Princess or Peasant

This past week I had the privilege of traveling with two other ladies to the Joyce Meyer Conference in St. Louis, MO.  Believe it or not, we decided to drive the 11.5 hours down to MO instead of flying.  This was going to be some road trip, I could just tell!  Besides the obvious, that we would have lots of fun, I was very expectant that God would show up.  I so desired that He speak to my heart, especially in light of the last year of my life and all the changes that had come my way.  I went ready and willing to hear his voice.

Tuesday AM dawned crisp and cool as we loaded our bags into Melody's van to begin our trek west.  I tell you what, when three women pack for a six day trip, and those women are moms, we don't forget anything! And I mean anything! By the time we were packed we made sure that no one on this trip would go hungry, without adequate medical care and sufficient clothing just in case we got stuck for the winter.
All kidding aside, we did have a great trip out to MO.  The trip itself actually took us 18 hours. Yup, I said 18 hours.  Why so long you may ask? Well, when you send three woman on a road trip with no children or husbands do you really expect them to drive the whole thing straight without so much as a glance at all the wonderfully places zipping past the window?  Specifically the shopping malls and restroom facilities along the way?  Since the conference did not actually start until Thursday evening, we had time to spend.  Wow, now there is a concept for three moms, on the road, with no responsibility other than themselves.  So we found ourselves stopping for the restroom when WE needed to go and shopping for..GASP! OURSELVES of all people.
Finally, around 12am we arrived at our hotel...or should I say castle!  You see, Melody's husband Jeff, had arranged all the hotel accommodations for our trip.  I had seen a brief picture of the hotel and a listing of amenities but I don't think it fully registered exactly where we would be staying.   As we rounded the bend to the hotel I remember gasping inwardly and staring in awe at the structure before us.  We weren't staying at a hotel, we were staying in a castle!  No...really....it looked like a castle!  As we pulled up to the grand doors, where bellmen awaited each guest, Melody, in grand flourish declared "Ladies we are princesses this week and this is our castle"!
Even though Melody was being silly at that moment, what she said was so very true.  We, as daughters of our King (Jesus Christ) are princesses and he longs for us to discover just how much he loves us. Not only that but he wants to lavish that love upon us in so many ways.  Seeing that Hotel brought to mind a recent discussion I was having with one of my girls.
As Mom with 4 daughters we have been going through parts of Sharon Ethridge's book "Preparing your daughter for every woman's battle".  At the very beginning of the mother/daughter section Sharon talks about how we are princess's and God is our King.  In Psalm 45:11, 13-15 it talks about how the king is enthralled with our beauty (in referencing his church) and how "glorious is the princess within her chamber".  I love how Sharon takes that passage and breaks it down. She says:

       "In case you didn't catch what that verse really means to you, let me word it another way:  
        You, my dear, are a princess and a stunningly beautiful creation of the King of the universe;
        and He is absolutely, positively head over heels in love with you.  You have been richly 
        adorned with spiritual beauty, and your role in life is to radiate God's magnificent glory to 
       others." 
        (Sharon Ethridge - Preparing your daughter for every woman's battle)

So the question is:
Do you see yourself as a princess or a peasant?
Do you struggle to see yourself as a princess?  If so, why?

Over the weekend with Joyce Meyer we heard a lot about our attitude and the power of our thoughts.  Our thoughts affect every part of our life both personally and spiritually!

Ephesians 4:23 (amplified) says:
 "And be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude]"


Let me encourage you that if you are struggling to see yourself as a princess and find yourself feeling more like a peasant most days...you are not alone.  Many of us feel this way at one time or another.  I have to work at taking the lies the enemy wants to feed into my spirit and speak the truth.  So...speak the truth today!  Let your mind be renewed.  Ask God to show you, even in practical ways, that you are a princess.  He might just surprise you! And as you turn the bend you may just find a castle!

Journeying with a Purpose - Serving Him,

~Victoria

Our Castle

The Kings Princess's 

Update: On your Mark, Get Set, Go!

Well! I did it! I ran my first race in 16 years! Not only did I make it but I was able to meet my goal and run the whole 4 miles without stopping!  This might not sound like a great feat in comparison to other people's accomplishments but in my own personal world it is huge.  The journey to get to this point has not been an easy one, something I could only have dreamed of accomplishing a few short years ago.

The alarm rang early the morning of the race.  So early in fact that the sun had yet to make it out of bed.  I had not slept well that night so I was glad that it was time to get ready to go.  While I busied myself with getting dressed, making sure I had my race number, timing chip, water and snacks for later, I began to wonder if I would be able to do this.  All the "what-if's" flooded my mind and the doubts begged to be heard. But I decided I just had to push them off until later. Right now, I had to get my family ready and out the door in time to meet up with the other ladies from my running group by 6am.
45minutes later we approached the racing venue, being held at Foxfield, a large track area outside the city of Charlottesville.  It was amazing to see 3,500 girls and women descend upon the area to run or walk a race that would continue the fight to find a cure for breast cancer.  At that moment it didn't really matter what athletic ability we did or didn't have,  we were all there for a mutual cause and passionate belief that we, individually and corporately, could make a difference.
We couldn't have asked for a better day.  The weather was just perfect, with just enough cool to keep it comfortable.  As I took time to warm up and do some stretching before the race, the worries I had earlier pushed away began to rear their nagging heads.  Instead I began to pray "Lord, I just want to be able to finish this race well.  I would love to run the whole thing but above anything else, help me to just do my best." With that prayer uttered within my heart I rejoined my team as we waited for the race to began.
Soon, they called us line up for the beginning of the race.  There was an excitement that permeated the entire crowd and groups of women would burst out in cheer and it would spontaneously make it's way through the rest of the crowd.  As the gun sound, and the mass of women surged forward I found myself swept along with everyone else.  The race had started! Here we go! Ready or Not!
The seconds and minutes began to tick away as my feet pounded the pavement.  I worked hard to remember my training, starting at a slow pace so I wouldn't tire out before I got to the end, talking myself through every footstep and each breath.  Before I knew it I had hit the two mile mark and the big hill I had heard about was coming up.  "Oh, dear Lord, I've made it this far, help me conquer this hill."  Sometimes in my training runs, when I begin to hurt and my legs scream for relief I find that if I begin to pray that somehow I make it through that tough spots.  So, as I approached the hill, I began to pray for my other teammates running the race, for those that surrounded me, for my girls and husband as they watched and cheered the race, and anything else that came to mind.  Before I knew it I was half way up the hill.  Just when I thought I might have to walk the last bit this lady came up beside me.  She said "we can make it, come on, we can do it."  It's amazing what that moment of encouragement can do for your spirits and tired legs.  To this day, I don't know her name, but we continued to encourage each other up and over that hill and it was just enough to get through the toughest points.  The last mile, I found my second wind and renewed energy to pick up the pace.  I was determined to finish strong! As the finish line came into view I kept thinking, "I'm almost there, I'm going to make it".  And you know what.....?  I crossed that finish line running!

As I walked through the race chute to the open field beyond the feeling of accomplishment and joy was overwhelming! I had struggled and fought and accomplished something, that a few years ago, was only a dream.  But it wasn't just my accomplishment.  Thousands of other women meet their goal that day just by showing up.  My team of ladies, that I had trained with for months, accomplished their goals that day by just showing up and giving it their very best.  We did not let the fact that we were not necessarily accomplished athletes, slow us down.  We were simply women who, for different and varied reasons, decided to show up and try.

I can think of so many times in my life where I had to make the decision to just show up and try.  Especially when life has gotten difficult and I want to throw in the towel.  When it feels like no one cares and even God has moved out of earshot.  "What's the use anymore"? Will it really make a difference?"
There were points in the race that I knew it would be easier to just walk.  To not really push myself, even though I knew I had trained enough for this.  But I had to make up my mind that I was going to stick this out to the end.  That I had to push through the hard parts, the pain and the hills to get to the finish line.

Is there somewhere in your life that you've gotten off track?  Something that God has been asking you to step up to the line for or to "get running" again?  But the fear of the hard parts, the pain and the "hills" is causing you to back off and not "show up"?

Whatever it is, I encourage you to get back on track, to ask God for strength and wisdom to know what the next steps are.  To make the choice to "Show up and try" and leave the rest in His hands!

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us." (Hebrews 12:1)

Journeying with a Purpose!

~Victoria

Victoria - #357 along with several ladies from my running group! You go girls!!

After the race

On your Mark, Get Set, Go!!

This week I found myself pounding the pavement at yet another training run in preparation for this weekends upcoming race.  After 4 months of training I will be stepping to the starting line of my first race in 16 years. It's hard to believe that I've been gone from running that long.

You see, back in High School I was an avid runner, sometimes running 8-9 months out of the year between cross-country, track, and summer training runs.  By the time I reached my senior year of High School I had been running for roughly 6 years, competing in high school track and cross-country meets on a regular basis.  As my senior year came to an end I found myself plagued with some minor injuries and an increasing dislike for competition.  Today, as I look back, I realize that what I was battling was a bad case of burnout.  Not so much physical burnout as much as mental burnout.  I was just plain tired! I had entertained thoughts of running in college and had even been approached by a university about running for them.  However, my heart and passion for running just wasn't there anymore and I had a hard time knowing what to do.  I knew I was going to have to make a decision soon. The day of my High School graduation finally dawned bright and clear.  After 12 years I was finished with school and it was at that moment I decided I was going to take a break from running; no more drills and long runs, hill repeats and sprint workouts. The decision felt good and brought a lot of relief.  

Originally I had only planned to take a break for about a year, certain that a year would be enough time and by then I would be ready to get back to active running.  However, despite my best intentions, the first year came and went, as did the second and third year.  The years following high school stayed busy with college, falling in love, getting married and having children.  By the time I turned 26, my husband and I had four daughters and life was filled with keeping up with babies and toddlers. However, always in the back of my mind was this desire to start running again, remembering those well meaning intentions made years ago to stay in shape and keep running .  But then, the one thing I didn't expect to go wrong did! My health!

Soon after our youngest daughter was born I began to struggle with several health issues.  Over the course of the next 6 years I would go through 4 different surgeries and wage an ongoing battle with adrenal fatigue.  It became one of the most difficult times in my life as I struggled to come to terms with the physical limitations of my life.  I was often discouraged and wondered many times if I would ever get back running again and yet I prayed for that day frequently.  

Finally in this last year God has begun answering that very prayer.  This summer I began running with a local group in my community, training for an upcoming charity 4 mile run in September.  The first weeks were difficult as I worked hard to rebuild the strength in my body and the endurance to run the miles.  Often I came home sore and walking stiffly.  Slowly though, I have gotten to where I can run several miles non-stop. Not fast but gradually the endurance is returning for the longer miles.  

Now, just a few short days before the race I find myself again pounding out miles on the pavement.  On this particular day, as I headed into the last part of the run, I began to reflect back on the journey God has had me on during my 16 year hiatus from running. Life had sure turned out different then what I had expected at age 18, newly graduated from High School and headed into an unknown world.  It has held some wonderful surprises and yet difficult disappointments, held its share of victories and plenty of defeats. Yet looking back there isn't much I would change.  Each surprise, disappointment, victory and defeat holds its own lesson, its own growing pains.  My life journey is not unlike my faith journey these last few years. It too has had to grow and change and be stretched.  As I run I think about the verse in the Bible that says:

 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us." (Hebrews 12:1)

More than anything I want to run with endurance the race of faith that God has set before me.  However, I know that to do that I have to work hard and "train" my spiritual body and keep it under check.   It takes hard work, showing up to practice and discipling yourself in order to run a race well.  In the same way it takes work to be in relationship with your Heavenly Father.  "Showing up" to spend time with Him and allowing Him to stretch and grow you.  I promise that as you do that, He will meet you, loving and coaching you on in your "race of faith".  

So...Where are you in your "race" of faith?  Are you steadily moving along, running with endurance?

Or..have you gotten sidetracked with injuries and wounds of the past or present? Not sure if you want to continue the race?

Let me encourage you that no matter where you are...it's never to late to get back in the race... 

May we all be able to say as Paul did in 2 Timothy 4:7 "I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful." 

Finally, I encourage you to find someone that can come along side of you to support and encourage you in your journey of faith.  I know for me, when I run, I do so much better when I have someone else running with me, to lend encouragement and support and give me a good kick when I need it.  To remind me that this "mile" will not go on forever and that the finish line is up ahead!

Praying you will be encouraged today!

Journeying with a Purpose,

~Victoria