The Race Marked Out for Me

Four years ago, I sat down and started a blog. You can read my first (not-very-interesting) post here. I started this blog as a substitute for journaling. I've never been good at keeping a journal, but felt compelled to find a place to document what God was teaching me, as well as the little (and big) memorable moments of our family's life.

I don't consider myself a gifted writer, and my thoughts are more often than not a stream of consciousness thread of the jumble in my mind. In my entries, I've tried to be real and honest; sometimes this includes writing about the good, the bad, and the ugly. After all, aren't all of our lives shaped by these moments? In writing about the bad and the ugly, I try to be as loyal as possible to those around me. After all...this is my story, not theirs. And occasionally I fail and cause unintentional hurt as I process through my own "stuff."

Many of you who read my blog come in for the occasional peek. Some only read the entries I post on Facebook. Some are regular subscribers who, for whatever reason, feel I might have something interesting to say. And many of you know me personally and intimately beyond the snapshots that show up in my blog. You are the ones who know that I'm so much more than what you see on wilson24-15. You are the ones who have invested in me through the good, the bad and the ugly. I want to thank those of you who have come alongside me on my journey as I figure out what exactly God wants me to do on this big blue ball.

So as I think about my journey, I am reminded of the verse we studied in church yesterday:

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2

I need to run the race marked out for ME. Each of our courses are different. Our stories aren't the same. I feel torn in so many directions trying to please so many people. Those who don't understand why I would leave a "good" job for the sake of my family. Those who think I ran away. Those who don't get why we adopt internationally. Those who don't get why we don't text on our cell phones or have cable or ... the list could go on. I've heard many of these messages this year (and probably been a bit presumptive and felt these attitudes when they may or may not have been there.)

And so, I'm going to try in 2013 to fix my eyes on Jesus...the perfecter of my faith (because I'm not there yet). I'm going to try to run the race He has established for me and stop worrying about the courses other people want me to run.

While I've been processing all of this lately and feeling torn about what others desire of me, my heart kept returning to the verse that tells me what the LORD requires of me:


He has showed you, O man, what is good.
    And what does the Lord require of you?
To act justly and to love mercy
    and to walk humbly with your God. Micah 6:8

And so I will try to keep these things in my focus: acting justly, loving mercy and walking humbly. And when I fall...thank you for cheering me on as I pick myself up and keep running.