Light Prevails

I had just finished my run at the lake and found a nice spot to stretch.  There weren’t many people around and I had a perfect view of the lake and the beginning of a sunset.  I was staring at the sky and clouds and the sun behind the clouds and thought that there would be a really pretty sunset today.  I like sunsets.  I like them.  A lot.  With the sun behind the clouds, it created a glowing silver lining.  Glowing.  I couldn’t help but think of recent events and what I’m going through at the moment.  Silver lining.  And so I thought, at least there’s a silver lining.  As I stared into the sun, the clouds began to move.  The sun started to get brighter and brighter until it was only surrounded by the clouds that were just covering it.  I was fixated and stared into the sun so much I couldn’t see anything else.  It became SO BRIGHT.  At that moment, I smiled.  God’s light is so strong that nothing can hold it back.  I was reminded at how strong and powerful He is – that even in darkness, His light shines through.  His light shines brighter than all.  If you think about being in a dark room with the door closed and all you can see is the light in the crack – you become fixated on that little bit of light.  That little bit of light in the darkness brings hopes.  On the contrary, in a bright room, you don’t see darkness.  Light prevails.  Light prevails in the darkness.  Darkness does not prevail in the light.  Staring into the sun and watching it get brighter and brighter reminded me that redemption is beautiful.  Light in darkness reminded me that grace is beautiful.

The past few days have been really rough – I have been so stressed that I haven’t been able to sleep.  It will all be over so soon.  4 more days.  Today was a good reminder that in the end, God wins.  His light can overcome the darkness.  His light is so bright that once you see it, you can’t see anything else.  Let light prevail.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. – John 1:5

It Never Ceases

I’m still trying to figure it all out.  As the last days approach, it’s still difficult.  I feel like I just continue to be ripped apart – that I can’t be freed without being torn to shreds, without being brought down in anyway they can.

I’m trying to remember what L. told me awhile back – that God will protect His people – that nothing is going to crumble until I’m out.

I’m just struggling to hold on right now.  They will take anything they can from me and wear me thin up until the very last minute.

It never ceases to get crazier, to get worse – to cease.  Never.

Because they can’t stand the sight of someone being happy or successful.  They can’t possibly understand someone else’s perspective.  They can’t understand the need to defend your own people.

I am so tired.  I just want it to end.  The countdown has begun – so close yet so far away.

Please God, just help me last, help me have no fears, help me triumph over them, let it be in my favor, let Your glory shine, help me send a message, Your message, be with me every single second in my actions and words, let me conquer those fighting against me, let me be courageous, let Your power take over, overcome, show them what they’re doing and what they’ve done, help them make realizations, help them change.

Troubles chasing me again,
Breaking down my best defense,
I’m looking, God, I’m looking for you
Weary just won’t let me rest and fear is filling up my head.
I’m longing, God I’m longing for you

But I will find you in the place I’m in, find you when I’m at my end,
Find you when there’s nothing left of me to offer you except for brokenness.
You lift me up, you’ll never leave me thirsty,
When I am weak, when I am lost and searching
I’ll find you on my knees.

-Kari Jobe

Grinding It Out

Man, I’ve been unhappy for a long time and this can clearly be seen in all of my posts in the past year or so.  It’s almost over.  I’m so close.  Just need to get through this week and next week will be easy peasy.  This week will be very busy.  Oh well.  Need to grind it out and whatever’s done is done and whatever isn’t isn’t.  Ha, that’s just like using the phrase, “it is what it is” (by the way, I highly dislike that completely useless meaningless phrase.)

It’s definitely been a journey.  A journey of wrestling with God.

It won’t be long before I’m gone.  It won’t be long.  Let’s grind it out and make it through.

God is bigger than you and He’s got my back.

Encouraged

Totally encouraged this morning by a note..err..paper left by F.  I would post a picture but my phone is failing.   Lol.

A printed picture of the girl from BRAVE.  Sticky note pointing to her:  This is you with poofy red hair (and a bow).  Sticky Note pointing to the word BRAVE:  Today you will be “BRAVE”.

Have Faith, you’ll be fine.  :)

Aww, I was so touched..seriously.  :)

//edit:  pic here

Mentally Weak

I feel like I’m SO mentally weak.

Letting bad thoughts infiltrate my mind.

Need a constant reminder that God is with me, He is powerful, and that I shouldn’t fear.

Let your faith be bigger than your fears.

I don’t owe you anything.  Nothing.

God is in control and He will take care of me.

Fear not, for I am with you.  If God is for us, who can be against us?

LET HOPE ARISE AND DARKNESS TREMBLE.

My God is bigger than you and so much more powerful.  He can protect me.

Feelin’ Uneasy…

Beloved, look for continuing resolution to stubborn problems. You’re making progress, but you are not quite at the point of victory. Much of this has to do with things that are not under your control, but in the hands of other people. Rest assured that I am on your side and with you. The flow of My Spirit will bring you to a place of resolute triumph, says the Lord. Just keep moving, and do not give up.

2 Corinthians 2:14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.

– Marsha Burns

Wow.

It’s been a freaking roller coaster ride.  The journey’s been wild.  Emotions high and emotions low.

I’ve made it this far.  Only a short bit left to go.

Watching God orchestrate this is neat.  I have little faith.  I worry like no other – I worry to the extreme.  I constantly seek affirmation on a play by play level.  I’m still afraid.  Still.  It’s actually ridiculous.  I shouldn’t.

The end is in sight – the hand is reaching down at the end of the lit tunnel.  I’ve grabbed onto it and am being pulled out.  It’s a long way out but I’m beginning to get pulled out.

It’s been so long that I’m afraid of the outside.  I’m afraid of leaving.  Afraid of reactions, consequences…

Sounds like a victim of domestic violence…abusive relationships…holding on…

Today ended up set up well by God – sequence of events.  Amazing.

Now we just wait.

Need to be strong, be courageous, and triumphant.

Need to know that God is with me and He is powerful, He is a protector, He is a shield..

Need to continue to TRUST in HIM because He will carry me through.  He’s brought me this far.  He won’t leave me.

Need to ride it out.  Ride it out.

Look at the positive.  Look at the light.  Hold on to things that matter – hold on to God who is reliable – unlike everyone / everything else.

Praise God for His blessings and for answered prayers.  :)

It’s True…

My mind is lost and twisted to the point where what should be celebration has been overpowered by fear.  I guess that’s what years of “captivity” and “brain-washing” does to you.

Isaiah 41:10

10 So do not fear, for I am with you;
do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

We are so close.  So close.

Here we go.  Here we go.

Runner’s Knee

Having runner’s knee really sucks.  I’m going to rest for 1 week and hope that it gets better so I can run again.  I really don’t want to rest and I just want to keep running, in fact, I want to go for a run in the morning, but I shouldn’t.

It started hurting from the half marathon back at the end of April.  I’ve kind of been ignoring for the past few months.  It would hurt when I start running but then it would subside.  Then it would just be sore for the time I wasn’t running.  But lately, it’s been hurting a lot more and bothering me a lot more.  It hurt even when walking and especially when I step funny or down the stairs.  It hurt bad enough at basketball last Monday for me to decide to stop for a few days.  I was going to rest until Saturday but I really couldn’t resist to test it out on Friday.  Went for about a little more than a mile and decided to turn back instead of going for the full 4-5 mile run since it was bothering me.  Went for the lake run this morning.  It was fine for the first 2 miles, then it started hurting.  Any slight decline hurts.  Hurts pretty bad.  :(  Then I decided to try to bump around this afternoon and toss the frisbee – bad idea.  A few of the times I tried to “run” or “jump” for the disc, it freaking hurt a lot.  Yeah, stupid me.

I really want to go running tomorrow morning but I’m not going to.  I have a 5K in 2 weekends and a half marathon in 2.5 months.  Better to suck it up and rest now so I can actually run the half and keep running in the future.

Everything I’ve read sounds like I need to RICE.  I’ve been pretty good about icing and compressing and not that good about resting and elevating.  Also sounds like I need to strengthen my quads and hips.  Guess I’ll be spending a lot of my time doing leg lifts, lunges, squats, and clamshells.  Fun.  Not.

Can’t believe I’m injured so soon – I haven’t even been running that long.  Perhaps the pain got worse because I increased my mileage and intensity quite a bit in the past few weeks.  Once I get better, I still want to work on speed work and the hills.

Gah, knee better fix itself in 1 week.  1 week.

Happy 4th

Biggest San Diego fireworks fail ever.  Good thing we didn’t go down to watch the big bay boom.  They fired off all 18 minutes of their show all at once!  FAIL.

Instead, F and I went to Hilltop and saw 6 or so fireworks shows all at once.  They were far away but it was still pretty cool.  It was also not super crowded – we got there at the right time.  It did end up getting a lot more crowded.

Hung out at B’s for BBQ during the day – that chicken was good!  So were the potatoes and guac!

It has also been nice to have a break in the middle of the week.  Tomorrow is Friday!  Hurrah.