Running the Race

I haven't written for a while....trying to adjust back to taking classes and being a mom and all of the other things that goes along with single momhood. I have not been doing it very well these past two weeks and today my pounding head ache is an indication that I am carrying a burden that I am not suppose to carry...that I am worrying and I am suppose to lay that at the cross...that I am letting fear enter my path and not trusting God to make the path clear. But I wanted to write...

Right now in our 1,100 square foot house are 8 kids and myself...but it is suprisingly quiet. Everyone is grouped together in 3 different rooms with doors shut and I am in the middle of the living room typing away at the keyboard. That may not last too long!

A few days ago I received an email from a friend (and I won't use your name or struggle) and she asked me for some truth. Truth in the midst of the lies that get spoken to us. She asked me if her struggle would ever end and if she really wasn't healed because of where she found herself.

When I was sending my response to her I mentioned that we are all running the race and sometimes a hurdle or two get thrown in the way but we can't let that stop us from getting back up and running again. And I love how God works because when she wrote to me I was in the midst of trying to stand back up after hitting the hurdle. I was struggling. And in the process of giving her truth I was also able to speak truth to myself. God spoke truth though me to her and let me speak truth to myself. God does things like that.

After I wrote to her and thought about what we discussed God gave me a reminder.

When I was in the 8th grade I decided to run track. We had just moved that school year and my new friends all ran track...so I thought I would try. I had never really been a runner. But I found that I was okay at it. I ran the 440, the 880 relay and the 100 yard dash. And then the coach asked me to try the hurdles. Of course I gave it a try. I started with just one hurdle and practiced on just that one. And then I added more until I ran the length of the race while jumping all of the hurdles. I had found the rythym and was running them with ease.

But one day I hit one of the hurdles and I fell. It hurt. I hit the track and my body was sore.

And the next day. I couldn't do it. I could not get over the first hurdle. I would run to it and fear would set in and I would not get high enough to clear the bar. The fear was bigger than the hurdle and I was paralyzed. The fear stopped me from running the race. It stopped me from crossing the finish line.

Have you ever been there? Let fear take over and stop you? Let someone else stand in the way. Allow a bump in the road to hold you back. To let worry keep your mind focused on you and not God.

God reminded me of that because that is what I have been doing...allowing fear to stop me. He reminded me how that felt and how fear stands in the way of moving forward.

Hebrews 12:13 "Mark out a straight path for your feet so that those who are weak and lame will not fall but become strong."

Hurdles get in our way, but when we allow God to make the path straight so that we will walk in His truth and freedom. When all of the hurdles we removed from the track....I ran the 100 yard dash with strength and determination. I had to remove the fear.

Some might think I didn't conquer my fear of the hurdles because I decided not to run them and just run the 100. But I think sometimes we have to walk away from something to allow a better thing to come to us. We have to allow God to remove the hurdles so that we can keep running.

What is your hurdle today? Tell me and I will pray for you.

Blessings,
Teresa