All week long I had been anxiously awaited the dreaded 6 mile Saturday run. I had yet to run anything longer than 5 long and hard miles in the DR. The two previous weeks I had pieced together different loops to try and create 5 miles that didn't put me crossing major intersections or on dangerous roads. The runs were difficult and well, monotonous. I questioned whether or not I could indeed run a mini- marathon.
I once ran 6 miles. 2 years ago I was visiting
CPC in San Francisco and my runner/marathon friend Lily was telling me about this wonderful dirt trail that beautifully winds through the mountains and overlooks a cerulean blue reservoir. I was smitten. I had only ran the cold pavement in the DR dodging the crazy power walkers, cars, and dogs convinced they could outrun me. Lily picked me up at 6:30am and we set out for the run. As we approached the entrance I was met with hundreds of bikers and runners outfitted with water belts & fancy shoes. I knew I was in serious runner-ville. I confessed to Lily I had never really ran more than 3 miles and I thought I almost died upon completing that... We set out at about a 10 minute/per mile pace and I ran in amazement as each turn revealed more of God's creation. The weather was cool and my ears were even a little chilled. I completed 4 miles, and I knew I had to run this again. The next day I set to run as far as I thought I could and I ran 6 miles. It felt amazing!
That was my first and last 6 mile run.
The running conditions in the DR are a far cry from the beautiful beaten mountain path of San Francisco and I knew 2 things were desperately needed in order for me to outlast this 6 miler.
A change in music and a new route.
I quickly uploaded a few new songs to my ipod and as I set out to run my 3.5 loop twice I searched my mind for a new way to run and came up with what I thought would equal close to 6 miles.
I started running to Dave Matthews Band- Dancing Nancies from the Live in Central Park album. This has always been a song that has hit me close to my heart. In Psalms the psalmist writes
:
Praise the LORD.
Praise God in his sanctuary;
praise him in his mighty heavens.
Praise him for his acts of power;
praise him for his surpassing greatness.
Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
praise him with tambourine and dancing,
praise him with the strings and flute,
praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD.
Psalm 150-:1-6
Now I am not sure what the trumpet, harp, lyre, strings, flute, & the cymbals all sound like, but the last two minutes of Dancing Nancies ends in a beautiful crescendo of instruments all playing together in what I truly believe must sound like the worship and praises of the Heavens. If you've never heard it- listen to it! (My mom says it just sounds like noise, but isn't it wonderful how God chooses to speak to us differently!!) He definitely uses this song to speak to me!
The song is 10 minutes long and was a great way to complete my first mile. Up next was David Crowder "How He loves," also a wonderful song.
I was not expecting what came next. I knew I threw a Hillsong song on there but couldn't remember which one. When I started hearing the music to "Freedom is Here," I thought that it was a great song to run to. I highly underestimated the power of this song.
Let me just take a break for a minute and let's talk about the popular TV show Friends. Have you seen the episode where Phoebe and Rachel are running through Central Park and Rachel is being all serious while Phoebe decides to lighten up the run by throwing her hands in the air and spastically waving them back and forth (like she just don't care) as she plunges forwards running? It is hilarious! Sometimes when I am running with my friend Audrey I burst out into this spastic hand waving as we are running and we both almost fall together in laughter!
Ok, so now that I have shared that, we can go back to the Hillsong "Freedom is Here" song. So, there I was running up Vidal Rafael about 2 miles into my run and as the song is playing I am overcome with shivers throughout my body. "I'm not shaken, I'm not letting go and everything comes alive, in my life and we lift you up, sing it out, sing it out your FREEEEEEEEEEDOOOOOOOOMMMMMM, is here." And I am overcome with this overwhelming grin as I belt out the lyrics and am compelled to throw my arms in the air (not the spastic kind) in worship to our Lord! Now I should say I did not throw my arms in the air. I figured everyone driving/walking/sitting on the sides of road must have thought I was crazy enough, but I didn't care. This was my time with Jesus. It has been hard to carve out this time with me and just Him with all the changes recently in my life. I was so incredibly blessed to have shared an hour with Him, worshipping and singing out to the King whether it was David Crowder or Dave Matthews.
Running is not just about training to complete some race for me.
It is about His glory.
It is about worshipping the King.
It is about restoration of His Creation.
It is about redemption.
It is about His work through His people in the Dominican Republic, Haiti, and throughout the world.
It is about me and you, and the hope of glory- Christ in us.
I am running FOR HIS GLORY.
Will you join me? Click here to find out how you can Run For His Glory and support the work we are doing in the DR and Haiti!
Here's the song lyrics to the "Freedom is Here," song.
The future comes alive
You speak Your word and I
I’m running into Your hope
Because I’ve seen Your light
You bring my world to life
I’m coming after Your love
I’m not shaken
I’m not letting go
And everything comes alive
In my life as we lift You higher
Let Your freedom arise
In our lives as we lift You up
Sing it out
Sing it out
Your freedom is here
So take the limits off
No matter what the cost
I’m running after Your call
And I will run this race
See You face to face
So let Your power overflow
I will not fear
I will not hide Your love
Your love
All of my life
I cannot deny Your love
Your love
So take the limits off
No matter what the cost
I’m running after Your call
And I will run this race
See You face to face
So let Your power overflow
