Strong & Beautiful, Where Exercise & Faith Collide

Over the past couple of years I have been on a journey. Calling it a journey makes it sounds so intense, but I'm not really sure what word could describe it better seeing I feel so far from where I first began. It is the story of me passionately chasing after something I never imagined, an active and healthy life style. My story has been full of changes, turns, setbacks, adaptions and victories.
To say it has been life changing doesn't seem to say enough.

I guess I had naively assumed that when I started this it was going to be all about me. I was finally doing something for myself, to make myself feel better, look better, and satisfy my desire for "me time".   It has taken me over two years to figure out that this story has never been mine.
It all starts with Anna. She started running just a few weeks before I did and I was instantly inspired. I wanted to do something too. I think I can run! You see, only weeks after she had began she was already making in impact on someones life, my life, and I will forever be grateful. If she hadn't started I probably wouldn't have either.

Looking back over the past two years I can recount story after story similar to the one of Anna inspiring me. Flame igniting flame, one person encouraging another. Stories that are intricately and beautifully woven together.

In a world where it is acceptable to tear down, rip apart, degrade, belittle and make each other feel foolish. Where discouragement is the norm, jealousy abounds and comparison is a thief of so much joy and the cause of so much pain. I have watched countless strong and beautiful women push back and fight not only for themselves, but each other. They push each other towards their goals and dreams giving all the glory to God along the way.

My journey has never been about me. It was always meant to encourage and point others to Jesus.

It's a ministry, a gift and something that I want to use to build up the spirit and bodies of those who God puts in my path. I want to be the voice that says you can and the example that say I will too. To be real enough to share my struggles and strong enough to keep going.
To realize that that I will never achieve physical perfection by this worlds standards but know that I am made perfect and complete in Gods eyes because of the blood of Jesus Christ.   And out of that knowledge, I do everything to the glory of God. 
Encouraging, helping, praying, sharing, inspiring and teaching others to do the same.
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. ~1 Thessalonians 5:11
That their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God's mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. ~Colossians 2:2