Deuteronomy 28:12
The LORD will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none.
Deuteronomy 32:2
Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants.
Today I ran in the rain. The pouring down rain. The wet rain. The cleansing rain. I stomped in water puddles. I watched the water flow down creeks that I didn’t know were there. I listened to the rain as it hit the ground. I listened to the water run in the creeks through the woods. I watched rain drip off my hat like tear drops. It was magical. I felt alive. I was alive. God blessed me with a cleansing rain.
The Lord let His heavens open and the storehouse of His bounty flowed down…He blessed my run with His beauty! My running is my work for Him. He is providing the journey to Boston once again and I have to do the work. Today it was wet but it was eye-opening and sense heightening.
Many people choose not to run in the rain, snow, cold or dark…but in my opinion,for what it’s worth, they are missing out! As long as you have the right gear…rain, reflective…then these runs can be the BEST ever! Your senses are alive in ways they are normally not. You see things you might not normally notice. You hear in a different way.
The Lord teaches on these runs. He allows me to hear Him and see Him in the beauty of his bounty – today it was the rain.
What can you do to step outside your normal routine and see Him and hear Him in a different way? Do it and let His teaching fall on you like RAIN!
RACE REPORT….The Hot Chocolate 15k/5k in Atlanta
This picture was on Facebook today. It is a perfect picture or yesterday’s race in Atlanta. We were Road Warriors yesterday in the hills of Atlanta. (This may be my first and last race in Atlanta…During the race I saw several shirts that read Heat, Hills, Humidity…Welcome to Atlanta! AMEN! 🙂
I approached this race as a training run. The schedule called for a long run of 12 miles at a moderate pace – 915. I decided to go with how I felt and add a few miles running others in after my race. The race was a 15k or 9.3 miles. Running others in would help me get my 12. As in fact it did.
How did it go? Really well. Despite the hills, I felt great! I ran well! My Garmin reported 9.45 miles with a 8:20 pace. I am so excited because I can tell my training is paying off. The speed work and the tempo runs are working. As much as I hate them, they are working. 🙂 The time on my feet during my easy run are bringing JOY to my runs. My new running form is helping me praise HIM as well as keeping me from running with chicken wings. God is showing up every run. He is showing His hand through the beauty around me, with the friends who encourage me, through the family who support me, with the strangers who inquire about Team Hoyt, with the strength He is giving me on every run and with proof the plan is working.
God gives us direction. God leads our steps.
Proverbs 20.24
A man’s steps are directed by the LORD. How then can anyone understand his own way?
Let Him lead you today!!!
SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST: One VERY important thing about this race is that it supported the Ronald McDonald House. The Ronald McDonald House Charity is very close to the Newsom family. It has been a home away from home for my brother-in-law, sister-in-law and their children as their oldest son has and is still dealing with Aplastic Anemia. The RMH in Milwaukee, Wisconsin was their safe haven as he went through treatment and is available if and when they have to return. My nephew is still fighting and he is showing all of us how the hills of life can be turned into joy. I think I can safely say, we have learned A LOT from our nephew. He is an amazing young man who loves the Lord and is using his circumstances to make a difference for others! Thanks, Connor for being such a pillar of strength for us. We love you and are praying for you daily!!! You are a warrior! Keep fighting!!!
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