Saturday was the perfect combination, I had no where I needed to be and the weather was great. I went to the river to walk and got 21 miles in! Woo hoo. I had my IPOD so I was able to listen to some great music the whole way and just loose myself in the walk. It felt wonderful, even though I was sore that night. Training must be making a difference though, because before when I did 20 miles I would be stiff the whole next day too, but I wasn't this time.
I have had many people question how I can leave the security of a state job and steady paycheck to do this. My one answer is that my security does not come from a job or a paycheck, it comes from relying on God! Which is kind of a new revelation for me. I have always known this before, but now I think I finally know that I know it. (if that makes sense)
I have such a combination of excitement and fear over this walk. I think it is moving more towards excitement (at least for this week, next week might bring a whole different story).
I am planning to walk Across the US following the Erie Canal Trail from Albany to Buffalo, picking up the Lakeshore trail from Buffalo to Erie PA and then following the American Discovery Trail. I will try to update you all on my progress daily. I will soon be adding a picture page and a FAQs page.
Monday, November 18, 2013
Wednesday, November 6, 2013
My Hopes
I was sitting back yesterday and really thinking about what I hope for in doing this walk. First off, I hope to get great support for Northtown Pregnancy Center and Olmsted Center for Sight, and I hope to make people aware that these services are available for them. Not only here in WNY but all over the country.
Personally, I think one word describes all I hope for...discovery. I want to really discover myself. I want to find out how much I can push myself. I want to find out the person I really truly am deep down, past the walls I have built, past masks I put on, past my roles of mother, daughter, employee, the person who goes to church each week. I want to really dig deep and not be afraid to face what I find.
I want to discover my Lord, my God. I want a one to one personal relationship with Him. I want to know His voice, I want to walk where He has me walk. I don't want religion, I want relationship. I want to be able to see myself as He sees me. That means facing the lies that say I am not good enough, along with facing the lies that say I have it all together, because I am neither of these things. I want to totally open my heart to the Lord. I want my heart to ache, to long, to bleed for Him.
I want to discover God's creation. I want to see sights and colors, hear sounds and smell scents, experience things like I never have before. I want to dance on the beach, in fields of wildflowers, in the tall grasses, on the mountain tops.
Most of all, I want others to discover these things through my writing and the many pictures I am sure I will be posting along the way. I want my prayers and footsteps to be purposeful. I want to inspire others to do something amazing, no matter what it happens to be for them. In short, I guess, I want my footsteps to count!
Personally, I think one word describes all I hope for...discovery. I want to really discover myself. I want to find out how much I can push myself. I want to find out the person I really truly am deep down, past the walls I have built, past masks I put on, past my roles of mother, daughter, employee, the person who goes to church each week. I want to really dig deep and not be afraid to face what I find.
I want to discover my Lord, my God. I want a one to one personal relationship with Him. I want to know His voice, I want to walk where He has me walk. I don't want religion, I want relationship. I want to be able to see myself as He sees me. That means facing the lies that say I am not good enough, along with facing the lies that say I have it all together, because I am neither of these things. I want to totally open my heart to the Lord. I want my heart to ache, to long, to bleed for Him.
I want to discover God's creation. I want to see sights and colors, hear sounds and smell scents, experience things like I never have before. I want to dance on the beach, in fields of wildflowers, in the tall grasses, on the mountain tops.
Most of all, I want others to discover these things through my writing and the many pictures I am sure I will be posting along the way. I want my prayers and footsteps to be purposeful. I want to inspire others to do something amazing, no matter what it happens to be for them. In short, I guess, I want my footsteps to count!
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Busy few days
Sorry for not updating everyone sooner, but it has been a busy few days with going to my woman's retreat and all.
My meeting with Linda and Renee from Olmsted was wonderful! I really enjoyed meeting the two of them and they had some great ideas. I left the meeting really excited.
I have been going full tilt trying again to get more sponsorships. Ryka was not able to help out, so I have been contacting other sneaker stores and distributors. I still haven't gotten a printer yet either, so I am sending out proposals for that also. I plan to try a few restaurant chains also to see if maybe they could give me gift cards to use as I travel. Keep sponsorship in prayer for me please.
My woman's retreat was so amazing. It was put together by two of our ladies in their 20's. So amazing to see such giftings in such young woman. It was just what I needed to do for myself before such a big undertaking as this walk. I was refreshed and renewed. I realize that I carry The Temple of the Lord inside me and I will be bringing it with me everywhere I go. I also faced the spot where I broke my ankle. If you don't know the story...I was at the retreat I think three years ago, and we decided to walk around the lake. I steped on an uneven area in the grass and twisted and broke my ankle. This Saturday, I stopped and looked at it for a second and then walked right on by and walked about half way around the lake. It started to sleet and I needed to get back for the next session or I would have gone further. I really felt like I was supposed to fact that this weekend and it really felt great!
My meeting with Linda and Renee from Olmsted was wonderful! I really enjoyed meeting the two of them and they had some great ideas. I left the meeting really excited.
I have been going full tilt trying again to get more sponsorships. Ryka was not able to help out, so I have been contacting other sneaker stores and distributors. I still haven't gotten a printer yet either, so I am sending out proposals for that also. I plan to try a few restaurant chains also to see if maybe they could give me gift cards to use as I travel. Keep sponsorship in prayer for me please.
My woman's retreat was so amazing. It was put together by two of our ladies in their 20's. So amazing to see such giftings in such young woman. It was just what I needed to do for myself before such a big undertaking as this walk. I was refreshed and renewed. I realize that I carry The Temple of the Lord inside me and I will be bringing it with me everywhere I go. I also faced the spot where I broke my ankle. If you don't know the story...I was at the retreat I think three years ago, and we decided to walk around the lake. I steped on an uneven area in the grass and twisted and broke my ankle. This Saturday, I stopped and looked at it for a second and then walked right on by and walked about half way around the lake. It started to sleet and I needed to get back for the next session or I would have gone further. I really felt like I was supposed to fact that this weekend and it really felt great!
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Meeting with Olmsted Center for Sight
I am so excited, I am meeting with Olmsted Center for Sight tonight. I am really looking forward to this meeting. I thought we were going to have to postpone it again, but it looks like everything will work out. God is just so good! I will try real hard to update everyone, but I have my woman's retreat this weekend and don't know if I will get a chance to. Hopefully I will and hopefully I will lots of exciting news!
Thank you once again. I am so lucky to have such powerful prayer wariors on my side. You make all the difference!
Thank you once again. I am so lucky to have such powerful prayer wariors on my side. You make all the difference!
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Heard from a sponsor
I heard back from Ryka, the company that I am hoping to get my sneakers from. So excited. I really love their shoes, they fit my foot so well. Besides food and lodging, my shoes are probably going to be one of my biggest expenses, since I will probably go through many pairs. So keep this in prayer please. This would be big!
I will meet with Olmstead Center for Sight on Thursday!! I am really excited to talk to them and exchange ideas. It is amazing how God works, I was just thinking about being able to help them out, but they have contacts that could help me too! They are also a lot more experienced in fund raising then I am (this being really my first time trying something like this). I look forward to any ideas they may have.
Thank you again everyone. Your prayers and support mean so much to me!!!
I will meet with Olmstead Center for Sight on Thursday!! I am really excited to talk to them and exchange ideas. It is amazing how God works, I was just thinking about being able to help them out, but they have contacts that could help me too! They are also a lot more experienced in fund raising then I am (this being really my first time trying something like this). I look forward to any ideas they may have.
Thank you again everyone. Your prayers and support mean so much to me!!!
Friday, October 18, 2013
Insecurities creeping in
I haven't written in a while. Things are kind of at a stand still for a little bit. I have sent out requests for sponsorship and now just need to play the waiting game. I meet next Thursday with Olmstead Center for Sight. I am hoping that meeting goes well.
Today was not one of my best days. My insecurities came creeping in, more like charging in. I sent a panicked text to a good friend. "I don't know what makes me think I can do this. What makes me think I can mak a difference...I am so much not capable to do all it takes to achieve this" Being at a point of just waiting for things to happen helped contribute to my melt down I am sure. He did text me back an amazing and totally encouraging text. It is so great to have friends who let you panic and then know what to say to bring you back to having confidence on the One who will walk through this all with me. I am right, I dont have what it takes to achieve this on my own, but the great thing is I don't have to! God will bring me through this. He will strengthen me. He will make it all happen. I know there are things I need to do, and I have been doing them (contacting sponsors, getting the word out, getting my body in shape).
Please keep me in prayer. I am sure there are going to be many, many more melt downs before I start and while I am walking, but God has this as imperfect as I am. God likes to use imperfect people and even the great people of the bible had doubt and imperfections. (thank you Alex for the remimder). Hopefully I will continue to remember how unable I am to do this on my own and recognise where my strength truly comes from. Because if I stop relying on God and try to do this in my own strenght it will never happen.
I can do all this through Him that gives me strenght Philipians 4:13
Today was not one of my best days. My insecurities came creeping in, more like charging in. I sent a panicked text to a good friend. "I don't know what makes me think I can do this. What makes me think I can mak a difference...I am so much not capable to do all it takes to achieve this" Being at a point of just waiting for things to happen helped contribute to my melt down I am sure. He did text me back an amazing and totally encouraging text. It is so great to have friends who let you panic and then know what to say to bring you back to having confidence on the One who will walk through this all with me. I am right, I dont have what it takes to achieve this on my own, but the great thing is I don't have to! God will bring me through this. He will strengthen me. He will make it all happen. I know there are things I need to do, and I have been doing them (contacting sponsors, getting the word out, getting my body in shape).
Please keep me in prayer. I am sure there are going to be many, many more melt downs before I start and while I am walking, but God has this as imperfect as I am. God likes to use imperfect people and even the great people of the bible had doubt and imperfections. (thank you Alex for the remimder). Hopefully I will continue to remember how unable I am to do this on my own and recognise where my strength truly comes from. Because if I stop relying on God and try to do this in my own strenght it will never happen.
I can do all this through Him that gives me strenght Philipians 4:13
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Live with Abandon
I want this song by The Newsboys to be my new unofficial theme song.
http://youtu.be/-SJR2vdJFXw
I went to Letchworth State park Monday. They had a craft fair. It was really nice. The leaves were just past peak, so not as beautiful as they could be, but still amazing! I brought my cart that I want to use on the walk with me and pulled it around the craft fair. I was really happy with how it handled. (I had stuff in it so there would be extra weight) It went well over the grass which was wet and a little muddy and over the paved sections. I did find out that I am more comfortable pulling it than pushing it. We walked about 8 miles around the park.
http://youtu.be/-SJR2vdJFXw
I went to Letchworth State park Monday. They had a craft fair. It was really nice. The leaves were just past peak, so not as beautiful as they could be, but still amazing! I brought my cart that I want to use on the walk with me and pulled it around the craft fair. I was really happy with how it handled. (I had stuff in it so there would be extra weight) It went well over the grass which was wet and a little muddy and over the paved sections. I did find out that I am more comfortable pulling it than pushing it. We walked about 8 miles around the park.
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