leaving the comfort zone

***Kristie Northern is a No Longer supporter, wife, mother of two boys who loves to run.  She is currently training for a 50K trail race happening in January 2014.  She has a very specific purpose for running the race, so we asked her to be a guest blogger to explain why she wants to run a 50K trail race for orphans.  Join us in encouraging her in this challenge!***

It's been almost 13 years since my husband, who at the time was my boyfriend and already a seasoned runner, asked me to join him on a jog.  My first thought was he must be crazy! And after the half-mile trot, I knew he was crazy!  I thought I would never continue running, but somehow, I caught the running fever.  After all these years I'm still running, and I realize he’s actually quite intelligent and not crazy at all! 

 

During these past 13 years, I have logged thousands of miles and have run in more than 100 races, ranging in distances from 5Ks to 15 miles.  To be honest with you, all of that running was done with selfish ambition, whether for exercise or to maintain a slim physique, to chase a Personal Record time or to place for awards in races, or just because of the enjoyment I have had along the way.  Recently God has been stirring my heart, telling me that running with this selfish ambition is NO LONGER an option for me.  I have invested a lot of time, money, energy, and effort to this sport (or hobby and form of exercise for me); in fact, too much for it to be all about me.  I have come to believe that everything I was running for in the past served no purpose in God's Kingdom.  There was no eternal value in it.  During the past year, I have felt God calling me to take this ability He has blessed me with to push beyond my comfort zone so I can use it for the benefit of others and to further His Kingdom. 
 

But, you might ask, "How can she use running to bless others?"  Great question!  In January 2014, I am going to run a 50K trail race.  Let me do the math for you: 50K = 31 miles!  I will be running this race to raise awareness and funds for No Longer, an organization founded in Trussville, Alabama, by a group of people who felt God calling them to action because inaction was no longer an option.  You see, we've been given an abundance of abilities and resources, and God calls us outside of our comfort zones in order to show His love to others for their benefit and for His glory.  If we say we are Christians, we have a responsibility to do what we have been called to do, including feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, housing the homeless, and caring "for orphans and widows in their distress" (James 1:27). And that is just what No Longer is doing!  They are raising funds to finish construction and maintain support for an orphanage in the Dominican Republic.  This, to me, is what it means to push outside comfort zones to use the gifts God has given us to help others by showing these children that they are loved by Jesus and to give them a hope for a future!
 

So, back to the 50K race and why a 50K and not just any race or a shorter distance?  As I said, I have never run a race longer than 15 miles, so 31 miles is certainly outside of my comfort zone.  While I know God has given me the ability, strength, and endurance to run all of my previous miles and races, I usually didn't acknowledge Him and relied on myself to reach my goals.  Going longer than what I am used to will force me to rely on God to get me to the finish line of this great distance.  But more than that, I have struggled with some serious running related injuries over the past couple of years, including SI joint dysfunction, IT band tendonitis, and shin splits, all of which left me unable to run for periods of time.  Before these injuries, and even at times during and after them as well, I found a lot of pride in my abilities as a runner.  Deuteronomy 8:14 says, "Do not become proud and forget the Lord your God."  These episodes have caused my pride and spirit to be broken at times, but now I finally realize that being healthy and having this ability is a gift from God and it does not come from myself.  I know I have to depend on God for every step I take now, because after all, He is allowing me to continue on.  I also have an increased level of thankfulness and humbleness.  I didn't even want to announce I was planning to run this race because I didn't want others to think I was being boastful.  However, God has called me to this task as an opportunity for me to "boast in the name of the Lord" (Psalm 20:7) since "God's grace will reach more and more people, and there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory" (2 Corinthians 4:15).  You see, this is not about me!  It's all about God and to God be the glory! 
 

How can you help? 
 

1)  PRAY for No Longer, the children in the orphanage in the Dominican Republic, and everyone who is and will be supporting their mission.

 2)  PRAY for me to continually rely on God and that "He will encourage me by giving me His strength" (Psalm 138:3) as I train and race.  Pray for my body to remain healthy and free of injuries so I may reach the goal and complete the race.

 3)  DONATE!!  There are a few ways to give a donation.

Click this link for the online option.  Once on the page, click "GIVE NOW!" at the bottom to be sent to a secure giving site.  Use the pull-down tab and choose "Kristie Northern 50K Fund."  You can make a flat donation ($10, $25, $50 etc) or a "pledge per mile" flat donation (i.e. $1/mile x 31 miles = $31). 

Another option is making a donation by writing a check in your preferred amount to "No Longer" and giving it to myself or to a No Longer representative or by dropping it in the mail:

No Longer

PO Box 1167

Trussville, AL 35173

100% of all donations go to support the mission in the Dominican Republic and are tax-deductible.  Please consider going beyond your comfort zone by giving of your gifts and resources to help me help these children who are just as deserving of God's love and Good News as we are here at home!  Thank you! 

-Kristie Northern 

"How beautiful are the feet of the messengers who bring good news."  Romans 10:15