This past weeks running confessions~

I am very excited to share with you all that I have accomplished a huge run 14.5 miles. Yes you are reading that right,  FOURTEEN and a HALF miles!!! I finished just under three hours and that included running, walking, bathroom break, etc! I have been concentrated on adding miles and not focusing on time. But with that said again, for someone that isn't a runner, doesn't have typical runner's body, I am seriously proud of myself for accomplishing such a task that seemed impossible when looking at my training schedule! It has only been possible due to prayers and I have depended on God's strength alone! If you would have told me two months ago that I would run 14 1/2 miles and not die trying to do it, I would have laughed hysterically at you. Finishing this long run on Sunday built my confidence up so that I know that I can actually finish this half-marathon on May 6th.
I am finding too that I am actually enjoying my time out running, I enjoy running outside! Wow, didn't think I would EVER say I enjoyed running, and I don't have a temperature! Don't get me wrong, Satan has been working overtime. Sometimes I struggle trying to find time to get in runs d/t schedules, weather, etc. Especially right when I start there are times that I will hear the whispers of inadequacy and feeling pain, but I am determined to NOT turn around and let him win.

Can I share with you something even more excited than the fact that my knees are still intact after running for almost three hours?!!

WE have raised $2,870 for Heartline Ministries. THANK YOU!!!

Now what does that mean? I have mentioned before that Heartline needs $1,000 to ensure a clean and safe c-section birth in Haiti. These women deserve a clean and safe enviornment to have a baby!
There is still time to donate!! You can use the paypal button to the right, or I can give you the address to send a check! Can you imagine, we are almost to 3 safe births!!!!! You can spare $5 and skip your morning coffee!!! And it's tax deductible....thank you to all that have donated and thank you to all of you that are still planning on donating! I along with Heartline are greatful and humbled!!!

BE BLESSED!!!

Menu Planning and Haiti Update!

Huge Update: Praise Jesus, my heart is rejoicing!

To Date Total ($855 + this week $355)= $1210 raised!!!!

Do you know what that means?!

One woman in Haiti IS going to have a clean and safe delivery!!!

Not only that but she will get to learn about the love of Jesus and learn life skills!

This money is going to be put to great use for Heartline Ministries! Please keep donating and support Laura and I in prayer as we run our FIRST half-marathon in honor of HAITI!!!

I feel like this week is slipping through my fingers already, thus I need to make my plans now! I have my running schedule set, now I am getting my cleaning and meal schedule set!

This week and next are going to be some fend for yourself meals....spring break starts this Thursday, and I wasn't able to get a shift covered so the kids are going on vacation with my parents and then Chip and I are working! Yeah, praying for some extra money!!

Here are this weeks meals:

Last night I worked so the kids and Chip had pizza.

Tuesday: Hamburgers and Hot dogs on the grill

Wednesday: Dinner with mom and dad! Applebee's

Thursday: Chicken with veggies

Friday: I work 16 hours- I will have a lasagna dish for Chip to throw in the oven!

Saturday: I work 12 hours- Shredded Chicken in the crock pot for Chicken Tacos

Sunday: Pork steak, green beans, stuffing

Here is my mantra for my ten mile run this week:

Success is a state of mind. If you want success, start thinking of yourself as a success.

Haiti-Support

I just wanted to update you all on how much has been raised for Heartline Ministries!

As of March 13, we have raised $855 for Heartline Ministries. THANK YOU!

Please follow the pay pal link and donate and support our running for Haiti!

Laura and I appreciate each of you that have shown your support!

Keep it up, we still have 43 days to raise support and bless the socks off Hearline Ministries!!!

Donations for Haiti

Okay, so after trying to get a chip-in widgit to work for donations, we now are going to use a PayPal link that will go directly to Heartline. So that being said, it is VERY exciting to begin raising much needed funds for Haiti!! The only downfall is that you won't be able to see our progress. I'll see what I can do about updating how much has been raised etc. Please feel free to use the "Donate" button on the side of my page and tell ALL your friends about it!

Thank you for your support and all your prayers as we run for Haiti!

13 miles this week!

This weeks running schedule has me running a total 13 miles, not all at once mind you but crazy to think that in just 14 weeks I will be running a half marathon for Haiti! I am hoping to have the donations button working on my sidebar this week. I am also hoping that some of you were able to check out some information about Heartline!

This snipit is from Heartline's Blog:

We’ve had a lot of babies born in our program since the start of 2012. Nurse/midwives like Melissa and Sarah, volunteer midwives, and Jen our pediatrician give their abilities and time to be the guardians of safe birth. Why? Why would professionals split their time and energy to spend months at a time here? Because they know it makes a difference. Birth can change everything.

We don’t just birth babies. We birth women. Women who spend over a year in our program and receive the gospel, learn how to exclusively breast feed and keep their babies close, women who learn to child space so they are not giving away babies that they can’t afford. Women who will hopefully have a skill, make money, send their kids to school.

Our maternity program is thug prevention. Agathe, our Haitian co-worker, teaches moms on how to raise their sons! She teaches them how to promote respect for women, respect for others, she teaches them how to model these qualities for their children. She does it by word and example. Always with a baby at her breast Agathe promotes mother/baby bonding and security.

A bonded child who is well loved and knows how to give love back is less likely to shoot others. A child who is not raised in an overcrowded house with not enough to eat is less likely to steal. A child going to school will be doing homework rather than robbery.

That’s why we stay up for a few days at a time helping women through birth. Birth is a tiny fraction of what our program is all about. It’s the prenatal care, the child development classes and the teaching that make the difference. Safe birth is only a day, albeit an important one, in that journey.

We’ve had a lot of boys this month. Boys who have a better chance at being well bonded, secure, well fed, educated and be successful contributors to their country. As I look at Harbor House and see successful teen moms I see that most times providing a map is all a woman needs. She can make the journey, she will take the right routes, all she needed was a guide.

A relationship with Christ, an empowered education on life skills, a chance to make a living can result in a healthy family. We teach women to choose men who will love and stay with their family. They can teach their boys to be those men someday. Save the families, save the country.

Beth McHoul Heartline

(*If you check out their blog you can see a picture of the women with their babies)

(http://johnmchoul.wordpress.com/)

The passion that they have for the women and children of Haiti is driving me to run this marathon! Thank you Lord for transforming me and teaching me to be more like YOU!

As average as I am I am trying to grow and have faith in what I am called to do!

BE BLESSED!!!

New Beginnings and a Half Marathon

I have been working out and trying to get in shape, it is not as easy as some make it look! I am not wanting to get in shape for anyone but myself and then for my family. I want to feel better about myself and I want the message my kids see is me taking care of myself. I am finding it increasingly difficult when I tell people about my plan, I am becoming more self-conscious. So if I confess my plans here I can be transparent and kick these voices I hear from time to time. I have the opportunity to be training for something specific, not just getting fit myself. I being the non-runner I am, have signed up to run a half marathon for Haiti. I have to tell you if you asked me a few months ago if I would be training for a half marathon, the answer would be not right now! Maybe when I am in shape, okay....um guess who just signed up for their first one? Yep that is right, it's me~
I am running for Heartline, they are in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. They provide a safe and clean place for women to come and have their babies naturally and by c-section. It is also a place that the women and children in community can come to that is a safe place to learn about Jesus and to adopt life-skills. Check out their blog! It typically costs $800-$1000 for a safe and clean c-section. I am praying that God will be able to use this run to bless Heartline and their ministry serving the women and children of Haiti!

So I am praying not only that training will go well but that I can kick this negative self-talk and specifically address it. What am I allowing the devil to take control of? Am I afraid of not finishing? Well, yes, but I am putting in miles during the week and following a plan so if I continue to do the distance in training, I should make it all 13.1 miles.

Today, I went to the gym and ran inside for 2.66 miles on the treadmill and then I went outside because it is really nice weather for January, anyway I ran 1 mile in a little over 10 min. and I came home huffing and feeling like I could get sick. I didn't but I am praying I get past this 4 miles feeling stronger and like I can breathe and not vomit at the end of my run! I have 279 more miles to log before the race. The marathon is scheduled for May 6th, pray for me if you have a moment! Thanks so much!

Many of you know after I went to Haiti, my love has grown and I have tried to find ways to get back and ways to impact them, well here is my next venture for Haiti! Please pray about supporting them while supporting me in this run. You can donate directly through Heartline. I will have an application on the side of my blog for donations for Heartline! I'll post when it is up and working! Allison from Heartline is getting it ready for us to use to start raising money!

(*Me feeding one of the babies when I was in Haiti in April)
Here's to getting in shape and saving lives!