The Training Run that Became a Discovery Run

“Are you crazy? It’s 95 degrees outside. How can you go running in that heat?”

My husband voiced what my brain screamed.

“I can’t skip my training” I responded. “And I’m so busy today that I can’t do it any other time.”

 Why in the world did I sign up for this half marathon!

I left my house and entered a furnace.

My struggle juggling a water bottle, phone and earphones merely reflected my struggle in juggling life’s “balls” as a mom, wife, business owner and on top of that half marathon runner.

My legs weighed as much as my heart making my pace slower than a walker that passed me effortlessly.

“Hi neighbor!” she said with a big smile. “Isn’t this a beautiful day? I hope you enjoy your run!”

“What’s there to enjoy in this heat?” I responded with a fake smile. “If only we could get a little rain shower to get some relief!”

“Joy has nothing to do with the heat sweetie. You don’t need a rain shower to find it. You just have to look closely, “she replied as she turned a corner.

I looked up for the first time. The sky was clear and blue. I glanced to the sides and admired pristine yards adorned with flowers in myriads of colors, sizes and shapes. I stared straight ahead and discovered trees that could provide shade whenever I need it.

After a couple of miles, I stopped for a water break under a Crepe Myrtle tree. It’s bright pink flowers pointed straight up into the sky.

A Lantana bush peppered with bright yellow flowers hosted white and black butterflies. Cardinals and Bluebirds danced in the sky.

None of them seemed to be bothered by the heat.

Snippets of the Word of God from Matthew 26 echoed in my mind:

²⁶ Look at the birds flying about! They neither plant nor harvest, nor do they gather food into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Aren’t you worth more than they are?

²⁸ Think about the fields of wild irises, and how they grow. They neither work nor spin thread, ²⁹ yet I tell you that not even Salomon in all his glory was clothed as beautifully as one of these.

³⁴ Don’t worry about tomorrow — tomorrow will worry about itself! Today has enough trouble already!

My unknown neighbor’s words served to confirm that somehow, I had lost my joy.

I thought of the disciples. Even though they experienced and watched miracles firsthand, Jesus still had to remind them to trust in Him instead of worrying when they were faced by a powerful storm that threatened to drown them.

 Luke 8:24-25

²⁴ They came to Jesus and woke Him, saying, “Master, Master, we are about to die!” He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging, violent waves, and they ceased, and it became calm [a perfect peacefulness]. 

²⁵ And He said to them, “Where is your faith [your confidence in Me]?”

It’s easy to allow the storms in life to overwhelm us and drown us in fear and anxiety. Sometimes we try to solve our problems and control people and circumstances, but that only causes the storm to beat harder on us. We lose strength, we lose hope, we lose faith, and eventually we lose all joy.

Thankfully the Lord used nature to remind me of that truth that day.

I decided to stop trying to juggle life with my little hands and instead surrender it all to Him. His hands, the ones who created the universe didn’t have juggling anything.

With lighter steps and even lighter heart, I finished my training in time for my next appointment.

An overwhelming peace and joy refreshed my heart in a way that no rain shower ever could. And I have loved running in the summer heat ever since.