The past month of running has been more or less non-existent. Which
for most people is not a problem...but I am running a marathon in 12
days. My hip has been to see a chiropractor, a doctor, and now a PT.
My miles have been painful, not just on my hip, but also on my lungs and
my body and my spirit. As always, running seems to be a constant
metaphor for life. And every breath I take can be effected.
The
past four months of my life have been short of perfect. I have logged
some painful miles on the pavement, as well as on my spiritual journey
and life in general. Sometimes breathing takes effort.
My
breath prayer lives inside me with every gasp. I inhale with His name and exhale with my supplication. It changes and shifts
depending on where my life is, but no matter what, this prayer continues
to be as constant as my heart beat, as steady as the rising and falling
of my chest, and as ever faithful as the God that it cries out to.
First it was, "Father God, have mercy on me."
Then, "Father God, please help."
Now, "Father God, You only."
Every
step that I take, every stride during every mile, "Father God, You
only." I am going to start a marathon at 7:30am on October 14th. I
don't know how far I will make it/if I will finish, and if I do, what
time frame it will be in or what my body will feel like when I am all
done, but you better believe I will do my best. God never promised me
pain free, easy miles and no rain on my new shoes. But He did promise
to be there every step of the way.
