Page 18 - Grace150 Devotional

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and
do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9
Annually in Peoria there is a three-mile run called Big Hill Big Chill Fun
Run. It’s a bargain of a race where for 10 dollars finishers get a headband, a bowl
of chili, two drinks, and corn fritters. This run is a challenge because it takes place
in the middle of January, and there is a gargantuan hill at the finish. No matter
the weather, that hill is always a challenge. In the middle of the run, I am always
struck with the assurance and sense of joy knowing that God is with me, and He
is the One who gives me the strength and courage to forge on. Each year I will get
older and run less quickly, but I love knowing that no matter my circumstance,
He is with me.
On April 15, 2013, I ran the race of my lifetime when I ran the Boston Marathon—
and finished before terrorists bombed the race. Whether I am running a marathon
of 26.2 miles, competing in a half Ironman triathlon of 70.3 miles, or running the
Big Hill Big Chill, I feel these events equally give me a reminder that the Lord is
who I lean upon. He is the One who gives me the strength and the courage to
press on.
God, thank You for being there in the thick of things; when we are weak You
are strong, and You sustain us.
– Juliet Lin Wu

DAY 11 grace 150