Thursday, April 19, 2012

Snippets With God

I have been running a lot lately. It seems like whenever I start running a lot I stop blogging a lot. I am not sure why these two things go hand in hand for me, but I remember the last time I was running a lot I didn't blog much then either.

I am training for another half marathon, 13.1 miles. Tomorrow is my longest training run before the race. Anyone want to join me for a really long run that will result in nothing but the satisfaction from achieving a personal goal that I somehow convinced my brain I needed to accomplish? Haha!

Last time I trained I didn't listen to music at all when I ran. It was a tough strange year over all for us during that time when I learned how to run. Maybe I had lots of things to work through on my runs, but I would really look forward to them as a time to think about things. I loved being alone with the silence. And I needed thinking to get me through my runs. I would talk myself through miles, convincing myself that I could keep going because I had endured many more long hours and more pain in bringing children into this world.

This year, however, I started listening to music instead of thinking as a way to get through my runs. Last time I trained the few times I listened to music I tried listening to a list of my favorite songs. It would bore and annoy me. This time I had Steve help me make a really long playlist of all of my favorite worship songs. I tell you what, there are definitely some miles that I would have started walking through if I did not have those songs as motivators.

Because I am listening to my favorite worship songs during my runs I actually spend a lot of time praying or feeling like I am just hanging out with God while I am running. Sometimes when I am getting tired one of the greatest songs will come on and it literally feels like God is there with me. Like if I turned my head to the side really fast I would actually catch a glimpse of him running there beside me. And I would feel like if God is for me and my mind is my biggest adversary, then how could I quit? My runs have been a sweet time for me lately. Lots of time to spend with God.

The best thing is that since I am listening to these songs for several hours each week these are the songs getting stuck in my head. All throughout the day I am hearing lines running through my head that say things like,"Come to Me, I'm all you need..." or "My God is mighty to save..." or "...lead me to the cross, where Your love poured out. Bring me to my knees, Lord I lay me down. Rid me of myself, I belong to you..." it's like having snippets with God all day long.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Wow, that is awesome!!!

Sara said...

Yep. Sure love that. :-)

Anonymous said...

I'm learning more and more worship music is one of the main ways God connects with me. Love it!! Question, what time of day do you run?

Unknown said...

I run whenever it works for our schedule! I prefer to go in the morning, but will also go just before lunch or just before dinner - occasionally after dinner if that's all that will work.