Angel Files

My name is Ambitious Angel and this was my first year with KRC. Like you are doing right now, I remember sitting in the crowd watching the runners ascend upon the stage thinking, wow, that’s good for them. As I contemplated how I could get connected at Living Word, I thought well that’s group I won’t be a part of!
 
I’m still in awe as to how I signed up for this club in the first place and completed all these races. The night before KRC kicked off, after the faith refreshers, a sister stated I should join the club. I emphatically said that I don’t see the need to run more than 100M. I mean after that one should grab a pair of rollerblades, a skateboard, a bike, even your car keys. Her reply was that I should go anyway and support Karen.  Honestly inside I had no desire to even do that but for someone reason I got in the car and texted Karen asking about the time and location of the class. Then for some reason I went home and researched KRC. For some reason I set my alarm clock and arose the next morning, got dresses and went to class. I felt like I was not making these decisions myself. Karen sked what I was doing there and I said, I do not know.
 
As I sat there and listened to the testimonies, saw the setup of the club, and how God was the primary focus, I was moved. We read the purpose, 1 Cor 9:24-27 and the confession. Vs 26-27 brought tears to my eyes. I then wrote in my notebook, ‘Lord, what am I doing here? Why am I sitting here listening to this, What is my why? What are you trying to pull out of me” I then wrote Lord, I don’t like pain and draining myself…I think about when I used to just stop because I didn’t want to push through. Is it laziness or fear? Then we began to sing Break Every Chain and Fearless and I began crying. I’ve never cried in those songs. God told me I want you to run a marathon.  I was like I don’t want to. He said I know but the assignment I am calling you to requires a spirit of follow-thru and completion and you don’t truly possess those spirits. I asked if there was another way and he said Yes.  I was like, cool! Let’s do that but He gently said no. Like a little child I tried to go back in forth with him and trying to persuade him out of his request. Even as I filled out the registration paper and handed over my credit card!
 
Every week I got stronger and was in awe of what God was doing with me in and outside of running. A woman who couldn’t run more than 1.5 miles no matter how hard she tried was now learning how to run 26.2. I remember the day that the race came. I didn’t sleep well the night before and I woke up with my body rebelling in sickness. My morning routine was off. Nothing was as it usually was. I was reminded that the enemy will use any tactic to keep you from your blessing or being a blessing to others. Nonetheless I made it to the start line. For those first 10 miles, I was on a high! Encouraging people along the way, enjoying the scenery, the fancy houses, people cheering along the path. Then I made a critical error. I decided to stop running my race but joining someone else along theirs. I hadn’t trained the same way she had and didn’t have the same skills as she had and it cost me dearly. God has equipped us all differently and we can’t look to the right or the left at what everyone is doing. We need to focus on the path the Lord has tokd us to walk in. So, running out of steam, I came to a clearing where my mom and two friends had waited hours to cheer me on. As they disappeared from view, I told God I would need to see them at least one more time for encouragement. Over the next 3 miles, the road became lonely.  The number of runners was sparse and I spent 2 miles completely all alone in the woods just trying to put one foot in front of the other. Here I learned that the path gets lonely, distractions and fears can set in during these times but I had to keep pushing.
 
Near mile 20 I asked God for supernatural strength to finish the last 6.2 miles…something he had done for me many times before. Yet this time he said no I’m doing a new thing.  Jim Cymbala said, “I discovered an astonishing truth: God is attracted to weakness. He can’t resist those who humbly and honestly admit how desperately they need Him”. I couldn’t finish without him. So whatever method he wanted to use, I was willing to accept. Instead of strength he gave me support and three little angels. The first was Richard, who rode up on a bike towards me.  Unsure if he was a mirage. I was like Richard is that you, what are you doing here? He said, I came to get you. He shared a message he heard by Bishop Bismark about what it takes to break the sound barrier. How the plane feels like everything is going to fall apart, instruments are going crazy. He said that my body was doing exactly what it was supposed to be doing because that was the only way to breakthrough. That I was about to do something I had never done. He said even my mind would be playing tricks on me, and I was like how did he know I was hallucinating.  Supernatural breakthough does not come easy that’s why it’s called a Break-Through. It requires force and the scattering or destruction of something.
 
Along the path, my mom popped up three more times.  Each time with a message of encouragement. I’m proud of you, You can do it. We’re praying for you. Her presence and consistency healed our relationship on a whole other level that I don’t think she’ll ever grasp. At mile 23, Richard guided me to Sharon, Rick and Cynthia who gave me fuel, spoke the word over me and rubbed me down with biofreeze. He then said, Sharon is going to run you to the finish. Now the thing is, Sharon had already run more than 16 miles that morning. For most of it she ran with me and the she ran ahead of me constantly looking over her shoulder to make sure I was alright. Her running ahead forced me to chase her pushing myself more and more regardless of the pain and fatigue. When the finish line was insight, Sharon asked, do you see it, it right there, we’re almost done. Let’s go!  When I heard Go, a word God used several times throughout the season, I took off with strength and energy I had no idea was still in my body. In fact, I left both Sharon and my mom who planned to run me to the finish.  Now crossing the finish line wasn’t easy no matter how fast I was traveling.  I had to avoid a truck in the path and a man on a ladder under the finish sign. Crossing the line there was Richard and two of my friends.  I remember weeping in my mother’s arms when it was all over. God said today I show you the community I’ve placed you in, the one you’ve been crying out to me for. Today you will see my love pour through their sacrifice for your sake.
 
You know God taught me a lot through this process, as KRC continually says “It’s not about the marathon, it’s about what God is doing in and though you”. It strengthened and reinforced my character, those spirits of Follow-thru and completion, and my faith. I experienced a lifestyle transformation, my blood pressure dropped to normal healthy ranges, it combatted the effects of the thyroid issues I was experiencing by being intentional about my eating, drinking and sleeping habits. It changed my priorities and even my relationship with God.  I finally removed him from the box I unknowingly had him caged in.
 
The other day I told a friend that God gave us the training to focus on while he worked in the back and foreground. He used me to influence and inspire those around me. He healed many things that lived deep within my heart, he changed several of my relationship dynamics, he showed me how to be the authentic Angel.  I believe that God was and still is taking me to the next level in my faith, trust, and reliance. The dream He has impressed upon me requires me the ability to push through pain, fear, discomfort, and the voices that hold me back. It requires me to remember that I can’t do anything on my own strength.  I have delayed the most important things in my life and avoided that which seemed impossible.  What have you been delaying or avoiding?  With God there are no limits to our potential except what we tell ourselves. God bless you all and to God be the Glory!