Wow, I have missed this happiness over the past 12 weeks. I got in five miles on some damp trails in this perfect Indiana fall weather. The calming patter of raindrops in the tree canopy above was my playlist. I won a staring contest with a healthy second year whitetail buck, it's two tined antlers showing his age. It felt like I was the graceful deer bounding down the wet but not yet muddy single track. I am so grateful to be back on the trails and am incredibly thankful to God. He took me out for a reason and He gave me that clarity of that reason today.
See, there is no time that I feel closer to God and his creation than when I'm trail running. There is no other facet of life in which I can so appreciate the living, breathing, working organism that is my body. No other facet of life in which I can experience the simple freedom of movement, breath, and life. But for so long that was the extent to which I connected to God. During this period of being out I've been moved to become active in my church, to reach out and connect with other believers, and more importantly to grow closer to God through prayer, worship, scripture and being among other Christians.
Honestly, I haven't been this content of a person since I was a teenager pre-drinking days. He knew I was ready, but that I wouldn't give the time to see what He wanted with all the focus I was placing on running. There was no intent on my part to slow down, so he helped slow down the running with a case of ITBS that came out of no where and without warning. This body is weak and can be lost at anytime. I've learned I can continue to not drink, to be content, to find happiness even without being able to run. One of my biggest fears in this new sober life, one that I worried about almost daily, was what would I do if I could no longer run? Would I be able to continue not drinking? Would I be able to be happy? Seriously, we're all a car accident away from never walking again. I was at a loss for what would happen to my life; now I'm not worried at all.
AMEN!
amen!
ReplyDeleteand Hallelujah!
DeleteAmen, brother!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteGlad you're back! Those pictures are awfully pretty. I suffer from ITBS too. I have for years. In fact, I've been blogging about it lately as I'm trying to run through it while marathon training. Hope you're doing well but sounds like you are :)
ReplyDeleteThat illiotibial band can be a tricky beast! I didn't even know I had one until it started causing me problems. I'm glad to be back too.
DeleteAmen! Keep it up :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Courtney. I will most certainly be keeping it up.
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