Yesterday as I ran the 20 miles for my last long run before the marathon, I found myself gravitating to run on the double yellow lines.
Why?
It reminded me of the freedom trail in Boston.
Seven years ago while I was getting treatments in Boston my family came to visit and I caught this pic of my kids on the freedom trail. I walked on these line of bricks as often as I could in Boston and prayed for freedom. Freedom from cancer so that I could be here to watch my kids grow up and to grow old with Stephen. And I am so thankful for being here🙏
As I ran over the yellow lines yesterday, I gave thanks for being free of cancer and I also gave thanks for what this running journey has done for me, refining me from the inside out.
When I signed up to be a part of the Brave Like Gabe team to run the NYC marathon I had really been struggling internally. One thing I was struggling with was that I was constantly in the fight or flight response. For example, if I had a pain in my body, I would be triggered to think the cancer was back, and my body would go into fight response.
With running, I have experienced various pains. Yet when I have pain, like I did on the run yesterday in my calf, I no longer think of cancer first🙌 I have been freed of having that be my first thought which is huge for me!
I share this with you today in case you too have triggers and/or need to be freed from something like I did. I invite you to join me to…
pause. breathe. pray.
May we take time to reflect on and give thanks for things we have been freed from. And if we are currently struggling with something, may we pray to be released from it. And like these lines on the road, may we choose follow Jesus to help free us, in our minds, body and souls.
With love and hope,
Shawn
You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. - Galatians 5:13