Lightning storms, Pokemon Go and Running

If you are my friend on Facebook, you may have followed my running adventure last week.  If not, let me invite you into that moment.

I decided to take my running career out of retirement.  I have never really been an actually GOOD runner, but I did run a marathon once and I try to bring it up in a prideful way anytime I can.  Yes, I know pride is a sin, but it was a marathon for goodness sakes.  And this non-athletic girl who the gym teacher used to tell to just sit on the bleachers finished it.  So I call that a running career.

Granted, the person who won the marathon had gone back to their host country by the time I finished– but that’s a minor detail.

That was, well, years ago, and I retired my running career since.  I figured running 26.2 miles in one setting was career worthy.

Last week, I decided to run again– on the hottest day of the year. 

Things were going great until the headphones that I was jamming to plugged into my i-phone dangled down and as I was running oh so fast (ok really more like crawling) they got caught on a fence.  They stopped going and I did not, which propelled me and my phone forward.

The phone landed hard and cracked.  However, I did not land hard or crack because I landed in the arms of a Pokemon Go catcher that was looking at His phone and didn’t see me coming.  I think I was worth the most points He had ever caught. (granted I know nothing about this game and I am not condemning or endorsing it for those wondering!)

I was caught in the middle of my run.  My fall was broken.

Today I decided to go on a power walk.  I was not feeling the running thing.  But guess what.  The power walk became quite the power run when halfway down the trail , there was a clap of thunder and all the sudden the heavens opened and poured.  I had seen the dark clouds coming but I thought they would pass on by.

There is nothing that can make you a runner like being caught in a storm.

The lightning striking all around made the hair on my arms stand on end.  Friends, I could have won an Olympic Medal for that sprint.

But I didn’t bring you here to tell you all about my running activities.

I am currently doing an incredible Bible study by my friend Laura Dingman called I am Found.  I love the subtitle.

Quitting the game of hide and seek with God and Others. #I am Found

The book is all about finding freedom from shame.

Nothing causes us to be runners , from God and others , like the enemy and his lies of shame.

Prior to the entrance of sin and shame, Adam and Eve welcomed God’s presence in the garden.  Perhaps they even delighted in it.  But things are different now.  Their shame induces fear and a frantic response.”– Laura Dingman

When I was running that day and began to fall, I was caught in my fall.  My fall was broken by someone’s arms.  (Granted it was a Pokeman Go Catcher who had no idea I was coming but hey go with the metaphor)

Jesus’s arms are open wide.  That is worthy of celebration.

He breaks our fall from grace with His broken body full of grace.

The best part of hide and seek is being found.

We can live found.

He knows and loves the real us.  The real you.  The good , bad, the best and worst parts of you.

Today, live found.  You don’t have to run anymore.

I want to offer a giveaway of the book I am Found.  Simply make a comment on this blog post on a way you want to live found, or find it easy to run.  In the comment section, get an extra entry for going to Laura Dingman’s facebook @lauradingman.

You are found