This year I am taking on the challenge of the Pittsburgh Half Marathon again, and like last year I am running to raise money for LIVING Ministry, the ministry I work for. We are a group of people who love Christ and love the poor and want to uncover Christ's hope among the poor. It's always there, but sometimes that hope seems almost impossible to see under layers and layers of challenges the poor face.
For example, this week temperatures are dipping well below freezing here in Pittsburgh. It's hard to see the hope Christ offers when you sleep in a tent under an overpass and spend a good deal of your energy simply keeping warm. Our friends face difficulties beyond just the cold though. They deal with addiction, joblessness, families that don't want to speak to them, anger issues, the stigma of a criminal record and more. It's hard to see hope when there are so many things demanding your attention first.
But we know that Jesus offers hope that is present all along;, not just when things are rosy and bright, but at every moment of our lives. And this is not only the hope of a new and eternal life in him, but hope of transformation and renewal of our lives! This hope isn't just for the middle class or the wealthy, it is for everyone, and I have the pleasure of sharing this hope full time with LIVING Ministry.
This year I, personally, am holding tight to the hope of a renewed mind. January 1st I read Romans 12:2 and my heart was filled with a lightness. I can't tell you how many times I've read this verse in my life but for some reason this time it just shouted "THERE'S HOPE IN HERE!"
I've always worried and talked myself down. In fact, my bad attitude was a big problem for me last year as I trained for the half marathon. I just got it in my mind that it was impossible for me to run a full 13 miles, and ultimately I didn't. I ran some and walked some and in the end I finished the half, but I didn't run it all because I just kept on telling myself it was impossible. I had no hope.
This year, I'm letting Jesus renew my mind and transform my life. I'm creating a new pattern by trusting more deeply in him. As I cling to this hope and experience change in my life, I'm very excited to share my experience with you and with the homeless. If Jesus can change part of me, he can change part of anybody, I believe this first hand experience of Christ and his power in a life is what expresses hope the best.
So today I will not tell myself it is impossible, I will tell myself that through Christ all things are possible. And I will run the 3 miles my training plan has laid out, because I believe that this year I can do it. I have a new hope and I hope you'll join me as I run to share that hope with others.
Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and prove what God's will is - his good, pleasing, and perfect will.
If you would like to sponsor me as I run for LIVING Ministry visit our donation page by clicking here ( make sure to mention Jenna B Marathon in the comment section!) or by visiting my page on Crowdrise. Giving through our website takes the least processing fee out of your online donation, so you are encouraged to visit our website first to ensure the most of your donation goes directly to LIVING Ministry.
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