Humbled by His Grace

"You are the light of the world - like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.  No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a blanket.  Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where is gives light to everyone in the house.  In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your Heavenly Father." Matthew 5: 14-16

Today, one of the most remarkable things happened to me; it is much too good to keep to myself.

I work at an Italian Ice shoppe near my home.  Currently, I am the assistant manager, and pull 40 hour weeks on top of 20 credits at the community college - needless to say, customers are greeted by me nearly everyday of the week.  This one gentleman, comes in every single night.  Every evening, we exchange light conversation, talking about how our day was, and what we happened to be reading in our Bible.  

In the short time that I've known him, I have gathered his life story.  He has three kids, is a self-employed auto-mechanic, and LOVES  serving God.  I can count on this gentleman to always bring a new spin to everyday situations.  We are always exchanging stories about ways God is continually blessing us - I shared with him my "Light as A Feather" story and he tells me about day he was saved. Today, instead of telling me about what person he was able to share his testimony with, he shared God's love in a matter of moments with someone completely unexpected...me.

...Rewinding a few months...I have been looking at purchasing a new Bible.  This time, I wanted to do it right though, I wanted a hardback Study Bible.  The particular one that I have been wanting to purchase was outside of my budget - so I was saving for it.  Since late June of this year, I have been putting away a little bit of money every month to eventually hope to purchase this particular Bible.  My reasoning was "Well, I have a perfectly good Bible at home, why in the world do I need to purchase a brand new Bible NOW...my personal one will just have to do..." 

 God had other plans...

Tonight, this particular gentleman, saunters in as he always does, purchases his Italian ice and proceeds to discuss his weekend with me.  After a few minutes he leaves...and comes back 20 minutes later.  In his hand, is a Books-A-Million bag, and inside the bag is the very same Bible I have been saving for.  Not just any Bible, but the hardback one that I have been wanting to buy since late June.  

Today, has been a particularly difficult day.  I had to face some difficult choices that other people have made and impact the work I do.  Today though, God wanted me to know that He hears my prayers, and wants me to serve Him more.  My prayer was that if this Bible was the one God would have for me, that I would have a means in which to purchase it.  Unknown to me, this gentleman, was lead by God to bless me in a way that I cannot even put into words.  

Before leaving, this man says:

"Every single day I come in here, and look forward to hearing about the ways that God is continually blessing you.  I feel as though God is just using you to speak to my heart, to keep His Love alive in my life, to renew my spirit every day.  Jamie, I come in here, because every time I have the opportunity to talk to you, I get a little piece of God."

Though I was humbled by this gentleman's words, I was touched by his actions.  And even more blessed because he had no idea that this was the very same Bible that I have been saving for.

I have typed this in a hurry, as I am so incredibly excited to share with you the humbling experience that God exposed me to today.  Though I have not posted since August, it is my hope to continually share my journey with you as I continue to Chase the Cross.  I intend to continue sharing how God reflects in my life - both on the running trails, and off.  

"Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for.  Keep on seeking, and you will find.  Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds.  And everyone who knocks, the door will be opened." Matthew 7:7-8 

Light as a Feather

" But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." Isaiah 40:31

Late last night, I got off the phone with my mom and sat in my driveway for a number of minutes.  As the crickets chirped and the wind rustled the trees, I became keenly aware of my surroundings.  I sat in a place I have a countless number of times.  My driveway - who knew it would become a place of refuge for me.  In that moment, I was enveloped in God's love.  No music, no talking...complete and udder silence other than those which were part of this earth which God so graciously blessed us with.  I didn't realize it, but it was the conversation with my mom that really sparked my desire to be fulfilled with more of the Greatness of our King.

I live an hour away from my parents.  It becomes less and less often that I can go home because of my work and school schedules.  Over the last two years, we have settled into the habit of talking for five to ten minutes a day.  Every time I speak with them, I cherish the moment, we tend to find ourselves catching up on random nothings, the usual "how was your day," "Love you," and "miss you," a quiet exchange of our daily happenings...  Nothing too terribly tasking to discuss, but yesterday was so drastically different.  Yesterday I shared with my mom a battle that I have been waging with myself over the last few weeks, and how God quietly stepped in to make a BIG difference in just a few short weeks.

Above, you see Isaiah 40:31.  This bible verse will forever be engraved in my memory.  This bible verse is the very reason in which I will always and forever put my trust in the Lord, even when I think the issue is too small.  I, like many college students, have started fretting over the start of the semester.  Every time I start thinking about the start of the semester, I begin stressing over things that are out of my control.  After reading this particular bible verse several weeks ago, I realized that no matter is too big - or small - for God.  If we just place our worries and stresses in God's hands, all of our problems become light as feathers - we will no longer have to worry.

As though giving me a daily reminder, I have managed to encounter at least one feather a day.  This morning in particular, I reverted back to the same college stresses, and perfectly timed as always, God sent me a reminder that if I just place my worries in His hands I have nothing to fear.

Here is the bridge that stopped me in my tracks, the
very same one I pass over on a regular basis.
The creek bed winds just under it.  

I was on the green-way path, a running trail less than 100 yards from my front door.  This morning in particular I choose not to take my iPod with me on a run.  This is a rare occurrence, as I firmly believe that there is a tune for every situation.  Today, I wanted to be completely submerged in the beauty of the landscapes of the path that I run regularly.  What a great decision it was!  Less than a quarter of a mile into my run, I noticed the trickling creek that ran under the bridge; how serene.  Less than half a mile from that, I was away from the main roadways and completely surrounded with nature - from the birds to the bright green of the landscape that I was surrounded with, I noticed so much more that I ever would have, if I had taken my iPod with me.  In those short moments, I didn't have tweets to share, Facebook statuses to update, text messages to reply to, or even phone calls to make.  In that moment I was completely overcome with an opportunity to be truly one with God.  For just a moment, I stopped to take it all in.  In that moment - perfectly timed as always - floats down a very small, white feather.  Need I say more?  Talk about stopping you in your tracks.  Flawless timing, flawless delivery, and absolutely no distractions to keep me from hearing His message loud and clear.

 God is always listening, ever present, and never falters in His delivery.  

Photo Credit: wordpress.com

Who would have imagined that a feather would be the very thing to help me place my struggles into God's hands?  Such a simple reminder that makes such a big difference.

♫There is a peace I have come to know, Though my heart and flesh may fail, there is an anchor for my soul. I can say, "It is well."  ...I will rise on eagles' wings♫

Chris Tomlin "I Will Rise" 

"A Feather a Day, to Keep Your Worries Away" 

Now Is My Time

Some of you may be wondering how I managed to pick a half marathon out of all the things to do to "Chase the Cross" so to speak.  Well...Let's start at the beginning...

I distinctly visualize the bright yellow bike trailer my mom had attached to the back tire of her bike.  On the seat behind her sat my brother strapped into the toddler tag-along seat, as his bright helmet bobbed up and down.  Beside me sits my sister and between us, our ever faithful dog Lucky.  With the weight of us kids, the bike, dog, and trailer, my mom was easily pulling her body weight and then some as though it was nothing...

It was like yesterday, watching my dad run the last quarter mile of the Boston Marathon - a 26.2 mile race.  My job?  Cheer as loud as my voice would allow as dad rounded out just one of many marathons.  As a six year old, any reason to yell REALLY LOUD was reason enough to make the necessary amount of noise to carry him the last few yards of a grueling race...

The sister that sat beside me in that bike trailer has always been the person I looked up to.  As a middle school student, I looked forward to getting to go up to the high school to see my older sister.  Her five foot nothing frame running the 3.1 mile cross country meet.  Steady, constant, and unchanging.  Her facial expression determined, her body in flawless form...there I was, running from checkpoint to checkpoint, encouraging her, and making sure she could hear her little sister supporting her through her entire run...

Looking up to find that same boy that was strapped into mom's toddler bike seat, now towers over me at six feet, four inches...and growing.  He, like the rest of my family, got bit by the running bug.  And there I was, every step of the way, proud to see him charge across the finish line, time and time again.  Yelling just as loud as I did for my dad and sister.

...

You see, running is part of my family.  My mom and dad started it all in high school.  I can look in their yearbook and see pictures of them standing side-by-side after finishing cross country races together.  It's part of my blood.  I proudly embark on this daunting task to "Chase the Cross" not for my family, but WITH my family.

Now it is my turn, they each have passed the torch .... now it's my turn to redirect the race in a

Race For the Risen One.

This...Is How It All Began...

♫You walk beside us, Your Grace defines us, and we belong to You...You make the air worth breathing, You take the old and make it new, It's all because of You...♫

Early this morning, I was well off the beaten path, matching the beat of Abandon's "All Because of You" with my stride, and I was caught off guard by the very thing I have been praying about for weeks.  It is strange, what God leads us to do when we pray for Him to use US for HIS Glorification.  I've been praying that God lead me to a new challenge - of which I  could later build a testimony on.

...

and that is when I challenged myself to a grueling 13.1 mile run (aka: a half marathon)

...

At the time, it was more of a bucket list kind of challenge.  Now...it is the very basis of what is quickly becoming one of the greatest spiritual journeys I have ever embarked on.  

What started as mere thought has rapidly become reality - when it is for God and for the right reasons, you just know.  After some soul searching, prayer, and referencing to biblical passages, I have decided to invite you on a journey with me....Celebrate with me the little victories.  Join me in this new journey.  Just as running challenges our bodies - the hills we climb, the victories we have, the infamous post-race "runner's high", and ever dreaded runner's block...we face these same challenges in our spiritual lives, we get in slumps, get a case of the blues, or sometimes just lose sight of what really matters - God and  His Kingdom

I welcome your encouragement, personal findings, and even your God Driven thoughts as you travel with me on this new adventure.  We may be on different paths striving for a different product, but one thing cannot be denied, we are striving to sing a new song for our Great God.

"Let us run with endurance the race God has set before us."

 Hebrews 12:1