Wise Councel

Faith fails or succeeds according to what you hear. So what have I been listening to?

In 1982 my Uncle P ran and completed the London marathon. I was 8 but I remember to this day how excited I was that someone in my family had done it.
I told myself that I wanted to do that one day.

As the years when on, the dream was shoved aside and buried deep within and forgotten about. I listened to the enemy's thoughts about my weight and size. I was never going to be fit and healthy, so the dream never resurfaced.
You see what you hear and think can release or restrict you in life. Listening to people moaning at me about their own weight and never doing anything about it, was a place that I was in too.

If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.
Then he said to them, Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and you who hear, more will be given.
For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.
Mark 4:23-25


That was until Gods voice became louder than any other I could hear. I also stopped listening to negative people, I surrounded myself with positive people, who wanted the best for me. Who were happy for me when good things happened in my life and were there to encourage me when I was struggling.

When I first got my calling to do the London marathon, rather than telling everyone I know, I sort wise counsel.
I have found in my past that as soon as you want to do something, everyone has an opinion.
Now being faith led I know that the enemy would use these opinions to keep me from achieving my goal and being obedient to God.
He will use peoples words to whisper the words of my youth.
You cant do it.
Your too old
Unfit
You will never compete it
Nothing will ever change


Bless the Lord, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless his holy name!
Bless the Lord, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, who heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's
Psalm 103: 1-5

I love that last bit - so that your youth Is renewed like the eagle's.
To me, that says that all the rubbish, hurtful stuff that I have listened to and heard when I was in my youth, has been washed away and I am renewed like Jesus.

My wise counsel and opinions I have sort first have been my pastors, my senior leader, my husband and my personal trainer.
All are behind me.
I am now in talks about running for the charity I am passionate about Stella's Voice. This is an amazibobs charity and it will be an honour to be able to support them this way -  As I complete my journey.
My PT 'J' is an amazing Lady. The support she has already given me has greatly impacted me.
She has no idea how going to the gym was so far out of my comfort zone when I first started.
Once I have reached my target weight goal she will then set up a training programme for marathon running.
That leaves my Pastors and Leaders. My leader D is going to be running with me. Her testimony is so inspiring to me.
Both my Pastors are amazing. I hope that when this part of my journey is completed that my testimony can go to helping them build the church.

This is all for him! With him and for him.

And the Lord, he is the one who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.
Deuteronomy 31: 8

This is my favourite verse right now. It seems very fitting with my journey.

As the weeks go on I will start telling more people, but I will be sure to only open my ears and hear the wise words.

In The Beginning

About a year ago I was sitting in a room with a few other Ladies doing a Christian shine programme.
My (now) very good friend D was talking about running and getting fit. Looking after your own body and bettering yourself. At that point she was loving running and her future was holding a few marathons.
This was really hard for me to take. My little boy was 2 and I had no confidence in my appearance at all. I felt huge, massive. A large size 16 and kept saying to myself I will do something about it soon.
I was lying to myself.
I walked out of that girlie morning, which is a programme to make you feel great about yourself and like the way you are, feeling angry and disappointed in myself. I actually hated the way I felt about my body. And I was kidding myself if I thought that I was going to do something about it soon.

Like I said that was a year ago.
Since then I got a revelation. I started a bible course which runs for 2 years, that my amazing friend D runs with her husband, and I am renewing my mind. I also joined a gym and am renewing my body.
I have been going to the gym 4-5 times a week. I spoke to a personal trainer and got a programme going.
Now let me tell you. All these things are well out of my comfort zone. Well they were. God has been talking to me a lot, and finally I have the ears to listen.
In a month and half I lost 4 inches from my abs. 3 inches from my thighs and 2 inches from my arms.
Today I had to up my weights for the third time in 3 days as they are to easy.

So why this blog?.
I was on the rowing machine the other day, chatting to God as I like to do. And he brought to mind the London Marathon.
So there I was sweating away, and I texts D.
I wasn't going to but I have been disciplining myself to a 'JUST DO IT' attitude.
"wanna do the London Marathon 2015".
So that's how it started.
After that gym session I went to the steam room. It was empty so I had a audible conversation with Jesus.
The steam room is my favourite place to chat with God. He nearly always reveals things to me.
So I said. "so God, I really need to chat to you about this Marathon thing". 
And he just replied with -
" I have already seen you run it".
That blew me away. The fact that he had already seen me do it confirmed to me that I could do it. And was going to do it!
Since then I had 2 pictures from God.
The first one was me in the middle of the race, running along and seeing people I know.
The second picture was my lying on the floor at the end of the race, looking up to heaven and giving my family and friends in the heavenly realm the peace sign. And they were all cheering me.

So there it is.
I'm a thirty (cough) something, size (now) large 14, with two gawjus little people under my belt. A 5 year old girlie and a 2 year old boy and a husband who loves me.
And in 2 years time. I am going to run and complete the London Marathon.
I hope you enjoy journeying with me.