For the Kingdom...and a hott bod

So a few weeks ago, Brian (my hubbie) spoke at a Disciple Now at Lakepointe Towneast Church. His whole theme of the weekend was the mission of God and how do we mimick that mission. He made the case that Christ did not come to merely die for our sins, but rather, to die for our sins AND give us a glimpse of what the Kingdom looks like before we messed everything up (isn't he smart?). For example, Jesus healed the sick, fed the hungry, and cared for the poor and needy. Through this ministry, he showed us that in the Kingdom of God, there will be no hunger, poverty, or disease. As Chrisitians, we are called to mimick Christ and his ministry, therefore, our lives should be spent working toward making the world look more like God's Kingdom.

As I was chewing this bit of theological meat, I asked myself what I was doing to better the Kingdom. And, to be really honest with you, I feel like I'm not doing much. Just about the time I felt like a loser, my friends Jaclyn Meeks (love you!), Hailey Hamilton (you too!), and I had dinner together. Jaclyn proceeded to tell me about this little girl, Stacy Gutierrez, who she had been working with. Stacy is a sweet little seven year old girl who was diagnosed with Acute Myelogenous Leukemia. I had been toying with the idea of joining Team in Training, an fundraising organization created by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and after seeing a picture of that sweet little girl, I decided that that was my path towards the Kingdom. (see her pic below!)





And so there is the story behind how I got involved in Team in Training and also how I decided to run a marathon. Now, before I feel too High and Mighty, I must confess: I also want a hott bod. I want Britney abs, circa "I'm a Slave for You" era. I'm not completely altruistic. And what better way to get fit and work towards the Kingdom than a marathon?

More to come--thanks for all your support


-M