It's Marathon Week

Consider if pure JOY my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, for you know the testing of your faith develops perseverance, and perseverance must complete it’s work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything . . . blessed is the one who perseveres under trial, because he has stood the test and will receive the crown of life. * James 1: 2-4, 12 *

Spring 2013 reminded me that life requires perseverance in the midst of trials. It has brought deep sadness, but in the midst of the pain, there has been Joy. There has been growth. There has been the opportunity to grow through the pain, tears, laughter, and host of other emotions that accompany this crazy blessed life. There has been purpose.

Thirteen weeks ago running a half marathon seemed like a crazy idea that would help us honor Annie Bowe and create a sweet t-shirt. Now, that these weeks have come and gone it’s hard to believe that in less than four days we will run the race set before us; we will finish the Columbus Nationwide Children’s Hospital half marathon. We will run to honor Annie. We will run because we have been blessed with the ability to do great things. We will run to save more lives.

In just under three months, iAMBliss has raised nearly $20,000 and saved at least three families and friends from suffering the loss of a loved one battling an eating disorder - and thanks goes out to many of you. We have saved others from the pain, questions, and trials that come when we lose someone we love. Just this past weekend I got to visit Project Bliss – the benefactor of our fundraising efforts. I got to see the place that Annie loved so much and walk the halls with Chelsea and meet the people who had a dream to change lives and who are doing just that in the Project Bliss House (more to come next week once I get pics edited and organized).

Running this half marathon is not something that was never on my bucket list, but then again, there are always things that happen to us or around us, that cause us to do things we might never have planned. But I have trained these past weeks, I have persevered when I wanted to quit. We have run in the heat, the rain, and early hours of the morning, and I have asked myself “what the heck am I doing?” more times than I can count, but I didn’t quit. None of us quit. Annie would have run for us, so we kept going. She ran her race. So we will run ours. We have made it through the training for one of the “stupidest, yet coolest things” we’ve ever done in our lives. We have not done it alone.

Dreams come in all different forms. This training journey has been a reminder of what is possible when dreams inspire us to live out our purpose. It has reminded me that perseverance will complete it's work, but I must do my part. It has allowed us to be game changers and give hope and support to those who might not have afforded it otherwise.

 Dream it. Do it. Be a gameChanger.