The First Post-How it All Began

This is my first blog post of any kind .... ever. This all started in my head last month while training for my first 5K. Running on a treadmill is mind-numbingly (pretty sure that's not a word) boring. I do prefer it over running outside because it's flat, air conditioned and no humidity, all pluses when you are starting out.

To keep myself from quitting from sheer boredom I came up with this idea for a blog - my journey in finding Christ and my sudden love for running and all of my thoughts and revelations in the process.

To truly understand where a person is you have to understand where they've been, so here goes ... deep breath in and out --

My religious upbringing was .... eclectic to say the least.  I grew up part Episcopalian, part Atheist. My mom took us to church occasionally and my dad told me once that "God is either as dumb as a donut-hole or mean as hell". I never really knew what I believed or where I stood, it's safe to say I spent the first 32 years of my life questioning God, Jesus, Christianity, Heaven, and Hell.

In September of 2013 my whole life changed. I made the terrifying decision to end my marriage.  The day that I made that decision I had lunch with 2 very dear friends, and a 3rd happened by after I made the announcement.  We went to a private room and the three of them held hands in a circle around me and prayed for me.  They prayed for strength and clarity.  They prayed that God would be with me and help me through this horrible time. They prayed for God's plan to be revealed. They prayed and I cried. I cried huge raking, snotty, can't breath crying.

These three friends knew that I was "iffy"on the subject of Christ, but they prayed for me anyway. Their belief and strength in that moment changed my life. This was the greatest turning point of my entire life, and I will be forever indebted to them for taking those few minutes for me.

It just so happened one of these friends was going to host a small group at work starting that week. The timing could not have been more perfect ... of course I know now God's timing is always perfect. Another of those friends invited me to church. I attended with her at first, then ventured out on my own. Because of these three friends I was able to be surrounded by strong, caring, selfless, Christian women during this emotionally tortuous time.

I immersed myself in the church culture. I continued in the small group at work. I went to church every Sunday and then began attending the first Wednesday services.  In January of 2014 I participated in the 21 days of prayer and fasting. Then I joined a small group outside of work.

My journey is just beginning, I can't even fathom how much I have to learn , but I know that I am finally, for the first time in my life, headed in the right direction. I am living life, a Christian life, that wouldn't have happened if not for those three friends who joined hands around me on that day in September.