ann kiemel

i was at tom and jan's in downtown sacramento.
running little errands for my sister. came back up,
pulled out my running shoes and sweat pants and teeshirt,
and headed down to third floor in their building to workout
before heading home to lodi.

even for me, it is often
a mind-over-matter deal.

i crawled onto the eliptical.
bowed my head. asking my Partner for His help.
to talk to me. and for me to listen carefully enough
that i don't miss what He is needing to tell me.

i start. pushing rather slowly throuth the first few miles
when a young couple blast through the door. the guy gets
on the treadmill and the girl on the other eliptical. these
guys were serious. they started pounding out a pace that
caught my attention, and no way josé, was i going to let them
take over that little gym.

so....
i picked up my pace. moving faster
and faster. way beyond even an upper-level
effort. i started to fly. it felt wonderful. no matter
what, suddenly, this young couple could not keep pace
with me. and after awhile, they tossed in the towel
and walked out.

it's so hard to run like this with Jesus.
i just seem to be someone who falls into holes
deep ones. and i begin to believe that even with God,
i'm never coming out. can't climb high enough to pull
myself over the lip of the hole. oh, i've suffered alot
trying to help God get me out of fixes. finally, after a
fierce battle, i learn to let go. knowing ONLY my Higher
Power can win this battle for me.

today, i've slipped a little over the edge in an issue,
and if i hadn't lived long enough, i'd be SCARED.
but i'm betting on God. i'm counting on Him. and i
tell my children there is NOTHING God can't do
to pull us out of messy holes.

hang on, valiant warriors. hang on.
God, alone, knows the ways we must travel
to make it. and HE IS FAITHFUL. don't give
up. the battle is to the strong and the mighty.
we'll make it. together. you and Jesus and i and love.

hear the music.
listen. dance and know we're heading down the same
Heavenly road to Glory.

thank you for all your loving messages.