ann kiemel

who out there fears God?
actually listens to the voice of His servant?
for anyone out there who doesn't know where you're going,
anyone groping in the dark,
here's what: TRUST IN GOD.
LEAN on your God." isaiah 50 the Message

it was one of my regular, sort of struggling
days when i called my friend to see how she was.
she and her husband are opening a health club.
and it is very close...just a walk, really...to my gym.

well, she was working 18-hr. days, trying to get
the place ready to open. going over right then to
put another coat of something on the cement floors.

i grabbed my running shoes and work-out clothes.
jumped in the car. hopped onto 5S, and headed to meet
her. she was just finishing the job. backing out the
front door as she rolled the last corner of the room.

"why don't we go to the gym and do one mile?"
i asked her. one mile sounds sort of pitiful, but i
figured we could do one. she had no work-out clothes,
but her running shoes on...and jeans. for one mile,that
would work, and i love her because she's game for
anything.

we got on machines, side-by-side,
and i started flying through this mile.
we talked and laughed and shared...
and i don't think i even got winded. it
was so fast. quick. easy. we hop off
at the mile mark, and decide to go get
some dinner. it's dark. cold. and while
we are at the restaurant, she asks what
i'm going to do?

"go home, i guess. read...and go
to bed. i'm tired. why? what are you
going to do at this late hour?"

"well, i think i'm going to go back to the
club and give the floors one more coat."'

"now? at this hour???" i ask.
"yes. it won't take me long."
"well, you are not going alone.
that is for sure. i'll go with you.
it's dangerous over there at this hour."

we hugged. i filled my tank with gas,
and followed her back onto the freeway.
she found a tall stool for me to sit on, and
put on some Christian music, and while she
rolled a gloss of some sort on the entire floor,
again...i wondered how many layers it was going
to take....
i peeked out the window to make sure no one
broke into my car, and we talked about Jesus.
and dreams. that dreams cannot only live, but
stretch and reach and grow....and eventually change
the world.

when we hugged and kissed and said, "good-night",
and got into our separate cars for home, my heart
was dancing. yes...
"let me be singing when the sun goes down..."
10,000 reasons

i want to be busy helping others watch their
dreams live. helping them get going. cheering
them on. running together, and tapping the
world with God's magnificent glory as we go.