Run.  This word has become more to me than something I do every morning or with my friends a few times a week.  It has been my theme and my motivation and how I’m focusing my life this year.  Let me explain….

Last year was the first time I came up with my word for the year.  It seems that this is pretty common.  People will have a word or phrase that sets their intention or focus for the year.  I could definitely look back and see themes in my life over the years.  Certain years, I could probably identify by a word or phrase.  

2015 Word

But last year I got intentional with this idea of a word myself.  After some reflection and prayer and searching scripture, I found my word for 2015.  Beneficial.  This would be my word and my verse would be I Corinthians 10:23, “Everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial”.

Not only would this be in regards to what I put INTO my mouth but this would also have an impact on what came OUT of my mouth, my words and even my actions.  While I was not perfect (just ask my family!  lol!), I had a focus.  I had an intention.  I had something by which to measure my words, my actions, the foods I chose, my schedule, etc.  Everything came back to this one word and whether or not it was beneficial for me, for my family, for those around me.  I kept the word and verse on a note card where I could see it, pray it, reflect on it every day of 2015.  It’s still part of my daily quiet time this year.  Such a powerful verse.  

2016 Word

Then came 2016.  I thought a lot and reflected for some time about what my word for the year would be.  I would jot down words as one came to me.  I’d read a scripture that jumped out at me.  I wrote it down and the word associated with it.  Finally I decided on my word.  It was something I kept coming back to and a verse that has kept coming up.  It was the word I felt the Lord laid on my heart and one that I felt He intended for me this year…..

Run.  

Even at the time it was so much more than the physical activity I love to do.  (If you know me at all or just know me through social media, you know I’m a runner!)  Even though I do identify myself as a #runner or #runnermom this has little to do with my exercise of choice.  And now looking back, it was a good thing it wasn’t about the physical activity, because, as many of you know, I haven’t run much since May due to a knee injury that has me revamping my entire running schedule, but more of that later.  

Sure I set some fitness goals.  At the beginning of the year, I wanted to get my half marathon time back under 2 hours (my fall halfs took me a few minutes over that).  But this was about Hebrews 12:1.  And it’s still about Hebrews 12:1.  It’s about “laying aside the weight and sin” meaning to let go of the things that distract and hold me back.  And then “run with endurance the race set before us” which is telling me to run MY race.  Basically, I want to keep my head down and GO in the direction He’s leading.  Additionally I want to run this race like it tells me to in I Corinthians 9:24 in a way to obtain the prize.  I want to RUN where He’s taking me with my best efforts, with His strength.  

Run: A review of my word for 2016. #runmyrace Click To Tweet

So in 2016 I’ve been running MY race.  The race HE has set before me.  It’s how and why I started using the hashtag #runmyrace  At the end of 2016, I want to look back and know that I trained hard and ran wherever He told me to go and finished strong.

 So, how is my “run” going?

• Like I mentioned, my knee went on strike after the Chicago half marathon in May.  What I thought was going to be a short season of backing off the run and adding more cycling has turned into a long run layoff and a lot more cycling with the news that my running may never look the same again.  I have some arthritis and a bit of damage in my knees that may not allow me to bounce back to running as I knew it.  But this hasn’t stopped me from exercising and finding alternatives to get my cardio fix!  I haven’t sulked and had a pity party.  I have to listen to my body and honor it.  
• I’ve been growing my online business.  But I have had to really focus on the message God has called me to share and not get caught up with comparison of how other entrepreneurs do it.  Yes, the blogging and online space can be very supportive and helpful, but I know my tendencies.  Just as I struggled with comparing myself to others in regards to outward appearance, I can also fall into that trap of comparing my business and calling with others.  So I have to be extremely careful in this space to be true to what I’ve been called to do and not try to keep up with others who may be going a different pace in this biz than I am.  
• I’m a mom.  Parenting is tough sometimes (ok, all the time!).  It’s easy to get distracted by what other parents and kids are doing.  I have to focus on my son and ask God to help me parent my child according to his unique traits and needs.

This can be applied in all areas of life.  These are a few examples of how I’m running my race.

I invite you to join me in using #runmyrace  Are you ready to focus on the path/plan He has for you?  Are you committed to keeping your eyes on your own paper and doing life in a way that honors who you are and the stage where you are and the pace you need to go?  

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