. Oh, but how I need it.

It became so clear to me just how "purpose-driven" my times with Him had become in my daily routine. I don't know about you, but my "quiet times" are often just about checking off the daily devotion reading and making sure I've skimmed some sort of Scripture. I make sure I address the necessary prayer requests so that I'm covered for the day and my loved ones are, as well. Don't want to leave anything unprotected! And then I'm off to tackle the day on my own. The relationship aspect of just being with God goes undone. Wow.

How full is my love tank? Pretty empty. Not based on the actions of others in my life. MM is awesome at filling me up and has the most amazing heart to seek how he can do that effectively. My family is amazing at filling my love tank. But, to some degree, it comes down to me allowing them to fill it. If my MM wants to spend time with me, I actually have to let him. If my family wants to hug me, I have to let them. If my God wants to love me, I have to open myself up to Him. Sure, He can crack through, but He wants me to want Him. He wants me to choose to engage with Him. And I just don't do that very often in a real way.

But wow. When I just came to Him without an agenda this morning, it was the most love-tank-filling, overwhelming, consuming love-fest that I'd had in a long time. Sure, I tried to start it with my normal, "What do You want me to do in my quiet time today, Lord?" kind of way. But He was so quick to say, "Just be with Me." For someone who is so agenda/task oriented, that was hard at first. But it was amazing.

I won't go over the details of what we shared. That's private. ;) But I will say that He filled my love tank. Psalm 139 was part of it, as was just His voice. And it was the most enlightening way to realize just how much I need this kind of quality time with my Father. Thank You, Lord, for showing me. Thank You for wanting to engage with me on this level. Thank You for being my Lord, my Friend, my Father.

So, I'll ask you today. . . How's your love tank? If it's a little empty, I totally encourage you to strategically carve out just TIME with God. Time just to sit with Him and let Him pour His love into you. Oh my goodness do you/me/we all need it. Only through these times can we really receive just how much He loves us JUST AS WE ARE. We don't have to do anything, be anything, fix anything. We can just know and believe that our Father loves us unconditionally and considers us His beloved children.

Rest in that truth today and let Him speak it to you. He LOVES you. . . just as you are.

Hugs, friends!
- Jill

Get real.

2011-10-03T09:29:00.000-07:00

Okay, so yesterday, because I couldn't sit still long enough to just watch the Chiefs game, I decided to busy myself in the kitchen doing one of my favorite activities: baking! It was a perfect fall day for it, so I just grabbed the big Betty Crocker cookbook, looked up a recipe based on ingredients I had on hand, and started cookin'! What came out was the most beautiful, homemade vanilla cream pie I'd ever seen. :) And all from scratch! Crust, filling and meringue. All homemade! :) :) SOOO awesome!

I wanted to challenge myself a little, and I didn't want to take any shortcuts or use any premade junk. I wanted something REAL--something like grandma used to make. So, that's what came out. haha! Funny thing was that I didn't realize it would have to cool for, like, ever, so I can't try it until tonight. I'll have to let you know later if it tastes good. But I did cut into it this morning to check and see what it looked like inside, and it looks AMAZING! :)

Real. . . This word has been playing on my heartstrings since Saturday. I took a whirlwind trip back to my hometown to participate in our library's 90th anniversary party (thank you, ladies, for the wonderful event!!) and sign some books, and, in the process, I had a LOT of think time in the car.

It was funny. For most of the six hours, I tried to find things that would occupy my mind or keep me entertained. Sports talk radio, football games, NPR, classical music, sermons, country music, and, of course, worship CDs. All good things. But none of them kept me permanently entertained. I'd get bored of them eventually and have to find something else to keep my attention.

Eventually, I began to get frustrated. Why wouldn't anything keep my mind engaged? Why wasn't I able to find something that would just keep me completely satisfied the whole time? Why did I have to constantly keep switching around in order to keep things fresh or find new fulfillment?

This is where the Lord spoke. Eventually, I just shut everything off. Radio off. CDs off. Silence. Just me and the Lord. "God, what do You want me to do? What do You want me to listen to? What on earth will make this ride more enjoyable?"

"Me."

Oh.

"Just me."

Um, wow. Okay.

It was like so many lights went on. Why couldn't I keep satisfied? Because it was all just temporary entertainment. It wasn't Christ. It wasn't God. It was just earthly stuff that wasn't meant to provide lasting fulfillment. I would wear out on each different thing because it couldn't provide the longterm satisfaction I was looking for. Only God can do that. Only in my relationship with Him am I able to be completely filled and at peace. That's it! It's the only thing that has lasting value.

After that, I started looking at my life and seeing how this played into so many other areas. I do this all the time. I look to other things to find fulfillment and then get disappointed or frustrated when they don't live up to expectations. I'll keep seeking after them and expecting them to fulfill me, only to find that I have to keep seeking after more of it if I want to keep being satisfied. When I look to these outside sources, I always need more of them. They never are enough. They're not real.

Let's put it into an example. I can run and run and run and run and run (and I have done this), but I will never be fulfilled by running. There will always be a greater distance, a faster time, another race. And I'll always want more.

Same thing with money. I can earn and earn and earn and earn and earn (and I have NOT done this), but there will always be a bigger house, better car, more luxurious vacation. It will never be enough.

These things aren't real. They are substitutes for the only REAL thing we can have: a relationship with God the Father through Jesus Christ. That is the absolute ONLY thing that can satisfy our souls.

My quiet times with the Lord are when I experience this the most. It's during those moments that I realize, "Oh, hey. This is real. This is where I am fulfilled. This is authentic. Nothing else today has been able to satisfy me. Jesus, You can."

It's a great day when we realize that whatever we are seeking here on earth won't ever meet our needs. When we realize that, we will truly understand just how precious our relationship with the Lord truly is. Intimacy with Him is the only thing that can touch the places in our hearts that are crying out for lasting love and peace. Other things may work for brief amounts of time, but they will never keep us satisfied forever. But what they can't do, Jesus can. And He will.

Somehow I was going to tie in an analogy using the realness of Jesus by using the realness of my pie, but it just doesn't seem appropriate anymore. I was all about using REAL ingredients instead of shortcut premade stuff, but even my homemade vanilla cream pie seems pretty insignificant after examining the eternal fulfillment of Christ. haha! :) He's way better than the pie! No matter how good it is, it won't fill me up forever! :) I'll still have to eat again. And I'll probably still want another piece after the first is gone.

But here's the thing: Once we understand that Christ is what we really want, we can be free to enjoy everything temporary as the blessings that they are! When we release them from the expectations of fulfilling us, they become sources of joy that He gives us as blessings! I can enjoy a piece of pie knowing that it won't keep me satisfied forever. It wasn't meant to. But I can enjoy the serving and thank Him for the experience.

Anyone else hungry? haha! Hope you have a great Monday, friends, knowing that the Lord of all creation loves you and wants to develop an eternally fulfilling relationship with you. I hope you let Him!

Big hugs!
- Jill

The love of peanut butter can be deadly...

2011-09-26T09:31:00.000-07:00

hahaha! Okay, so this is funny. Yesterday, the Mighty Man and I were having lunch with two friends from church and they were telling us about their recent encounter with a rat in their home. This wasn't just any rat, though. It was white with a black face, which led them to believe that it was an escaped pet from a neighbor. Regardless, his color and cuteness couldn't save him, as our friends were forced to put an end to "Charlie's" (the name they gave him) fun by sending him to rodent heaven. :) RIP, Charlie.

The funniest part of the story, though, was when our buddy, whom I will affectionately call Q-T not only because she's a cutie, but because she also is one of the amazing managers of a Quik Trip (Side note. I LOVE that she's part of the most outstanding convenience store chain in the world! All those $.59 summer fountain drinks? Oh, hallelujah! Way to go, lady!! Keep up the great work!)--Okay...What was I saying before I got sidetracked by my love of Quik Trip? Oh, yeah. The funny part of the story.

Anyway, so she was telling us how they'd caught Charlie, which had been by using a trap laced with peanut butter. "It just goes to prove that the love of peanut butter can be deadly," she joked. haha! We all laughed about it, but inside I was, like, REALLY laughing because I was thinking about my recent encounter with this, my favorite nut butter. :)

So, I'd been trying to put on a little weight recently, and I wanted to do it healthfully. I wasn't willing to just eat a bunch of junk food that would turn into fat on my body and clog my arteries. I wanted to do it by eating something that would benefit me physically while giving me the most calories for the fewest bites.

Enter peanut butter. It was a cinch! I just started eating a tablespoon of peanut butter like a pill every night before I went to bed. And, wouldn't you know it, as expected, the scale started to move in the forward direction.

However. . .

It didn't turn into the kind of weight I'd actually wanted. I'm all for a little body fat, but I'd been hoping for muscle instead. Um, memo to me...Protein builds muscle, not fat. haha! Duh!

When I'd been plotting my attack on my BMI, I had just kind of gone with an easy fix instead of really evaluating the goal. Well, it worked in one sense, but not in another. I did gain weight, but it was squishy. haha! Far from being the solid muscle mass on my legs and arms that I was going for.

Anyway, so I decided that my peanut butter pill was not the solution anymore. I'd need to get those extra calories from lean protein sources instead. But what was funny was that in that short amount of time, I had subconsciously developed a love for my peanut butter pill. When it came time to quit, it was hard! I really missed it, and I went to bed with my lower lip sticking out like a little girl pouting that I wouldn't have the taste of ground peanuts in my mouth as I drifted off to sleep. (Don't worry, I'd brushed my teeth beforehand.)

Truly, the love of peanut butter can be "deadly." haha! :)

Isn't it funny how we get attached to things in life like that? And it happens with anything, really. Anything that we look to for fulfillment outside of Jesus Christ can be sources of unhealthy attachments and can, in a sense, be deadly. Not that my peanut butter pill was going to kill me, but it illustrated the point overall.

While the peanut butter was a good thing in helping me put on weight, it wasn't a long-term solution. When it came time to give it up, I needed to be able to release it. But I'd become so attached to it that it wasn't as easy as I thought, and I had an emotional reaction. If I'd kept proper perspecive on it all along, I wouldn't have felt anything but, "Okay, cool--whatev," emotions about it. Small scale analogy of a big-picture truth.

Every good thing in life is given to us by God, and we are to steward them. The Bible says that everything belongs to God, and we are pretty much just renting. When we begin to hold onto these gifts and cling to them as our own, we find ourselves in a bit of a pickle. Eventually, God will call us to give them up, and we will have a really hard time letting go after becoming so attached to them.

I'm sure that's happened to all of us because it happens with EVERYTHING. God gives us relationships, jobs, hobbies, skills, etc., that we can enjoy and use here on earth. But, because everything outside of Him is temporary, we have to give them up at some point. People die and/or leave (sorry if that's blunt). Jobs come and go. Our bodies grow older, forcing us to give up hobbies or abilities. It's all temporary--everything! Everything except the Lord, whom we will eventually join in eternity. And, unless we want to be devastated when we are called to release these gifts, we have to understand that they weren't ours to begin with. They were/are God's.

The best illustration I've heard about this came from Pastor Brett Fuller, who is the pastor of a church in D.C. He talked about how we needed to hold everything with an open hand instead of a closed fist so that when God needed to remove it, He didn't have to break any of our fingers in the process. Don't you love that? It's so true.

I don't know about you, but I'm tired of making God break my fingers when He needs to remove something from my life. And, after my little peanut butter parable, I'm praying that He'll help me to maintain proper perspective when it comes to the good gifts He's given me. May I be willing to hold them all with an open hand and allow Him to give and take as He sees fit! Even if it is something as small as peanut butter. :)

Maybe if Charlie had kept this perspective, he'd be with us today. :) I'm sure Q-T is quite happy that he didn't. haha! :)

Ciao, friends! Hope you have a great week!
-Jill

No Fences!

2011-09-19T14:28:00.000-07:00

This weekend I attended my first revival! :) I totally didn't realize that people still did revivals, but I tell you what...I'm so glad I went! First, because the preacher was my Mighty Man. :) And second, because the word he shared was unquestionably what I needed to hear. God just shot an arrow straight to my heart through my man's words.

MM shared about the topic of holiness from Romans 6, and as part of his illustration, he told the story of a dog he used to own named Keira. (MM, did I spell that right?) Now, Keira was a German Shepherd, and was apparently one of the smartest dogs in the history of the planet. MM said that he had a fenced-in back yard and that she'd get out all the time, prance around the neighborhood, and be back in the yard by the time he got home at the end of the day. haha! What a stinker! :)

In order to combat this problem, MM set up an electric fence around the base of his yard knowing that Keira would get a little shock when she tried to escape. Well, get a shock she did! Apparently is scared her so bad that she hid under his house for three days without coming out for even food or water. The girl got bit bad! (FYI: If you have never been shocked by an electric fence, know that it is AWFUL! I got bitten many times when we had them for our horses. It doesn't hurt, per se. It is just the most awful, awful, frightening sensation I've ever had.)

After MM rescued her from her hiding place under the house, Keira clearly wasn't the same dog. Still smart, active and a great pet, but she'd been scarred for life by the shock of the electric fence. No longer would she even go near the spot where she'd experienced the pain. MM said she'd even cry when she got close to it.

Seeing that he no longer needed the fence, MM took it down. But do you think Keira started testing the waters of escape again? Nope. She was done. She continued to avoid the perimeter at all cost.

What a great illustration of how we sometimes behave as Christians! I TOTALLY identify with Keira. There have been areas of sin in my life that have stung me so badly that, even though the Lord has removed them, I still won't walk in the freedom that is now mine.

When I placed my faith in Christ and asked Him to be the Lord of my life, sin lost all power over me. By accepting His death and resurrection, I was liberated into complete freedom from sin and given the ability to walk in confidence and joy without sin holding me back.

Romans 6 says that we "died" to sin with Christ and were raised to life again with Him. When Jesus died on the cross and rose again, He defeated sin. Completely. Destroyed its power. By placing our faith in Him, we get to be part of that victory. Through Him, we are freed from the slavery of sin!

Have you ever felt "enslaved" to a sin? Like you had to do it? Like it was your master? Addicts feel this way a lot. If you've never been addicted to something, you probably don't know what that's about, but it is a bugger of a problem! I've never battled drugs, alcohol or many of the common addictions, but I do know what this is like. I know just how powerful our minds can be when telling us that we HAVE to do something--that we have no power not to.

But, friends, that is the beauty of the gospel!! Jesus eliminated that for us! We truly are dead to sin! Like, literally! :) When we place our faith in Christ, we literally get to be part of the results of His death and resurrection! :) That means that any sin that formerly held us captive completely loses its power over us. WE ARE FREE!! :) :) All we have to do is believe it and walk in it! He gives us the power to do so! :) (1 Corinthians 10:13--NO temptation has authority over us because of God's power and faithfulness!)

So, what does this mean? It means that if we have Christ, we can walk in freedom knowing that there is no chance we'll be stung by any electric fences of sin. They're not there! He removed them when He died and rose again! We don't have to be afraid like poor Keira was. We can live the full, abundant life He intended us to live!

I'll be honest. I behave like Keira in several areas of my life. I desperately don't want to be stung again by areas of sin that have crippled me in the past. And the enemy wants nothing more than for me to believe that they are still issues for me. But through Christ they are not! I have been set free! Do I still have to be careful how I live? Of course! I have a responsibility to walk in His ways. But the beauty is that He will empower me to do that. I don't have to do it on my own anymore. Sin had power over me when I walked on my own, and I did have to be afraid. But because Christ set me free from the power of sin, I don't have to be afraid anymore!

Ladies and gentlemen, freedom is here!!! If you have placed your faith in Christ, then this is for you! You are FREE from the power of sin! Anything you've struggled with in the past can be eliminated from your life. You may still be tempted, but you no longer have to obey sin. It is NOT your master. Jesus is! His grace and truth is your new way of life!! :)

Yes, we will still struggle. Yes, we will still face temptation. But we don't have to give in anymore! Jesus is so much more powerful than that! And we can live without the fear of giving into the sins of the past. (1 John 4:4)

Mighty Man, thank you for ministering to me this weekend. I have NO doubt that He used you to speak words of truth and life into so many others, as well. I am so thankful for you--a man who knows and believes the truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ!! :)

Final thought...If you have yet to experience this freedom in Christ and want it for yourself...If you feel enslaved to anything you don't desire to do...If you want peace and joy and a full, abundant life...If you want a deep, intimate relationship with the Savior and Creator--the author of love itself, you can have it!! It is as simple as receiving Jesus Christ as your Savior and asking Him to become the Lord of your life. If you have questions, I will direct you to FCA's website for this kind of thing. Go to http://www.morethanwinning.org/. (If you're a sports fan, you're in for a treat! It will totally speak your language.)

Love you all! Walk in the freedom that Christ gives you! And if you want to read all about this for yourself, PLEASE read Romans 6.

Hugs, hugs!
- Jill

Running vs. Walking

2011-09-12T08:01:00.000-07:00

I just have to say that this past week has been amazing running-wise. Lower temperatures usually equal faster times, and they certainly have for me. Last week, me and my running buddy (I need a good nickname for her...) clocked a SUPER fast 15-miler, and there had been almost nothing different than what we'd done the previous week other than the temperature, which was 20 degrees lower. It's amazing what a difference it makes when you aren't fighting heat and humidity! Praise God for fall! :)

I tell you what...One of the most amazing feelings in the world is teaming up with God to embrace and maximize the physical strength He provides, and that can happen in so many different forms. For me, it's distance running. I love being able to run at a relatively fast pace for miles and miles. :) When you team up with God on those long runs and pray through it with Him, you learn so much about His power and how true it is that it's made perfect in our weakness. (See 2 Corinthians 12:9.)

As part of my morning times with the Lord, I've started going through a new devotion book for runners. Last week, it posed an interesting question about the difference between walking and running when used in spiritual terms. Great question! I've thought a lot about that this week and have come to an opinion (no surprise there, haha!).

At first, it seemed like the obvious answer was that it was always better to "run." To run hard and fast in the faith like Paul said in the Message version of 1 Timothy 6. To run with perseverance the race marked out for us (Hebrews 12). To run in the path of God's commands (Psalm 119). To run/flee from evil (2 Timothy 2).

But the most interesting thing started to happen when I thought about always running. I got exhausted just sitting there! haha! I could feel my pulse start to race a little bit. Run, run, run! Run everywhere! Run from this! Run from that! Run to God! Go, go, go! And, I had to literally tell myself, "Whoa." haha!

So, I stopped (literally, I stopped running circles in my head.), and I started thinking about just walking. How nice it is just to walk sometimes and not be in a hurry. How I love to take walks on Sunday afternoons when it's my off-day from running. How I love to take walks in the mornings after a long run whenever I can. How I love just walking anywhere with my Mighty Man while he's holding my hand and we're just talking. Truly, walking is remarkable in many different ways.

Walking implies peace and tranquility in a way that running doesn't. Yes, running can be very peaceful and tranquil, but that's not generally the core purpose. To me, running is a way to engage with God and allow Him to strengthen me through a challenge. I know that it's an activity that will require a great amount of energy for a short period of time. (Short, relatively speaking.) Everything about the activity requires boldness, courage and strength, even getting ready to run. That's often the toughest part mentally, actually. Running is simply an all-around energetic activity.

When it comes to walking, though, there's a different mentality. Now, obviously I'm not talking about walking for exercise. I'm talking about walking in the "stroll" sense of the word.

When you go for a walk, it's about rest. It doesn't require much mental energy to slip into a pair of flip flops and go out for a stroll. It's all about peace and rest. No times to beat, no cares about proper hydration, no mileage to mark. Just chillin and enjoying the activity, either with someone physically or with God by yourself.

Ah, I love walking. :)

Ah, I love running. :)

So, I came to the conclusion that they are both dynamic aspects of our faith. There's a time for both and God uses each in very different ways. There are times when we need to run--to run to God, to run from evil, to run a race of activity. There is time for that, and God will use it to show His strength in us as He provides the energy and power to persevere.

Then, there are times to walk--to walk slowly with Him and enjoy His presence in a restful mentality. To walk with others through whatever trial they are experiencing. To walk out a long-term journey. To simply walk for joy in the company of the Lord, enjoying the world He has given us. I believe He uses those times to refresh us and to remind us of His peace.

It's funny how in our driven society we automatically jump to the conclusion that faster is always better. But I'm so glad that the devotion book posed that question. It gave me another reminder that there is a time for fast and a time for slow. There is a time for powerful strength and a time for restful refreshment. We just need to seek the Lord and find His balance between the two. Too much or too little of either won't be ideal, but when we stay in "step" with the Spirit, we can trust that He'll lead us to walk or run at the proper time and with the proper pace. :)

Hugs to you all!!
-Jill

Hidden Treasures

2011-09-05T08:46:00.001-07:00

If I were a cat like my little (okay, fat) Fanny I would be stretched out on the floor purring with contentment. What an incredible morning! :)

Of course it's Labor Day, so I am not at work today, which means I got to sleep in. And because the temperatures have dropped so much, I could do so without worrying about beating the heat for the run.

I went out at about 9:00 this morning, and it was like stepping into runner's Heaven. Gorgeous!! Not a cloud in the crystal clear blue sky. Sun shining. Birds singing. Cool breeze blowing. And 60 degrees!! In early September!! You have GOT to be kidding! hahaha! :) It was the most wonderful experience. :) I went a nice 8.5 and kept a killer pace, which was highly encouraging since the last two runs had been so disappointingly slow. This reassured me that my speed wasn't defunct. :) And that's always nice. :)

So, I have to blog about the amazing weekend. I tell you what, if you are ever feeling discouraged about life, hold a book-signing and invite all the people who influenced you in the past. That will make you feel just about as encouraged and loved as you can possibly get. And, make sure that your Mighty Man comes along with you to put the most wonderful icing on the cake of the experience. (MM, having you there was unreal. Thank you for making the trip!)

Saturday, my friend Jerry at The Well in McPherson, KS--which is home to some of the finest coffee you can possibly taste--set up an amazing book-signing event for me. It was so first-class! :) He and Jenni (the store manager) had a great display set out, plenty of books, and a great set-up to where people could sit and mingle and hang out. It was fantastic!

Right away, I knew it was going to be a blast when the first person through the doors (after my family) was my 5th grade teacher. I LOVE THAT WOMAN!! :) :) She's such a ball of energy, and truly was one of my favorite teachers of all time. :) (btw...SU, you don't look a day over the age at which you taught me. How the heck do you do it? Kind of thinking it's the hair. You look amazing!)

After that, the day just unfolded like a dream. People like that from my past kept coming in and hugging me and telling me how proud they were of me. And, because my spiritual gift is encouragement, I had a BLAST encouraging them back and telling them how much they'd made a difference in my life. That was probably the highlight for me. How often do I get to tell my high school business teacher (who taught me how to type) that she was one of the most positive influences on me during very formative years? (B, that's so true.) How often do I get to hug my FCA Huddle Coach that he was one of the first men to truly model Christ to me? (SL, that's so true.) How often do I get to see the young woman I babysat and her fabulous mother and tell them how much I loved the summers I spent with them? (IO and KM, that's so true.) And to everyone else who came out, especially folks like Cameron and Kim who shocked the pants off of me by being there, thank you so much!! I want to thank each of you individually, but I'll probably use Facebook to do that. Just know that you were SO loved and appreciated. And you truly made Saturday one of the most special days of my life.

And, to my Mighy Man...Words, hugs, gifts--I don't think there's anything I can say or do to tell you how much it meant to have you there. You are my good thing. :) :)

You know what else rocked about that day? My family. . . My Momsy, my Jamus, my second mom, the Commander in Chief and First Lady. They were my crew. First ones there. Ready to support their girl. Family is so key, you know? I can't thank God enough for the arms in which He placed me. All of them. :) :) I love you guys so stinkin' much!

Where was Papa Bear, you ask? Well, he was manning the grill! haha! Exactly smack dab in the middle of his element. :) Being a servant to the family in a very different way. Which leads me into my next blessing of the weekend...

Every Labor Day weekend, we have a massive family reunion for my PPB's family. This year, instead of everyone invading a local restaurant, PPB decided to grill a TON of pork and beef brisket for everyone so that we could all just eat together and hang out at the hotel. And it was so much fun! :) What a great change of pace. It allowed us to eat some AMAZING food (PPB, you rocked it!) and just relax around tables in our own big room, mingling as we could and enjoying the company of each other.

You know, I don't know what it was about this year's reunion, but I had the best time I'd ever had there. I think I'm starting to learn the true meaning of family, and this group TOTALLY gets it.

My family dynamics were a little different growing up. There was a lot of divorce and remarriage that made for some very interesting separations. I didn't exactly learn that family was made to stick together or that it was supposed to be a blessing. I, quite honestly, learned that family was an obstacle to be hurdled and that most holidays were to be dreaded. (Now, not always. If my family is reading this, know that I'm not saying I hate you. I'm just saying what I think we all feel sometimes.)

When Momsy and PPB got married, I really wasn't excited about having another family that would require additional time on Christmas and Easter. I was already stretched pretty thin. So, I think I tried my best to keep them at arm's length. But you know what's weird? That's changing. I'm regretting that I'm 31 when I'm learning this, but I'm starting to understand that family can be full of love and joy. It's a little bit awesome. :)

Part of this is definitely God's timing with the number of different situations going on in my life. First, my Might Man comes from a solid family who really does love each other. I think since I've started dating him, I've started to open my eyes to see my own family as blessings as a result. Does that make sense? MM's view of his family and their view of him (and now me) has opened my eyes to consider that the people in my family might just be blessings, as well.

If that doesn't make sense, it's because I'm still processing it. That's what blogging is about, right? Writing it all out and making sense of life. (Unless you have a food blog like that Julie & Julia woman. Then it's for sharing inticing photos and recipes and make us all wish we were brave enough to cook duck.) :)

Anyway, so the PPB family reunion turned out to be a truly wonderful afternoon. For the first time, I actually made an effort to talk to the people in my family. And you know what I discovered? They're awesome!! :) :) I thoroughly enjoyed the conversations, the jokes (the guy cousins are ornery!!), the hugs...the LOVE. :) So, to the family, I want to say thank you. Thank you for teaching me that family is a good thing. I do love you all!

And MM...Thank YOU for being a part of the day. I know it was a whirlwind, but it meant more than I can say that you were there. :)

Today's blog is nothing but praise to the Lord for what He's teaching me. I'll be completely honest. Last week at work was TOUGH. I didn't know if I had the strength for the book-signing and the reunion, but as always, God knew so much better than I did what I needed. He knew that the events would be the blessings I needed in order to rebound and be refreshed. Thank You, Father.

So, because my of my encouragement gift, I will leave you with some, um, encouragement. :) If you are feeling blue or discouraged, just trust God and keep going forward. He has your steps ordered and knows how to bless you if you just say yes to Him. And truly, the bigger lesson I want to share is this: If you have ever viewed your family as anything but good gifts from God (which I am 100% sure that we all have at some point), I want to ask you to consider looking at the good things they bring to your life. Yes, of course, there are actual negative situations in family that are not positive, but search for the hidden gems that are certainly there waiting to be discovered and treasured. Family is God's gift to us. It's full of indespensible relationships, and it's our joy to discover the beauty of each one. :)

Thanks for the time today, all! :) Sending you big hugs. :)
- Jill

P.S. If you missed the book signing and live near my folks, I would be happy to sign one for you next time I'm home! Just order a copy online at amazon.com (Sharing the Victory: Being Your Best for God) or pick one up at The Well. Let my Momsy know, and we'll hook you up with a signature! It would SO be my pleasure to write some encouragement in the inside cover. :)

Blessings and Boundaries

2011-08-29T10:38:00.000-07:00

This weekend was just fantastic! I got to spend all afternoon yesterday with my Mighty Man and his family celebrating the church dedication of his 13-week-old niece. What a precious gem she is (and a true miracle--just ask her folks)! I think I'm more enamored of her every time I see her. :) (*sigh*) Bliss. :)

After the fabulous post-church party with the family and friends yesterday, I headed back home in time to read the Sunday paper. The cover story in Parade magazine was very interesting, and it inspired today's blog. It talked about how, as Americans, we've practically let our weekends become more exhausting than our weekdays. We fill them with activities, chores, errands, trips, sports--you name it! When, back in the day, it used to be a time of refreshment--time for enjoying fellowship, rest and relaxation like I got to experience yesterday.

It's so funny. One of the TV shows my Mighty Man watched as a kid was Andy Griffith. And he's totally turned me onto it. haha! I watched my first two episodes this weekend on tvland.com, and I'm totally hooked! :) What an incredibly simple and marvelous lifestyle! It totally makes you long for the "good ol' days," even if you weren't alive to live them. :) Am I the only one who wants to just jump in a time machine, grab a fishin' pole and follow Andy and Opie down to the creek? Like the Rascal Flatts song says, "I miss Mayberry." :)

So, here's the deal. We can't go back in time, and we can't undo years and years of technological advancement. We can't escape the number of options we have regarding what to do with our time. What we CAN do, however, is stop letting our calendars dictate our lives. I know it's a little touchy, but I think one of the most important books that's been published in the last decade is the book Boundaries by Cloud and Townsend. (If you have issues with it, that's totally okay. I respect that and will agree to disagree with you.) The subhead of the book talks about knowing when to say yes and when to say no, and I believe it's a great skill that we all should develop.

No matter how super-human we think we are, saying yes to everything will leave us strung out and miserable. And I fully believe that, as Christians, that plays right into the hands of the enemy. He totally wants us to be exhausted, frustrated, burned out, and all-around useless for the Kingdom of God. He knows that we will be highly destructive to his plans if we are operating at full strength, and he will do everything he can to keep us from feeling up to carrying out God's calling on our lives.

Think about it. No matter how much you love your family and friends; no matter how great of a job you have; no matter how much you love your church, do you really want to participate in activities surrounding any of them when you're tired and busy? Nope. Who can? I fully admit it: I have an amazing job with FCA, but when I'm exhausted, I don't recognize it. I find myself going in and out the door out of obligation instead of a genuine desire to serve God. And that's not fair to Him, to me or to anyone around me. It's not fair to the magazine readers and FCA volunteers and staff, either. My lack of boundaries can affect so many others, even if I don't realize it! That's why it's so important to maintain a balanced and healthy schedule!

So, here's the bottom line: We all have to start making better choices with our time. We have to learn when to say no, when to say yes and how to make wise decisions. It's the only way to truly carry out the calling God has given us and to do so with the joy and peace He offers. Anything else will just lead to our going through the motions and being miserable.

I'm preaching to the choir today, for sure. I do feel rested after this past weekend, so I'm actually sharing this message out of a tiny success story. But I think that victory is what has heightened my awareness to my previous/lifelong struggles in this area. I want to start honoring God with my time more and with my energy level. I want to live with passion for the tasks He's given me. I want to enjoy life and embrace the abundance of a life in Him!

Care to join me? :) Let's lock arms and do it together!

Have a great week, everyone! :) Big hugs!!
-Jill

All you have to do is want it!

2011-08-22T08:05:00.000-07:00

Okay, I have a confession to make. I've been slightly uninspired lately and I think my last two blog posts have been a little forced. I've been blogging just for the sake of blogging. They've been great messages that I believe in, but I haven't put a lot of thought or creativity into them, which has probably made them less-than-exciting to read. My apologies!

This morning, however, I'm feeling jazzed up. Which is great! Especially on a Monday. Sometimes those are the most challenging days, but today I just knew it was going to be a good day when my head sprang off the pillow at the sound of the alarm. It was weird, but awesome! Like, literally, my I just sat up like I'd been awake the whole time. I was instantly ready to do without any drowsy feelings at all. Totally surreal. haha! You can imagine how great that made the run this morning. SUPER awesome. I even was able to do some up-tempo work without the aid of my iPod's inspiration. Just silence. Me, God and the strength He'd given me. SUPER cool.

Man, this past weekend was awesome. I got to kick-start it with some girl time (EE and AMac) and a little Keith Urban. Oh my stars! That guy puts on the BEST concerts. He's one of the most talented guitar players I've ever seen in my life! And, with him being most likely one of my favorite artists of all time, all of the songs he sings are just "my favorite." haha! Anyway, great stuff to start the weekend.

Then, on Saturday, my Might Man had a birthday, and we got to celebrate with his sister and brother-in-law and their tiny, adorable 12-week-old daughter by tossing around some bowling balls and trying to knock down pins. Okay...that's just how I bowl. The rest of them were actually rolling the balls down the lane like they were supposed to. haha!

Yesterday was the bread and butter of the weekend, though. If you read last night's blog, you heard a little about it, but it was just the best day. My man preached a GREAT message about the Beatitudes (Matthew 5) and about how they are so much more than a Christian to-do list. They are attitudes and situations in which Christ wants to meet us and reveal His love for us, even in challenges. If you have time today, I totally encourage you to read Matthew 5:1-12 and ask the Lord to show you His Truth about what it really means to be "poor in spirit," "meek," etc.

One of my personal favorites of those Beatitudes? That those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled. To me, that means that if we merely have a genuine desire to live according to His Word--a true, honest desire--and then do our best with that, He will meet us in that desire and take it from there! Praise God! He can do a marvelous work even in our simple desire to honor Him. All we have to do is want it, and He can equip us to live rightly.

I don't know about you, but if you're like me and have trouble living rightly all the time, that is GREAT news! Because I do! I want to live for Him! I want to honor Him! I want to glorify Him and use my time here on earth to build His Kingdom! It's just that I sometimes really slip and fall. I battle the flesh. I battle my pride. I battle the world. But my heart is there!

Hallelujah that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be filled.

Today, I'm praising God for meeting me where I am, even in sin and shortcomings. I'm praising Him for taking even a seed of desire and making it grow into something beautiful for Him. I'm praising Him because He knows our weakness and chooses to reveal His strength and love through it. :) Awesome. :) Thank You, Lord. You truly are amazing.

So, for what it's worth, take it from me today. If your heart is truly to bring Him honor and glory, know that it is all He needs. Bring it to Him and ask Him to build on it and make that desire something glorious in you that will reveal Him to the world!

Love to you all!
-Jill

Just as we are. :)

2011-08-21T15:58:00.000-07:00

Ah, Sundays...SOOOO good. :) :) Today I'm thanking God for a day of rest, and just for the ability to finally experience rest on a Sunday at all. It's been a full last couple of weeks, and it will be another full couple of weeks coming up, but thank God for a tiny break in the action. His Sabbath. What a blessing! Though, honestly, the ability to actually enjoy Sundays is a relatively new thing in my life...

I don't know about you all, but I'm a recovering productivity addict. haha! :) I'm still learning, of course, but I used to be one of those people who could NOT stop doing. I would constantly be moving around, doing chores, checking email, etc. because I couldn't justify taking a break. It was the most miserable and insane lifestyle, and I'm so thankful that the Lord is showing me how to rest.

For me, part of that mentality stemmed from having something to prove. I never felt quite accepted by God just as I was, so I felt like I constantly had to be doing something to earn His approval and the approval of others. Over time, and with the help and encouragement of a certain wonderful Might Man of God who pointed me to the TRUTH of God's Word, I have learned more about how much the Lord loves me just as I am. It doesn't matter if I am productive or completely useless; He loves me simply because He created me and I am His daughter. Hallelujah!!

Now, that's not to say that I don't want to be productive still. It's just more balanced. There's a time for productivity and a time for resting. If I didn't produce anything ever, I would be living outside of my God-given purpose and disregarding the gifts He's given me to use while I'm here on earth. I definitely don't want to be useless. I want to fulfill that destiny for which He created me! But the point is that even if I didn't, He would still love me. That's His character. He created me with His own hands and in His image, and He loves me just because He can. :)

Do you know that the same thing is true about you? It is! You were created by a God who loves you so much that He died for you (John 3:16), and you don't have to do a thing to earn it. All you have to do is receive His gift of love and salvation through Jesus Christ and begin a relationship with Him as your Lord. It's the most wonderful, beautiful, compassionate, gracious truth you will ever know. And it will be the best decision of your life. You won't ever have to do or prove anything again in order to find your worth and value!

Today, if you are wrestling with always having to produce and never being able to rest, I want to encourage you to read God's Word. Take a look at what He says about how much He loves you and REST in the knowledge that you don't have to do a single thing to earn it.

Happy Sunday, everyone!
-Jill
P.S. Thanks so much to Scott and Christy with DayBreak USA for the great interview this week! I just love talking faith and sports with Scott. He's a blast! Check it out here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXfS0Hk97f8

Win Win!

2011-08-15T17:36:00.000-07:00

Today, I was reminded of a very simple lesson. It's one that Moses spoke to the Israelites in Exodus 14:14 when they were being pursued by the Egyptians.

"The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still."

Wow. Praise God.

I'm so thankful that I don't have to rule the world, aren't you? We have a sovereign God who fights our battles for us, even when we don't recognize it or understand it. Today, I fought a battle that I was trying so hard to win. In fact, I was confident that I was fighting for the Lord's will. In the end, I had to surrender. I thought I had lost, so I gave up. In my case, it was an act of submission that was respectful, and I simply had to entrust it to the Lord.

Wouldn't you know it? Once I surrendered, He played the trump card. :) He changed the situation altogether and created the path I couldn't create on my own. Thank You, Lord!

I say all of that to remind you and me both that the LORD--the God of all creation who LOVES YOU--is in complete control. He cannot and will not be defeated. Even when we feel like we are losing a battle that He wants us to win, we can't forget that He has the final say and He knows the bigger picture. God ALWAYS wins. He already has, as a matter of fact. Jesus already defeated the enemy by what He did on the cross and the fact that He rose from the grave! Because of His victory and the fact that we are God's children, we can rest in the knowledge that He never fails. Even when the situation looks like an impending defeat, we can trust that He will get the ultimate victory and that He will bless us through it.

Today, whatever battle you feel like you are losing, don't be afraid to turn it over to Him. Yes, do the best you can to carry out His will, but don't be discouraged if the situation doesn't go according to your definition of victory. Trust the One who sees the end at the beginning. He will fight for you; you need only to be still.

Ciao, friends!
-Jill

P.S. Thank you so much to Lanny Slevin at WPLO in Illinois for the fantastic interview this morning! I really appreciated the time and conversation. :) Keep sharing HIS victory!!

P.P.S. Thanks also to my Mighty Man, who prayed for me to be inspired for this blog. :) You rescued me today, my knight! These words are partially the result of your prayers. :) Thank you so much, my love. :)

Why Influence is AWESOME!

2011-08-11T06:16:00.000-07:00

Ah, what a beautiful morning! My co-worker and I walked into the office today talking about how much of a coffee-and-porch-swing morning this is. (*sigh*) Alas, we are inside working on computers, staring out the window at the amazing day unfolding. It's okay. :) God will redeem it, I have no doubt. :) And, who's to say we can't take a few breaks and hit up the picnic table for a few minutes here and there? They say that taking frequent breaks at work makes you more productive. I think it might be time to test that theory. ;)

MAN! What an exciting day yesterday! Well, okay, this whole week! First, thank you SO much to everyone who left such encouraging and thoughtful comments on Facebook after the KCTV5 interview. That just made me want to cry. Praise God so stinkin' much for the blessing of being able to share His truth and love. It's ridiculous, really. And the fact that each and every one of us has a chance to do that in whatever career we're in is the REAL blessing. (I'll preach in a minute. haha! First, more fun...)

So, yesterday, my Mighty Man--after so selflessly and heroically driving all the way up north to sit with me at the Honda dealership while my car got fixed and serve as the "man-power" to make sure his lady didn't get swindled--and I went out for coffee after work. Before we did, though, we made a side trip to LifeWay, a Christian bookstore. Neither of us had seen the book on any shelves, yet, so we were getting curious. But Mighty Man's little sis had just texted me that she'd talked to a rep at another store who had already sold out of them, so we KNEW they were out there somewhere!

Anyway, we popped into LifeWay and...

YES!!! :) :) Hahaha! How awesome is that?? We stood there like little kids taking pictures with our phones and being all giddy about it. :) That was so fun! (Thanks for being there, my wonderful, amazing Mighty Man of God! That was so special to share with you.) Praise God for the opportunity to put something like this on a shelf and maybe, just maybe, encourage folks to better understand who they are in Christ and how much He loves them. Again...Ridiculous. Thank You, Lord!

So, for the preaching. Though, I'm sensitive about that word (um, we'll talk women in preaching roles another time), so I will say encouraging. For the encouraging today, this is what's on my heart.

Some of us are put into roles here on earth that are publicly highlighted, and our world tends to value that. I'm part of that world system. Um, hello! Did you read how I freaked out when Billy Blanks walked into a room? I totally do the same thing. It's just human nature. We respond to things we've seen in the public eye. What's funny about this book project is that there are many folks who want to talk to me about it, but the only reason they do is because they want to know about the athletes and coaches we cover inside. Really, they aren't interested in me (and that's not a Debbie Downer statement at ALL, it's totally just observation), they are interested in the people that I've talked to. A case of the celebrity fascination.

But that's what makes this book so stinkin' powerful! The people who are in the public eye ARE role models! They set the standard for our society, and we follow their lead. And, if you ask me, I believe that God sets it up that way to a certain degree. It could almost be compared to a role of authority in a way. Though they don't officially have authority over us, they are leaders and we do follow them. We don't have to, of course, but we do.

Why do we do this? Maybe because of the success factor. I haven't really thought about it that much, but it could be that we think we'll be successful if we follow their patterns and do what they do. Does Albert Pujols eat only egg whites and oatmeal for breakfast? Well, maybe that will work for me, too. Does Josh Hamilton work out five times a day? Maybe I should, too.

Where this gets even better is when it gets to lifestyle. Does Colt McCoy go to church? Maybe I should, too. Does Tamika Catchings read her Bible? She's one of the greatest basketball players of all time. Maybe I should read my Bible, too.

How amazing is that??? The power of influence! And regardless of our motives for following in their footsteps, God totally redeems it. Scripture says that His Word doesn't "return void," meaning that even if we read it with selfish ambition or because we think it will help us be successful, God can still use it to change our hearts.

Working for FCA, I hear this kind of story ALL the time. "So-and-so was my favorite athlete, and I heard him talk about how Christ had changed his life. I wanted to be like him, so I started reading my Bible. Pretty soon, I realized that it was all about living for Christ and allowing Him to be the Lord of my life, and I surrendered my life to Him." It's crazy how that works!

So often in Christian circles we berate the influence of celebrity. Yes, it does have its downside when our kids start following the examples of public figures who live worldly lifestyles. But, it has SUCH a tremendous upside too! That's why I'm thanking God so much for this book. Not because I get to put my name on a bookshelf. (Um, hello. I also have to prepare for the humbling that will eventually come when it makes it to the bargain bin.) But because God is using this to influence others through what He has done in the athletes and coaches they respect and admire.

So what if people buy the book because Josh Hamilton is on the cover? That's awesome!! Praise God!! He raised Josh Hamilton up for a reason--part of it being so that they WOULD buy this book and read about his faith in Christ. Maybe someone who is battling a drug addiction will read his story and find the hope they've been needing. "If Jesus healed Josh Hamilton and redeemed his addiction, maybe He can do the same for me..." YES!! HE CAN! :) :) Praise God!

Oh, man! Now I'm fired up. haha! :)

Anyway, the point I'm making is that influence is a good thing. Celebrity can be a good thing. In fact, I believe it is when it comes to Christian figures who genuinely want to love and serve the Lord. Are there posers in the Christian celebrity world? Definitely. But there are also some amazing men and women of God who truly understand that it's not about the fame/stats/material, but about bringing glory to the Lord and sharing Him with others.

Will they mess up? Undoubtedly. They are human. That's why Jesus protected the sinful woman in Scripture by telling her condemners that if they were without sin they could throw stones at her. They all dropped their rocks and walked off. Christian public figures are still human. But that's why we don't WORSHIP them, we respect them and learn from them. We worship the God who has worked IN them, and we thank Him for doing the same for us.

Today, I'm praising God for the men and women of ANY vocation who aren't afraid to share their faith with others. It's risky putting yourself out there as a follower of Christ. You might mess up and lead people astray. You might find out that people don't like you because of it. You might be held accountable to live a Godly lifestyle. PRAISE GOD! :) Any and all of those situations can bless and grow both your faith and that of others if you place them in the hands of Christ! :)

One more point for the day, and then I'll stop.

Whoever you and and whatever you do, know that YOU have influence, too. It's not just something reserved for the Albert Pujolses of the world. It's something we ALL are given as Christians. We are called to stand out for the Lord as lights in a dark world. Regardless of whether or not you have a TV camera on you or a microphone in your face, people are watching you and learning from you. Why not embrace the chance to show Christ to them? Live it out! Sure, it's hard, but you're certainly not alone. You have the entire Body of Christ doing the same thing and fighting the same battles right along with you. And, most importantly, you have GOD ALMIGHTY fighting FOR you! He's on your side. Who on earth can be against you? (Psalm 27:1)

So, go for it! Live it up and live it out knowing that you ARE making a difference. :)

Love and hugs to you all!! :) :)

-Jill

Tae Bo and Testimonies

2011-08-07T12:39:00.001-07:00

You won't believe who I met this morning. Billy Blanks!! The Tae Bo master himself!! I was totally star-struck. haha! :) I kept it cool, of course, and just casually introduced myself as we were both waiting to go on the KCTV5 morning show, but inside I was doing cartwheels. I wanted to say, "I love you!! My college friends and I used to do Tae Bo every day in tiny dorm rooms at KU. You helped me keep the freshman 15 to just 15!" haha! :) (Could have been less if I'd eaten just a little bit less Lucky Charms, but still...)

Anyway, just had to share that. :)

So, yeah! I had the great opportunity to be on the local CBS station this morning to share about the book and the purpose and inspiration for it. What an awesome opportunity to tell about how Christ has worked in the lives of some of these athletes and coaches. And big thanks to Mark Boyle for the great interview, Matt the sound guy for hooking me up with the mic, and the sweet production girl who came down to let me in the building when I was locked out. haha! :) KCTV5 rocks! :)

You know, the more interviews I do about this, the more I'm seeing how the Lord is using it. I didn't realize when I wrote it just how much the stories of sports heroes really do make a difference to the people who follow them. I know. You'd think I would get that after 10 years in the Christian sports journalism business, but every once in a while it just hits home in a new way.

This past week of doing radio and TV interviews has given me the opportunity to tell about REAL stories of God's love and transformation. I loved what a woman said to me this week about how God gives us two things--His Word and our testimonies--to evidence His presence. HE IS REAL! He has shown Himself so faithful and powerful in the lives of so many, and praise God that we can tell of His works! What a blessing! It's seriously humbling.

One of the side opportunities I was given this week was the chance to teach a workshop at the Heart of America Christian Writers Association meeting. (Thanks, Jeanette!) It was so much fun! (And a HUGE thanks to the Mighty Man for going with me and sitting in the front row. I loved that more than anything.) :) At the meeting, I had the chance to share tips on writing profile articles with a group of about 30 Christian writers. It was a blast to be able to share some of what God's taught me over the years, and it was fun to hear the feedback from some of them, as well. But what I didn't expect was how much it would encourage me regarding how important it is to share His stories.

Romans 10:14 really hit home during the meeting. It says, "How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?"

Wow. What an awesome reminder of why we need to share what God has done in our lives! Or, in my case and all of you who are gifted to write, to share also what He has done in the lives of others. It's a huge blessing and privilege to be skilled with language arts, because, through us, we are able to help share God's power and love in a clear way. Not everyone is gifted with the ability to write, just like I'm not gifted with the ability to hit a baseball or crunch numbers or work on cars. And that's okay! That's why the Body of Christ is made up of so many different and amazing parts! We all work together to share His glory!

What a great reminder this week. Praise God for the ability to share His truth, speak His name and proclaim His love. Hallelujah! Thank You, Lord! And I want to encourage all of you out there to do the same. It's so true that He gives us His Word and our testimony in order to build the Kingdom and bring others to faith in Him. Whether you can write, speak, sing, dance, cook, preach, fix cars, paint walls, or throw a baseball, use your skills to communicate His presence in your life. Give Him glory in all things and don't be afraid to speak His name. It's okay! People are hungry for it, whether they know it or not.

As for me, I'll keep writing with the fresh enthusiasm and asking Him to make Himself known through it. And hopefully, you'll stay with me along the way! :) I love you all and am so thankful for any chance to encourage you. Know you are loved by the Most High God today! The one who bridged the gap of sin for us through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. Hallelujah! Live loved today. :)

Ciao, friends!
-Jill

P.S. Check out the KCTV5 interview here: http://www.kctv5.com/video You just have to scroll through them to find mine, but it's easy. :)

Steppin' Out

2011-08-03T08:36:00.000-07:00

What an awesome morning!! Not only did the Lord bless me with a great 10-mile tempo run and special time of prayer with the Mighty Man, but I also did the first of several upcoming radio interviews about the new book. It was just such a blast! SO much appreciation to Christy and Scott at Daybreak USA. What a fun crew and great conversation! :) If you've never tuned into their morning show, I totally encourage you to check it out: www.usaradio.com/daybreak. And if you reeeeeeeeeeally wanna have fun, you can listen to my interview here: www.youtube.com/user/DayBreakUSA. haha! :)

It's been an interesting week so far. You know, I joke about my OCD all the time, but sometimes it's totally legit. haha! This week, almost every day has something that breaks my normal routine. Monday and Tuesday we did a staff retreat for our FCA Communications/Events Department. It was AWESOME! Such a great time of connecting, planning and praying. But, it took me out of my daily routine, which is a real challenge for us OCD'ers. Then, today, I had to be at the office by 7:30 in order to do the radio show interview, which meant pretty much hot-footing it into the office sans makeup and hairstyling in order to make the call. (haha! Good thing this is radio and not TV.) I haven't had my standard oatmeal and peanut butter breakfast for three days, and I had to tote in three (count 'em: THREE) travel mugs of coffee this morning because I don't have a big enough thermos, but I still wanted to have my normal full pot's worth. haha! :)

By now you might think I'm just a touch crazy, and that's totally fine. I definitely have my quirks, just like we all do. But isn't it great?? Especially considering that God loves us anyway! Rock on!! It's totally okay for us to be who we are and still experience His amazing love! Now, the challenge to that is to really pay attention to the Holy Spirit's leading and be willing to obey Him even when it challenges our personal style/agenda/routine/lifestyle, etc.

For me, routine is huge. Love it. Thrive in it. Live in it. It's part of what one of my favorite spiritual gifts mentors calls a "Task/Structured" personality. Folks like me love to know details and plans and we function best when given specific instructions and are asked to carry them out. This totally plays into how I operate in my personal life. Total scheduler and planner.

But here's the thing. While this can serve an AWESOME purpose--especially when it comes to the successful execution of producing a deadline-operated magazine--it can also facilitate great spiritual lessons when the routine is challenged.

Everyone talks about getting out of their "comfort zone" and why that's so important. But most of the time, I just want to smack those people in the back of the head. (PPB, you know you love this.) My Papa Bear thinks it is absolutely HILARIOUS when people like me have to break their routines. I mean, seriously! He laughs so hard at it! This coming from a very Task/Unstructured person, of course.

But, as hard as it is for me to admit, they do have a point. Getting out of the comfort zone is certainly necessary if we want to experience all that God has for us. And, of course, if we ever want to grow as Christians. While I don't think it's necessary or healthy all the time (there is purpose and rest in periods of routine), I do believe that we can only experience God as He wants us to when we are willing to follow Him outside of where we are comfortable.

Think about it. How would you ever know that you had the ability to run a marathon if you never did one? Yes, it's scary, but you might just discover that you have a talent for endurance running. Or, how would you ever know that you had a talent to draw if you never picked up that sketch pad? How would you know you could paint if you never picked up the brush? How would you know you could play tennis if you never picked up the raquet?

All of these things are outside the comfort zone at first. You step onto the tennis court for the first time having never been there, and it's going to be intimidating. But, you'd never know you had a great cross-court forehand if you didn't do it.

For me, the radio interview was a blast today, but it totally was uncomfortable leading up to it. I had no idea what to expect. But I never would have known how much of a blessing it would be if I didn't break the routine and comfort zone to do it. Praise God! Now I know that there's the awesome channel of communication out there that will really help bring a magnifying glass to this book project, which was carried out with the hope of reaching thousands for Christ. Praise God!

So, here's my challenge to you today. . . If God is asking you to break a routine or step out of your comfort zone, maybe you should consider saying yes. Okay, let me rephrase. If you know that it's GOD asking you to take a risk that goes beyond what you feel you are capable of, just do it. haha! :) He's all-knowing. He wired you specifically with gifts and talents that you will never realize if you don't follow Him on the path of discovery.

Pray about it. Seek Him. Ask Him, "Lord, is this You? If so, give me the courage to walk forward even when it's uncomfortable." Then, trust Him and actually (maybe) get excited about what He will show you! The God who promised to work EVERYTHING out for the good of those who love Him (Romans 8:28) certainly has a great plan for the adventure. Live it up! :)

Ciao, friends! :)
-Jill

P.S. If you're praying, please keep me in prayer for tomorrow morning's radio interview with WKNT in New York and Sunday's TV interview with KCTV5. GREAT opportunities to share God's love and truth!! :) Praise Him!

Don't Hide It

2011-07-31T16:41:00.000-07:00

This morning I went to the Mighty Man's church for some good solid preaching from my favorite pastor. :) I just love hearing that man share God's truth. What a blessing to be in a relationship with a man who has such a fire and passion for proclaiming the power of Jesus Christ. I never, in a million years, would have believed I would be so blessed as to fall for a guy this awesome. :)

haha! Told ya' to get used to the sappy love stuff, didn't I? :)

Today, my mighty man of God gave a great lesson about asking God to search us. Like, reeeeeeally search us. It comes from Psalm 139:23-24 in which David (I think it was David) writes, "Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

I don't know about you, but inviting God to see into my heart like that is a little unnerving. There's stuff in my heart that, quite honestly, I don't want God to see. I live with my self every day, and I see the wickedness of my heart. I see the sins I commit. I see the selfish actions and prideful attitude. I know when I turn away from something God asks me to do simply because I don't feel like doing it.

AH! Why on earth would I ask God to search that? I know that He'll find things that are not pleasing to Him?

Based on that very mindset, I learned the art of building walls between myself and God. For most of my life, whenever I would sin against Him, I would shut Him out. Remember that old "Talk to the hand" gesture from the 90s? It was like that. When I'd sin, I would put up a hand in God's face and basically say, "I know what You're going to say. I know I screwed up. Just don't even look. I know I'm at fault, and I don't want to hear it. I'm already ashamed enough without having to be condemned by God, too."

Oh, man. Did I miss it, or what?

When we adopt the habit of hiding our sins from God, we miss the whole point of the cross. We forget that Jesus paid the death penalty for us already and that there is no NO condemnation for those who have received Him. Instead of receiving His forgiveness and mercy and grace in times of sin, we unnecessarily distance ourselves from Him thinking that He will point a finger and reject us. Punish us, even.

But that's not God. God is love! If there's anyone we SHOULD go to in our shortcomings, it is the One who loves us more than any human ever could. His love goes so far beyond human capacity, and it reaches the level of unconditional. I can't honestly say I have that for anyone. My love is human love. Yes, through Christ, I have the ability to love like He does, but I don't always choose to.

When we hide our sins from God, we create distance that shouldn't be there. We destroy the intimacy He desires with us. It's just like a human relationship in that aspect in that, if we want to develop intimacy, we have to reeeeeeeeally communicate and be honest. (Side Note: Mighty Man, thank you for being so respectful in sharing that lesson from our convo today.) Intimacy can't be built on anything fake. It has to be built on what is real. That's why it's so important that we get REAL with God.

Today, I want to encourage you to get honest with Him. Whatever is in your heart; whatever sin you may be hiding out of shame; whatever secrets you want to keep...Bring them to the Lord. He is not a God of condemnation (see Romans 8:1). He is a God of love. Yes, our sins may carry consequences, but if we have received Jesus Christ and placed our faith in Him, we are covered by His blood and forgiven of every sin.

Let Him in. Let Him help. Let Him love. It's the only way to intimacy with Him. And, believe me, it's worth it.

Big hugs, everyone!
-Jill

OH! And P.S. I would LOVE your prayers this week! We're starting media coverage on the book, and I'm doing a few interviews. USA Radio Network on Wednesday morning, a local morning radio program in New York on Thursday, and KCTV5's morning TV show on August 7th. Please pray that God would be glorified and that the message of His love and truth would be clearly communicated! THANKS so much, all! :)

Redemption on the Run

2011-07-27T06:40:00.001-07:00

Good lands, it was a tough run this morning! Physically it didn't feel that bad or like I was working that hard, but every time I looked down at my Garmin, I'd see that I was keeping a slower-than-normal pace. Maybe that's why it didn't feel like I was working that hard. haha! Obviously I wasn't! But, honestly, it felt like I was pushing as hard as I normally would on a tempo run. (FYI: Tempo run = run at as fast a pace as you can for a long distance. LOVE 'em.)

Now, I don't know about you, but I often battle this little thing called pride. It's a tiny little emotion/mindset/soul killer that creeps into almost every area of my life and tries to create separation between me and God and me and others. It keeps me focused on my self and on my performance rather than on God and His love. It's a tricky thing, this pride. And, more often than not, I don't even notice its presence until it's already taken root and done some damage.

But let's just talk for a minute about how awesome God is. He's the kind of God who can take even our sinful emotions and redeem them for good. Hallelujah! :) :) And this morning, He did that for me on the last few miles of the run.

Because my pride won't let me be at peace with a final average pace that is above 8:00/mile on a tempo run, I was forced to push myself harder on the last 2 miles than I normally would have. I had to do this in order to drop my average pace below 8 minutes. It was tough! The temperature was in the 80s already (at 6:30ish a.m.), I was facing the wind, and I was going uphill most of the way. But what this did was force me to focus, pray and push. I even got a little help from Mandisa telling me that this was only gonna make me stronger. haha! :) Praise God for iPods!

Wanna hear the awesome result? Yes, the time dropped, but that wasn't the best part. As I pushed myself harder, I began to praise God for the gift of running. As He showed me my physical strength, the run became an act of worship to Him. He had given me the gift to push myself to a certain level, and as I worked my legs to go faster, I accepted His strength and used His gift, and I praised Him the whole way home. It was amazing!

Worship certainly comes in many forms. If we look at Scripture we can see that anything we do can and should bring praise to the Lord. Colossians 3:23 is one of our favorites in FCA. "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord, not for men..."

Awesome, huh? Anything and everything we do is designed to be an act of worship--a way to bring glory to the Lord who has gifted us to do whatever it is we're doing. That's one reason sin is detrimental. It takes us outside of our God-given purpose of bringing glory to Him, whereas obeying and worshipping the Lord leads us into our purpose and draws us closer to Him.

This morning, I got to watch as the Lord used what could have been a sinful emotion to lead me into a position of worship. Thank You, Jesus! I'm so crazy excited that He did that and rescued me from falling into the trap of pridefully worshipping the stopwatch and pace. (I've been there before...many times. And it is SO unfulfilling.)

Today, I want to encourage you that even if you are struggling with sinful emotions or pride, submit it to God! Be honest with Him! Don't hide it. Show it to Him and let Him transform it into something beautiful. Let Him redeem your thoughts and lead you into a deeper level of intimacy with Him.

Have a MARVELOUS day, friends! Know that our Lord loves you more than you can possibly know!
-Jill

P.S. Quick book update!! The media requests have begun. Yee haw!!! For those of you in the Kansas City area, tune into KCTV 5 before you go to church on Sunday morning, August 7th at 9:50 a.m. I'm going to be on talking about the release of Sharing the Victory: Being Your Best for God. Thank You, Lord, for the opportunity! Please pray for me to be a vessel of His love and truth! :)

The PPB Factor

2011-07-25T10:54:00.000-07:00

I fully admit that I cried like a little girl last night. Like, literally. I felt like a 6-year-old who was homesick at summer camp. I miss my family! But I think that's a good thing. It's far better than the alternative. I could have a horrible home situation and never want to spend any time at all with my parents or siblings. Instead, I've been blessed by the most wonderful, loving relationships with them. Hallelujah!

Of course, it hasn't always been this way. My family has been through the ringer, just like I think every family has. Another great God part of my faith journey has been the restoration He's applied in so many of my familial relationships. (Yes, I totally just used the word "familial." At least, I THINK it's a word.)

One of the most glaringly obvious redemption stories is the one that involves me and my Papa Bear. Wow. You talk about a complete 180!

When I first met PPB (btw, PPB = Papa Bear), I was 10 years old. My folks got divorced when I was 5 or 6 (or 7...I can't rememebr), and my momsy eventually started dating again. One evening, as my sister and I were playing catch with our babysitter out in the backyard, Momsy came home with a new beau in tow.

This is what I like to call "Serial Killer Day." hahahaha! The day I met my PPB. :) We totally laugh about it now, of course, but at the time it wasn't funny at all (to me). Anyway, I call it that because it describes my first impression of PPB. I don't have ANY idea why, but he just looked like the kind of guy who would be on the wanted posters at the post office. He had dark, straight hair, a full beard, and he was wearing some kooky Hawaiian shirt. He just looked like he was trouble! "This guy is totally a serial killer," I thought. "I'm going to die in my bed one night if my mom starts dating him."

My babysitter had been playing catcher as we'd tossed around the softball, and PPB soon took her place and caught a few for me and my sis. I think I was probably trying to bean him in the head, but he seemed pretty good with the mitt. haha! :) Sorry, PPB. Though, I'm sure he never felt the fear seeing as how he was facing down a 10-year-old girl.

Anyway, eventually my momsy tied the knot with PPB. And, boy, did we have it out over the next few years. We were like oil and water! We'd argue and fight over just about everything. He was frustrated by the way I disrespected my mom and tried to manipulate her. And I was, of course, frustrated by his discipline. I'm sure I threw out the classic, "You're not my father!" line to him a few times. Poor guy. PPB, I'm so sorry for the way I treated you back then. Thanks so much for your grace.

But here's where the God of the Universe reveals Himself. What we didn't know was that when I was a senior in high school, PPB would surrender his life to Christ. (He went to a Bible study on Revelation and had the devil scared out of him. haha! Obviously there's more to it than that, but that's pretty much the crux of it.) What we further didn't know was that I would do the same just a few months later after I left for college.

After that, the most wonderful transformation began to take place. I talked with PPB about it this past week, and neither of us had a defining moment of revelation in which we consciously decided to treat the other differently. It was just the gradual work of the Holy Spirit, who totally changed our hearts and knit them together in the most wonderful, special daddy/daughter relationship. Now, 13 years later, we are as close as a dad and daughter can possibly be. We share almost everything with each other, and he's truly one of my best friends. From our passions for coffee, pickles and Dilbert to our love for Christ and our family, we never run out of backyard swing conversation topics. And, if we do, we just start quoting "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" and make each other laugh. ("He don't eat no meat???") Though, now that I've got a Mighty Man of God in my life (Hi, Mighty Man!), the conversations have taken an even more special turn. PPB knows that his time as my spiritual leader will eventually come to an end, and he is serious about handing off the reigns in a Godly fashion. And he's also very intent on making sure that his BG (BG = Baby Girl) is prepared well for the transition whenever that comes.

Today, I share all that for several reasons.
1: I just wanted to because I love my PPB.
2: Because I got to quote MBFGW. :) haha! Any excuse to do that, and I'll take it!
But 3: Because it shows the redemptive power of God when you turn over your life to His Son.

Without the changing power of Christ, there is no WAY that PPB and I would be this close. Absolutely not! In fact, I doubt that we'd even be on speaking terms. But through His grace and absolutely amazing love for us, God took what was a huge obstacle and turned it into the most beautiful blessing. It was through no power of our own, that's for sure. It was simply the work of the Lord, who truly desires to give good gifts to His children (Matthew 7:11).

Undoubtedly, He wants to do the same for you. The question just remains whether or not you will let Him.

Love and hugs to you all! :)
-Jill

Mythbusters

2011-07-21T12:06:00.000-07:00

I'm a little crabby today, and I think it's because my time at home is coming to an end. It's been the most wonderful (much-needed) staycation here in Central K-S, and every time I come back home I have to fight really hard to get up the nerve to go back to the city. Maybe not the nerve, but the desire. That's what's lacking. Good thing I have a mighty man to look forward to this time. :) (haha! Sorry if you all get sick of the sappy romance talk. I will make NO apologies for it, though. Just grin and bear it!)

Today, we're going to play Mythbusters. More tidbits from the time here, quirky and serious. . .

Myth #1: Melted candle wax does NOT, I repeat NOT, enhance the flavor of Grandma Yordie's crumb cake recipe. hahaha! :) But what do you expect when you jam 100 of them into the top and try to light them all? A few of them are bound to melt all the way down. At least it made it colorful, and my beautiful Georgia was blessed by the sentiment.

Myth #2: You have to complain when the weatherman tells you there's only more 100-degree days in the future. Not true. You can drown him out by singing showtunes at the top of your lungs with your sister. It makes the prediction of heat and drought way more upbeat. No complaining when you're singing, "Look at me, I'm Sandra Dee..." while dancing around the kitchen.

Myth #3: Rural communities are poorer than big cities. (Is "poorer" a word?) Anyway, it's not true. It might be the case financially, but I can tell you that there is way more wealth in this little farm town than all of Overland Park, Mission Hills and Liberty combined. It just shows up in the intangible things like community, trust and love. As I ran today around my little town, I had no fear of being abducted or mugged; no anxiety about what a passing motorist might do if I didn't get out of his way; no thoughts about who would break into the house if I forgot to lock the door behind me (which I didn't). Instead, I got to enjoy passing familiar faces and homes, saying hello to the people I grew up with who were out for walks or watering their lawns. (Hi, Kathy and Jody!) I even got to holler a hello to Pastor Jack, who was sitting out on his front porch enjoying the south wind blowing away some of the heat. This isn't a poor small town; it's the richest place I know.

Myth #4: That a roll of toilet paper will last forever. Not true, though I sometimes think my family believes this. Does anyone else play this game? See how few squares you can get by with so that you don't use the last one and have to (*gasp*) change the roll. hahaha! I LOVE my family!! :) It's a cute quirk. And, I think they're onto me. My OCD won't let me leave the abandoned roll there, so I will ALWAYS change it (otherwise, I might literally go crazy). :) haha! They are so onto it. But, really? I love it. Gives me a chance to put my quirks to good use to bless them for letting me invade their space.

Myth #5: You're always 17 in your hometown. Again, not true. Sorry, Cross Canadian Ragweed, but I have to disagree. Thank GOD I'm not the same girl I was when I was 17. Thank God none of us are the same as we were back then. Back then I believed so many things that weren't true. That beauty came from the outside. That what people thought about you determined who you were. That life was all about getting famous. That the "shortcomings" of my family and my childhood were things I had to make up for. Ah, thank God for His truth!

Sadly, one of the things I believed when I was 17 was that I was a Christian simply because I was a "good" kid. I didn't drink, smoke, do drugs, sleep around, or steal things, so I MUST be a Christian, right? Isn't that what made someone a Christian? I certainly thought so.

I don't think I've ever shared my conversion story on my blog, but it's a really really cool story about how God used very divine circumstances to bring me to faith in Christ as a freshman in college. (Shocking that a girl would surrender to Jesus at a place like the University of Kansas, but it CAN happen!) :) Anyway, it involved my friend EE (if you haven't noticed, I'm trying to avoid using real names, because you just never know on here), Campus Christians, and the verse Galatians 2:20: "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."

After a very clear move of God's hand just weeks before, I had started attending a Bible study through CC with EE (ha! That's funny.), and this verse was part of the week's homework. And, when I read that, it was like everything made sense. I stopped the lesson and reread it. Then, I just sat there thinking, "Huh. It's not about me. It's about Jesus. Life is to be lived FOR Him and WITH Him. Life is about Him. I get it!"

Call it an ah-ha moment, I guess. But it was the biggest ah-ha moment of my life. It changed everything, praise God. I finally understood that being a Christian involved so much more than doing the "right" things and being a good girl. It involved a life that was lived in a deep and intimate relationship with Jesus Christ, who had loved me so much He died to save me. Wow. If that isn't the kind of Man (God) worth devoting your life to, then there really is no point in living at all. There's really no other way to put it.

Today, I want to encourage you so much. You're not who you were at 17 (unless you really are 17). You're not even who you were 5 minutes ago! Through Jesus Christ, you are being renewed moment by moment through His love and forgiveness. And, if you are willing to embrace Him, He will keep making you new each and every day. It doesn't matter what you've done, what you've believed, where you've been. It only matters that you accept His gift of grace and begin to walk with Him in the relationship for which you were created. The most wonderful loving relationship with your Heavenly Father.

Love and hugs to you all!

-Jill

P.S. Just so you can see it for yourself, this is the Hogoboom mug!! Isn't that fun to say? Try it. You'll love it!

The Safe Place

2011-07-19T08:42:00.001-07:00

Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home. :) Man, y'all. I am in Heaven! Halfway through my vacation to Central Kansas, and I'm reaping the unbelievable blessings of an overflowing love tank. Being surrounded by the comforts of familiar places and the people you love (and who love you despite yourself) is the most powerful sedative I can think of. Especially when it's all in the peace-giving presence of the Holy Spirit. Thank You, Lord, for a godly family.

A few things I've learned over the last few days:
1. That there are few words in the English language as fun to say as "Hogoboom." Special thanks to the Albert Hogoboom Tank Truck Service in El Dorado, KS, for giving my parents a free mug and for making me smile every morning when I drink my coffee. :)

2. That hot summer mornings and evenings on the backyard swing provide the best environment for deep and meaningful conversations.

3. That when it's 90 degrees in the shade when you START your morning run, you might need a little extra Power Ade. :) (I have a new respect for my mighty man who does this regularly!)

4. That small towns in rural Kansas, when going through extreme drought and heat, would make a great film set for a remake of The Grapes of Wrath. Everything has an extra layer of dirt and dust, and the poor grass looks like dried out hay.

5. That if you want to remember what it was like when you were in third grade and your teacher MADE you try the vegetables on your lunch tray, just come over to my house and watch me try to serve my Papa Bear peas. hahaha! Sorry, PPB! I will remember that in the future. (Poor guy made a face that looked like a 10-year-old being forced to eat cooked spinach.)

6. That Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH was actually based on a true story that is currently taking place in my parents' backyard. Only, it is a group of squirrels, not rats, who have an underground society in which they plan and scheme ways to crack into even the most protected bird feeders. For now this is a squirrel-free zone, but they are plotting their next move. Soon they will be feasting on bird seed despite my PPB's pipes, wires and domes that protect it. haha! It's war!

7. That not every Walmart is a crime scene waiting to happen. Down here in rural America, it's just the normal grocery store where you run into everyone you knew from back in the day and get to catch up on life in the cereal aisle.

8. That checking email even for a moment while you're on vacation can set your relaxation level back by at least a day.

9. That I miss my Big Fat Fanny when she's banished to the beauty shop for a week. haha! At least she misses me, too. It's nice to know she loves me. She tells me in the most wonderfully loud purrs and meows. :)

10. That while there's certainly emotional peace found in familiar places and walls, the real peace of home comes from the people you're with. And this is where I'll launch the quick message.

Over the past couple of years, my parents have been taking their time and remodeling the home we grew up in. They're doing a great job, and I have to say hat's off to them for the recent update of the office, which is affectionately now known as my mighty man's room. :) It's a lovely guest room/office painted in a combination of light and dark sage greens. Kind of masculine and tranquil at the same time. Anyway...Sorry. Got sidetracked.

In the process of remodeling, they are eventually going to get around to my bedroom, which has stayed pretty much the same as it was when I was in high school. I still have art projects on the walls, Troy Aikman posters on the celing, and my high school letter and track medals on a quark board in the corner. I call this room my "safe place."

Back when I was going through severe panic attacks and anxiety, a counselor told me to think of an environment in which I felt completely safe and at peace. My home bedroom was that place. It was where I could go to actually sleep (a unbelievable gift for an insomniac) and experience a slower pace of thought. Nothing could hurt me there, so I would go home as often as I could and, when I couldn't, I'd do my best to go there in my mind.

This weekend, as my family and mighty man and I were standing around talking about the house plans, they brought up the fact that my room was one of the next projects. Man! You should have seen my eyes! haha! Apparently they got really big and my bottom lip started to stick out a little. :) I know my heart certainly had a reaction to it.

"My safe place! What am I going to do without it?" For a moment, it was a little bit of an anxious reaction. Good thing I was in the arms of my mighty man at the time. Because that was what the Lord used to bring me a great lesson. Both he and PPB were all over it. "I think it might be more about the people here than the room, babe," the mighty man said. Papa Bear smiled and agreed.

And they were so right. When I thought about why the safe place was so safe, I realized that it was because I knew my parents were upstairs and my sister and brother-in-law were just down the hall. I was in the presence of love and family. Nothing could hurt me there.

Now, I'm almost a little embarrassed to admit that I'm just learning this in my 30s. But isn't it so true that people are what make these environments so special? Yes, the walls help, but it's the hearts and souls that provide the true peace. But, it's not just human--it's spiritual.

Yesterday, the mighty man and I did a devotion that led us to Acts 17:24, and it really brought it home. "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands." While the house itself might be a great environment, the more important factor is that my Lord is here. He is alive inside my momsy, PPB, sister and brother-in-law (and mighty man when he's there with us). And that presence of the Holy Spirit is what brings the safe environment.

Because we are the carriers of God's Spirit, who is alive inside each one of us, we have the ability to bear that safe zone wherever we go. The Lord is the One who provides it, and He is always with us. And, when we're in the presence of others who bear that Spirit as well, I fully believe it just gets better. :)

I don't know if any of you can identify with the idea of a safe place, but I totally want to encourage you today that you can have one wherever you go. If you have the Holy Spirit inside you, you can experience that safe feeling and peace no matter where you are because He is inside you. He isn't in walls made by human hands. He's alive inside each of us who have received Him, and He can minister His peace to us regardless of where we hang our hat.

Today, remember that the God who loves and created you is offering you a safe place in His presence. I know I will continue to receive that truth and rest in it this week. And, even when I head back to the city, I will return armed with the reminder that my safe place is in the presence of His love, which He offers to me directly and through those closest to me on earth.

Ciao, friends!
- Jill

The Mishandling of Pride

2011-07-15T09:31:00.000-07:00

HALLELUJAH! :) :) It's Friday! And not only is it Friday, it's also the first day of my vacation! :) I cannot WAIT to spend a week soaking up the goodness of my family and the brilliance of rural living. To paraphrase the masterful poet John Denver, "Thank God, I'm a country [girl]!"

Before I head out, though, I had to blog a little follow up lesson from the last post. In it, I mentioned that I was battling pride with the release of the book. Totally normal, and totally real! I'm not going to pretend that it doesn't feel good to be a published author. But where I really found myself wrestling was in how I dealt with that pride.

More than anything, I wanted to remain open with God about it. Anytime I try to hide something from Him and deal with it on my own, it just festers and swells until it is way bigger than He intended. And, most likely, has also created a wall between us. So, that wasn't an option this time. I wanted to allow Him to speak into it.

So, I was having a conversation with my mighty man of God (*smile*) at Starbucks on Wednesday, and he was encouraging me and ministering to me about it. He'd just finished up making a point, and I got up to go use the ladies room. It was the perfect timing for God to follow up on what Matt had said. Here's the realization. See if you can relate...

When I deal with pride in the sense of "Look at what I did! I'm awesome," I usually try to battle it by internally pointing out things I do wrong. Because I know I shouldn't exalt myself--nor do I want to--I fight the pats on the back by telling myself, "Yes, but you know your sins. You do this, and this, and this. You're not all that great."

Does anyone else do that? It's like we think we have to tear ourselves down off the pedestal we're being put on in order to stay humble.

But here's what's wrong with that. We're still focusing on ourselves! When we condemn ourselves in order to battle pride, we're still being prideful. Keeping our eyes on our own hearts and staying in our "me bubble" when all the while, our focus should be on Christ!

Isn't that a marvelously smart tactic of the enemy? He will do anything and everything he can to make sure that our eyes aren't on Jesus. Condemning us for our failures is one of his best tricks. And this one comes with a price tag (as most of them do). We not only lose our godly confidence, we also disregard the grace and truth that we are offered through Christ. We lose sight of the forgiveness He's given and the gift of the cross.

What I felt the Lord telling me that day was that I needed to turn to Him in my pride instead of fighting the battle on my own. The weapons I was using (self-condemnation) were ineffective--counterproductive, actually. The proper response was to thank God! Praise Him for the gifts He's given me! Quote His Word that every good and perfect gift comes from Him and that He'd created me for a purpose. The pride was definitely to be surrendered to Him and laid before Him in authenticity, but then the gaze was to be turned to Jesus, not my shortcomings.

I think Matt quoted to me that humility is confidence properly placed. Instead of shaming myself to squash the pride, I needed to glory in the Lord for what He'd gifted me to do. It was and is, in fact, HIS GIFT! And it's okay to thank Him for it!

If you can in any way identify with this, I totally want to encourage you today. There is NO condemnation in Jesus Christ (Romans 8)! If you are battling pride by tearing yourself down, turn to Christ immediately. Tell Him what you are feeling and battling and ask Him to show you how to handle it. Ask Him to help you bring glory to Him by using those gifts for His Kingdom. It's a tremendous blessing to be created by Him for a purpose and called into His service. Ladies and gentlemen, live it up!!

Hugs to you all! :)
-Jill

Hotlanta Report!

2011-07-13T08:10:00.000-07:00

Ah...Now THIS is what I imagine Heaven will smell like. I just plugged in a new Wallflower room scenty thing called Caribbean something-or-other. All I know is that it smells like vanilla, pineapple and coconut. I can practically hear the ocean! (Might be my cat, though. She's making all kinds of weird noises this morning.)

I just got back from my first book event. It was a blast! I met up with the wonderful folks from Guideposts/Summerside/Ellie Claire down in Atlanta for the International Christian Retail Show at the World Congress Center. I had NO idea it was such a big deal. But that's like a book publisher's version of the Super Bowl. They put in SO much work putting that together and getting ready for it every year. Hats off to the crew I worked with! Suzi, Lindsay, Carlton, Jason, Joanie and the whole bunch. They really did a great job and had an awesome booth! It was such a good experience. :)

For my part, I just showed up and did the easy stuff. All I did was stand behind a little counter, sign books, and talked to people about the message of it. That was cool! People really are drawn to the faith stories of their favorite athletes and coaches, so this really is shaping up to be an awesome ministry and message-bearing tool. I am SO stinkin' blessed to be the one God asked to write this! Holy cow! What an honor!! Thank You, Lord!!

Seriously. Surreal.

Anyway, because I'm a writer I could blog about all different kinds of things that happened on the trip. From almost missing the flight out (um, Delta...Need I say more? Oh, but I will...), to the emotions that I wrestled with regarding "selling" Chrisitan material, to the hot run downtown around Phillips Arena, to the encounter with the homeless man on Monday night, to the nightmare travel coming back to KC (again, Delta...Makes me SO thankful that KC's main airline is Southwest. Praise God for them!). But I'll just pick one and roll with it.

Alright, I was going to whine about Delta, but I think that would defeat the purpose of encouraging anything or anyone today. I'm just going to let it go and take the opportunity to say thanks to the wonderful folks at Southwest who have blessed me over the years with awesome travel. Yesterday, your excellence was just absolutely magnified in light of the alternatives.

What I will blog about was wrestling with the book promotion. Man, that is hard!! From two points of view. One, of course, is pride. Balancing the fact that this is the Lord's and not allowing myself to bask in the fact that I wrote a book. Um...I didn't do ANYTHING. The Lord filled me with words, and I obeyed Him by writing them down. Whatever good messages come out of this are His. Whatever typos are from the fact that we're imperfect humans. :)

The second thing, though, which I wasn't prepared for, was the idea of selling it so much. Yesterday as I was in the trade show environment, I really really struggled with how much Christian retail we have. Man! That is a hard inner battle! Because, for the most part, I just gravitate to a Bible, a notebook, and maybe a good devotion book. (Oh, and a strong cup of coffee, of course.) The rest is just extra.

At first, I was appalled by the number of products we produce that bear the name of Jesus. And the fact that we sell it and turn a profit. All I could think about was Jesus turning over tables in the temple when He saw people selling things in His house. I spent most of my quiet time yesterday morning talking with Him about that emotion.

But here's the thing. . . These things DO have purpose. God has gifted so many people in so many ways to bring Him glory and to share His message. I'm living proof! As are the hundreds of authors, musicians, artists, etc. who were displaying their work at the show yesterday. Yes, it was a retail environment, but the end result was the bookshelves where people who needed to see these things would have the chance to pick them up.

How did this hit me? Well, when I realized that my favorite running music was my Mandisa CD, I kind of realized that someone had to promote it and I had to purchase it in order to benefit from it. Every time I run to that CD, I am encouraged in the Lord. It really does have purpose! But someone had to sell it and promote it in order for it to get to my iPod. (Oh! That's another story. Busted iPod and lost phone charger. Interesting trip, I tell you.)

So, at this point, I'm at peace with selling the book. It has to be promoted in order for people to get the message that God is sharing through these devotions/faith stories. Maybe, just maybe, that one Josh Hamilton or Colt McCoy fan will see it on a shelf somewhere, pick it up and be totally changed for Christ through it. Now, that would be worth all the promotion in the world!

Thanks to everyone who is reading this or has made positive comments on Facebook! :) You guys are blessing my socks off! And I'm just hoping and praying that I can encourage you through this. Know you are a blessing today! And if you doubt it, read Psalm 139.

Hugs, everyone! Ciao!

-Jill

P.S. I *think* the books will be available soon! Click the link on the right side of this page to go order it on Amazon. Last time I checked, it was preorders, but it might be available by now. Not sure. But I know it's soon if it's not up yet!

The Parable of the Stormy Run

2011-07-09T09:26:00.000-07:00

Hey, everyone!! Happy Saturday! I hope you're all having an awesome day, enjoying the presence of God wherever you are and resting in the knowledge that He loves you today. Hallelujah!! :)

Before I dive in, I have to share a huge praise! The books finally arrived stateside from China!! Yay! hahaha! I'm doing a book signing at a retail trade show this week, and we weren't sure if they were going to make it in time. But hallelujah! They are here! We won't be at a book signing without books. haha! :) Thank You, Lord. :) I was all prepared to sign copies of STV magazine, though. Those are equally as fun. :)

Okay, on to the lesson of the day. :) This one comes from the road. (As do many in my life. Thank God for running!)

So, Thursday, my running buddy Michelle and I went out for a quick 7-miler on our normal route. Now, I always check the weather before I go out just to make sure I know what I'm in for (heat, wind, etc.). Well, on this particular morning, I was watching good ol' Brett Anthony offer the details of the radar map on NBC Action News, and he was showing a few green and yellow rain storms in the area. "Green and yellow? We can handle that, no problem. Soak me, Lord! I'm ready for a rain run!" Well, little did I know that those little yellow blotches were blooming into red ones as I headed out the door.

Now, Michelle and I are pretty hard-core. We will run in just about any kind of weather. Extreme cold, heat, wind, rain, snow, whatever. To me, the point of running is not to go out when I "feel" like it or when conditions are ideal. That's not why God has given me this gift. He has allowed me the ability and passion to run so that I will grow closer to Him through whatever circumstances He sees necessary. And He always teaches me new things when He asks me to power through tough weather.

Anyway, I digress.

So, Michelle and I head out and it's sprinkling. No big deal. Actually feels awesome. We get about 2 miles in, and we start to see flashes of lightening. Okay, time-out. Just about the only weather condition we do NOT do is lightening. That's just unsafe. But these are flashes, not strikes, so we assure each other that we're okay.

Then, about a mile later, the rain starts to come down harder. We're still okay, but the clouds are looking ominous, and the thunder is rolling. Our conversation now is totally about assuring each other that we'll be okay--that we'll beat it home.

Well, we were wrong. Soon, we start seeing a few lightening strikes, and we know we're in trouble, so we pick up our pace. About 2.5 miles from home, everything starts to fall apart. The wind kicks up instantly, the rain starts to pound us in sheets, the thunder goes constant, and the lightening strikes are hitting around us. Yikes.

We pick up our pace even more and just focus on getting to safety. Michelle's husband had been aware that she'd gone out, and she tells me that she is pretty sure he will come find us. But no sign of him anywhere.

We continue on, encouraging each other and, all the while, looking for our rescue. The wind is up, the rain is down, and we are scared. What are we going to do? Just pray! "Lord, protect us," I say out loud. (Inside, of course, I'm praying constantly.)

Well, when everything seems to be at its worst and we see no way out other than to keep going, we see a van pull up next to us. PRAISE GOD! It's Michelle's husband! We dive into the van and let him carry us to safety. We're soaked to the bone, cold and tired, but we survived. And we were rescued just in time.

Here's what the Lord put on my heart after that. Now, it may sound cheesy, but isn't that so much like life? It totally is to me! Whenever I go through a reeeeeeally bad storm, it sometimes feels like God will never show up. The storm will rage on, and I will feel totally abandoned and left to my own devices. (Which, I don't know about you, but mine are pretty limited.)

But that's not God! He is the God of perfect love and perfect timing. What He's actually doing is allowing us to go through trials that will strengthen us, and then, when we have reached the point of growing to the extent He wanted to take us, He will swoop in and rescue us.

I don't know about you, but I've been through that. Not too long ago, actually. I went through a season of the worst, most awful storm. It was so bad that it nearly wrecked several areas of my life. I couldn't see God in it. I felt lost, abandoned, confused, discouraged. And I felt like He wasn't paying any attention--that He'd never provide the rescue I needed.

Ah, but He did. :) He knew the whole time that the season of turmoil would produce such new strength in me that He allowed it to go on for a certain amount of time. He asked me to trust Him through it and to watch and wait for His deliverance. My faith did remain--though it was certainly hard. But deep down, even when opposing voices told me otherwise, I did know that He would eventually work it out.

And He did. He rescued me at just the right time and almost instantly calmed a multi-year storm.But, man, it was hard to get there.

That was exactly like that run. It kept getting worse and worse, and just when we thought we were lost to the elements, our rescue arrived. Thank You, Lord, for being the God of perfect timing and deliverance!

I want to really encourage you all today. No matter what you're going through, don't ever think that God doesn't care or has left you. He KNOWS what is going on. He loves you. He hurts with you. BUT, He knows what this season of your life is really about--that it will produce such good things in you that wouldn't be developed any other way than through trials. Trust Him. Cling to Him. Lean on Him. Rest in Him. Know that He will show up at just the right time and save the day. :) Or, in this case, calm the storm.

Love and hugs to you all! :)

Ciao!
-Jill

Here we go!

2011-07-07T17:03:00.000-07:00

My sister called me and left me a voicemail today that the book is on Amazon.com. Ca-ray-zy! To be quite honest with you, I haven't been thinking about the book really at all lately. It's one of those things where you finish it and just kind of let it go. I do that with the magazine, too. Once we send an issue off to the printer, I just kind of lose sight of it until it lands on my desk in printed form. Then, I just kind of shove it in my file and keep working on the next issue. It's almost sad, really. That's when the magazine just begins to work!

Probably the same way with the book, huh? :) It's really just beginning it's journey. What I've been working on for a year is just getting ready to do its damage. Praise God! This is what all the work was for! :) Now the message He laid on our hearts is about to be released into the world, hopefully to share His truth with readers. What does it really mean to be YOUR best for GOD and GOD alone? Two messages in there...

1. That God calls us to be OUR best, not the best in the world. He designed us uniquely and only asks that we do the best we can with what He's given us specifically. (Plus, isn't the "best in the world" completely subjective, anyway? Who determines who is the "best"? Everyone has a different opinion. Why not base YOUR best in His truth? That doesn't change.)

2. It's about being your best for GOD. Not for fickle man. Not for personal glory. It's all about Him. There's no need for earthly approval when you have the love and acceptance of the Heavenly Father! :) Hallelujah! We can be free from that pressure to perform!

You know, just thinking about it does make me a little excited. :) That's kind of cool to be able to share that with the world through the faith stories of athletes and coaches. What a blessing!

So, if you would pray for this as it gets going, that would be awesome! :) Let's see what holes God will punch in the darkness through this. Thank You, Jesus!

Ciao!
-Jill

P.S. If you wanna check it out on amazon.com, click the book cover in the right column of this page! :)

So sad!

2011-02-13T16:08:00.001-08:00

My goodness. . . I'm sitting here listening to an interview with Janet Jackson. She's talking about her body image issues and how insecure she's been all her life. This poor woman!

But you know what? If anything, this just makes me realize how sincerely we all battle the same issues. I don't know a woman alive who hasn't ever felt insecure about her body. It's just one of our things!

How does this stop, though? When do we finally get to the point where we realize God's truth about us, that we are lovely as we are created? When do we stop letting the world tell us what is beautiful? It's such a trap. And we ALL have our things.

One of the biggest things the enemy does is try to make us think that we're all alone in our struggles. Like just because the woman next to me in church APPEARS to be confident and secure means that she is. Who among us doesn't walk around and think, "Man, everyone has it together but me!" We all think that at some point. But it's so not true. We all have our things.

I think that's one reason fellowship is so important. We have to remain open and honest with each other as women if for no other reason than to know we're not alone. And that's important for us ladies! :) We gotta know we're not alone!

Anyway...That's my thought for the day. :) If any of you have been curious about how I've been handling withdrawing from Boston, I will tell you it's been okay! I do wish I had time to do it, and I'm bummed that I won't be there on April 18, but the sanity that has been salvaged has been worth it. haha! :) I'm still running and enjoying it, but it's nice to not have to raise the mileage and have the added stress. So, I'm currently shopping for a half marathon to do in the spring. I do have competitive juices that need to be fed. haha! :)

Okay, I'm out. Hope you have a great Sunday, all! :)

Ciao!
-Jill

Day 28...

2011-01-30T14:14:00.000-08:00

Well, friends, I have big news. I am officially withdrawing from the Boston Marathon. :) It was a tough decision, but it was definitely prayed about, and I fully believe it's the Lord's plan.

There's a lot to it, and maybe someday I'll see how all the pieces fit together, but one of the main reasons has to do with what's all going on in my life right now.

I've mentioned that I've been writing a devotion book called "Sharing the Victory: Being Your Best for God." Well, I'm in the middle of crunch-time with that project, and it's taking most of my focus. And, as I've been writing and working, I've been evaluating just how close I am to being MY best for God. Right now, I'm not, and that's the honest truth. There is just too much vying for my attention.

One thing I learned through yesterday's run is just how many little injuries crop up during marathon training. It's just the way it goes for me. And that's totally fine! If I have the mental capacity and time to deal with them. Like last year, marathon training was IT. So, when I got hurt, I actually was able to process those and use the blog to even minister through them.

But this time, I've got way too much going on to be distracted by injuries and the nagging anxiety that comes with them. Whenever I'm hurt, I have to be prepared to engage the enemy on spiritual warfare about training, and right now, I've got spiritual battles of other kinds going on that need my full attention. :) Not that God isn't big enough to handle them all, but this is not a battle I'm called to at the moment. Boston is not my fight this year.

Do I want to return someday? Absolutely! When I have time to throw my entire self into it and do it well, I will run Boston again. (If I'm blessed to qualify again.) But right now, I'm going to focus on being my best for God and not letting myself be pulled in too many directions. I believe He wants me to focus in other areas right now, and marathon training is just not one of them.

So. . . There you have it! :) Four weeks of training was a blast! And I did enjoy the speed work enough to continue that. It doesn't prove too distracting, and my body didn't seem to mind it. In fact, I'll probably still run a half marathon in the spring just for fun, but that won't require extra training.

Friends, thanks for reading! :) I'm sure that I'll keep blogging, it just won't be about Boston 2011. Totally okay. Someday I'll be back. For now, it's time to focus and be my best for God. :)

Ciao! :)
-Jill

Day 27...

2011-01-29T11:44:00.000-08:00

Unbelievable. Totally God at work. . .

So, last night, in preparation for this long run, I did the normal things of making sure I had Sport Beans, looking at the hourly weather predictions to see what was the best time to go out, and, of course, checking to see if the Garmin was charged. Everything was a go, and it looked like by 10:00 a.m. it would be above freezing.

So, I went to bed planning to run around 10, but I was totally nervous about the sidewalks not being cleared and whether or not the temperatures would actually rise enough for it not to be icy. But by the time I had fought that mental battle for about an hour, the Lord finally got ahold of my heart and helped me to surrender it all to Him and just trust Him. It took a while, but He finally broke through my stubborn, questioning heart. I went to bed at peace with what today would bring.

My alarm went off at 8, but I, of course, slept until 8:45. haha! :) That meant I wouldn't hit the road until 11 with breakfast and all. But no biggie. More time for the weather to warm up. But when I stepped outside at get my paper at 9, I noticed that it was already thawing again! I checked the temperature, and it was already 37!!! Hallelujah!!! :) :) :) I just about flipped!

So, I ate and read the paper and drank tons of coffee, then I got started prepping for the run. First thing? Turn on the Garmin and let it sync up with the satellites. But when I hit the power button nothing happened. What?? I did it again. Nothing. Garmin = dead. :( hahaha!

Well, here's the funny thing. I had just finished writing the intro for my upcoming book "Sharing the Victory: Being Your Best for God" and I had JUST written about how God had allowed me to be consumed by the idol of running and the Boston qualification in order to get my attention about how concerned I was with pleasing the world instead of Him. One way was through running performance. I had JUST written about how I had been freed from that. Now, God was seeming to say, "For real? Let's find out."

So, no Garmin, huh? No pace. No time. No mileage. What on earth would I do?

Enjoy the run, that's what!

I tell you what. . . This was one of the most amazing long runs I've had. No time ticking away. No checking my watch every 30 seconds to see if I was on pace. I just ran because it felt good and because I could. It was so peaceful! It was like God was confirming in my heart that He had, in fact, brought me a long way from where I'd been.

Though, the tough part of the run came with about 6 miles left. I think it was the fact that I was returning to outdoor running and hills, but I am pretty sure I strained a muscle in my left quad. It was a pretty painful last few miles, and I'm sitting with ice bags on now. :( If you read this and have time to pray for me, that would be awesome!

Anyway, good lesson today. This was one of those days when you know that the Lord is moving in your heart and life. Thank You, Father. I've got a long way to go, but I've come a long way.

:)
-Jill

Day 26...

2011-01-28T11:47:00.000-08:00

It's funny how days can start off one way and manifest into something completely different. Today started off so slow and easy. Had a great time casually getting ready for my run. Did a nice, slow, easy recovery run (I was SORE after yesterday's workout! That hasn't happened in a while!). Then I got home in enough time to do some extended time with God while I casually sipped on some coffee and iced my knees.

But...I started to realize as it was getting closer to the time when I needed to leave the apartment, that my "casual" nature was going to cause me to be late if I wasn't careful. And, of course, I realized this at the point where I actually WAS already a little behind. Then, wouldn't you know it, nothing came together right after that. haha! I put on the wrong shirt for the wrong pants. Then, when I found a shirt that worked, I had to try on three different necklaces--none of which worked--before deciding just not to wear one at all.

From there it was just one of those busy/hustled mornings. I fumbled with the coffee on accident, got stuck behind a slow driver once I finally made it out the door, and once I got to work it was non-stop meetings and e-mails from the word "go."

Quite the anthesis of my slow, fun, easy Friday run. :)

But it's interesting. The last athlete I interviewed talked about being able to find God's stillness in the middle of the busyness. How important is that? Our world is busy. That's just not going to change. WE have to be the ones who decide NOT to be busy. Even when we're in meetings and the e-mails are pouring in, we can remain peaceful in our hearts and refuse to let anxiety take over.

It's just like running long distances. There's no point in getting anxious or in a hurry. You just have to find your rhythm, plug in and roll with it. It's all about keeping His peace alive in our hearts and minds. He offers it to us through faith and trust. It's our responsibility to own it.

Well, lunch is over, so I better get back to those e-mails. But I'm praying as I type that the Lord infuses me with His peace as I do.

Another prayer request? That the snow melts enough for the outdoor run tomorrow. They're doing maintenance on our apartment treadmills, anyway, so I have to be outside for the 17-miler. I'd just love to not have to run down the middle of the road for it. haha! :) It's warm enough that it should. But I have no control over that, so I'm just going to ask God and rest in His answer and provision. :)

Ciao, friends!
-Jill

Day 25...

2011-01-27T10:39:00.000-08:00

Man, what a cool run this morning. God is so good!

Last night was another restless night. Okay, so I'm writing a book, and it's due this week. I don't know if that's been weighing on my mind to the point of not being able to sleep or what, but I just couldn't shut my brain off last night. And THEN, my German neighbor was "uber" loud again! Double-whammy on the sleep cycle.

But, get this! I eventually did fall asleep (probably around midnight), and woke up completely full of energy at 5 a.m.! That is only divine. Thank You, God. There's no way I should feel this good. But it showed up on the treadmill. I clocked in the 10-miler at 71:36 for a 7:09 average pace.

The first mile was a warm-up, then, since it was a tempo run, I just found about three paces and settled in. I did the next mile at around 7:25, then upped it to 7:09-7:00 until I hit 5 miles. Then I turned it up one notch to 6:56 for the next four. Then, the last one I did a speed ladder from 9.1-10mph. I think that winds up at a 6-flat average. Felt stellar! :)

So, here's a little growth step for me. My training plan said that I was supposed to do 11 miles today. Um, no. That's ridiculous. I had basically just copied my training plan from last year and was following it this spring. But that's stupid. There's no reason for me to start doing 11-milers already when we're only in the middle of week 4. I can start those mid-Feb. Instead of getting insane with this training round, I'm going to play this one a little more casual. Still put in the work, but not go crazy.

No major spiritual revelations from the treadmill other than the fact that God is capable of supplying divine energy even when we don't deserve it. :) I guess it falls in line with the devotion I read last night, which talked about not expecting a problem-free life. Duh! Why do we expect every day to be problem-free and get mad when it's not? Life is FULL of problems. Every day! Hello!? What kind of world do I live in that I wake up and expect the day to go just as I want? That does NOT happen. So, we just need to relax, trust God and respond to each challenge in a way that pleases Him. When we do that, He takes care of the results. Case in point: Problem = no sleep. Solution = God's grace and provision cover me. Rock on. :) No reason to worry!

Okay...Lunch break = over. (I'm loving the = sign today!) I have to work now. :)

Happy Thursday, friends!
-Jill

Day 24...

2011-01-26T16:27:00.000-08:00

Um...54 degrees on Friday??? YES!!!!!! Melt, snow, melt!! haha! That is awesome.

Happy Wednesday, everyone! Hope you guys are having a great week so far. I've had better, but it's nothing absurdely terrible.

Last night was a little rough. I happen to live next door to a marvelously loud old German guy who likes to talk (and sing) really loudly every once in a while. Unfortunately, that means that I get ZERO sleep when he does, unless I'm somehow able to convince my subconscious to incorporate his songs into my dreams. Usually doesn't happen. Last night was one of his loud evenings. I don't think he was singing, but he likes to have loud phone coversations. I think he's calling Germany and believes he needs to raise his decibal level in order to make up for the extra distance. So, I didn't sleep much. By the time he was done talking, my heartrate and nerves were so on edge that there was no recovering.

At least it was an easy run day. I managed to enjoy the recovery run and listen to another great message from Robert Morris. He was talking about salvation and he broke it down into past, present and future tenses. One great point he made when he was talking about salvation in the past tense was about the justice of God. Yes, we know that Christ's death pays for our sins, but do we know why? Because God operates in a justice system. Every sin has a penalty that has to be paid. Jesus paid our death penalty for us when He died on the cross. Why does that make us saved? Because in God's justice system, two people can't pay for the same sin. It's just like in our human justice system. Two criminals can't be convicted for the same exact crime.

When Jesus died for us, our sins were paid for. If we've received His payment and surrendered to Him as Lord, we can NOT go to Hell. It would go against God's justice system. How cool is that? I've known this for a long time, but I don't think I ever thought about it in such legal terms. That was a great lesson for the day, and I really feel like I understand the "why's" of salvation a little better.

Again, the blessings of running. :) Time for great podcasts. :)

Tomorrow will be a great 10-mile tempo run. I'm pumped! I love those workouts. If you're out there tonight and feel like praying for me, though, would you ask God to grant me sleep tonight? It's much easier to make it through the day when well-slept. Not that life has to be easy, but it can't hurt to ask. :) Either way, I know God is good and that I'll survive.

Have a great evening, friends!
-Jill

Day 23...

2011-01-25T16:13:00.000-08:00

Wa hoo!! Let's hear it for a great 9-mile speed workout! Clocked in at 63:41 for a 7:04 average. Here's the breakdown:

1-mile warm-up
2-mile speed (8.5mph-8.6)
.5-mile recovery (8.0)
2-mile speed (8.6-8.7)
.5-mile recovery (8.1)
2-mile speed (8.7-8.8)
1-mile sprint ladder (9.0-10.0)

Sweet!! :) It felt fantastic! I have to tell you, there are very few things that feel as amazing as running at a high speed, completely focused on the body's ability to maintain the pace over a long distance. It's the most alive I've ever felt! :) I just love it! :) :)

To be honest, I have so much on my plate work-wise that I haven't even realized that I'm training for a marathon. haha! :) The only times I really focus on it are when I wake up in the morning and hit the treadmill. But I think that's going to pay off in the long run. By the time my load lightens, I'll be halfway through training, and it will be that much closer to marathon time. haha! :)

I'm already looking forward to the trip to Boston. More than that, I'm looking forward to my time with my mom. We're going to have a great time together, which is rare! I see her often, but the mom/daughter alone time is less frequent. And I can't wait to have her all to myself. :)

BTW...I just heard the weatherman say that Friday's high will be 54...Perhaps this weekend's 17-miler will be outside?? I'm thinking so!! Thank You, Lord!

Okay, friends, I gotta call it a day. Have a fantastic Tuesday!
-Jill

Day 22...

2011-01-24T10:22:00.000-08:00

The hardest part of today's run was getting to the gym. Once I was there and on the treadmill, it was awesome! :) The fact that I didn't sleep very well last night made for a tough wake-up call, but it all worked out once the legs started moving and realized that it was worth it. :)

Nice easy run today! I just LOVE Monday runs. They are always just such a refreshing way to ease into the tough week of training. No speed work, no distance. Just a nice little, "Hello, running schedule. Nice to be back on track after rest," kind of situation.

I did listen to a great message on my iPod today, though. My aunt turned me on to a pastor named Robert Morris, and I listened to a message from him about joy this morning. It was great! He talked about three A's that keep us from experiencing God's joy: Actions, Attitudes and Attacks. Actions being our own sins and struggles. Attitudes being when our hearts aren't in line with God's Truth. Attacks being just what they are: assaults from the enemy.

It was a great message for a Monday, that's for sure! As usual, I have a full plate, and that sometimes makes it hard to look forward to the day. But if I really trusted God (and I do) with everything He's called me to, then I don't have to stress. I can let everything stay in His hands, do my best, and relax in that freedom.

Pray that for me? :) haha! It's a great truth, but it's hard to maintain. Especially when 5:00 on Thursday and Friday roll around. haha! :) But it will be SO worth it.

God is awesome. Life is good. Monday is going to keep getting better and better. :)

Love to you all!
-Jill

Day 21...

2011-01-23T13:05:00.000-08:00

Hello, rest day! :) Sundays rock, don't they? But sometimes they're so hard, too.

I don't know about you all, but I LOVE being productive. I love being useful and doing things all the time. It's SO hard to be still. But God calls us to rest for a day every week, and I'm trying to be obedient to Him.

I think taking a Sabbath is an act of obedience. Certainly it is! If we really wanted to, we could be DOING things all the time. But God knows we need to stop and rest. That's why He COMMANDS a Sabbath; He doesn't suggest it.

When Sunday rolls around, I always have these great ideas of how I will rest that day. But then, inevitably, I wind up "doing" little things all day and, before I know it, the day is completely gone and I have no idea where it went.

Today, I am going against my entire being and just resting. I have work that needs to be done, but I am not my own boss. God is. And God commands rest. So, in an act of submission, I am going to rest. He is my Lord. I realize that His ways are better than my own. He will take care of the work that needs to be done. I am first to trust and obey Him.

Running DOES fit into this, not just regular work. I fight this battle when it comes to running, too, just not as often as I used to. Back when I started running seriously I wouldn't take a day off at all. Now, I actually look forward to it. My legs do get a little restless from not being taxed, but I can always tell the positive difference on Monday. :) Rest is SO key. It's just hard. :)

But you know what? That's okay! It's okay that I struggle with rest. I don't think I'd be human if I didn't. God knows it's hard. The bottom line is that I do it. That's it! He just calls me to obedience. He'll take care of the blessings on the other side. :)

Now, I gotta get off this computer before I'm tempted to work. :) haha! :)

Ciao, friends! Happy Sunday!
-Jill

Day 20...

2011-01-22T12:34:00.000-08:00

YEE HAW!!!! :) :) :) Long run on the treadmill = done!! :) If any of you prayed for me, THANK YOU! :) It was certainly answered with a capital amount of focus, patience and energy. :)

It was interesting. There were such great moments on there, even when it was tough. I'd find myself looking down at the distance and seeing how far I had yet to go, and I wouldn't let my mind go to a bad place. Instead, I'd just say, "Lord, it's tough right now. That's okay. Thanks for being here with me. Help me have the patience to get through this rough patch." He totally would!

Long runs aren't supposed to be easy. They are supposed to challenge you so that you will grow in mental and physical strength, which you will need for the marathon. Part of training is learning how to handle those tough moments. Today's response was certainly one of the best. Just own the moment. Allow myself to admit that it's hard. Call on the Lord. Let Him answer.

Great training for life right there. That can stinkin' apply to anything! I heart running. :)

So, I have no idea what my time was. The treadmill shut itself off when I wasn't paying attention to the numbers. haha! :) That was a funny moment. I know I was around mile 9.4, but I hadn't looked at the time in a while. What I do know is that, after my warm-up, I stayed at a 7:30 pace for the first five miles and then upped it to 7:24. For the last mile, I increased my speed from there up to an eventual 6:30, which is where I ended. :)

My ultimate prize for the day? Body salt!! :) :) haha! Am I the only runner who loves that? When you finish a long run and the sweat dries on your skin, you get salt residue. It's a great medal of honor. :) And I got body salt today! :)

Well, friends, thanks for the prayers if you prayed. HUGE answer in a great way. :) Survived the run inside and lived to tell about it. Now...On with the Saturday! :)

Ciao, friends!
-Jill

Day 19...

2011-01-21T11:34:00.000-08:00

Oh, dear. I just had one of those experiences where I wrote a great blog and then hit the publish button only to get an error message. :) "We are sorry for the inconvenience," says Blogger. haha! :) Good thing I hadn't just written the next great American novel on here. :)

Nope! All I was talking about was Fridays, how I hate them when the alarm goes off and I'm waking up after a week of 5 a.m.s. But how I love them for the rest of the day because of the weekend ahead!

OH! And I also requested prayer for tomorrow. It will definitely be a 15-mile run on the treadmill, which will require a tremendous amount of patience and focus. Marathon training is certainly effective at developing character, that's for sure! haha! :) I will be a better woman after the run than I was before. But prayer support would be much appreciated. :) I know I can't do it on Jill's strength!

Well, that's about it for the second try. Let's see if this sends...:)

Happy Friday, everyone!
-Jill

Day 18...

2011-01-20T09:59:00.000-08:00

I must give a huge shout-out to my apartment complex workers. When I went to the gym this morning at 6:00 they were already out there slugging away at the snow on the sidewalks. Thanks so much, guys! You helped this little marathon trainer get in her 10-mile tempo run this morning without having to wade through 9 inches of snow.

Yesssssss! 10-mile tempo run for the week is in the books. A great finishing time of 1:11:40, which averaged out to 7:10/mile. Because I wanted to best myself from last week, I kicked it up super fast on the last mile, which was awesome. Felt great all the way around! Thank You, Lord! :)

This past week I've really been thinking about the lyrics of the music I run to. One of my absolute FAVORITE running songs is Lenny Kravitz's (Kravitz'?) "Why Are We Running?" That song has one of the best running beats in the history of the planet, and it asks a very good question over and over: "Why are we running?" Fun for us who are literally running at the moment.

I have zero clue about Lenny Kravitz's (Kravitz'?) faith or spiritual belief, but he has a line in that song about the road being narrow and hoping we all get home, which I believe is a reference to Heaven and Christ. Again, I am not touting that Lenny's a Christian, but I've heard him talk about Jesus before, so I know he puts Him in some of his songs.

How interesting is it that Lenny Kravitz would have a more spiritually sound lyric than a Christian band who tells us to mail-order our love from a cloud in the sky? Just an interesting thought. But, I guess I should also mention that in this same song, Lenny talks about keeping our "booty" in the air. hahaha! :) That probably cancels this out for play on K-LOVE. :)

Hey, I hope you're all having a great week and staying safe if you're in the snow like we are. If you think about it, be in prayer for me as the weekend approaches and I look for a place to run 15 miles. I'm really pretty sure it's going to be on the treadmill, and that's going to be super hard. But if there is prayer support going in, I know I'll be better equipped with the patience to slug it out! :)

Thanks, friends. Have a great Thursday!
-Jill

Day 17...

2011-01-19T14:03:00.000-08:00

Totally random. I just noticed the times listed below my blog posts, and they are TOTALLY incorrect. haha! Just in case anyone I work with reads them, I never post at 10:30 a.m. haha! That's a little scary. I wonder if my boss has ever read my blog and thought, "Um...Jill needs to stop blogging on work time." TOTALLY not the case! At least I haven't been fired or anything. :)

Today's run was a chillax recovery run. Super awesome! Loved it, of course. And as much as I enjoy running outside, I must admit that I'm enjoying the extra SportsCenter time I get now. haha! :) I have to say that I'm a lot more "in the know" on my job when I am forced to run inside. I can tell you that Venus Williams advanced in the Australian Open, some kid I should have already heard of who plays at BYU hit a reeeeeeally deep 3-pointer in their win last night, and that Al Davis is starting to show his age a little. :) I'm not sure the last bullet helps me at work, but it was just something I noticed this morning.

Right now, the snow is coming down super heavy. And with the temperatures being so low for the projected future, I have NO idea when I'll be able to return to the roads. Starting to wonder about my long run this weekend and where that will take place. Oh, well. Whatever happens, I'm sure it will get done, be it inside or out.

As you can tell, I don't have much to report from today. Was just a good solid day. A patient day of watching the miles trickle slowly away as I restrained myself from picking up the speed when I should be "resting." It was good. Always good to be patient and take one step at THE time. :)

Until tomorrow,
-Jill :)

Day 16...

2011-01-18T10:35:00.000-08:00

Memo to me: bring a copy of my training plan home with me instead of leaving it in my planner at the office. haha! This morning I put in an extra mile of speedwork because I thought I had 9 instead of 8. :) Oh well. It certainly can't hurt! And with the great pace, I'm sure it will prove beneficial. I finished at 64:10, which averages out to 7:07/mile. But the bigger part of that was the paces that I was able to sustain.

I did a one-mile warm-up, followed by two 2-mile repeats with 1/2 mile recoveries. Then, I did a final 3-mile stretch that went from 6:54/mile to 6-flat. (The 6-flat pace was only for the last quarter mile, so don't get too excited. haha!) Either way, it was a great run! Tough to get started, as usual, but well worth the effort.

The temperature wasn't too bad when I got up, so I had hoped to get outside, but my discernment said that the roads would probably be too slick. Um, correct. Thank You, Lord, for wisdom. As I headed out to my car to drive to the workout room, I almost bit it on the slick pavement. haha! :) I would have DIED trying to run on that! :)

So, just another note about the lesson on love from yesterday. I listened to the same artist on the iPod today and found a song that actually had some great truth in it. "Love is love when it's love in His name. Love is love when you give it away." Those were totally true and awesome lyrics! I was so excited when I heard them. But...then they used the same cheeseball line later in the song. "Love is only love when it comes from above." hahaha! :) Again, where exactly is God in space? Does Heaven have an address on Pluto that I'm not aware of? Oh, well. I guess I'll just take the concept and roll with it. Love is only real love when it is cultivated by the Holy Spirit. I think that's what they might have been driving at. :) And their way does hit beats a little better than mine. :)

Okay, that's it for today. May you all experience the "love from above" in a great and real way! :)

Ciao, friends!
-Jill

Day 15...

2011-01-17T09:30:00.000-08:00

Happy Monday, everyone!! :) And happy MLK Day! What a stinkin' stud. I pray that the Lord raises up more like him to continue setting examples of courage, integrity and faith.

So...Slight disappointment this morning, but nothing major. It was an AMAZING 34 degrees outside, and I couldn't use it! (*sigh*) Part of the January package includes snow-packed sidewalks that don't get cleared unless the warm weather melts them naturally. So, even though it was an unbelievably balmy morning, I had to hit the treadmill. There was just no place to run outside. Oh, well. No biggie! At least I was able to run at all! And it was a great, easy run.

Man, I love Monday runs. They're easy runs, PLUS I'm usually a little more stocked up on sleep from the weekend. That makes for fresh legs and energy! :) Today was no exception. The entire thing was just awesome! It felt so great!

haha! I did have one random thought this morning, though, as I was listening to my iPod. I'd recently invested in some new workout music, and one of the albums I'd purchased was a Christian group that sounded SO similar to the Black Eyed Peas. It really, musically, is pretty awesome! But--and here's the quirk--the lyrics are, um, a little...well, cheesy? cliche? Um, yes. All of the above.

Is anyone else kind of tired of the "shining down Your love from above" line from Christian artists? Is God a bank teller who puts His love in a plastic tube and sends it down to us to open when we pull up to His drive-through? This might be the biggest misconception and most incorrect word picture of the century.

God, in His very nature, is the DEFINITION of love. There's no love outside of Him if it's actual love. And, He perfects it in us if we let Him. Because He is always with us in the presence of His Holy Spirit, there's no need for Him to "shine down His love from above." Who stinkin' said that Heaven was in the stratosphere anyway? Is it on the 97th floor on the third star from the left? Where is this love shining down from?

We have such a limited view of God. It's sad. He's beyond our comprehension, and in an effort to put it in human terms, we size Him down into cliches. Why can't we just be okay with letting Him be bigger than we understand? He's not within our comprehension? I'd rather any Christian lyricist just spit out a phrase that says, "I don't get Your love, but I'm glad You love me," (or, something similar in a catchy rhyme) instead of dumbing Him down to fit into their iambic pentameter.

haha! Oh, well. At least the beat was good and the words were wholesome. It's just something I was thinking about. . . And that's what this training is all about. Today I learned a little more about God's love through time spent on the run. Thanks, Lord. :) Can't wait to see what You have tomorrow.

Ciao, friends!
-Jill

Day 14...

2011-01-16T07:25:00.000-08:00

Cool that we're two weeks in already. :) Very cool. Only 14 to go! Seems like a lot, but these weeks seem to tick off steadily without my noticing--just like the miles of a marathon. Before you know it, you're almost done!

The peaceful wake-up of the non-running day is something I look forward to every week. It's a HUGE highlight, actually. :) Just being able to lay there and roll around until I feel like getting up is the most wonderful feeling. (FYI: I'm not a late enough sleeper to ever have to worry about sleeping through church. My late mornings rarely go past 9.) Today, waking up in the comfort of my parents' house just made it all that much better. I had the most wonderful weekend with them celebrating my mom's birthday, and it was so full of priceless moments. I'm so thankful for my family. :)

I just finished up a devotion this morning that had to do with peace and worry. Both things I, like many others, battle on a daily basis. Okay, I don't BATTLE peace itself, but I have to fight for it. Seems odd to have to fight for peace, doesn't it? But I think you know what I mean.

Anyway, it talked about how we tend to rehearse our troubles over and over before we actually have to go through them. The difficulties of the day are only meant to be lived once, but when we don't surrender them to the Lord and trust Him to take care of them, we experience them multiple times before we actually have to deal with them. When, if we would simply give up our challenging moments to the Lord--the ones we know we will have to go through--we wouldn't waste all of our peaceful moments on needless worry.

Personally, that's certainly something I'm going to really pray gets worked into my heart and mind. That I can put that into practice. It relates to me on so many levels, but specifically running. I generally start "worrying" about the next day's run the night before, or even days before, when there's absolutely NO reason for it. God only intends me to go through it once, and He promises to be with me every time. No need to wrestle with it beforehand.

So, that's one thing I'm asking for regarding prayer. If you read this and can pause 5 seconds to pray and ask God to work His peace into my mind in a greater way, I would SO appreciate it.

You guys are thebomb.com. Hope you enjoy a great day with Him today! :)

Ciao!
-Jill

Day 13...

2011-01-15T12:14:00.000-08:00

"Swe-eet hooome, Cennntral Kansas..." haha! :) BIG fun today out in the sticks. :) First long run of the season is in the books! Logged a nice 16-miler this morning out on the country highway, and, in the process, overcame the anxiety about the higher mileage.

It was a tough morning, but I just chalk it up to the training process. I got up and ate a small bowl of oatmeal to give me some fuel. Well, I lingered around a little too long before getting out the door, and by the time I was ready to go, my stomach was growling again. haha! I "blame" my parents for being so awesome. :) haha! I couldn't pull myself away from the coffee/newspaper/FOX News time with them. That's just priceless.

So, I did it all again! haha! This time, I dumped some peanut butter in the oatmeal so that it would stick to my guts a little better. Ate more oatmeal, waited around another hour, THEN finally headed out.

The whole thing was really a comedy of errors for a while. Right before I left, I realized I'd forgotten to pack my iPod. Thankfully, my sister lent me hers. This actually turned out to be a fun blessing as I got to explore her music selection to pass the time. She has a big affinity for 80s and 90s music, so it was really a lot of fun. She even had a little Debbie Gibson on there! haha! :) :) Right when I was hitting a mental wall, "Electric Youth" totally came up. haha! Totally made me smile. :)

Well, I also underestimated the temperature and wind chill a little bit. I went out without my face mask on initially. Exactly .5 miles in, I decided that was NOT going to work. Thankfully I'd brought it with me just in case. I stopped, pulled off my ski gloves (a process), took off my ear warmers, and pulled the mask on. Well, I accidentally dropped one of my gloves, and it rolled down a snowy embankment. Had to trudge through snow and get my shoes wet to get it. THEN, I realized I'd put on the smaller ear warmer, which doesn't fit over my ski mask. Oh...It did today. But it took a little extra effort and frustration to make it happen. haha! :)

So, I finally get everything assembled again and start running, but the face mask and ear warmers didn't play well together for the rest of the first mile. That was fun. I just had to keep tugging things around until it finally settled in. Mind you, this is all on a local highway, so I'm also having to dodge the country traffic. It isn't ANYTHING to speak of, but since there's no shoulder on the road, it makes even two cars passing each other a bit of a problem.

You can see how my mindset was going. By 1.5 miles I'm just hacked off. Nothing is going right, and I just want to go home. That's when I shut off the iPod. It was time to pray. :)

Thank the LORD! :) With everything I'd been learning about praising God, I just started thanking Him for things. Thanking Him for the place to run, for the ability to run, for the beauty of the country, and for my family. And that did the trick. No, I didn't automatically love the rest of the run, but I totally settled down and began to release the anger and frustration. I was able to focus more on the run itself and the gift that He'd given me in a country road. :)

Really, where else would I have been able to run today? Back home, the sidewalks would still have been ice/snow-packed. Can't run down the middle of the road there because it's the city and cars actually are a factor there. :) Wouldn't have really wanted to do a 16-miler on a treadmill. So, the country was such a blessing! And the great weather with the calm wind and sunshine was just icing on the cake.

So, there you have it. Training continues, now two weeks in. We're in the game and on the move--quirks, hang-ups, blessings and all! :) And if I learned anything today, it's that God provides. He covered everything, and the run was great. It was hard, but that's part of it--part of the growing process with Him as much as the physical part of it. So, thank You, Lord. Thank You for challenging me and providing for me. I'm a stronger daughter of the KING for it. :)

Have a great weekend, everyone!

-Jill

Day 12...

2011-01-14T14:11:00.000-08:00

Hey, y'all! Just a quick post today. Normally I write on my lunch break, but today we started a new Bible study here at the FCA office over the noon hour. It's gonna be great! It's on effective prayer. Um, yes please!! :) I know I'll be able to put that to good use out on the running paths in the next couple of months.

Recovery run this morning, and it was pretty tough! I'm a little tired, so getting out of bed was no picnic. But the Lord blessed me so much by putting a new girl on the elliptical machine beside the treadmill. She talked me all the way through 3.75 miles, and the rest was pretty easy after that. It's amazing how time flies when you're having a good conversation. Makes me kind of nervous about tomorrow's 16.

Pray for me? haha! It will be my first run of more than 15 since last Boston training, so it will be an adventure, I'm sure! But I know the Lord will be with me. I can never outrun His presence. Thankfully. :) See Psalm 139:7-10! :)

Anyway, gotta scoot. Hope you all have a great Friday!!
-Jill

Day 11...

2011-01-13T10:28:00.000-08:00

Can I get a high-five??

Today was a tough 10-mile tempo run on the treadmill, and it was awesome! Being Thursday and already living a week's worth of 5:00 wake-up calls, I was predictably a little sluggish getting started, but that's what warm-ups are for, right?

We got right after it today. I think I worked things up to a sub-7 for the last two miles, which was awesome. I ended up with a time of 1:12:31, which equalled out to a 7:15 average. Rock on!! :)

It was funny. I usually do this. I will play games with myself mentally while I'm doing treadmill runs, and I'll tempt myself to make it easier. "It's just the second week of training, you don't have to push it that hard." "You've already done three inclined intervals, you don't have to do more than that." "This pace is good enough. Just put it in cruise control and finish it out."

It's so funny the little temptations that come in while I'm on there. And the buttons are right there. So easy to knock it down a notch.

But that's not why I'm on there. And if I'm going to run a 10-mile tempo run, I'm going to give it my best. Not because I have anything to prove, but because I am doing this for a God who has given me the strength to be able to do it. There's no WAY I'm going to waste the endurance and speed He's given me.

So, I finish doing all 8 planned inclines. I push the tempo up as the miles go up, just like I'd planned. And you know what? I didn't die. haha! It wasn't even miserable. It was fun! :) And when I stepped off, I rested in knowing that I didn't cut any corners. THAT is a good feeling.

I don't know about you, but I have a real tough time mentally when I cut corners in any area of life. I know it's a double-edged sword. On one hand, it can REALLY help me in areas of excellence and integrity. On the other hand, it really challenges me regarding grace. Failing is SO hard for me, and it's something I'm trying to learn with the Lord. How to fail in a manner that receives His love and grace best. Because it's something I'm going to have to continue to deal with for life. Everyone messes up every day. We have to learn how to handle it in a manner that allows us to receive the forgiveness offered to us, learn from it, and move on.

Now, where I don't want to learn to fail is with willful slacking. That's the key I was working on this morning. When it's just laziness. There's no reason for learning how to fail well there. That's just disrespect to a generous God.

Thankfully, I don't have to deal with failure from a cheated effort today because, in His strength, I powered through for an awesome run. :) Thank You, Lord!! :) I pray that we all can power through areas of temptation today when we're thinking of cutting corners. DON'T do it! Think about how you'll feel afterward and consider how awesome it will be once you're on the other side of it. :)

Have a great Thursday, friends!
-Jill

Day 10...

2011-01-12T10:38:00.001-08:00

Happy Wednesday, team! :) I wish I was sitting down with you all right now with a good cup of coffee and catching up on your lives. :) Or, better yet, that we were all in Florida (the only state without snow on the ground right now) chatting it up as we ran on a boardwalk in the sunshine. haha! Sounds like heaven to me!

I'm really enjoying the treadmill time this week. (You probably get that by now, having heard me rave about it for several days in a row.) Honestly, it's been nice not to have to run with a layer of nylon covering my face. haha! But I've also enjoyed the company I get in the workout room. There's a nice lady in my apartment complex who gets up early to come in and use the elliptical machine. We've had nice conversations the last couple of mornings, and it's been great having someone there with me to pass the time.

Today, though, I tried something I don't do very often: shut off the iPod.

(*gasp!*) haha! Yes, I ran one whole mile without music! :) Instead, I just took time to pray, and really, to praise God. There's a lot going on in my life right now--just like I'm sure there's a lot going on in your lives, too--and at times it gets easy to turn pessimistic. But God isn't a God of discouragement. Through our hope and trust in Him we have the ability and blessing of being joyful at all times. And thankful! I mean, holy cow, life is really SO good! I am one heckuva blessed woman, and I let myself forget that way too often.

My sister told me last night a great quote she'd heard about making sure you lead your heart instead of letting it lead you. I'd love to get better at leading my heart to joy instead of discouragement. It's certainly God's will that I do so, but it takes discipline and effort. It takes mental focus and deliberate choices. Your mind can go a billion different places, so it's important to help it go in the right direction.

So...Today's run was a good "exercise" in praising God. And I'm THANKFUL that I did! :) haha! It's helped this day be a million times brighter than yesterday. Hopefully this can become a habit! :)

"Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" - Philippians 4:4

Have a GREAT day, friends!

-Jill

Day 9...

2011-01-11T10:28:00.000-08:00

Hey, gang! Happy Tuesday to you from the North Pole--wait. haha! :) Certainly looks like it. But it's gorgeous! Great day for a treadmill run!

Today was the first speed workout on the treadmill. It was fantastic! Did an 8-miler this morning in 57:58, and that might be the fastest 8 I've ever done. It turned out to be a 7:14 average. Not sure how I did at the 8-milers last season, but either way, it was great! And, more importantly, it FELT great. I forgot how awesome it feels to get on there and just focus in on the workout.

One great thing about treadmills is that you can put it on auto-pilot. The belt keeps you on pace so you don't have to focus on that. You are free to let your thoughts roam, your spirit soar, your body move, whatever! I'm all over the place, usually, bouncing back and forth between prayer and focus. Sometimes the two coinscide--often when I'm praising Him for being able to run.

It's seriously fun to push yourself to new speeds and enjoy the physical gifts He provides. He's given us such amazing bodies!

I was thinking about that yesterday as I sat all day in my apartment, snowed in. It was nice to experience working from home through a snow storm, and I got a lot done, but all I did was sit. haha! :) I had to get up periodically and run up and down my stairs. My poor neighbors. :)

It's sad how little we really use our bodies. I think about what life must have been like before technology descended on our world. To actually have to walk to a well for water instead of two feet to my tap. To actually have to work fields or hunt for food. To have to walk down to a river to wash clothes. To lift and pound things. Man... Who needed exercise? They lived it!

But that's the cool thing about our world, I guess. We GET to put exercise into the fun category. And that's what it is. It's a fun blessing to MOVE, and I count it a privilege. Now...Ask me on day 97 if I still count it a blessing and we'll just see. haha! :) JK. Praise God in all things!

Well, back to work! Lunch break over.

Ciao, friends!

-Jill

Day 8...

2011-01-10T11:27:00.000-08:00

Greetings from Winter Wonderland!! :) haha! :) It's a most beautiful, snowy day here, and there's no sign of it stopping for a while. SO gorgeous! And you know what makes it even more gorgeous? Treadmills! haha! :) :) Yes, praise God! Because of those marvelous machines, even on days like today, we can still get in our training. Hallelujah! This is one day I'm thankful for technology. :)

Today was a nice-n-easy run to start the week. Wound up going a little over 6 at a slow pace. I think that's going to be the biggest challenge this week--going slowly when I need to. I think I mentioned this earlier that I have a tough time running easy on treadmills. I tend to get bored toward the end, and I really just want to kick up the pace to get done. But that's not good for the ol' body. This will take some self-control! Good thing that's one of the attributes that comes from the Holy Spirit's indwelling presence.

It's definitely going to be a week of treadmill sessions, at least until what looks like Saturday. The snow is supposed to keep up through tomorrow, and then the temperatures are supposed to dip below zero. Now, I'm all about cold-weather running, but it gets dangerous after a while, and I have a personal policy against running in sub-zero temperatures. I don't have the gear for that. haha! And I don't reeeeeally want to experience frostbite. I came way too close two years ago, and that was not fun--or worth it when there's a perfectly good mechanical belt that will help me run in a climate-controlled environment. haha! :)

So, today, I'm celebrating the treadmill and the power of electricity. Thank You, Lord! :) And here's also to the start of week 2. Only 15 to go! :)

Have a great Monday, friends! :)

-Jill

Day 7...

2011-01-09T10:34:00.000-08:00

haha! Most random breakfast this morning. . . I discovered almond milk yesterday and just about died with how yummy it turned out to be. :) So, I put it in some Special K red berries cereal this morning and microwaved it. Weird, I know, but it was to flippin' cold to even THINK about eating unheated food.

It was SO good! haha! :) If you ever feel like something random and different, this is it: almond milk and Special K zapped for about a minute in the microwave. :)

Okay, I've totally just lost some of your respect, haven't I? haha! Hey, don't knock it until you try it. :)

Man, I have a feeling that Sundays are going to be my favorite days of the week for the next four months. :) For two reasons. 1 - Because they're my much-needed rest days from the road. (Here's to sleeping in!) 2 - Because of church. Man, I had the BEST church experience this morning. I'd been passing these little road signs for a little church plant down the street from my apartment, and so I decided to visit there this morning. It was awesome! Totally small group of the friendliest believers. Totally awesome and engaging and biblically sound message on prayer. And just the presence of the Holy Spirit among a group of people who seemed so full of the love and joy of Christ. I really want to go back.

Community is something that has been challenging for me, so visiting a smaller church was really refreshing. I'd enjoyed the church I'd been going to, but with it being so big, it just felt like I would get a little lost. You can sneak in and sneak out without anyone ever knowing you were there. But with smaller groups, it's impossible. And that's a GOOD thing. You can't avoid people or hide anything. And for me, that's important. Because if I can hide it and not confront it, I generally will. So...We'll see what happens here! Either way, I'm pumped.

Well, friends, I'm gonna shut 'er down. Gotta focus on those awesome Chiefs! :) 7-3 right now. We'll see how long that lasts before we bury them! haha!

Ciao, friends!

-Jill

Day 6...

2011-01-08T17:23:00.000-08:00

Hello, friends! :) :) Happy Saturday! :) Man, what a great day! Long run days are always just a little extra special. All day long you get to reflect on the super accomplishment of the morning. It's just like the cherry on top of the sundae. (Except that I don't like marachino cherries, so maybe it's more like the scoop of chopped pecans. Mmmmm.) :)

Today's funny from the run...Because I was covered up like a ninja due to the 17-degree temperature, I had THREE cars honk and wave real big at me thinking they knew me. haha! :) They'll probably go tell their friends, "Hey, I honked and waved at you while you were running, and you didn't wave back. What gives?" haha! :)

I tried a new system this morning before my run. I ate a bigger breakfast earlier, let it settle and THEN went on my run. Normally I eat something small and head out early in the morning. Today, I opted for the bigger meal so that I could let the temperature rise outside a little before I went out.

The results were actually really good performance-wise. I turned in a 7:32 average 14-miler. But, I really didn't like being out there so late. It was afternoon by the time I got back, and I just felt like I was missing out on the day. I am DEFINITELY a morning runner. There's just something special about getting up early and getting in a good run before the day even starts. No matter what happens the rest of the day, you've already got it under your belt. And, of course there are the other BILLION reasons why I love the morning runs. The peace, the prayer, the precious time of worship. It all goes so great with a beautiful dawn. :)

Spiritually, I read a devotion yesterday about thanking God continually and about how He actually inhabits the praises of His people. Can you imagine? God actually is manifested when we praise Him. That's SO awesome. And it's a great opportunity for us to connect with Him and experience His presence. Great reasons why Scripture tells us to praise Him continually. So, today, I really tried to focus on that during the tough points of the run. Did I always succeed? Nope. But there were some significant moments when the thanks did make a wonderful difference. And when I would remember to do it, I would always be drawn back to the presence of the Lord and remember just how amazing of a blessing it is to run. Gosh, He's good! I just love it! :) :)

Okay, I gotta jet. But I hope you all are having a great weekend! btw...GO CHIEFS!! :) :)

Ciao, friends!

-Jill

Day 5...

2011-01-07T06:22:00.000-08:00

Praise God for treadmills!! :) :) haha! Man, it was SO stinkin' nice this morning not to have to put on 18 billion layers in order to go for the run. Since the hotel is in an urban setting (along a highway without sidewalks), I opted to run indoors, and it was awesome! Totally casual and fun. I even enjoyed watching my little distance tracker inch along this funny little graphic of a dirt track through what looked like the Australian Outback. haha! :) A little different than KC suburbia, that's for sure. :)

Treadmills are great for regulating pace. While it's fun to unplug and go for "naked" runs outside without watches or iPods, it's also fun to hit the treadmill and have something regulate your pace for you. Sure, it makes you work, but it is a great personal trainer. Sometimes when I'm out there, my mind will wonder and I'll slip off pace easily. Then I'll have to refocus and get back into the groove. When I'm on the treadmill, I can set the pace and just fly! Well, today being an easy run, I didn't fly, but you know what I mean. And that was actually a good thing, too. I was able to keep my pace LOW for the recovery run. Thank you, treadmill! :)

Well, friends, I need to go do some quiet time with the Lord before we get this day started. It was fun to praise Him through physical exercise and music this morning, but I need me some WORD! Especially if I'm going to travel with peace today. Um...Airports require extra patience and grace. :)

Hope you all have a great day! :)
-Jill

Day 4...

2011-01-06T18:26:00.000-08:00

I heart tempo runs when there's a busy day ahead. Why? Because it makes me move fast!! haha!

This morning was a 10-miler, and I had a flight to catch, so I knew I couldn't mess around. But the beauty of it is that my mind is so full of what the day holds that the miles just FLY by. It's kind of like cheating in a way, I think. Cheating because I'm not REALLY focusing on the experience of the run. I'm focusing on the day ahead. But whatever it is, it works! Turned in a 7:39 average in a pretty cold environment. Maybe I should schedule a business trip for the afternoon of the marathon, too. haha! Um, DEFINITELY not! That's one experience I want to savor! Now, after the 22 and 23-milers? Maybe. . . :)

It was interesting today. During the interview with Kara Lawson (an awesome lady who plays in the WNBA), we talked about pain being a good thing in the eyes of the Lord. While the world tells you that pain is bad, it's actually a tool that the Lord uses to keep us close to Him. Think about it...When are we most likely to come to Him? When we're in pain, right? When life is going along without problems, we (at least I) tend to think we can make it without His help. But then pain comes and reminds us that we are only human in a fallen and crazy world. We NEED the Lord. And He knows that. That's one reason He allows pain--so that we'll stay tuned into His power and love for us.

One of the best ways to experience pain? Run a long way. hahaha! :) Signing up for marathon training is signing up for spiritual education classes. Pain? Check. Exhaustion? Check. Temptation to quit? Check. Motivation to pray? Check. :) The list goes on and on! And I think that's one of the reasons why I love it so much. It just propells you deeper into your relationship with the Lord. Thank You, Father, for the gifts of edurance through pain and for reaching us in the midst of it. You are good.

Well, I'm winding down after a long day of travel and interviews. It was a great day, but I am tuckered out and am going to head to bed. Got an easy run, probably on the hotel treadmill, in the morning that I'm gonna get ready for with a good night's rest.

Hope you all had an amazing Thursday!
-Jill

Day 3. . .

2011-01-05T10:27:00.000-08:00

The ellipses in the title are a little more spaced out this morning as an indicator of how I feel. haha! Holy moly! I won't lie. Getting back into the swing of things is a little harder the second day than it was the first. I almost couldn't believe it when the radio alarm started playing this morning. My sleeping self was a little confused as to why there was music interrupting its 8 hours of sleep. haha! Eight hours? Really? Ah, the days. . . Maybe we'll see them again sometime. :)

So, the run was--well, who knows how well it went performance-wise. All I know is that it was a peaceful, low-stress trip through the pre-dawn, street-lit streets. Good think time. Good prayer time.

This morning I was thinking about last time I trained for Boston and how I timed even my recovery runs. There's no reason for that this go-round. In the past year, I've come to look forward to the days when I can relax and enjoy the run as a time of prayer and pleasure. A time of fellowship with the Lord like I don't get during the times when I pace a run. Now, that is NOT to say that the timed runs are in any way less beneficial. Those are the times when the Lord teaches me different lessons about physical and mental strength and challenges my limits. But the slower, easy runs and just more refreshing. They help fuel me for the next day's challenging workouts, just like the challenging workouts make me ready for the easier ones. It's a beautiful cycle.

So, tired or not, today's run was a good one. Every run is a great run if for no other reason than I'm blessed to have legs that move and can endure the miles. God is so good. He gives us passions and then fulfills them. :) May we all reflect today on how marvelous of a Lord we serve.

Ciao, friends!
-Jill

P.S. This blog is probably not going to be as consistent as it was last training period. Part of that more laid-back approach to it. In fact, I have a business trip that I'm taking tomorrow and Friday that will most likely pull me away from the posting. So, just FYI. I'm doubting that will cause any of you to lose sleep, but just in case you were curious. :)

Day 2...

2011-01-04T10:29:00.000-08:00

Mother of Mercy!! hahaha! I tell you what...That 5:00 a.m. wake-up call this morning was definitely not something my legs were happy about. haha! After a FANTASTIC vacation back home with the family--one that included many lazy mornings of relaxed cups of coffee and 10 a.m. runs--my body was NOT ready for the return to the everyday routine. I'm currently sitting here on my lunch break with my, um, fourth cup of coffee for the day. haha! :) Hey, you do what you gotta do, right? :) At least it tastes good. :)

With the change in wake-up time, my 8-mile run this morning wasn't easy. Endurance-wise it felt totally fine, but it was one in which I felt like I was running with sandbags for legs. They just did NOT want to move. But about 2/3 of the way through, they finally got the picture and warmed up to the normal pace. It wasn't in time enough to get a stellar average pace, but that will come.

At least the weather was nice. It was pretty frigid, but there was very little wind. No complaints there!

Tell ya what, though. It feels good to be training again! It's fun to do runs like this morning when there's a goal in mind. But I can definitely feel a difference in my mentality toward it. I want to do well, but I don't care as much whether or not I actually do. I know that the Lord doesn't care what happens as far as results. His love and acceptance are offered regardless. Now, does He have a plan for me in whatever happens? For sure! It's just that the finish time isn't in any way an indication of how much He loves me. Or, how much I love Him.

I'm finding that out slowly, too. That my performance does NOT equal how much I love Him. We get so caught up in doing things with "excellence" that we sometimes think that if things don't turn out as "excellent" as we planned, that we didn't do as well as we could for God. That we didn't prove our love for Him. That we didn't do our task with enough excellence. That's just bologna. It's a flat-out lie from Satan.

God is not performance-oriented. He is grace-based. He died for us and offers us the FREE gift of His love regardless of whether or not we are high-powered, worldy successful achievers or laid-back, 9-to-5ers. All that matters is that we're living in His will and seeking to be who He wants us to be. That we're living out the love of His Son. That we're loving Him and others. That we're engaging in relationship with Him. It's such a beautiful thing. :) When we're aware of that, we are free to do everything with the understanding that we're loved and accepted by our heavenly Father who will use whatever results transpire for His good purpose.

What that means is that I can run the best that I can and do the training with excellence and then relax in the knowledge that God is pleased. Whether that excellence turns out to be an 8-minute mile or a sub-7, as long as I'm running in the strength He's given me, I'm good to go. :) Hallelujah!! :) :)

Truth is a wonderful thing. So is grace. :) Now, if I can just operate in this wonderful mindset throughout all 16 weeks...That will be a win. :)

Happy Tuesday, friends!
-Jill

Day 1!

2011-01-03T07:15:00.000-08:00

Hey, everyone! Happy New Year!

To anyone who tried to access my blog in the last few weeks, I apologize. There had been some "unusual activity" on it, so Google blocked it. All's good, though. I contacted them and they fixed it. God bless you, Google. :) Thanks for the quick work!

Well, guess what? It's the first day of Boston Marathon training! :) :) I can't believe it's here again! That's so flippin cool. It's going to be a great 16 weeks, and I'm already looking forward to crossing the finish line and hugging my mom again. :) Last year was certainly one of my life's highlights, and I know this one will be special again in a new and different way according to the Lord's plan for it.

A few things will be different this year.

1. I'm not raising money for any cause, I'm just running it because the Lord has gifted me with the opportunity to do so again. So, I plan to focus on Him throughout the training and just enjoy the miles and the process. I know it will be hard, but I'm in the Lord's plan, and He will be with me at all times. This training is going to be spiritually educational, just like all the rest.

2. I'm not going to go crazy. I still plan to train hard, but I'm not going to go insane. I think last year, being my first Boston, I had the most insane inner drive to make a great showing and prove something. Not this year. I have a bit of a different take on it...i.e. that this isn't the point of living. haha! I'm no better or worse of a person having run a sub-3:30 at Boston than if I hadn't. It's a great blessing, but doesn't affect my worth or value. God created me to be His beloved daughter regardless of the time on the clock and the location of the marathon. Yes, He gave me the most amazing blessing last year at Boston, but the truth is that He'd love me just the same if I hadn't done it.

What does that all mean for this year? That I'm not going to lose my mind. At least, I'm going to try not to. I have a feeling it will be a bit of a battle, but I honestly don't have anything to prove here. I just want to do it because I've been given the opportunity. The Lord opened the door, and I'm going to run through as best as I can and enjoy the process. :)

This past year has been a very interesting one. I've learned so much about personal worth and value and being driven to perform. It's a process, but the Lord is slowly teaching me about His unending love for me. About unconditional love. About His Lordship. About giving Him (*gasp*) total control of my life and heart. (Keep praying for that one.) But I have a very good feeling that He will use this marathon training process to teach me valuable lessons about any and all of those.

If any of you are in close contact with Dan Britton, you know about the "One Word Theme" for the year. Every year, you pray about one word that will mark the coming year and ask the Lord to work it into you. The Lord reveals this word in many different ways. In my life, He'll usually start working it into me through repetition around early December. The word will just start appearing places and will resonate in my spirit. This year's word is Freedom. :) I have no idea what that means as far as life goes, but I am excited.

Because I have such a tendency to control everything, freedom is a scary thing to me. But I know it's good. In Galatians 5:1, Paul says that it is for freedom that Christ has set us free. And that is something that I've always wanted, yet never let myself fully experience outside of random moments. To live daily in the freedom that Christ bought for me on the cross would be, I think, marvelous. :)

So, all that to say...Boston, bring it on! 16 weeks starts now. :) I look forward to the miles on the road, each one unique in its own way. And, as I will have plenty of time, I totally would love it if any of you would e-mail me things to pray about for you. I'd be happy to lift them up to the Lord on the quiet morning runs.

Just finishing up a small bit of oatmeal and coffee, then I'm heading out the door for training run #1. And, wouldn't you know it? It's just an easy run. I don't even have to time myself today. :) That starts tomorrow.

Ciao, friends!

-Jill

Facing the Wind

2010-12-11T09:17:00.000-08:00

Well, mark it down! :) It's an historic day here in Kansas City. The weathermen perfectly predicted this morning's weather system. Awesome job, guys! :)

According to NBC Action News (and weather.com), there was supposed to be a line of rain pass quickly through between 5 and 7 this morning. After that, the temperatures would plummet and the winds would kick up as a cold front moved in.

Spot on!!

I woke up for the morning's run at 7:00, and it was raining outside, but it was light. I checked the radar, and, sure enough, the system was almost through. So, I figured that by the time I'd stretched and changed, it would be done. Totally worked out! However, I also knew that the winds were supposed to pick up and the temperature drop, so I knew I needed to get started asap to minimize the damage. Had to start running pretty much RIGHT after the rain stopped so I could get as much of the run done as I could before it got too cold.

So, I started out probably around 7:45, and it was about 40 degrees with a 17 mph wind out of the west (slight angle from the north). It wasn't too bad, and I just thought, "Wow, this isn't terrible after all!" (I'd kind of been dreading the wind after last week's encounter with a 25 mph north wind.)

The first few miles weren't too bad save for the one mile straight into the west wind. But the temperature was pretty good, still, and once I turned south, the wind wasn't bad at all.

Oh, mama! Then things started to get ugly. By the time I was at about mile 6, the wind was getting confused on which direction it wanted to blow, and it was certainly getting stronger. When I ran over the interstate overpass, I swear I almost got blown over the rail. haha! :)

Finally when I started back home toward the north, I really noticed the temperature drop. YEOWZA! My 40-degree wardrobe was being outmatched. My hands were starting to lose a little dexterity in my "medium cold" gloves. (I have a system.) :)

It was interesting to watch the flags blowing in different directions. The ones at mile 7 were blowing straight southwest. The ones at mile 12 were blowing straight northwest. And I felt that! There's a little curve that shoots me straight northwest, and there are no trees to block the wind. Every time I run this into a northwest wind, I just about get swept back to Oz. Today, I honestly wanted to cry as I ran into it. The wind was like a brick wall, and I was an ant trying to push against it. Nothing felt better than when I finally turned the corner to turn out of it.

Emotionally and mentally, the battles that get fought on a run like this are interesting. It's my firm belief that running is one of the most amazing gifts in my life. The Lord has blessed me with the amazing passion and the ability to do it, so it is my personal policy to NEVER hate a run if I can help it. I've come to realize that any time I am able to enjoy this gift without the pain of injury, it is a good thing.

That thought was one small little blessing of the morning. Sometimes when I'm on a really tough run the Lord will just all of a sudden bring this thought to my mind: "Hey! What do you know? I'm running without pain right now. Awesome! Thank You, Lord!" :)

After dealing with injury so many times, when I finally DO realize that I'm running pain-free, it totally lifts my spirits. I'm reminded of the gift and of God's grace and provision. He has blessed me so much, and I have NOTHING to complain about. Not even a measly little 30-mph wind in a 27-degree air temperature. (I wonder what the wind chill wound up being by the time I was done.)

Bottom line: We're all stinkin' blessed, but we can easily lose that perspective by focusing on the wind. Today, let's all focus on the blessings instead of the obstacles. God is good. He is faithful. He is real. He loves us.

Thank You, Lord, for the ability to face the wind and to run pain-free. :)

Happy weekending, everyone!

The New Running Buddy

2010-11-26T11:23:00.000-08:00

Gosh, it's been forever since I've blogged! I don't know if anyone is still plugged into this channel, but if you are, happy Thanksgiving!! :) We have so much to be thankful for. Even if we're at our absolute wit's end, we can always be thankful for something. If nothing else, salvation through Jesus Christ and the forgiveness of sins through Him. Hallelujah! :) :)

Today, I'm thankful for just about everything: my Lord, my family, my home, material provision, health and my running legs. :) AND...today? I'm thankful for new experiences and puppies. :)

This morning, I went on my first run with my parents' lab/golden mix dog, Missy. :) She's probably the only dog they have that could have gone all 6.5 miles with me, so we hooked up the leash and went for a spin!

She did SO great! It took a while for us to find our stride. She started off super fast and didn't know where to settle in regarding which side. And I really didn't know what would work either. (We eventually settled her on my left.) There were a few issues getting out of the big metropolis of Canton in the form of other dogs that barked their heads off at us, but Missy did so great at ignoring them! I was so surprised.

Once we got out of town and hit the dirt country roads, we were on a roll! She kept up the pace so well. The biggest challenge was the cars. Man, those scared her to death! The first truck that went by wasn't anywhere close to us, but it sent her scrambling into the ditch, where she just sat down with her tail tucked. Poor thing. That happened most of the way. Good thing we only got passed by about 6-7 cars. And, by the time we hit the last mile, she'd gotten a little more used to it. She'd only slide back behind me toward the ditch and slow down. I'd do a little spin to get out of the leash trap and coax her back up to my side.

There were a few other distractions (i.e. a deer, a loose dog), and she got super tired by the last mile, but it was so fun to have a little buddy! I wish I could take her to the city with me. I'd feel so safe with her! I'm not sure how she'd handle the traffic, though. But, man, what a great running buddy! Who else could go out for their first run ever and survive 6.5 miles? :) Great job, Missy.

The bigger overall lesson for me was in releasing control of my run. haha! It's been my pace, my race, my choice for so long that it was a little adjustment to worry about someone (thing) else. And to put her needs above my own was new. Especially when working through the car issue. It's hard for me to stop during a run, but I had to stop with Missy a few times and love her back into the groove. And the love part was a challenge for me. It was honestly really frustrating at first. I did yell at her once or twice when she lagged behind or tangled me in the leash, but by the end of it, the Lord had ministered to my Spirit and given me the patience and love for my girl. :) It was a great experience. And she was so great. :) I love my Missy. :)

So, here's to a new running buddy! And to the new experience of dog running! :) Now that I think of it, I don't think I'd ever gone on a real run with a dog before. I'd taken them out for shorter runs around blocks just for their sake before, but I'd never done an actual morning run with a dog before. It was great! I can see why people love it. :)

Anyway...Boston training starts in a little over a month, so I'll get back in the writing saddle as the training gets going. I'm sure there will be more lessons than I can anticipate. :) That's just how awesome God is. :) He's got special plans in store for me and for us all.

Again, happy Thanksgiving everyone! Praise the Lord! :)

-Jill

Boston Bound 2011!

2010-10-30T08:52:00.000-07:00

Well, friends. . . It's the last Saturday in October. The beautiful fall weather held out for one more glorious weekend run today. I was able to run in the running capris and just a long-sleeve shirt and enjoy the low 50s temperatures. Marvelous!! :) I can't help but think our days are numbered, so it's important to savor each and every run before I'm out there in five layers of clothes freezing my tail off. :)

I had wanted to blog about this when it happened, but I just never carved out the time. But...It looks like I'll be Boston-bound again this spring!! Yee haw!! :) :) The Boston Athletic Association did registration a little differently this year, only opening it mid-October. And it filled up SUPER fast.

I hopped on my computer right at 8:00 a.m. that morning to register and the site was just jammed! I tried about 5 times and got absolutely nowhere. That's when I had a little mental battle.

"Do I even want to run this? Why am I doing this again? It's so hard! Would it be such a bad thing if I didn't make it in? Should I just quit trying to register and just take it easy and find another spring marathon?"

Now, here's the thing. It's good to not push yourself to excessive extremes and get carried away by things in life that don't matter as much as others (i.e. the Lord and people), but there's also a certain responsibility we have to extend ourselves when it comes to using the gifts that God has given us. (That's a mega-long sentence. Does it make sense?)

I think we can get carried away by our world's push to "relax" and "take it easy." "Oh, everyone is so busy. You should just relax when you can. Take it slow. Slow down."

Okay, all of this is good if you're excessively busy, but it can also be horribly wasteful. We can get so caught up in conserving our energy and protecting ourselves from busyness that we actually get lazy. I think that was where I would have gone if I chose not to register for Boston.

After a few minutes, I thought about it. "Jill, seriously, what would you RATHER do than run Boston next spring?" Easy answer: NOTHING! :) Dude, it's a privilege and a blessing to be qualified to run in the super bowl of running events, and I'm going to take it! Who knows how many times I'll be able to qualify in my life. But I do know that it's a HUGE blessing from the Lord and a door HE opened to put me in there. Especially considering the fact that I finally did get through the registration process online (which I tried again after my mental battle), which was something that a ton of people weren't able to do that day.

So, I'm one of the 25,000 blessed individuals who made it through the registration in time to sign up for the Boston Marathon in 2011. Hallelujah! Thank You, Lord! I know it's a blessing and a calling to be heading back. May every step bring glory to my Lord. I'm already praying for a mind that is focused on bringing Him into the process. After all...He's what it's all about.

Love you, friends!
-Jill

Why we run.

2010-10-17T11:14:00.000-07:00

For anyone who has ever questioned my sanity for running or the sanity of any runner they know, this ad is for you. THIS is why we run. We run to leave our old self behind. We run because we can. We run because sitting on the couch hurts more than running 26.2 miles. We run because the voice that tells us to stop is more detrimental than the one who tells us to keep going. The one who pushes us forward is the one who makes us stronger.

When we run we realize divine strength that is inside us--God-given, God-breathed, God-ordainted--which would otherwise remain untapped.

This is why we run. Because we can.

Post-Race Report: Prairie Fire Wichita Half Marathon

2010-10-11T07:36:00.000-07:00

Oh, friends. . . What a day yesterday!! This is the official post-race report from the Prairie Fire Wichita Half Marathon.

First, I have to say a BIG thank-You to the Lord for the environment I'm in right now. Because of the busy weekend and the even busier one ahead, I took today off from work in order to just SABBATH with Him. Right now it's raining outside and I have every candle lit in my house. There's a strong cup of Starbucks Verona blend coffee in my hand, and I'm just in Heaven. :) Oh...And there's also a heating pad on my back. haha! War wounds. :) I'm in the infirmary today physically. But in SUCH a good way.

The official results of the race can be found here: http://www.prairiefiremarathon.com/sites/default/files/PFMHALFALL.txt

Let me just say that I never ever would have dreamed that I'd be finishing a relatively large-field race in the top 10 females. But that's what happened yesterday. I just cracked the top finishers by crossing the line as the 10th woman overall. Out of 1,647 half marathoners, that's an unbelievable blessing. I also finished 4th in my age group, which is awesome! Way to go 30-34-year-olds! We can move!! :) haha!

So, about the race. . . The lesson that the Lord gave me last week about running MY race was definitely key. Honestly, I had no idea what to expect from the day. I got a lot of questions about my goal for the day, and I would just say, "Oh, I haven't really thought about it. I'd just like to finish with an average pace of less than 7:45/mile." I didn't know what that was, and I didn't check. My whole purpose in going down there was to run the last three miles of the full marathon with my running SISTER, Amy (see the photo). She's my hero. She decided to take on the full marathon with only about 5-6 weeks of training, and she knocked out a PR and a sub-4!! Unreal. :) We'll get to that in a little bit.

But, like I said. No idea what to expect for myself. On Saturday as I drove down to Wichita, it honestly hit me a little bit, "Um...I'm actually running tomorrow. I should think about the details a little bit." haha! I guess there's good and bad things to being so focused on work and friends. But there is also a time when it becomes important to focus on the game at hand!

Anyway, I got the details worked out just fine. Was blessed BEYOND measure by a fun evening with Amy and her family on Saturday night, just hanging out with the girls and Matt and talking strategy with Amy. Then off to bed for an early morning!

Race day? AMAZING weather. No wind, perfect 60-degree temps throughout. Totally not typical of Wichita. But it was perfect-o! :)

The course itself was nothing like what I'd trained on. They don't have hills in Wichita unless they build an overpass. haha! :) This was so key.

I started out pretty average, keeping an 8:00 pace for the first mile. It being a half, I knew I didn't need to conserve energy like I did in a full marathon. So, after the first mile, I started to push the pace.

I wasn't quite sure how fast to take it, but in my head, I just fixated on going fast until mile 6 and then gunning it.

TOTALLY believe that was the Holy Spirit's wisdom there. I'd asked Him for wisdom to know how to race that day, and I believe He gave it to me. It's funny. At work we've been talking a lot about how Christian athletes should bring the Lord INTO their games, not just pray before and after. And we had another columnist write about this very thing last month. About how God wants us to discover Him through the actual inner-workings and wisdom of our sports. I fully believe this is what He's doing with me the longer I run. He's giving me divine wisdom to learn how to do this well and to, thus, help others do it well, too. It's fun to be at the point where I can start answering questions and offering advice.

So...Back to the race. Sorry.

Around mile 4, I started thinking. "Hmm. . . I don't do half marathons that often. I don't have a whole lot of time to race, here. This is a lot shorter than a marathon. If I'm going to race, I need to actually start racing soon."

I'd been keeping a low 7 average, but I think it was about mile 4 or 5 where I realized that I actually had a chance to do well in this field. And that's when it turned ON! :) haha!

This is the difference between running a race and RACING a race. When I race a race, I have a specific strategy that is very much like a game of seek-and-destroy. I'll find the next woman ahead of me, zero in on her, and focus on passing her. It's so funny. My little inner-competitor sees a girl, and it's like in Top Gun where the missile lock goes from red to green. "I'm got good tone. Firing!" :) She's going down.

When you're constantly focused on passing people, an amazing thing happens. . . You go really fast through a lot of miles without thinking about it. :) Before I knew it, the race was almost over, and I had been GUNNING it at a sub-7 pace for the last few miles.

The most fun part of the race, though, had to be the end. :) This was awesome. There was a guy I passed with about .2 left in the race, and apparently, he didn't like being passed by a girl. :) So, about 5 seconds later, he passed me back. haha! Well, this GIRL doesn't like to be passed at all, so I sped up to keep up with him. He was intent on leaving me in the dust, but I stayed right on his heels and tried to pass HIM back. We were SPRINTING down the home stretch. haha! And the coolest part was because I was a girl, the entire crowd was cheering for me! haha! "Get him, girl!!" (There's a photo of the finish here: http://gpphoto.zenfolio.com/p435025707/e2d208187)

Well, I didn't get him. I bit his heels all the way in. But I had a BLAST doing that, and we high-fived at the end. :) It was awesome. :) Thanks, dude. Whomever you are. I tried to find out online who he was, but I don't think the results are posted correctly, or something. The guy it says who finished right before me says he finished like 30 seconds ahead, which isn't true. Oh, well. Whomever you are, thanks for the great race!!

But when I think about running MY race, I know that hit me several times on the course. My race that day was to find the hidden strength God had given me for the day. I wasn't supposed to run my race from yesterday, I was to run my race from today. Does that make sense? That's how the message fell on me. I'd only trained at a 7:30ish pace, but the Lord told me to run a different race yesterday.

I think that's part of running our race with Him in general. He trains us, and we may only think we know what we're trained for, but He knows the race He has for us. We may be FAR more equipped than we think we are. We have no idea what He wants to do with our experiences and how He wants to use them. We have no idea how He wants to show us His divine power through us by using us for things far greater than we ever thought possible.

So, that was my race yesterday. My God-given race was to run well and finish strong. Thank You, Lord. :)

Next up? Boston 2011!! :) :) Oh, man. I am psyched. :) :) :) Registration opens on October 18, so I'm just praying I get in at all. This is the first time they've done this, so we'll see what happens! :) Either way, I'm hoping to return to Boston for another fantastic experience at running my race with the Lord. :)

Love you all! Have a great Monday! :)
-Jill

P.S. Amy is my absolute hero!! She gutted out the most amazing race yesterday, and I was so stinkin' blessed to be by her side for the last three miles. Even though she felt beat up, battered, bruised and beyond fatigued, she smiled her way to the finish and got to hug her babies with a well-earned medal around her neck. Amy, I'm SO proud of you, sister. :) :) :) You are inspiring and amazing and I love you!! :) Sisters at heart...just missed it by blood. :)

The Prideful Truth

2010-10-07T16:13:00.001-07:00

Ahhhh, today's run was ridiculously awesome. I've been pretty tired this week, so I figured today's tempo run would be super hard, but the speed was totally there! Sometimes I just sit back and marvel at what God can do. Sometimes He gives the speed and sometimes He doesn't, but days like today just prove that He's totally capable of it. There's no reason I woke up with energy--I was just blessed with it. :) Thanks, Lord.

YESTERDAY's run was SO interesting, thouogh, and that's what I want to write about. It was totally one long 6-mile spiritual lesson. :)

It was a slow-run day, which I do three days a week between speed workouts. During these runs I purposely just take. it. easy. Even if I feel super amazing, I don't push it. I know my body needs these days just as much as it needs the speed workouts to get faster.

So, I started out easy and was enjoying the morning when I came up behind a guy who was just running out of his subdivision. He came out just ahead of me and was keeping a pace a little slower than me, so I was going to have to pass him. Not a big deal, but it's always tricky how to do that when it's dark and quiet. You know these people don't hear you coming, so you always try to find the best way to shuffle your feet or cough to let them know you're coming up behind them and are not intent on mugging them. :)

Anyway, so I pass him successfully and go about the run. Well, about five minutes later, I hear someone behind me. It's the same guy. He passes me up and gets about 15 feet ahead of me and then just maintains the same pace as me. hahaha! Okay, now, here's where I get honest.

At this point I'm annoyed. To me, it's just courteous to maintain a faster speed if you're going to pass. It's just like driving on the interstate. I really hate playing leap-frog for hours with cars who don't set their cruise control.

Now, inside, I'm thinking, "Okay, I'm the one who is running slower than my pace. I could totally just speed up and pass this guy and leave him in the dust." But, if I were to do that, I would violate my no-fast-running policy for the day. So, I put my head down, focus on the pavement in front of me instead of the runner who was crowding my perceived bubble of personal space. (Which can get very big in my mind when it's 5:00 a.m. and I think I own the road.) Eventually he turns around and heads home.

Okay, so I keep going, and it's going great. I'm again enjoying the morning and my unlimited personal space. Then, on my way home, I come across this fast runner girl who lives in the area. I see her maybe once every couple of weeks, but she's always booking it. And it never fails that I see her on my slow days. My pride is ALWAYS challenged by this because she's never seen me run fast. haha! Inside I'm always thinking, "Oh man. She only sees me slow! She doesn't know how much speed I have in my legs!" Why I care is totally beyond me, but it's usually a blow to the pride.

This morning, she is running on the opposite side of the road and she, of course, passes me. But then, when I'm almost at the street that I turn on to go home, I see her cross the road and head the same way. Internal Jill says, "Oh, man. Now I have to watch her pull away from me the whole way home. This stinks! I just want to run fast and show her that I'm as good as she is!"

Okay...Time out.

The pride is getting ridiculous at this point. What is that? Well, it was what was in my heart, I guess. And I'm thankful that the Lord lets me see those moments so that I can confess them to Him and see more clearly. In those moments He brings the image of Christ on the cross to my mind, and I am struck by just how small and sinful I am compared to my Lord.

But this wasn't actually the ending spiritual lesson. After a little discussion on pride with the Lord, I discerned Him addressing the comparison issue. The whole deal was that if I watching the other runners, I was tempted to run THEIR pace. In reality, God was only asking me to run MY pace. He knew what I needed that day, and He had only called me to a recovery run. I wasn't to compare myself to those who were running ahead and going faster than me, perceptively "achieving" more than I was. I was to focus on HIM and not them. When I focused on THEM, I wanted to win their race, not mine.

How true of life! I have dealt with that so much in so many areas of life. It is SO easy to compare myself to others who are "ahead" of me. So easy to get wrapped up in comparing myself to others and thinking that I need to keep up with them in order to be considered good enough or to "win." Am I the only one who does that? I seriously doubt it. I think it's something we all do. It's human nature.

But God wants us to focus on Him alone and keep our hearts set on running the race He has called US to--not our neighbors.

That's what I came away with that day. "Run your race, Jill." It was a great life lesson more than just running, but it's something I can definitely use on the road, too. Maybe I'll take it down to Wichita this weekend and see what kind of race He has for me there. :) SO pumped!! :)

Ciao, friends! Have a great evening!
-Jill

Oh, have mercy.

2010-10-02T08:56:00.001-07:00

hahahaha! I just wrote the world's longest blog post and then tried to upload it and...you guessed it! Internet Explorer Cannot Display Web Page. hahaha! Oh, man. I guess that message was just for my own personal memory bank. :)

Either way, I have to write SOMETHING on here for my time. Long story short: WINDY WINDY run this morning. If I wasn't prepped for Wichita before I sure am now! Bring on the Central KS wind! :) I'm rocked and ready!

Nope, I'm too mad at Blogger to write much of anything else. I'm going to go clean my apartment and praise God for awhile to get over my miffed attitude against the Internet. :)

Ciao, friends! Happy Saturday!! :) Walk in the light of truth today knowing that the Lord loves you and understands you better than you understand yourself. :) Trust Him!

-Jill

Spit Wads and Pit Bulls

2010-09-29T16:15:00.000-07:00

Don't you just love Disney movies? :) I totally have a random playlist going on my iPod dock right now, and it's playing "Beauty and the Beast." Ah, I miss Angela Landsbury. Is she even still alive?

Okay, today is NOT about the amazingness of fall. It's about spiritual matters. The running has been simply amazing lately, of course, and I feel very ready for the half marathon coming up. Bring it on! :) But I want to write about what it means to really believe God.

It's funny. I had the BEST, most refreshing weekend. It was just absolutely blissful! The perfect mixture of activity and rest. The perfect run on Saturday. The perfect amount of quality sleep. I could NOT have entered Monday feeling any better physically or mentally.

Then, Monday night, in an odd turn of events, I had an anxiety attack. Where on earth did that come from? I freaked out about the upcoming schedule work-wise and personally. Just SO much going on. Deadlines, specifically, and how on earth everything was going to come together. (To be honest, I still don't know how it's all going to happen.) But there's just a TON on the old plate right now. And I feel like I'm staring down the barrel of a gun with it all, just waiting for it to go off.

What's weird is that I planned out my week on Sunday like I normally do. I sat down with old Franklin Covey and examined the week ahead and thought everything was going to fall into place. But then I started looking at the week AFTER. Um, that one is a little more chaotic. And that's when I started to freak out.

What is that? First off, I have, like, 10 days before any of it starts! Second, isn't this a blessing to be able to realize it now so that I can do as much damage control beforehand as I can? Nope. I just freak out and start trying to fix everything immediately. "What can I get done now?? What do I need to cut out?? Where am I going to find the time?? Nothing fits!! I'm going to die and be so stressed out!" Um, yes, I even get stressed out about getting stressed out. Is there a support group for that?

Anyway, Monday night, oddly enough, I slept just fine. Anxiety and all, I was out like a light. But last night was a totally different story. I honestly didn't feel that anxious at all, but I could NOT fall asleep. And with my history of insomnia, that just totally sent me into a horrible state of mind. I've spent the better part of the day dreading tonight and whether or not I'll have to lay there awake again listening to the fan.

It's not like I just LET this happen. I quoted every Scripture I could think of last night, out loud, whether it applied or not. I just wanted the Word of God to go forward and do it's thing. But nothing seemed to help.

Talked to my sister tonight, and we had an interesting conversation about it. Yeah, I had spoken the Word of God, but did I believe it? Was I just saying it and then trying to figure out the situation on my own? Truthfully, I think I was just shooting spit wads at a pit bull. But it wasn't God's fault. He had given me TRUTH to BELIEVE, and I was just being that "clanging cymbal" referenced in Scripture.

When it comes to the Word of God, we can't forget that it is TRUTH. It's not just words on a page. It's not just for kicks and giggles or to make us feel warm and fuzzy. It's actual, honest, powerful TRUTH. The Lord wants me to rest! He created rest! He knows that I function better when I'm well-slept. He said in Psalms that we could "lie down and sleep in peace" because He made us dwell in safety. That's not a joke or a fun quote. It's TRUTH. That's the part where we come in. We get to believe it! :)

God gave us that spiritual truth as a weapon. But I sometimes treat His double-edged sword like a rubber knife. Tonight, I am praying with a different mindset. The enemy is a guaranteed loser. I need only believe it. And then lie down and sleep in peace. :) Ah...Tempting. I'm already looking forward to it. :)

Ciao, friends! Believe God! :)
-Jill

All Things Good

2010-09-25T08:49:00.001-07:00

Ahhhhhh. :) It's FALL!! :) It's probably the most bittersweet season there is for runners. At least it is for me. It's undeniably the BEST running weather. Way better than spring because you don't have as many storms, and temperatures that are just to die for! But...It means that the WORST running season is just ahead. Good ol' winter. Icy, snowy, blustry winter. But, it's winter that makes us tough and gives us the best training both mentally and physically, simply because we have to work a thousand times harder than at any other point. I think that's one of the reasons I was in such great shape for Boston last year. Winter training is H-A-R-D.

But, let's not talk about that today. Let's talk about the most unbelievable and amazing run this morning!! :) Perfect fall training run. Hallelujah! :) Thank You, Lord, for the blessing!! :) The temperature was a delightful 56. There was only a slight wind. And the sun was shining! :) Let the chorus of angels sing!! :)

And, lo and behold, wouldn't you know that my legs responded to the amazingness? :) A whopping 7:36 pace for the 14 miles! :) Yee haw!! :) That hasn't happened since the back injury. The times are dropping! And just in time. Got a half marathon that I'd LOVE to kill in two weeks. I haven't done many halves, so this will hopefully be a great place for a PR.

In all of this, I've been thinking. . . In God's economy, there is no good or bad when it comes to the situations that He orchestrates. There's only good according to Romans 8:28 ("And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose."). So, what does that say about winter training? It's only good! :) All that icy weather. All the treadmill runs due to sub-zero temperatures. All the "Where on earth do I run when the sidewalks are snow-packed?" days. They're all good! But we as humans only see them as bad because they cause us to overcome obstacles.

In these moments, if we're wise, we'll view those obstacles through God's lens and ask how He would have us respond. And, if we trust Him enough, we'll be able to accept His challenge and walk through it knowing that He's got a plan and that He's already made a way.

I think back to the one 20-miler that me and Jackie did during Boston training last year when it seemed like EVERYTHING went wrong. But we wound up being blessed with two stud treadmills and a free session at a 24-Hour Fitness. :) Icy roads, broken windshield wipers, and all!

Here's my own challenge to myself. As fall continues, I am going to prayerfully put aside my dread of winter and ask the Lord to help me see it through His eyes. May each ice-run be a fruitful strengthening experience, and may I use each day to connect with Him in a deep and intimate way. I'm thinking that's HIS plan. So, I might as well jump on board!

In the meantime? I'm going to enjoy these fall runs like there's no tomorrow. :)

Ciao, friends! :)

-Jill

Battle Buddies

2010-09-19T14:55:00.000-07:00

Man, I am just savoring every moment of yesterday. This whole weekend, actually.

My sister--one of my best friends--drove up to spend the weekend with me. :) And, man, I'm just having such a hard time putting this relationship into words. I cherish her so much! Unless you have a sister, it's impossible to explain. You know each other's past, and you can just spend hours talking about where you've been and where you're going. You can get lost in advising each other, listening to each other, and just talking nonsense. It's a most wonderful relationship. Totally unique to any other on earth.

Sis and I were actually blessed by the most perfect day yesterday. It could NOT have been any better. Truly, the Lord ordered our steps from start to finish. We had a blast at Worlds of Fun, garage sale-ing in a neighborhood WAY out of our tax bracket, playing with facial masks and nail polish, eating ice cream and watching football. But my favorite part of the weekend? Totally when I crawled under the covers with my girl this morning and got to snuggle with her. :) We just laid there after waking up and talked about our past. How much we loved our grandma who'd passed, how different life would have been if our grandpa hadn't died when we were kids, how we misunderstood our dad when he was alive, how we're blessed now in so many ways. It was one of the sweetest moments I've had in a long time. It was just like when we were kids. :)

Man, it's absolutely incredible to have relationships where people accept you for who you are and who reeeeeeally know you. My sister knows me, and the fact that she still loves me is just the most wonderful icing on the cake. She's one of the most grace-filled, patient, loving, selfless people I know, and I can't believe how stinkin' blessed I am that she's MY sister. :)

Running for the weekend? Totally blessed with a great 14-miler before we hit the amusement park. Wonderful temperature, no wind, beautiful cloud cover for most of the way. Man, it was a great way to start the perfect day. That's what I'm labeling yesterday. Perfection. :)

Ciao, friends!

-Jill :)

Perfect Timing

2010-09-14T06:33:00.000-07:00

I have a lot of editing to get done today, so I want to warm up my creative brainwaves by blogging.

Great run this morning. It was totally divine, actually. Last night before I went to bed, I asked God if He would plan out the perfect time for me to run in the morning regarding the rain. I did submit and tack on the "if it's Your will" bit, which was totally genuine. (I'm not above a rain-run. They're often really blessed.) But I was also not afraid to ask Him to let me hit the road at a time that would allow me to NOT have to worry about wearing my rain shoes and carrying an extra 5 pounds of water weight on my feet. ;)

So...What happened?

I woke up and it was raining. haha! Of course. But, I dallied around a little longer than normal trying to find a radar picture on television, which took about 10 minutes. I finally found one (thank you KMBC), which showed really light preciptation in the area. Totally doable. I realized it wouldn't be that bad after all.

So, I got out the rain gear, DID put on the rain shoes, and headed out the door a little later than normal. hahaha! Wouldn't you know it? The rain had JUST stopped. Completely. When I walked out the door. :)

God winked at me this morning, and it was awesome. :) Sometimes He says no to our prayers; sometimes He says yes. And sometimes He makes it so obvious that we can't help but realize a little more of who He really is. . . The actual MAKER of the rain. :)

Ciao, friends!
-Jill

Eight totally random thoughts...

2010-09-12T14:30:00.000-07:00

Random thoughts of the weekend. . .

1. I love half-popped kernels of popcorn. I have no idea why, but I think they're awesome. As soon as the bag comes out of the microwave, I'll dump it out onto a paper towel and strategically dig for the unpopped and half-popped kernels first.

2. Just finished reading "Mansfield Park" by Jane Austen. Not the BEST book ever, but cute and fun. You can always count on Jane Austen for a good happily-ever-after, though this one's love story doesn't actually unfold until the last eight pages of the book. But the more I read her the more I can see her faith background. Her dad was a pastor, and she writes with such a theme of divine providence. Everything ends as it should, and all things work together for good. This one totally could have been summed up by Romans 8:28 and all the verses that talk about waiting on God.

3. As a single woman, one of my biggest battles is definitely finding identity in my job and career. It's shocking how much time I spend thinking about it or working toward some greater end. Undoubtedly it has to do with the fact that I don't have a family at a stage of life in which I thought I would. But it's becoming such an interesting mental puzzle--one that is being pieced together daily by God. It seems like He uncovers a new thought/truth/lie/fact about this present situation every day. Today's thought--and do NOT shoot me for this; I'm just being honest--was if women should hold high workplace leadership positions when we are designed by God in a far different way than men. I'm just thinking based on my own workaholic tendencies that have played out somewhat unhealthfully. It's not something I'm concluding, I'm just saying it's a thought. :) But, as I don't have a husband or family, what else would I be doing but working? But, if I hadn't dived into the career so heartily and had spent more of my 20s socializing instead of working, would I have that family? Romans 8:28 and Jeremiah 29:11. Going to trust God on that one. Either way, don't shoot the messenger for the thought. It's a blog. That's what they're for.

4. I have SO stinkin' many books I want to write. hahaha! One of them is about Christian men who "just stop calling" women. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH! I had to get it off my chest, so I wrote a very heated document about it yesterday. I would love to write a book about what men should take into consideration when toying around with women's hearts. ESPECIALLY as Christians who are supposed to be held to a higher standard. Oh my lanta. I could get on a huge soapbox here if I let myself, but I'll save it for another time. Isn't this a running blog? Well, where do you think I spend most of my time thinking? :)

5. I'm completely at risk for becoming a complete recluse when it comes to technology. haha! I'm SO going to be one of those people when I'm old who has let every technological advancement pass them by. I'm going to depend entirely on the nursing home society to handle it for me. :)While I do use the gadgets, I don't entirely like them. Man, give me a pen and paper. Give me a moment without my cell phone. Give me a good ol rotary phone and a landline. Heck, as much fun as Garmin is in the car, I'd just as well like a good old-fashioned map. Weren't those fun? Especially when it came to folding them back the way they were originally.

6. Okay, this is turning into a long list of grievances, so here's a positive one. Wedding receptions might be the most wonderful of all events on the planet! :) How fun is it to watch a bride and groom at the absolute height of bliss? :) Plus, you get to catch up with so many friends you'd otherwise never see. And there's always good music. It's an absolute blast! Thanks for the great party, Clay and Liz! :)

7. Should I buy a house?

8. Yesterday's run was such an absolute joy. The weather was wonderful, and it didn't turn the slightest bit hot until I rounded the corner for the final mile of my 14. It was beautiful timing! Great pace (7:45) and strong legs. I'm tempted to bump it up by a mile next week just for kicks. I've been doing 14 for so many weeks now that I'm bored. Have I told you all that I'm training for a fall half marathon? Yep! That's the plan! :)

Okay...I gotta go to a meeting at church. Thanks for listening. All three of you who reads this. :)

Ciao!
-Jill :)

Unafraid

2010-09-06T13:34:00.000-07:00

I have been thinking. . . We tend to do that as runners.

This week, my best friend from childhood experienced a HUGE tragedy. She's about to become a first-time mom in a few months, and she just lost her husband. They'd been married for only two years and had a wonderful start on their life together. Now, that's all changed.

Inevitably, when something like this happens, our tendnecy is to make it about us. "What on earth do I say? How do I help? What if I don't say the right thing? What if I...?" Hopefully, after a while, we get the Holy Spirit's anointing to realize that it doesn't matter as long as we are willing to lock arms with them and love them. When we let Jesus take over, we realize that He equips us and will use us to bring them love if we let Him. We don't have to worry about what to say, He provides the words.

But how interesting. I was thinking about this as I ran this weekend--how we fear our love for people sometimes. We fear allowing ourselves to go deep with people and get dirty with them in the challenges of life. We fear being inadequate. We fear lack of knowledge and wisdom. We fear how it will make us give up our comfort. We fear. We fear. We fear.

Jesus doesn't.

Jesus is so much different from us in His love. He isn't afraid of His love for us. He loves us intensely and authentically. He loves us deeply and passionately. He isn't afraid of our problems, of our sins, of our issues, of our trials, of our hurts. He isn't afraid to be with us when we hurt the most. He isn't afraid of not having the words to say or the strength to love. He isn't afraid. He is strong in His love. He is steady in His love. He is powerful in His love.

When no one else knows how to love us, Jesus does. When no one else is strong enough to be there with us in intense pain, Jesus is. He loves completely and with the most intense, fierce compassion we'll ever know. If we go to Him, He will be there. He will be RIGHT there. He will be there with force. With unshakable, unbreakable love.

That's how our Lord is different. Where we fear, He doesn't. He is unafraid of His love for us. KNOW that today.

What a gift!

2010-08-28T08:01:00.000-07:00

When it comes to speed, I have three kinds of runs, and I can usually tell by mile 2 which kind I'll be having that day.

The first kind is just the most amazing, awesome, energy-filled run. When speed is just there and you just run fast without even trying. Those days ROCK. :)

The second kind is when your body is a little tired and wants to go slow BUT it's willing to go fast if you push it. You have to fight for the speed on these days. You can get it, but you have to fight for it. No auto-pilot miles or else you'll slow down.

The third kind is when you are just NOT going to be able to run fast. For whatever reason, your legs refuse and you just have to do the best you can. Maybe wave the white flag, slow down and enjoy it for whatever you get out of it.

Today was a 2 for me. Had the speed, but I had to WORK for it. I say I can tell by mile 2 because that's when I pick up the pace after the warm-up mile. Depending on how easy the speed increase is, I can tell how the rest of the run is going to go. Today, when I kicked it in, it took a while for the numbers to drop and it was hard. But it was there, so I pushed it and just had to stay mentally engaged the whole way.

Trust me, there was a lot of Philippians 4:13 quoting going on this morning. And some Romans whatever that says we're more than conquerors! :) haha! God is so good to supply such physical strength when we ask for it, too. :) Thank you, Lord!

Here's the kicker, though. On the last mile, I had a moment of clarity. At the moment, I'm not injured. Which is good. :) But as I was speeding home on the last mile, I suddenly realized that I was running with absolutely NO pain. :) In my running history, that doesn't happen a whole lot. So, I started to think, "Hey, this is pretty stellar!" Mind you, I'd been running a tough run all morning and NOT exactly enjoying every step simply because it was tough. But by the time this struck me, I had to change my tune.

Every time I'm injured, I think, "Man, what I wouldn't give to run without pain!" And then when I get healed and start running pain-free, I totally don't even notice it. I dwell more on the fact that the run is difficult than on the fact that I've been given a gift of a BLESSED and amazing run--that God's given me the ability to run for extended periods of time, and to do it well. MAN, what a GIFT!!! THANK YOU, LORD!

I ended the run in the right frame of mind, thank God. He really opened my eyes to see how amazing today really was--that it was a sweet moment in which He could both bless and challenge me. Blessed by the strength and ability and time and weather. Challenged by the pace and the mental battle. And thankfully, the Holy Spirit won! :)

Have a great weekend, everyone! :)

Back to the Blog

2010-08-23T08:18:00.000-07:00

Man, I haven't blogged in for. ev. er. It's been an interesting summer running and faith-wise. Faith and running-wise. Both, I guess. :)

At the start of the summer I hurt my back and had to take quite a bit of time off the road. It took a long time to get on top of the problem (it's not curable), but we're finally back at it. The trouble is that I lost most of my speed. And with the hot weather, it's been tough to get that back. But it's coming. I just need to be patient with it. I'm not reeeeeally training for anything right now. Going to do a half marathon with a couple of friends in October and then hopefully stay healthy to run Boston again next spring. Now THAT I am looking forward to. :) But it's a long way off. There's a lot of days and miles in between now and then for the Lord to work on me both physically and spiritually.

One thing I've come to love recently is the more frequent "naked runs." haha! :) I think I mentioned them in my blog before, but they're the times when you go out without any gadgets and just run. No iPod, no Garmin. Just you, God and the road. Man, oh man. Those are absolute bliss.

I actually had one of the best naked runs of my life yesterday morning. I am in LOVE with my hometown of Canton, KS. It is one of those quintessential small Kansas farm towns set on one square mile in the middle of a bunch of wheat fields and pastures. It's almost surreal.

Since I live in a city, coming home to Canton, for me, is more powerful than taking the most intense sedative. :) It's laid back, slow-paced and peaceful. There's no traffic noise, no stoplights, no interstates, and almost no internet connection. :) It's Heaven. :) And I fully believe that Canton is one of God's biggest blessings to me. He's given it to me as a retreat whenever I need to detox from the chaos of daily life in the city. (I'm also pretty sure that the family back there has something to do with it, as well. I LOVE you guys.) :)

Yesterday, I was up unexpectedly at 6:00, so I decided to switch my off day from Sunday to Monday and go for a pre-church run. Thank the Lord I did. I got to run along the most serene highway among the pastures and wheat fields and watch the sun come up over the plains. No distractions. No noise. Just me, God and His amazing creation. I did get a few looks from the cows alongside the road, but that was about it. :) And there were about five cars that passed. But they were all kind enough to not hit me, and even wave on occassion.

Man, that's one of the things that God's done in my heart more over the summer. With the rehab of the running, He's given me the peace to let it come back slowly. I've been blessed to push the pace when necessary, but to also enjoy the recovery/naked runs as a way of communicating with and worshipping Him. Running is most certainly a gift He's given me, and I am so blessed by it. We all need outlets, and I know He gives us each different ones. Running is the outlet He's given me. For SO many uses. Thank You, Lord.

Well, friends, I'm back to blogging. I don't know if anyone will read this, but it's nice to start writing it all out again.

Have a great day in the love of our Lord! :)
-Jill

Exercising Wisdom

2010-06-19T07:28:00.000-07:00

Today was a monumental day for me. A big step in the life of a very driven, passionate runner. It was the first day I was able to exercise wisdom and patience regarding my body and a race.

This morning, I was supposed to be down in Peculiar, Mo., running a small-field half marathon. I'd wanted a race on the calendar just to have something to work toward after Boston, so I found a local one and signed up. Since it was such a small field, I actually had a legitimate shot at winning the whole thing, among the women anyway. My time was close to the winner of last year's race. I was really excited about the idea of racing fast and taking home a prize.

Well, back over Memorial Day weekend, training took a detour. I was heading down to bed at my parents' house when I slipped and fell down the stairs. I landed on my lower back and slid about five steps. OUCH! I didn't feel any cracks or pops or anything, but it sure did hurt, and my muscles really tensed up for a while. But I just kind of hobbled my way to bed and went to sleep.

After that, I kept running on it for a few days since it didn't really hurt that badly. But then about five days after it, I went out for a run, and it just KILLED me afterward. Time to see a doctor. I went to several chiropractors, each of them giving me a different opinion (pinched nerve, muscle trauma, cracked vertebrae), until I finally found Dr. Rippee. HALLELUJAH!! This guy rocks! He ID'd the problem and started to work it out. AND, get this. He's a Christian, loves to work on athletes, and he really sees his role from the Lord as healing His children daily. He's got an awesome grasp on who God made him to be. I'm really blessed to be going there!

The problem in my back is a few slightly torn stabilizer muscles and a L5 disc that apparently never fused all the way when I was born. Somehow it is able to move back and forth, when it should stay in one place all the time. What happened when I fell was that it moved, and all the rest of the vertebrae above it had to adjust. Some of the nerves are getting compressed a little, and that's causing me some pain. (Sometimes to the point at which I can barely walk.) So, we're going to treat the inflammation and pain for the next week and then work on strengthening the muscles around this area so that it will stabilize it and keep that L5 from moving.

Here's the thing, though...I'm not going to damage the area by running. I'm not going to help it, but I won't hurt it any worse. I will hurt ME pain-wise, but there won't be any further damage. AAAH! Can you see how this is like dangling a carrot in front of a rabbit?? "Jill, you won't hurt anything any further if you race. You won't be able to walk for a month, but you won't hurt your body."

Okay...Here's the decision. No, I won't hurt my body, but there are a few things to consider. First, the fact that I wouldn't be able to walk for a week. I've already seen the effects of this based on what's happened this week, and it's NO fun. I don't want to do anything except sit down. I don't like moving around, and I don't feel like going anywhere. Not even to work. So, tell me this...How is that honoring to the Lord if I am being limited from serving Him? Not worth it. Not worth it at all if I'm not able to do His will as a result of the race. I do want to be able to work.

Second, this is His temple. The longer I live, the more I get what that means. It is the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, and it should be cared for. That means that I need to deal with it wisely. Yes, God has given me a gift to be able to run. But He's also given me a mind to know when and how to use that gift. This go-round, I was called to lay it down. The use of the gift is to give it back to Him and say, "I trust You, Lord." He certainly made me a runner, but that doesn't mean that I have the green light to abuse that. The gift, after all, isn't to use for my glory. It's to use for His. And whenever He wants to put it to use for His glory in a way that doesn't line up with my own plan, I need to be able to lay my agenda aside and accept His desire.

So, here I am. Sitting in front of my computer. About to go hop on the elliptical machine to keep my cardio up. Missing the race. But knowing I'm in His will and He's got a plan.

-Jill

Unpleasant, but not Intolerable

2010-05-22T09:51:00.000-07:00

Today, God had a very specific lesson in mind for me. It was a simple faith exercise. Kind of like homework, I guess. Just a simple assignment. And it could have been called, "How to praise through unexpected adversity." :) Nothing major, just a pop-quiz.

So far this year, I've not run in weather above 65 degrees. In fact, 65 might be pushing it. I knew that today was going to be warmer, and I was kind of looking forward to it. But I also knew that since it had been over half a year since I'd run in heat, I would have to relearn what it was like to run in that kind of temperature.

I guess I forgot how hot 70-80 degrees is for running. I always do when summer starts. It sounds like a nice temperature, but you forget that hot running starts in the mid-60s.

I slept in a little til about 7:30, got up, ate some oatmeal and plugged in for a quiet time with the Lord. Haha! It was about unexpected adverse situations and how to handle them in your mind. It made the point that you had to immediately surrender the situation to God, recognize His sovereignty and praise and trust Him. Otherwise, you'd get trapped in bitterness, anger and dispair.

Totally great lesson. If we truly trust God and know that He works for our good in all situations, then no matter what adversity we face, we can know that He's got a plan and is carrying us through.

Fast forward to miles 6-14 today. Until mile 6 it wasn't too bad. I was running into the wind, so I was able to stay cool. At mile 6, I headed around a turn that took me out of the headwind. Immediately I noticed the heat. And, man, was it hot! I think by that point it was in the low 70s. But by the time I was a few more miles down the road and running with the wind, it was darn close to 80. I had brought one flask of Powerade, but I ran out of that by mile 10.

Thank You, Lord! It was hard, but the whole time, I kept remembering the lesson from this morning. It really carried me through. The whole time I was on the road, the Lord helped me to understand that, while the circumstance wasn't ideal, it wasn't intolerable. He would carry me through. I could handle it because He could handle it. The situation didn't have to be pleasant, and no, I didn't enjoy it. But I knew the whole time that He would carry me through to the end.

What a great lesson today! No matter what situation, we don't have to deny the fact that it might be less than ideal, but we don't have to give in to the mentality that it's beyond what we can handle. God's always with us and will always see us through even the most crappy of situations. Might as well accept that as truth and take on His peace and strength. :)

Thanks for the great lesson, Lord. :)

Ciao, friends!
-Jill :)

Road Rage

2010-05-18T05:23:00.000-07:00

I do have something to say this morning. And it is directed to all motorists: Please do not try to spitefully hit runners to teach them a lesson. You'll regret that, trust me. Now, this didn't happen to me, but to another runner just behind me.

First, I will tell you a secret that not many non-runners know. When you see us running on the paved streets when there is a perfectly good sidewalk about 5 feet away, there is a reason. The pavement is easier on your knees. Sidewalks are pretty much the most destructive surface you can run on. Hence, why we stick to the roads whenever possible.

So, this morning, I was running on the edge of the road close to the curb as usual. (I don't maliciously try to hack drivers off by taking up too much room. I do know my place.) There was another guy who was running toward me on the same side of the road. We passed each other, gave quick hellos and I kept running on. Not 20 seconds later, I hear a loud car horn behind me. I turned my head around and saw that this angry woman driving a dark green Toyota had honked at my fellow runner and pretty much tried to run him off the road by scooting as close to him as she could.

Let me set the scene even more. It's 6:15 a.m. This is a four-lane residential road. There is NO one else on the road. I'd been passed by 20 other cars that morning who had just veered slightly to the other lane and gone back after passing me. That's pretty logical. But this woman had an axe to grind with the runner. And when she passed me 5 seconds later, she wasn't any more removed from the curb. She was just mad.

Poor lady. My fellow runner and I certainly were protected by the Lord this morning, and undoubtedly, we're having better starts to our days than she is. But it was certainly a great exercise in praying for your enemies this morning. And it went right along with what we studied at Bible study last night about experiencing violence in this world. (We gave road rage as a very common example.)

Hey, that's just the world we're living in. Thank God that He controls the world with a Word. :)

Ciao, friends! Don't get run over today! :)
-Jill

Jesus Calling

2010-05-15T10:37:00.000-07:00

Um...Holy crap. I just ran a 7:20/avg. 14-mile run. :) That's never even come close to happening before! The closest I'd come was last weekend's 7:37 average of the same distance. YEOWZA!

Part of the reason I ran so fast this morning was because I wanted to time my half marathon. Not too bad 1:36:27. I haven't calculated the average on it, but it's not a bad pace. I can live with that. :) And who knows what I'll do on race day and what I hope will be a flat course.

Race day = June 19. I'm running in one last race before the summer heat puts the kabbash on racing until the fall. (At least for me. I know there are some people who can race in hot weather and love it.) But I'm in shape and want to maximize it before the summer sets in. So...Bring it on! I would love to place in my age group in this one. It's a pretty small race, so I do have a shot!

I haven't blogged in a while. Just haven't had much to say, I guess. (Shocking, I know!) But it's been a good week. Especially spiritually. God is really teaching me about the importance of letting Him transform your mind. How we think will determine how we live. We must win that battle of the mind or else we'll spend our lives in bondage to the enemy, who fills our heads with his poisonous lies. Thankfully, God's truth CAN trump all of those lies and expose them. But we have to position ourselves to receive that truth, and we also have to do our part. We have to be mindful of what we're thinking and then surrender our thoughts to God and allow Him to reveal whether they're true or false.

At the recommendation of some of my small group, I got the book "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young. It's a devotion book that has messages written as if straight from the voice of Christ. It's a fine line to walk putting words in His mouth, but it's also VERY powerful when you receive these messages. Today's was about spending time alone with Him and now it's necessary and not just a luxury. So...I'm going to spend a good chunk of the afternoon in His presence. He carved out an afternoon free, so I'm going to accept His date. :) I hope you all have as wonderful of afternoons as I'm about to in the presence of my Savior. :)

Ciao, friends!
-Jill

Courage!

2010-05-11T05:19:00.000-07:00

A big shout-out to my friend Amy from my small group. She shared the most awesome quote with us: "Courage is fear that has said its prayers." AMEN! She didn't cite who'd said it, and I haven't looked it up, but whomever it was absolutely nailed it.

Sometimes I still get nervous before a routine run. I'll be worried that I haven't slept enough or eaten properly, or I'll fear getting injured. Heck, sometimes I just even fear how hard the workout is going to be. The best solution to those fears is ALWAYS prayer. Through prayer, God reminds me how big He is, how small I am, how much He loves me, how capable He is, that He is the provider of my strength, and that He will be with me. And then, He always tells me, "Jill, don't be ridiculous. You and I have done this a thousand times. Go out and enjoy the experience with Me." :) Thanks, God, for Your patience with me.

I think the most clear picture of that quote above is Jesus in the garden. Worst fear ever? Yes. Most courage ever? Yes. MASSIVE prayer? Yes. That's how Jesus handled fear--He prayed. And He prayed honestly.

If I'm scared before I run (for whatever reason), it's important to verbalize the fears to the Lord so that He can squash them. It's that way with any fear in life. Heck, even going to work some days takes courage and prayer. (I'm about to head out to a magazine deadline day. COURAGE!) But we must remember how strong and mighty the Lord is and that He's with us.

Today, let's say our prayers and accept His courage. :)

-Jill

Get Focused

2010-05-10T05:11:00.001-07:00

First, thanks to everyone who read this on Saturday and prayed for Georgia. I got home Saturday afternoon and went straight to her and Jim's house. Walked in, hugged Jim, and then went and latched on to Georgia and cried. We both did. It's really scary to almost lose someone you love so much. That hasn't happened to me in a really long time. And I am thanking the Lord that He saw fit for her to stay here on earth for a little while longer. I can't imagine life without her. And when I try to think of what that would be like, I break down.

So...please keep praying for Jim and Georgia. They have a good system of care for her now, but it's tough, and the road to healing will be long. But I know that the Lord is with them. That's evident in the fact that she's still here at all!

The run today was nice. One of my easy days out there, and I didn't take the iPod so that I could get in some extra prayer time. That was awesome. My best conversations with God happen in two places: the running road and my closet. :) I think it has to do with the solitude of each. Jesus has my full attention.

You know, the story of Peter walking on water with Christ has been coming up a lot lately in my life. One thing I've been thinking about recently, especially in my own life, is just how important it is to focus on the right thing. Peter looked at Christ; he walked. Peter looked at the waves; he sank. In my life, I look at Christ; I walk. I look at the problems; I sink. It's easy to let troubles overwhelm us when we forget that Jesus is right there, allowing us to stand on stormy waters. But when we look at Him only, we won't see the massive waves crashing around us. I know for me recently, I've spent far too much time looking at the waves and forgetting that Jesus is right there allowing me to walk on water with Him.

Today, I want to stay focused on Him. And I will pray that all of you will do the same! :)

Love you guys!
-Jill

Speed and Prayers

2010-05-08T09:41:00.000-07:00

Um, nothing like a little love and concern to fuel a pace. I got a call last night that my aunt Georgia is really sick. I talked with her on the phone, and her voice really scared me. I almost got in the car and headed home then, but I didn't. I decided to stay here.

Well, when I got up this morning, I knew I wouldn't be at peace if I didn't go home to see her. So, I called my momsy, told her I was coming home, choked down some oatmeal, packed a bag and then headed out for a run (on too full of a stomach). :) Either way, it didn't matter, I wanted so badly to get on the road that my legs FLEW. It was the fastest long run I've ever done. 7:37 pace. Not that it was exceptionally long, but it was a long run, and it was in strong wind. But urgency pushed me on.

"Why is she blogging if she's so anxious to get home?" you may ask. Well, there's an urgency, but there's also a demand from my knees to be iced. I'm letting them get their post-run treatment and then hitting the road.

No long spiritual lessons today. No deep thoughts. Just a prayer request for Georgia--one of the dearest women to my heart. Please pray for her.

Thanks, all!
-Jill

Martyrs, Thieves and New Shoes

2010-05-07T05:13:00.001-07:00

Happy Friday, everyone! And a MARVELOUS day it is! :) Why? Because it's NEW SHOE DAY!!! :) :)

This is a big day in the life of runners. We get new shoes 3-4 times a year, and every time we do, we get about 2-3 days of absolute HEAVEN on our feet. It feels like you're running on pillows! The old shoes have gotten beat down pretty badly, but you don't even realize it because it happens so gradually. Until, that is, you slip on a pair of new babies and take 'em for a spin. Oh, hallelujah! :)

When I run, I wear the Saucony Ride. They're not the most beautiful things in the world, but man, do they feel good! :) They're rated pretty well among neutral/cushioning shoes regarding their softness, and that's what I like. I need good support, but I need good cushion more. Every runner is different (hence the number of shoes out there), but this is just the one I've found that fits my running style best. So...Praise God for the first week in the new shoes! I'll be celebrating the whole way! :) And a HUGE thanks to Ashley for making the pit stop by Gary Gribble's for the pick up. Ash, you are thebomb.com.

I've had a lot of feedback from the blogs the last couple of days, and I want to thank everyone for their encouragement. Man, I am truly surrounded by a "great cloud of witnesses." :) I love you all so much! And I want to encourage you back and say how incredible you are to take the time to bless your sister over here. :) I really have been blessed with some great friends.

There's a song by Jennifer Knapp that I've had rolling around in my head for the past couple of days. It really brings a smile to my face regarding all of life's challenges and the truth about what we are to do with them. If you have a chance to listen to "Martyrs and Thieves" totally do it. It will encourage you so much! But here's a line from the chorus:

"So turn on the light and reveal all the glory.

I am not afraid to bare all my weakness

knowing in meekness

I have a kingdom to gain

where there is peace and love in the light, in the light.

Oh, I am not afraid

to let Your light shine bright in my life, in my life..."

Amen, sister! Turn on the light! Let's bear our weakness today knowing that in our weakness, He is strongest.

Ciao, friends!

-Jill

Truth and such...

2010-05-06T05:21:00.000-07:00

Good morning, everyone! :) Happy Thursday! :) What a marvelous morning to get out and use the bodies we've been given by God. Great cool temperature and a bright, shining sun. Praise the Lord! Great run this morning, by the way. Far, fast and filled with the Lord's presence! :)

I have to apologize if I alarmed anyone else with yesterday's post. I shared from a point of great frustration, and I should have been more peaceful about it. God is so good. He's got everything under control, and I have nothing to worry about. He's graciously and patiently revealing to me many of the things over the past few months that I could have done better, and He's making adjustments in my heart and mind.

For one thing--and I just realized this on the run this morning--I didn't realize how much I thought my weight was tied to my finish time in Boston. I so badly wanted to PR that I subconsciously kept trying to keep dropping pounds so that I could run faster. I'd read somewhere that so many pounds is equal to so many minutes off your marathon time. That was always in the back of my head during training. That's one of the reasons I was internally okay with it when I went to a really low weight. Sure, I looked bad, but don't all runners? Especially the fast ones? :)

Well, I have to say. . . I think I am wrong about that. I have two shining examples of FAST women who are at healthy weights who can kick my butt on the road any day. The weight thing certainly does carry some truth, but it's not the final say. And I should have been more concerned with my overall health than with my finish time anyway.

So, there's one lesson from the day. For my next marathon, I'm going to do a few things differently. Nutrition will be one of them. The amount of control I put into my schedule will be another. I don't want to abandon my social life again, and I don't think I have to.

But that's a blog for another time...:)

Ciao, friends!
-Jill

Shedding Light

2010-05-05T05:16:00.001-07:00

I have a feeling that Tuesday nights and Wednesday mornings are always going to be a bit of a struggle. As much as I look forward to the morning runs, I look forward in equal dread of the Wednesday elliptical machine workout. It has nothing to do with the physical action itself--I'm glad to give my knees and body the rest they deserve. It's the sheer boredom factor.

In the past workouts, God has helped me focus by meditating on Scripture. Today, He gave me quality time with the new issue of Runner's World. YES!!!!!!! :) I was wondering when I'd get a chance to sit down and read it. Well, there's a magazine stand on that workout machine for a reason. I'm sure it hurt my focus on the workout, but really, let's be honest. These days aren't about getting fitter. They're about getting moving in a restful way. So, I feel completely okay with the fact that I got to read up on Ryan and Sara Hall's recipe for Cytomax pancakes. haha! :)

I had an interesting conversation with my friend Ashley yesterday. I have told you all that a TON of people are questioning my weight and if there's something wrong with me in the head about it. Well, if you read the blog yesterday, you will know that I'm FULLY aware that I'm too thin, and I'm eating more to try and regain some of the healthy weight. It's not going to happen overnight, but it will balance out. I fully believe the Lord is at work and giving me great wisdom and counsel about it. I'm (again) enjoying the larger bowl of oatmeal as we speak.

But here was the question that came up in the conversation. With the amount of gossip that's gone on about me in the last few months, wouldn't it just be easier for me to e-mail blast everyone and say, "Hey, look. I recognize a problem. I'm dealing with it. You can all stop talking now." Why are we so afraid of doing that? It seems like such a simple solution.

What if we did that with all of our sins? Isn't that what God tells us to do when He says we should confess our sins to one another so that we may be healed. (That's in James 5.) Why are we so afraid of revealing our shortcomings? Are we afraid of others judging us? Don't they have issues of their own? Why do we have to be so perfect?

Listen, we ALL have our issues. We are all sinners bathing in the blood and water at the foot of the cross. What is the big deal about being open in our struggles? The light is where sin goes to die. In darkness and privacy it breeds and grows. Let's just be real! We all struggle. We all sin. We all need Jesus desperately.

I'm screwed up, and I'm seeing a HIGH Counselor about it. ;) What about you? :)

-Jill

I Get It

2010-05-04T05:17:00.000-07:00

What a run this morning!! :) Ten miles, 7:45 average. Great spring weather. Hallelujah!! :) Strength, energy and life! Thank You, LORD!

So, I've found a new theme song. It's "Alive Again" by Matt Maher. It's kind of been out for a long time, so I know we all know it, but today as I was running, it hit me between the eyes:

"I woke up in darkness
surrounded by silence
oh where, where have I gone?
I woke to reality
losing its grip on me
oh where, where have I gone?
Cause I can see the light
before I see the sunrise.

"You called and you shouted
broke through my deafness
now I’m breathing in
and breathing out
I’m alive again.
You shattered my darkness
washed away my blindness
now I’m breathing in
and breathing out.
I’m alive again!"

He's called and shouted at me for the past five months. And He's finally broken through my deafness. He's given me wake-up call after wake-up call, and I have ignored Him. But I finally get it. He's doing this because He loves me and because it is best.

SO many people have told me since Christmas that I'm too thin. I understood that, and I knew it, and I always figured I'd do something about it...down the road. Well, I never really got it that being too thin also means being unhealthy. I just thought it was that I looked ridiculous.

Oh, shame on me! God has given me a body, and I am supposed to take care of it! But instead of taking care of it, I've abused it and driven it into the ground. I've robbed it of vital nourishment out or fear and ignorance, and now I'm in a hole.

But praise God, I finally get it. If I want to be a runner, I have to eat like one. That's different than eating like I did before. And I can't fear it. It's good for me. It's what I'm supposed to do. And, as a woman, that's a hard pill to swallow. We all have insecurities. (Mine are deep and take a LOT longer to tell than a blog will allow.) And the idea of actually putting ON weight is pretty terrifying. But God has been patient with me long enough. It's time for me to stop ignoring His warnings and start obeying Him before He has to take drastic measures to get my attention.

Lord, I get it. Thank You for Your mercy and patience. Give me the courage to live healthfully, Lord. I trust You!

If you feel like it, pray for me today, that I'll have peace in eating the calories my body requires. :) Extra oatmeal this morning! Yum! :)

Have a great day, friends! Let's all remember Jeremiah 29:11!
-Jill

Praise on the Road

2010-05-03T05:08:00.000-07:00

Some days you just feel like going fast. :) Today was one of those days for me. From the first step of the run, I felt awesome. The body was just geared up to go! :) (Surprising, since that's not what it said when the alarm went off at 5:00. haha!)

So, what's a girl to do other than just go with it? :) I went for a fast 6.5 miles and enjoyed EVERY second of it. Especially since it was high 50s with almost zero wind. Wow. :) What a day it's been already! :) Best start to the morning. :)

In my time with the Lord before the run, I read Hebrews 13:15 -- "Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—the fruit of lips that confess his name."

What a great verse to read before a run! It gives such meaning and purpose to every step. Every move of your body becomes like an offering of praise to the Lord, who gave you the body and the strength and the endurance. Thank You, Lord, for Your life and strength and power. Thank You for giving us bodies to use for Your glory! Help us to be good stewards of them, Father. And let us offer you frequent praise today. Great things You have done!

Have a great day, all! :)
-Jill

Training Detox

2010-05-02T07:25:00.000-07:00

As much as I have come to love the mornings on the road, I've become just as big a fan of the Sunday mornings off of it. It's my rest day. :) And I'm enjoying it. :) This morning was so beautiful that I still got to experience the outdoors, I just enjoyed it in a more idle way by grabbibg my Bible and heading for one of the benches in the apartment complex. (And grabbed the coffee cup, too. Sunday morning wouldn't be complete without it!)

I didn't write yesterday because I didn't have time between the run and our church service project. It was an awesome run, though. UNBELIEVABLE weather. No wind for once! And, I can tell that I'm coming down out of training mode. I ran it a little slower--over 8 per mile--and I totally didn't care. :)

I'm learning that it's okay to ease out of training, just as you ease into it. At least for me, it's okay. After the marathon and training so hard for so long, I would have gone CRAZY if I'd just stopped running for a while. Instead, I eased out of the training mode by gradually scaling back, and I'm getting now to the point where I'm almost ready to engage in running like a normal person again. :) Almost. I'll get there. Life circumstances will step in and make me.

One other thing I've also had to embrace over the last two weeks has been the absence of any sort of life I had while training. You wake up after the marathon and realize that you've turned down so many social opportunities over the past four months that no one even bothers asking you to do anything anymore because you'll just say no. What a lonely position to be in! But I'm working on that, too. It's just going to take some effort and humility (and maybe some bribery with homemade cookies) to beg my friends for their company. :)

So, that's the scoop. Training detox is well underway, it's just taking some time. But I'm also looking at the future race calendar and trying to decide what races to do in the fall. I'm looking at a half in September and another full in October. I'll keep you posted! :) More life lessons from the road to come! :)

Ciao, friends! Enjoy a day and be sure to position yourself to encounter Christ today! :)

-Jill

Questions of Identity

2010-04-30T05:10:00.000-07:00

I have 10 brief minutes to blog this morning before I head into the office, and I want to pose a question to you all. . . How much of your personality is who God created you to be and how much of it is our sinful, flesh nature?

I've been asking God this question for a while, and it really came up during my run this morning. (Run was AWEsome, by the way. Great weather--a few sprinkles and wind at 68 degrees. No Garmin or iPod--thus, the deep thoughts.) Especially when it comes to my being so task-driven. Man, there is nothing like going full-force after a goal. I love it! :) I'm good at it. Just putting your head down and going for something.

Now, how much of that is God-given and how much of it is just Jill being an intense, demanding control freak? :) How much of it does He use for His glory, and how much does He ask me to change? I know the sin part is obviously not up for debate, but what about personality?

My question for you--feel free to e-mail or Facebook me responses--is whether or not you've dealt with this in your own life and, if so, what did you find out?

Thanks, friends! :) Have a great Friday!
-Jill

Don't Fear the Wind

2010-04-29T06:49:00.000-07:00

haha! Well, there's proof in the power of K-LOVE. I just checked the analytics site on the blog and we had more than 100 hits on both Monday and Tuesday. Yesterday? 18. haha! :) Thanks to those of you who read this. Your loyalty just got spotlighted. :)

Had an awesome and hard run this morning. It was a "perfect" (*wink*) 65 degrees out. The only thing was the wind. Another yowza of a Midwest windstorm morning. Even now as I look out my window at the tops of the trees blowing it looks so intimidating. Thanks to God for the strength to run in that. It's such a credit to Him that the wind doesn't intimidate me a whole lot anymore. By now, after running in it so many times, I know that He'll pull me through. Eventually you get to run WITH the wind if you endure going against it. And that's the fun part. As tough as it was going out today with the 30+ mph headwind, it was that much more fun flying in the opposite direction as I headed back.

The topic of storms has come up a lot in my time with the Lord lately. Recently, as I was reading Max Lucado's "Fearless," I was posed the question of how different the situation would have been if there had been no storm the night Jesus walked on the water. Lucado asked us to think about how Peter's adventure would have turned out differently. Would he have even gotten out of the boat at all? Would he simply have applauded Jesus for His trick of walking on calm water?

I think Peter still would have gotten out of the boat. But I think it would have been a far different situation. The reason this story is so powerful is because it tells what happens when we take our eyes off Christ in the middle of trials. If the sea had been calm, I think Peter would have called to Jesus, gotten out of the boat and trotted over to him. Knowing a little about Peter's character, too, I think he would have been a little prideful about it. There would have been nothing for him to fear. And he would have likely just walked up to Jesus and said, "Hey, this is awesome! Thanks for helping ME be awesome, too!"

The reason the storm is such a key to this illustration is because Peter got out of the boat in a scary situation. Then, once he was out on a limb with Jesus, he let the storm capture his attention and take him down. Jesus, of course, was there to rescue him and tell him that he shouldn't have doubted.

Man, our fears are so powerful. They are cancerous! They will rob us of life. They will steal everything God wants for us. Like today, if I'd thought about the wind and opted not to run because I feared the tough workout, I'd have missed out on the opportunity to soar with Him and get stronger.

Whatever storm you're facing today, get out of the boat and fix your eyes on Christ. And DON'T doubt. Just realize that the fears are bluffs from the enemy and believe Christ when He tells you that there's nothing to fear. :)

Ciao, friends!
-Jill

The Idol-Killing Elliptical Machine

2010-04-28T14:41:00.000-07:00

"Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me." - Isaiah 46:9

Well, it wasn't easy, but I survived an hour on the elliptical in place of a morning run. And, okay...It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I got to read some Scripture memory cards (one of which was the verse above) and listen to a nice sermon from Chip Ingram about the true person of Christ. AND I got to see the seven-day weather forecast eight different times! (Just so you know, it's going to be windy and warm tomorrow with a high of 80.) :)

But what made it more than worth it was knowing that it was what I was SUPPOSED to be doing.

I'm going to be honest with you. There are many days when I feel like running is my spiritual "dirty mistress." I feel like I'm cheating on God with it. And I KNOW that's not how it should be. For one, I know that He's given me running as a gift. He wants it to be a blessing and a way for us to connect. But when I worship the gift over the giver, it actually takes me farther away from Him.

When I feel like I HAVE to run and that nothing and no one will stop me from running, that's when I feel like running has become my "mistress." It's taken on a life that it shouldn't have and a role of importance that it doesn't deserve.

Friends, this is why the once-a-week cross-train is so important. Today, I have one more experiential truth that I won't die if I don't run. One more true experience in which I realize that the elliptical machine won't kill me and that there's always tomorrow.

You know what's even better? I bet this will make tomorrow's run even sweeter. :) My legs will feel fresher, and I'll enjoy it more after a break. And it all comes back to Romans 8:28 that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose. I've been called to run, but according to His purpose. And He's got a GOOD plan in ALL things--even cross-training. :)

So, I survived. :) I don't have to do it again until next Wednesday. :) haha! Maybe between now and then I'll get even more perspective and dread it even a little less. :)

Until later...Have a great day, friends!
-Jill

Fire Trucks, Idols and Ellipticals

2010-04-27T17:54:00.001-07:00

You know what I love? When running is the one thing that will actually help you through a physical ailment. That doesn't happen very often. haha! But I'm so grateful that it's the case with me. :) I will NOT go into details about what's going on with me physically, but I just will say that it's a souvenier from Boston that I didn't intend to pick up. :) We're working through it. :)

Today's run was what running is all about. Pushing yourself just a little bit. Enjoying the great weather. Enjoying the legs that God's given you. And...getting honked at by a truckload of firemen. haha! :) Hallelujah! :) That was funny. To the group of KC, MO's finest, thanks for making my morning. :)

Anyway, my legs feel good and worked out after a tough, awesome run against a nice breeze. That will make tomorrow easier...

Tomorrow is my dreaded cross-training day. Oy. I loathe cross-training. But I've decided two things:

1. I have to cross-train one day every week in order to keep running from becoming an idol. It reminds me that running is NOT where I find my ultimate peace--Jesus alone can do that. Only by sacrificing it periodically do I consciously remain aware of that.

2. I have to cross-train in order to protect my body and be a good steward of the gift of running. God has given me a passion and a gift. I have to steward it well. When I run my body into the ground, it's not taking good care of what He's given me, it's abusing it. If I cross-train one day, it saves my joints and gives me a day to recover between tough workouts.

So...Pray for me. :) It's really hard to look forward to the elliptical machine. Especially when it will be so nice outside. But it doesn't matter. God comes first. And He will see me through it, and I'll be closer to Him as a result.

Thanks, Lord, in advance for seeing me through. Heck, maybe I'll even enjoy it just a little. :)

Ciao, friends!
-Jill

Whatever you do...

2010-04-26T06:14:00.000-07:00

Good morning, everyone! Happy Monday! :) It's going to be a great week. Why? Because the Lord is the Lord, and He loves us!

So, I got a text message from my PPB telling me that our post-race story is on K-LOVE today! Sa-weet! :) :) I'm so pumped! What God did through this whole marathon experience needs to be shared with others. Hopefully more people will be inspired to use their gifts for the Lord!

If you are reading this after visiting the K-LOVE page, I have a message for you. You can do this, too!! Maybe not run a marathon, but you can use whatever God has blessed you to enjoy and turn it into a way to further the Kingdom. That's why He gives us those desires! To return them to Him for His glory! :)

Back in December when I was getting ready to train for the Boston Marathon, I realized that it needed to have eternal impact if it was truly going to be worth it. It's a TON of work and time, and if it isn't for more than just a medal, it's not worth it. So, through prayer and connections, the Lord led me to Military Ministry and showed me that we could generate hope and healing for the troops through the marathon training. Sweet!! Who knew that the simple act of running would generate the most amazing team dynamic among a group of strangers while also raising more than $3,500 to meet the spiritual needs of the military! :) Hallelujah!! :)

It's a loooooooooooong story, so if this is your first time on this page, then I would totally encourage you to read maybe the first entry back in January or a couple of the first ones. Then read the last one from the marathon on April 19th. There's a TON in between, but hopefully this will show you what God can do when we give our gifts back to Him. Miracles!! :)

That's why we are given gifts to begin with! One of the guys in my office has a sign hanging on his door that says, "Life is God's gift to us. What we do with it is our gift back to God." It's a quote that his dad lived by, and I totally love it. We only have a few years here on this earth. If we spend all of our time using our gifts only to please ourselves, what will it matter? But, if we use the passions and abilities that we've been given as we are SUPPOSED to use them, we will make a lasting impact on this earth. My aunt recently wrote to me in a card this simple phrase: "What is done for Christ will last."

I've said it before, my Boston Marathon medal will eventually get lost. The jacket won't fit. The shirt will get coffee-stained. :) (Those who know me KNOW that's true.) But what is done for Christ will last. All the miles, all the pain, all the time...It was all worth it because of what lies on the other side. Some soldier is going to be sitting in Afghanistan, homesick and scared, and he's going to open a Rapid Deployment Kit that was funded by this race team, and he's going to realize his need for the Lord. He's going to turn to Him in prayer, maybe for the first time. That is priceless.

Whatever you are passionate about--for me it's running--whatever you are gifted to do, I want to challenge you to find a way to do it for the Lord. Colossians 3:23-24 instructs us, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving."

Go for it! You CAN make a difference! Get creative! And...if you want to run with us for Military Ministry, there's always room on the team. :) I hear that there's a group forming for the Marine Corps Marathon in October. You in? :)

Have a great day in the Lord, all! :)
-Jill

Humble Pie :)

2010-04-24T09:39:00.000-07:00

hahaha! The joke is TOTALLY on me.

I got up and went out for a great run this morning. I was TOTALLY feeling great. The legs were strong after a week of easy runs, and the weather was awesome. Every time I looked down at my watch it showed a great pace, and I couldn't help but run with a little bit of new confidence. I'd just run the stinkin' Boston Marathon with an awesome PR! :)

So, I get home and check my pace. . . 8 minutes even. WHAT? That's so slow! hahaha! :) What the? Where did I mess up on the road? How did I wind up going over 7?

Well, Jill. . . You're not quite the new stud you think you are, are you? :)

It's so funny. As I was running, I looked down at my watch at one point and saw a nice 7:30 pace. I thought to myself, "That's so cool. Mid-sevens must just be my new average pace for casual runs."

You know, I guess I was somehow figuring that my Boston success automatically meant that I'd be a fast runner from now on. Um, no. I think I'm going to have to work hard just like everyone else. I'm going to have to train for fast times just like the rest of the world. There's no coasting on past success. It's going to take work.

But don't worry. I'm not going to do that, yet. I know I need to take it easy. It's just the revelation I had this morning. :) And I am pretty sure that lesson goes with anything in life. If we want to get better, we have to work at it. Obviously, that goes for our relationship with Christ, too. Wanna stay connected to Him? You gotta pursue it. Like any relationship, it involves communication and time. You can't coast by and make that relationship prosper without putting anything into it.

Alright, I'm off to the birthday party of one of my favorite 3-year-olds in the whole world. :) Have a great day, everyone!

-Jill :)