Remember me? I blog here about every 7 weeks. I'm breaking the silence to alert you and invite you into a MAJOR event coming in my life. I am running my race ... nay, a half marathon! ... on Sunday, March 9th with Team World Vision. There's a pretty powerful backstory to that last sentence. If you missed it, you've gotta read it (HERE). This is really happening.

My first training run was on October 19th. I ran 3 miles in 45 minutes. Whoa. Since then, I've only run another 26 times but my pace and mileage have grown considerably. I've run alone. I've run with our group from Newsong. I've run in my neighborhood, on my favorite aqueduct path, in the Dominican Republic, and with my 22-year old baby brother. I've run on days when I can't wait for my feet to hit the pavement and on days when I'd rather take a nap. I've run in the rain, in the humidity of the D.R., and in the gorgeous, mild, SoCal winter sun. In all those circumstances, running is changing me.

Of course, I'm fitter, healthier, and stronger than I've ever been as a mom, but my soul is also stronger. I've transformed how I look at food, fitness, and friendships. I've been confronted by my deep desires for comfort and the path of least resistance. I've grown in humility as I take on something I'm not naturally good at and discipline the heck out of myself. I've run mile upon mile while listening to leadership talks and messages from God's Word. I've run while praying for our sponsor kids in Malawi, knowing that my running also deeply affects them. In case you're wondering, their names are Felesina (whom we met 4 years ago in Malawi), Makiyi, and Pitilzani.

This race is about me. This race is about our friends in Malawi. This race is about fighting an injustice that I have clean water and my brothers and sister do not. Yet.

I'm looking for 12 more people to sponsor me $50 each to reach my goal. For every person that gives $50, one of our friends in Malawi will benefit from clean water for life. You can sponsor me HERE. I dare you. Do it. Stretch yourself, as I stretch my running legs and give a little coin. You won't regret it and you probably won't even miss that extra money.

Our church's goal is to raise $50,000! :) Let me take a second to say how proud I am of our church. There are nearly 100 runners from Newsong who are running. Many of our church's pastoral team and leadership are among them. Middle school and high school students winsomely coerced their parents to run with them. A 50-something year old missionary friend of mine is running his first race - the FULL LA marathon. College students are running. This group gathers every Saturday morning at 7:15am to run around the Newport Beach bay. Every day there are Facebook updates, mileage posts, and words of encouragement from fellow teammates. They've been my fuel. Regularly we get updates from our Team World Vision leader, John Huddle, with inspiration and tactical advice from which goo is best (yes, that's a thing), how to get the best shoes, how to avoid an injury, what foods are best before a long run, and more. Weekly I also get emails from our Newsong Team Captains. Sam C, Hanju L, and John K, thank you for giving yourself to this team and these people we run for. Your leadership and passion are carrying me.

Please, join me. It'll remind me that I'm not alone in this quest to see every human being have access to clean water. It'll encourage the heck out of me as I (dauntingly) look at the March 9th race date. And maybe your gift will be a step in a new transformation journey of your own.

Check out this video about how Water is (literally) Life for Malawians.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vy6XkncAr3I