Blessings in the Park

Yesterday I settled the matter - I would get to the park and run in the morning.  We belong to the YMCA here in Abilene. It is such an awesome facility for families.  The membership is so reasonable too.  I know many people who pay more for a single membership then we do for a family rate. Every day I can drop the kids off for "play group" for up to 2 hours as part of our membership. I can workout inside, take a group class or run outside on the paths.  Other benefits are sports teams for kids.  Harrison is going to take swim lessons in June for 4 weeks and in the fall he will be registered for flag football!  I cannot wait for this! I am so excited to see 3 year-olds chasing each other around, too fun!

So this morning I stuck to my plan and after breakfast we headed to the Y for play group.  The kids literally run in they're so excited, which makes it much easier on me to go get some mommy time in.  I re-started a couch-to-5K program today, which is awesome.  I select the songs from my ipod and it adds it to the 5K program and a voice prompt coach will tell me when to walk and when to run.  Kinda cool, huh?  It's also very easy.  Just follow the instructions.

Sort of like with Jesus.  Just tune in, listen to the voice prompts and follow the instructions!  Except I find Jesus WAY more fun than exercise!

I passed an older gentleman with his beautiful silver Schnauzer on the path and in passing said "She is really well behaved", and I didn't hear his response but then what I did hear him say was "What Lola wants, Lola gets".  He smiled and we both continued on our ways.  Immediately the Lord said to me "What you desire deep within your heart, you will have".  I began declaring a job at home in Abilene for my husband, for him to be better paid than what he is now, and for him to be involved at church, and for Mike to be happy.

I continued on and soon I noticed a man walking about 1/4 of a mile ahead of me .  He was walking briskly but obviously having a difficult time with it.  I was listening to "People Get Ready" by Misty Edwards.  If you think Jesus music can't get your heart rate going, think again! Woooooooo!

While I was watching this man struggle a holy compassion swept over me and I started declaring that God would heal him, muscle would heal, ligaments would regenerate, and that his leg would even grow out and all pain would leave!  By the time I caught up to him we were approaching a bench and I stopped him and asked him about his leg.  His name is Alex and he used to be a runner.  He was in an accident a long time ago and injured his leg, and that he also has arthritis in his leg.  I asked him if his life would be better and would he be happy if he could run pain free again?  He said "Oh yes!"  Then I asked him if he was ok with me putting my hands on his injured leg and praying for it.  He sat on the bench and stretched out his leg, I prayed just as Jesus had prompted me just moments before. I felt led to declare that if he'd ever been told that one leg is shorter than the other that his other leg would grow out and be even with the other.  He just sat in stunned silence and when I was done he had tears of gratitude in his eyes.  Alex then told me that he felt heat from my hand on his leg while I was praying.  I told him God wanted to bless him today and then I kept on with my run.  About 3/4 of a mile down the path I stopped to stretch and he passed by me and stopped to say that a lot of the pain had left and he really felt better! A second time he marvelled that he had felt "energy" go from my hand to his leg.  I smiled and said "God wanted to meet with you today" and he continued on, grinning ear to ear.  Isn't God great!??

Not only did I exercise my body this morning but my faith.  God is so good and I am so blessed to be part of how he wants to change the world, one heart at a time.