It's summer in Florida. It's hot. It's humid. It's miserable. Especially while running (no matter what time of day). So, sometimes I need a little motivation to get out of the house and hit the pavement. That can be an Oreo, a glass of wine, a Taco Bell lunch, or a good running buddy. Anything helps. But, about halfway through the run, every run, I start to think very negatively and tell myself I am 100% for sure dying of heat exhaustion or a heart attack. My 2000s hip hop Pandora station can sometimes help me out if it plays a good song, but there are times my favorite song will come on and I think, "Well, enjoy it now, because you're dying so it may be the last time you hear it." I know, I'm not dramatic at all! (aylen faces me in the stroller while I run, and I can't help but wonder if he is concerned his mother looks the way she looks while running.
But...TODAY! As I was running past our local elementary school and saw the teachers pulling into the parking lot ready to start another day of prep work for the upcoming school year, I couldn't help but start praying. "Lord, please protect these teachers. Thank you for these teachers, administrators, cafeteria workers, paraprofessionals, front office staff, and the SRO. Thank you for their courage to face such uncertain times. Thank you for their kind hearts and their ability to show up for these students, no matter what. Continue to build them up, give them glimmers of hope, surround the school with your protection. Calm the fears of the students as they also enter such uncharted territory. And Lord, give those mommas and daddies a sense of peace that they made the right decision, no matter what option they chose."
Do you know, that for those 30 seconds to a minute of running I didn't once think about how horribly hot it was or how horrible I felt?! It was awesome. So then, I just picked a different person or place to pray for. I prayed for a friend as we passed her street. I prayed for a running momma in our church who is going to start virtual learning with her two boys (I also prayed she doesn't also die of heat exhaustion as she runs). I saw the garbage cans out by the curb and started to pray for the garbage men. The list went on. And before I knew it, I was home. Alive. Very sweaty. But my heart was full.
So I've made a deal with myself that from here on out, before I leave the house I will have a couple of people in mind that I will intentionally pray for. Times are hard right now. There are SO many changes going on in our world, country, state, county, and city. We HAVE to cry out to God in prayer. He is the ultimate healer, the one who provides hope, the one who can turn a mess into a miracle. He is the great I Am. And we have to remember that. We cannot do this life alone. We have to have our prayer warriors with us.
Who knows, with enough prayer requests I might be running for days. And I'd be okay with that. God is good. He will get us through these tough times of uncertainty. If you and your family could use some extra prayer, let me know! I would love to add you to my "Prayer Run" list! Help me help you! Help me take my mind off my run, and focus on talking to God and asking him to make big moves! My running buddy would love to pray for you too!