Racing to Rescue and Redeem Lives

This week I was invited to take part in the Word Press 5k challenge for two reasons--to promote physical fitness and to point to the work of Christ on this earth through As Our Own, a Christ-based, community driven movement in India to rescue and protect vulnerable children from certain enslavement and exploitation, caring for them as our own. This enslavement and exploitation is human trafficking--sex slavery. Once rescued, the precious girls are truly cared for as the children of their caretakers--I know this truth: I've been to India and experienced it. They worship every night, go to school to get an English education, and are empowered to be influential difference makers for God's Kingdom in India. The transformation and contrast between the darkness from which they have been rescued and the abundant life they receive is stunning.

I am thankful for the Word Press challenge and Erin who invited me to join the challenge! You can check out her cool blog and page for this event at following link: http://fillingmypatchofsky.com/

So this morning I ran a 5k as part of this initiative. I'm away from my Houston home, as I am in Dallas for the Nascar race with my dad. Together, it makes a complete racing theme for the weekend: on the track with Nascar, on the street for my personal 5k, and in India to rescue the millions of vulnerable children from the plight of sex slavery into the glorious inheritance and abundant life of Christ.

Details/results of my run this morning:

Location: Lewisville, TX (Dallas)

Time: 9:30 am

Conditions: 77F, 63% humidity, sunny. Immediately after breakfast at Cracker Barrel (not recommended)

Distance: 3.1 miles (5k)

Time: 28:54

Pace: 9:19/mile

This is slower than my 10k pace from a month or two ago! It just speaks to the impact that fellow runners have on you--to spur each other onward, to run the race well, to persevere in the middle when the adrenaline is not high, and to finish strong. I love this analogy because it is a perfect reflection of our spiritual lives. Some are stronger on their own than others, but all of

us will need the fellowship of other Christians to run the race of life and faith in Christ both strongly and to completion. Heb 12:1-2 illustrates this point:

"Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."

Sometimes we will have "spiritual adrenaline" and running the race with Christ comes easy. Other times, we're caught somewhere in the middle--we've lost touch with the rush of the starting gun and the finish line seems nowhere in sight; and in fact, we're not even quite sure where we are on the journey. Take heart, we have a "great cloud of witnesses" both in Heaven and on earth. Are you growing weary of the journey? Find others who can run with you. I know that when I'm physically running a 5 or 10k, having others with me leads me to run a better race. The same is true in our race of faith in Jesus Christ.

To the left is a picture at the "finish line," as requested--sprinting to the finish! (and aren't the As Our Own running jerseys cool?) If you are interested in running with As Our Own this year, post a comment to this post, email run@asourown.org, or visit the As Our Own website at www.asourown.org. I've raised ~$750 so far. If you would like to donate or check out my fundraising page, you can find it here: Will's Running Page