Humbled

Hello everyone. So first off, I am sorry that I have not written in the past two days. Things did not go well this weekend on an individual level at the competition. I am not broken, but am severely humbled. I understand that I had a terrible race. It happens. If anything, I have learned, throughout the past few weeks, that I cannot dwell on things that I can not change. Also, I want you all to understand my reasoning behind my next statement. I don't think that I will be writing my blog for a week or so. I need to get things straight in my life. I write with passion, things that I want to live by. Things that I want to achieve. Things that will draw me closer to God. But all of these "things" mean nothing unless acted upon. I still make a lot of mistakes when it comes to living the life that God wants for me to live. I am a victim of the flesh. I still judge, contradict, control, etc. I knew that devoting my life to live like Jesus would indeed be hard, but it should not be as hard as I am making it. The problem is, I am trying too hard. Trying so hard to make things right in my life. But isn't that against what I have been saying? I need to stop trying so hard to make a relationship with God. Truth is, it is already made. The problem isn't with the blueprint...its with the actual act of building. I hope you all take my leave of absence from writing for a few days, not as me giving up, but as me working on myself. I need to translate all of those words that I have written into devoted actions to God. God is working through me, I know He is. This is all still a part of His plan. I do, indeed, keep falling...but everytime, God pulls me back up. This time will be no different. I humbly ask for all of your prayers as well. I have come to find that nothing that comes out of the flesh is more powerful than prayer. I will, of course, be praying for all of you as well.

As for yesterday, today, tomorrow, and forever....head up, eyes forward, breathe...Pray.

Time to Fly

I know that the past couple of blog posts have been short, but I don't have WIFI in my room and am working around a schedule put in front of me. Today we went to to the track to run, test spikes, and watch fellow teammate Whitney compete in the pentathlon. The smell of competition and the adrenaline rush of  exciting racing to come flooded my body. I cannot wait to show people what God and I can do together. I have prepared so much for tomorrow, and I know that God is going to have me succeed. Thank you for all of those who have been praying for me. I hope that you continue prayer for my competition tomorrow. You all don't understand how much it helps :). To know that others are putting their faith in God to shower onto me. I will always return the favor. As I pray for all of you readers. They will all pool onto my shoulders tomorrow as I toe the line. Eyes forward, head up, breathe. Time to fly.

Boston

After a long bus ride, short flight, run at the track, dinner, and a meeting...I am finally able to get to my computer to write a blog. Too bad there is no wifi in my room, and curfew is in 10 minutes...oops. Feeling ready. Feeling fresh. Feeling happy. Feeling Blessed. Please pray for my team and I as we embark on this journey to a third ACC title :) God is good.

About That Time

The day has finally come. Tomorrow I will get on a plane with fellow teammates and head to Boston, Massachusetts for the ACC Indoor Track and Field Championships. God has prepared me for this. He has placed obstacles before me, and helped me over them. He has blessed me with good runs and workouts, running stride for stride beside me. He has placed faith and confidence in my heart, as well as, a burning desire and determination in my eyes. My coach told me today that he has faith in me. But the only way to fully accomplish my goals for the upcoming race is to have 5 times that faith in myself and in God. Those words immediately housed themselves in my head, and show no sign of leaving my mind this week. For this I am glad. My prayers go out to all of those competing this week. May God be with you every step of the way. But most importantly, may you let Him match you stride for stride.

God Is Good

Just got an email confirming that I will be competing in the ACC indoor meet in the 5k. After restless days of awaiting my fate, today, a sigh of relief and an exciting fire consumed my heart. Thank you for giving me this chance to run for your glory and to represent the Clemson Tigers.

CAPTIVATING

Ladies. Do me a favor? Go purchase or check out the book "Captivating" by John and Stasi Eldredge. 

Absolutely Fantastic. I have never embraced being a woman as much as I have turning through the pages of this book. For a brief idea of the power that these pages hold....the beginning of the book talks about God creating the world. How He created light, water, land, animals, and lastly Adam. Only He realized that man shant be alone...therefore God's great crescendo of life on earth...EVE! A woman. A woman was God's final piece of the puzzle. The one thing that made it all fit? Wow. I would go on, but I don't want to rob anyone of the words that each page of this book possesses. The book made me realize something today though. That God wants so badly to show me how much I matter in this life. How much of a difference my gender makes. How much of an impact I have on Him. I am still in total shock and awe about the chapters that I read today. Rereading the words of Genesis that I have heard over and over and over again with a totally new understanding of God and creation. So do yourself a favor and go read this book. And guys, no worries, there is a boy version called "Wild At Heart." 

Training

A lot of my life can be characterized with the word training involved. In school, I am training my mind to think in the terms of a physical therapist. Training it to absorb information about the muscles and nerves of the human body so that I will, one day, be able to aid them. In running, I am training my body to undergo all types of physical and emotional pain so that I will be fearless and in great shape at the starting line of every race.  Training it through means of muscle memory and endurance building to make sure that I am ready for the next day of practice. Training, Training, Training. But there is a much greater training happening in my life right now. God is training me. Training me to depend on Him alone. This training involves a series of tests and obstacles. It thrives on humility and diligence. It requires faith, trust, and love. It is not for the strong...it is for the weak. Threw you a bit on the last one huh? But you see, that is what sets it aside from the rest of the training that we partake in throughout our lives. For it doesn't require us to run numerous track repeats, do multiple pull ups, have legs built up with burning lactic acid, read 17 chapters of anatomy, or take a midterm. Sure it has its obstacles. Sure we are presented with tests. But only this time, there is only one answer to it all. One simple answer...GOD. Pick up your training plan and start now, (if you haven't already). Allow yourself to be weak. Allow God to pick you up. Allow Him to take the reins.

Peace

Today God made me feel peace. I prayed for peace for all of you who read this. That is why I didn't write all day...it was a day for peace.

:)

Light

I know its pretty early, but this particular subject has been on my mind all night long, so I decided to write it while still fresh as could be. Last night, our athlete FCA was led by a new face, the face of the football FCA huddle here at Clemson. Due to their hectic practice schedule, the football team, rarely gets to engage in our FCA on wednesday nights, therefore, they do theirs on Mondays. This new leader, branded words directly into both my heart and mind last night about the light of Christ. The message was about never straying away and stepping out of the light. What is this light He was talking about? The light of Christ. When asked to define light, we came up with; "something to help you see, bright, and casts a shadow." Doesn't that sound a lot like God? 1. Something that helps you to see: God gave us a life with many talents, as well as, adversities. He visibly presents them to you and helps you down the correct path. 2. Something Bright: Acts 26:13 says, "About noon, O King, as I was on the road, I saw a light from heaven, BRIGHTER than the sun, blazing around me and my companions." 3. Something that casts a shadow: God creates a shadow behind Him so that others will be guided to follow. So after all of those powerful words, we were asked this question: Why do you stray away from the light? Think about it. When you pray to God, or when you go to church, or when you sit alone reading your Bible, I am sure that you think you are a definite Christian. What about the other times? What about when you are out drinking with your friends at a party or when you are cursing at an opponent during a competition or game? Are you acting like a Christian then? Our leader told us something about this that will stick with me forever...he said, "A Perfect Christian is one who says he/she is a Christian so that they can be perceived as one." All actions aside, if they say they are followers of Christ then they are. period. Only thats not what being a Christian is. Being a Christian is not about just talking the talk. It is about walking the walk. Walking in the light of Christ. When we walk out of the light to take part in drinking, parties, and misguided behavior, then what is that saying to God? Aren't you basically telling Him that you only choose to follow Him in certain aspects? What is it saying to those that you have told you are a Christian? Are you telling them that being a Christian is just a normal life with the word tattooed on your forehead? Once you say the word, you are exempt of all judgement and rules? I know it's a lot a questions to ask, but they are all focused on the same idea: That to be a Christian, you must walk in the light of Christ. Yeah, we all mess up.  We all stray away from the light at times due to our flesh. But, God is always forgiving and welcomes you back into the light with open arms. But this doesn't mean that you can stray away whenever you feel like it because God will just take you back anyways...in that case, you aren't really much of a true Christian at all. God is the light that guides us through life and into His Kingdom of Heaven. Step into it.

Strength

6 am. That's what time my alarm went off for a workout this morning. Workout= 3k hard in spikes, 400 jog, 800 hard in spikes, 400 jog, 400 hard in spikes, 200 jog, 200 hard in spikes. Ouch. Today God put some strength in me for sure. He helped me make it through my workout with fast times and a motivated heart. Eyes forward, head up, breathe. That mantra has been burned into my brain the past few weeks. I hear it like God is talking to me. And it helps wonders. God has helped me today by providing me with focus and passion. He is helping me to holster all of that strength that I have been praying so hard for. He is listening. I pray that God is doing the same for you. I hope that He is answering your prayers and acting  in your life. I hope that you all are praying without doubt, just as I have started doing. God IS there. I promise you He is. He is taking hold of both my hands. He is helping me to live. He is my strength. Are you letting Him be yours?

Move On.

Lately, I have become very aware of the tendency of others (and myself) of letting a single event dictate the mood for the day. Whether it is getting a bad grade on a test, or realizing that you are single on Valentines day, when someone doesn't go our way, we tend to wear that feeling of discontentment on our sleeves for all to see. What does that solve though? It doesn't make anything better. It doesn't make your problem any less real. Instead, the dwelling makes you bitter, uninviting, and miserable for the rest of the day. Want a simple solution? MOVE PAST IT. Accept the fact that it happened and move on. I have issues with this sometimes, especially in running. Bad races, bad workouts, sore legs all have had their share in ruining my day. But those things aren't what ruin my day..I do that one myself. Because I dwell on them and don't let myself move past them. This is a very important message that God has been teaching me lately. That life has its downs. It has its struggles. It has its obstacles. What is important is how you deal with them. When we let these struggles bring us down, then the Devil smiles. He thrives off our our sorrows and pain. On the other hand, God is that hand extended out to pull you back to your feet. That hand that helps us to move on. I wrote on this topic today, in part, to address all of those who walk around sulking today for their lack of a "valentine." Why let that ruin your day? You already have someone who loves you unconditionally. Just because He isn't here on earth doesn't mean He isn't with you all day today. You still have a valentine. So don't worry, move on, and smile a little....today comes with chocolate :) <3

L.O.V.E

LOVE. A four letter word meaning anything from complicated to unfailing. Our society has wrapped our lives around tomorrow, February 14th, as the day that we show our love for one another. Well, I'm not trying to take away from the holiday that so many people enjoy, but what is Valentines Day really, other than a way to make up for not showing love or an excuse to eat your weight in chocolate truffles? The truth is, we shouldn't rely on this one day every year to show people how much we love them. God doesn't do that. He shows us everyday. Love can not be bought from a flower shop, Hallmark, or even a fancy restaurant. Why? Because love is not a physical object. Love is felt. I would try to describe it, but it would only be my interpretation of it. And I am sure of the fact that every single person on the face of the earth feels it in their own way. Let me tell you something a little bit amazing about love...So, personally, I love my family, friends, running, coffee, ice cream, etc. Some of you reading this may not love some of those things. You might love baseball instead of running, popcorn instead of ice cream, or tea instead of coffee. Some things in our lives may indeed be different, we don't have to love all things the same. Even though we don't have to love all things the same, there is one man who has the type of unconditional love that is the same for every man and woman...that man is God. Isn't that amazing. His love spreads evenly over every single one of us. The same. And the best part? He doesn't need some specified day to show it. He doesn't have to bring a box of chocolates to our doorstep, or buy us a dozen red roses to say I love you. He saves us instead. Saves us from being drowned. Saves us from losing sight of life. I'd call that love...wouldn't you?

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."

I mean, come on...that, my friends, is better than any box of chocolates. And if you know me and my overpowering sweet tooth...that is saying a heck of a whole lot.
.

Raindrops

Never underestimate the power of song. Today I had the pleasure of driving my sister back to school in Columbia. I didn't mind the task, party because I was excited about the trip home. Because...today was one of those perfect blue sky, sunshiny days to blast the music and sing all out of tune. I woke up so happy today. With no regrets of yesterday and no fears of today. And all day, I became so aware of music. I heard it the moment I woke up from my alarm clock and have listened to it all day. I bet a lot of you can agree that music soothes the soul. It can conform to any mood that you are in that day and can always, in some way shape or form, relate to what's going on in your life. Well, today, that song came to me on my trip home. I was thinking to myself how much God has done for me in the past few weeks. About how all of the "dirt" that I crawled through from the day that I fell had given rise to so much bliss and faithfulness. That exact moment was when "Blessings" by Laura Story flooded the inside of my car. God put that song on for me, I know He did. The line in that song that made me sure of it was, "What if Your blessings come through raindrops, what if Your healing comes through tears." Wow. Spot on. Perfect. It's the truth though. What if in order to become closer to God and live with Him, we have to go through pain, suffering, and fearful situations? Would you still draw closer to Him, or would you turn away? I decided to draw in, accept defeat, and ask for help. Best decision I have ever made. Honest. I encourage all of you to take that leap of faith too. Accept the tears. Embrace the rain. Because God is shining on the other end.

Fire In My Eyes

Today God helped me get my confidence back. At the start of my race, I felt His hands on my shoulders and knew that He would be with me. I kept my eyes forward and my heart on fire. I ran a personal best time. I still have a long way to go to get my fitness level back up, but it was such a great start. I am thanking God today, not necessarily for the PR, but for the will the fight again. I hope today, you did that somehow too. I hope that everyone out there did something today to move a step closer to sanctification. I hope that all of you reading this tonight, has fire in their eyes..whether its to run faster, work harder, pray deeper, or love stronger.

Race Day

Once again today is Race Day. I woke up feeling fresh and confident today. I know that God is going to use me today to glorify Him and is going to be with me every step of the day. I know this because I prayed without doubt. Last week before my race, I prayed to God about the same things, but in the back of my mind, I housed some doubt. What if I still have a bad race? What if I disappoint everyone? What if God doesn't want me to run anymore? These are the things that make all of my words to you guys null and void. When I pray to God with doubt and don't trust in Him with everything I have, that is just like me going behind all of your backs too and being a hypocrite. Well, thats not going to happen today. Today I will toe the line, eyes forward..head up...hand in hand with God. Below is one of my favorite videos for motivation as well as one of my favorite race-day quotes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7A_QUlMbvY : Distance Running Compilation

"The true purpose of running isn't to win a race, it's to test the limits of the human heart." - Bill Bowerman

Paving the Way

So yesterday, I wrote about how we need to be more responsible with pursuing our "perfect" selves and how we need to let God work in our transformations. Well, yesterday God and I did just that. I was asked to relieve a team mate from the responsibility of being a guest speaker at an elementary school for she had prior commitments. I wasn't really sure what the task entailed, all I knew is that my schedule was wide open. Turns out, I was going to be speaking to an all girls running club! This group of girls meets three times a week after school and runs a little more each time in order to prepare for their first ever 5k. When I arrived at the school, the girls were all seated in the library awaiting my arrival. I was asked to tell my story of running and how I dedicate myself to it everyday, how I practice self control, and how it is honorable. (Self Control and Honor were their words of the month) I can honestly say that I was not expecting a whole lot of feedback from a bunch of elementary school kids about running, for as far as they are concerned, its not very fun. Boy was I wrong. When I was finished, hands shot up all around! Questions about why I started running, what my favorite things to eat before running were, and all other various exercise questions flooded the library. I was amazed. These girls had such energetic hearts and open minds to running. The whole time all I could think was...this is one of the reasons God created me to be a runner. He wants me to use running as a method of communication for encouragement and inspiration for others. I could feel Him in the room. I could see Him in every googly eyed face staring back at me. I could sense His warm hand in mine and could picture Him saying,  "see Kate, look what You and I can do together." I think it goes without saying, but I had a smile on my face and in my heart the whole rest of the day. So take a step in fulfilling your purpose today, and remember what I said yesterday...take hold of God's hand and don't let go.

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. John 15:4-5

Grab On

I loved my Joni and Friends Devotional today. She managed to mold two things that I have been thinking and writing about recently into one beautiful message. The message being, that God wants us to pursue the person that He intended us to be and wants us to allow Him to take care of the transformation. This message perfectly captivates the two problems that I have struggled with of: 1. not knowing how God wants me to live my life and 2. being resistant to giving God total control. God has shown me very clearly how He wants me to pursue my career in running with a full dose of Him. He wants me to use running to display His mercifulness. When I choose to slack off in my talents, or disregard prayer before a race, or selfishly accept all honor from success, I send God the message that His son's blood wasn't really all that special for me. Because I can take care of my self. Well, boy am I sorry for that one God. If I were to sacrifice my only Son for the good of all man kind, I don't think that I would appreciate the cold shoulder either. So today I want to fully exemplify God in my pursuit of the woman He created me to be. But not just today...Everyday. The person that God made you to be is the one that will walk through those golden gates of Heaven. When you reach the bottom of those steps, you should be the perfect you by God's design. As far as giving God control, when you decide to finally be engaged in your own sanctification (in words of Joni), the actions that you perform in getting there will all be done hand in hand with God. So grab on to God's hand today. Walk with Him in pursuing your "perfect" you. He has the blueprint, and you have the goods. Build yourself to be the person He created you to be. Again, take hold of God's hand...and DON'T let go.

The Power of Friendship

Sometimes, all it takes to have a good day is a great friend. From Anna, who got up at the crack of dawn to run three miles with me in the freezing cold, to Cara who kept my head up after a tough, leg burning workout at the track, to Shelby who indulged in frozen yogurt with me just to talk about life, to Sarah who took a break from schoolwork just to chat with me and fiddle around on Pinterest for a while...my friends gave me a permanent smile today. God puts people like this in our lives to make us better people. He gives us friends as blessings in human form. I thank God today for all of these blessings He has given me. He uses them to show us the power of human care, affection, and love. He uses them to show us that we can put our faith and trust in others just as we can in Him. I'm so sorry that this post is so short, but it is exactly to the point that I wanted to get across to God. I want Him to know how much my friends mean to me. I want Him to know that I cherish the relationships with those people for I know that they are a result of God's love for me. Thank God for your friends. Cherish those relationships, for each friend was especially picked for you by Him.

Runner By Design

If you were holding your car keys in your hand, you wouldn't go around frantically looking for them... right? If your phone was sitting on the table in front of you, you wouldn't be pestering others to call it so that you could find it...right? Right. Because it is silly to look for something that isn't lost. For the past week, I have been frantically trying to regain my confidence back in running. I act as though I am starting from scratch, as though I am just now learning to race. I keep asking God to help me regain my confidence and beliefs in myself and have been left puzzled on why I still feel so lost. That was before today. Today when I woke up, my mom and I started talking about my walk with God. She showed me a devotional about the person God molds us to be in life. It talked about how God gives us special talents and gifts so that we can glorify Him. He doesn't just give us a talent to display on our own...He gives us talents so that when we display them to the world, He can be there too. That's what I have been missing. For the past few weeks, I have questioned my future as a runner. Is this really what God planned for me? Do I really belong out on the track with these girls? Does God want me to stop running and do something else? No, He doesn't want me to stop. God blessed me with a gift of running so that I could use it to glorify Him. But instead I do it in a selfish manner. I continually forget to send Him an invitation to my races. I continually use my talents for my own selfish pleasures and gain. Just because I fell, had a bad race, and got a little behind in training doesn't mean that God took away my talent. He is just showing me that I need to let Him be a part of it with me. So during all this time of looking desperately for my confidence, it really never left. I just lost sight of why God made me a runner. I was trying to rely on myself and myself alone to produce success. Truth is, that is not what produces success. Success happens through God, and without Him, it's like trudging through mud. Sure you can move forward, but it takes you five times the time and five times the effort. God wants to pull you, wants to push you, wants to walk alongside you. This is what my mom helped me to realize today. She helped me to see that I have been searching for something that never left me. She helped me to see that God just wants to be present in my running. She helped me to realize that God made me to be a runner.

I am a runner by design, and will from here on out run to glorify God alone. Thats a promise. 

Who were you designed to be? Whatever it is, do it with a full dose of God.

The Heart of A Women

Then the time came, when the risk it took to remain tight in a bud was more painful that the risk it took to blossom. - Anias Nin


I recently came across this quote in my February book, "Captivating," by John and Stasi Eldredge. (What I mean by February book-->my new years resolution is to read a book a month for a year :) ) The book is about diving into the soul of a woman and "rescuing the heart and releasing you to live as fully alive and feminine as possible" (in the beautiful words of the author herself). The quote grabbed my attention immediately when I read it. Why? Because it is the way that I have been feeling about myself, my heart, and my relationship with God. Sorry for you boys, but this one is for the ladies...Our whole lives, we are taught that we are at one end of the spectrum. That is...either not good enough or too much to handle. If we dressed better, weighed less, tried harder, ran faster, studied longer...we could be the greatest. But then on the other end, people would love us if we weren't so uptight, weren't so emotional, or weren't so involved. We are stuck staying tight in our buds because we are so afraid to follow our hearts, instead we conform to the world around us. Our hearts are our most important piece of our bodies. They are our very core of love, life, and happiness. God made women's hearts to be full of life and adventure. And instead of bleeding every ounce of God's grace from our hearts, we limit them to a standard. Well, God is pulling me from this dreaded spectrum. He is pulling me closer to Him. He is unlocking chains, busting walls, and tearing through curtains of doubt and fear that surround my heart in the desperate hope to help me bloom. He wants us to unleash our dreams into the world and live them. He wants us to love harder, breath deeper, and embrace the gift of being a woman. Today, I pray that God takes hold of your chains, and tears them away from the cage around your heart. I pray that He puts your dreams, desires, and loves back into you eyes and helps you to live for them. I pray today, that God helps you to blossom.

No Place Like Home

This weekend, I decided to come down to Columbia to visit my sister. I knew that it would be a little difficult to be in Clemson all weekend with my team being in NYC, plus I miss my twin. When I got down here, we decided to go and walk through our old neighborhood that we grew up in. I haven't been back to my old street in almost 8 years. We drove to our old neighborhood swimming pool, parked, and started on the half mile walk to our old house. I have to admit, I was nervous. Nervous to see how time had changed my past. The street looked smaller somehow. I guess being a few years older and a few inches taller made the world look like it shrunk. When we approached it, my heart sunk. The oak tree that I had counted behind for hide and seek countless times had been chopped down. My playhouse where I pretended to make the worlds best chocolate chip cookies out of plastic kitchen ware was nowhere to be found. But worst of all, the piece of the driveway that housed mine and my siblings handprints was torn up and cast away. The house sat at the same address, on the same corner, in the same neighborhood, but it wasn't my house. It was theirs, whoever they may be. It helped me to realize something about my walk with God though. That even though I have been weathered by change, pulled at times by the devil, and torn up a few times, I am still the same girl God has loved throughout. When I saw my old house today, I still referred to it as my house. Thats what God does. Even when we lose our way sometimes, He still says, "that's my child." He knew and knows that sin will come up in our lives. He knows that we will change. He knows that we may appear different on the outside after time goes by. But with all of that, He still only looks to the inside. God loves our souls. Just as I love my old home. Through all of this thought, today God gave me confidence. He made me understand that just because I am a little behind in training, just because I struggle to give up control, just because I lost the light for a while...I am still His and His alone. For this I am baffled, but in a greater sense humbled. God took my breath away today. And all it took was to take me back home.

May The Tigers Roar

If you guys don't mind, I would like to take today to pray for my team. Today is their first day of competition up at the Armory in New York City for the New Balance Indoor Games. I have watched, witnessed, and participated in the brutal training regime that the team has undergone over the past few weeks, and I know that they are ready. I pray that God will give them to strength to perform to the best of their abilities this weekend. I pray that He will give them the confidence and will power they need to face every competitor on their side with an edge of glory. I pray that He will lift them up on wings like eagles and help them to fly. Win or lose, I pray that they will praise Him and give Him the honor and glory for it all. Below is my favorite verse of all time to read before any competition:

1 Corinthians 9:24-27
"Do you not know that runners in the stadium all run in the race, but only one wins the prize? Run so as to win. Every athlete exercises discipline in every way. They do it to win a perishable crown, but we an imperishable one. Thus I do not run aimlessly; I do not fight as if I were shadowboxing. No I drive my body and train it, for fear that, after having preached to others, I myself should be disqualified."


God Bless The Tigers :)

Simple Beauty

Today, I want to think God for the little things. For a good cup of coffee. For a close parking spot. For the smile of a passing peer. For a trail run with a great friend. For the warmth of a 73 degree today. In all the hustle and bustle of tests, homework, running, etc, sometimes I forget about the small things that make life happy. God made today exquisite in Clemson, South Carolina. The sky is strikingly blue. The sun is oozing warmth. The people are pleasantly smiling. Today, I will put all worries, anxieties, and discouragements aside, and I will delicately examine all of the little things that make today wonderful. I pray that all of you will do the same. Even if you aren't in Clemson, or even if it's not a beautiful day outside, I pray that you will thank God for the simple things. If you are at a loss for words, please join me in my prayer:

Heavenly Father. Thank you for this glorious day. I pray that you will help me to soak up every ounce of simple beauty that you have blessed me with today. I pray for the time to take a step back from this rushed world, simply to awe at all that you have created with Your hands. I thank You for reminding me of how powerful and majestic You are. In Your holy name I pray. Amen.

Now, get off your computers and go enjoy the world today. Breathe in the day :)

Who Is Life Really Unfair For?

We all have done it. We all do it. We all will continue to do it. That is, believe that life is unfair. When things don't go how we want them too, whether voiced loudly, muttered softly, or thought to oneself, the words "this is so unfair" flood the body. All week I have been struggling with this. As teammates giddily talk about the upcoming weekend races in New York City, I, for one, am forever destined to be sidelined from all of the festivities. But, it's not because the fall happened, or the failure to input an entry time happened, or that God just thought that I didn't deserve it...it's because life happened. Well, if you haven't already come to realize it, let me be one to say it, life was not designed to be fair for us. If everything worked out for every single one of us all of the time, then what need would we have for God? And, like I have said a million times before today, God wants us to need Him. With that being said, why should He create a world of total and complete fairness? The funniest part about this whole thing though, is that we actually act like we deserve to have this ideal life of fairness. God offered His son as a sacrifice for ALL of OUR sins, watched as they drove nails into his palms and feet, let Him DIE for OUR sake. You wanna talk fair? If life was fair, we would all be on the express way to Hell, before we even knew we had boarded the train. Now let me ask you (and myself), do you still wish for that fair life? I am going to assume that most of you said No, as did I. We shouldn't be jealous of who has better hair, who has more money, who gets to go to the big races, or who has the hottest boyfriend, because God doesn't take that into account in the end. He loves us all the same and will fulfill all of our desires once we reach His Kingdom of Heaven.  So today I am going to pray to God about fairness. Below, I have written a prayer that I hope all of you will pray to Him as well:

Heavenly Father. Today I pray to you about fairness. I pray that you will rid my life of jealousy and the upsetting feelings of life being unfair for ME. For in all truthfulness, if like were fair, I should not be allowed the opportunity to enter into your Kingdom. I pray that you will give me the strength to overcome all of the obstacles, hand in hand with you, in the future that may lead me back to my selfish feelings of unfairness. I also want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to live a life full of blessings, and pray that I will continue to live my life in humility and servitude to You. All this I ask in your name. Amen

So next time you think about life being unfair for you, think about this...God could have let us ride the express train straight to hell with no chance of getting off, but instead He pulled the brakes, and came to a halt at Station 1: Life.