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Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young

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Personal Sabbath: How training for a marathon taught me to rest

I grew up in a house where we were constantly on the go. When I was in elementary school, my evenings were filled with piano lessons, soccer games, ballet and jazz dance classes, church youth group and more. As I entered junior high and high school, I added activities like newspaper, yearbook, Track & Field, and voice lessons.

While I enjoyed all these activities, I remember we were always running, always pushing deadlines, always melting into bed at night exhausted. I am grateful for the many amazing opportunities my parents gave me but sometimes I wonder if it also was an inadvertent training to always chase busyness.

Rest is the way we detox from the busyness. If we have gone through a season of pruning, it may take some time to recalibrate.

I found this to be true last summer after I pruned some big branches from my life. I felt like God was calling me to make space for some new goals. I stepped down from my position teaching at the university and leading the large moms group at my church. I said no to a bunch of invitations and new commitments. It was difficult to let go of these things that had become so much a part of my identity. I knew I needed rest and time to refocus.

At first, I didn’t know how to rest. I felt anxious and uncomfortable with the extra time in my schedule. I felt guilty for taking time to myself instead of working, serving or being with my family.

Then I learned a new rhythm of rest in an unexpected way. I signed up to run a marathon.

I know what you’re thinking: running 26.2 miles is not resting. That’s mostly true.

I put together a training schedule with the help of my hubby-coach, who is also an endurance athlete. As I ran, I talked to God. I discovered the runs afforded me the time and space to grieve my losses and all I had pruned from my life. The miles were hard but they became a precious time of connecting with my Father. They were like a scheduled Daddy date.

I had one problem. I was training in the summer months in Fresno, California. The average daytime temperatures were in the triple digits. I don’t do well exercising when it’s that hot. I quickly discovered if I wanted to beat the heat, I had to wake up early!

Let’s just be clear: I am by nature a night owl.

In different seasons, I have trained myself to wake up early but I always feel like a night owl masquerading as an early bird. It’s not pretty.

The bonus: running taught me to rest.

That combination of waking up early and running long miles left me naturally exhausted by the afternoon. I had to build naptime into my day or I would be a crabby mess by dinner time. (For those of you who have toddlers, you know exactly what I’m talking about).

My husband encouraged me that the rest was just as important as the runs because my body needed to recover. He explained that when we do a hard workout we are breaking down muscle. When we rest, the body has time to rebuild on a cellular level and the muscles are built up even stronger than before.

I started a resting hour with my kids (ages 4, 7 and 10 at the time). They were allowed to read books, color or sleep. The house was quiet. Mommy had permission to nap. When my husband got home from work, he would ask me about my day. He congratulated me when I told him I had napped. The first time he praised me for resting something inside me was surprised – even shocked. When my girls were younger, rest was so often sabotaged by one of them needing something. I often gave up. He was helping me retrain my brain and body to embrace the benefits of rest.

One of my favorite verses is Psalm 46:10: “Be still and know that I am God.” Those words have also challenged my attitude about rest. The command is to actually “be still” with our bodies and our minds. My husband coached me that even just laying down and not moving can be a resting state.

At first when I tried to nap, my mind would race all over the place. I would craft to-do lists in my head. I would worry about things. I had to return to the words of Psalm 46:10 and get in the habit of being still – both body and mind.

In her devotional, Flourish, Margaret Feinberg writes, “In resisting busyness, we can once again restake our claim as wholly loved by God and flourish in the joy of being his children. This frees us from the bondage of overproduction and liberates us; our hearts lie fallow to receive God’s goodness and grace.”

I challenge you to think about some ways you can resist busyness. What can you release from your schedule for this next season to make space for rest?

Before you say yes to the next commitment, what can you say no to graciously?

We are led to believe: time is money; those who multitask best are the most productive; and there is no time for rest. The Bible tells us just the opposite.

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus leans in and shares these words with the crowd: “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”

God is calling each one of us into sweet Sabbath rest. It’s the only way we will make it to the finish line without crashing and burning. Rest might look different for you than it does for me. You will need to work it out in your attitude, your schedule and your family context, but I do know that it involves turning down the noise around us and entering into His presence.

I invite you to a place of rest this week so you can abide in the Vine. Rest is a gift from a Good Father who longs to see us flourish.

*I send out a weekly email with words of encouragement, free resources, recipes and recommendations. I would love to slip this into your inbox. Sign up here.

**Check out more posts on the theme of “flourishing” right here.

 

Flourishing Together is a 6-week Bible study just released on Amazon. If you are interested in delving deeper into this topic of rest and how God grows beautiful things out of the ashes and dirt of our life, please check out the study:

**black and white version

*full-color version

 

 

 

(Featured photo credit: Captivating Sports Photos)

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March 26, 2017 Categories: Navigating Grief, RunningTagged: finishing well, flourishing, Grief, rest, self-care

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Valerie says

    March 27, 2017 at 12:38 am

    Hi Dorina,
    I’m running my first half marathon on APRIL 2nd. I find I have to get up super early as well and I even love running in the am when it’s still dark! Sometimes I’m forced to rest because my entire body is sore, lol. Loved your post!

    Reply
    • Dorina Gilmore says

      March 27, 2017 at 2:54 am

      Thanks, friend! You know exactly what I’m talking about – o’dark hours —> runner solidarity. Which half marathon are you running?!

      Reply

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Meet Dorina

Aloha, friend! If you love stories, you are in the right place. I write about grief, glory, running, food, and more. I hope these words inspire you to chase after God’s glory in your life today!

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🏃🏽‍♀️In the Oscar-winning movie Chariots of Fire, Olympian Eric Liddell is quoted: “When I run, I feel His pleasure.”
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🥇 ...

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Mar 1

Open
🏃🏽‍♀️In the Oscar-winning movie Chariots of Fire, Olympian Eric Liddell is quoted: “When I run, I feel His pleasure.”
.
🥇 Eric won the gold medal in the 1924 Paris Olympics in the 400 meters. Eric understood that running was not for his personal glory and to win medals. He felt God’s pleasure when he ran because he was doing what God designed him to do. He also was designed to become a missionary to China. {Read more of his story in my new book, Walk Run Soar and Episode 7 of the Walk Run Soar podcast!}
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🏞 This weekend I felt God’s pleasure running with my people.  My friends and family completed The Diamond 10K! My girls ran the Kids Race, and I completed the Double Diamond Challenge. That was one 10k on our neighborhood Clovis Trail and one 10k on the stunning Winchell Cove Trail at Millerton Lake. We created our own finish line and my parents met us with our medals and water. Oh, and a homemade waffle and bacon breakfast to boot! 
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💎 So many races have been canceled in the last year. It was truly a joy to run! A huge shout out to Endure Jewelry & Sunny Arada for planning an awesome virtual race with the best swag! 
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#walkrunsoar #gilmoreyoungadventures @RunEndure @EndureJewelry #walkrunsoar #christianrunners #runningmotivation #TheDiamond10K #DoubleDiamond #runnersofinstagram #sanjoaquinrunning @fleetfeetfresno #runningismytherapy #runninglife #diversewerun #runlikeamother
162 13

“Being brave, for me, means not giving up on the things that make me feel alive.” - Gabe Grubewald, 2014, USA indoor track-and-field champion in ...

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Feb 28

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“Being brave, for me, means not giving up on the things that make me feel alive.” - Gabe Grubewald, 2014, USA indoor track-and-field champion in the 3,000 meters
.
💎💎This week I ran the Double Diamond Challenge, which was two 10ks! This is my favorite time of the year to run in Central California. The air is fresh and cool. The hills are verdant. The wildflowers are just beginning to twirl their skirts along the trails. The sky and water come together in a kind of blue slow dance. All glimpses of God’s glory! 🌸
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My friend Amber and I ran on the Winchell Cove Trail at Millerton Lake. Donning our sparkly silver Endure hats, we got in the miles and the soul care today. And this is what makes me feel most alive! 🏃🏽‍♀️
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@RunEndure @EndureJewelry #walkrunsoar #trailrunning #thehillsarealive #runningmotivation #TheDiamond10K #DoubleDiamond #runnersofinstagram #christianrunners #christianrunnersofinstagram #runningtherapy #soulcare #sanjoaquinrunning #fresno #runlikeagirl #diversewerun #womenrunning @blodge.girl_goes_outdoors @kymruns @spunkysole #sharetherun @fleetfeetsports @saucony @fleetfeetfresno #contest
172 31

📖 Do you struggle with studying God’s Word? It’s a challenge for most women, and all the crazy of 2020-2021 hasn’t made it any easier! ...

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Feb 26

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📖 Do you struggle with studying God’s Word? It’s a challenge for most women, and all the crazy of 2020-2021 hasn’t made it any easier! 🤷🏽‍♀️
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First, my friend, know this: YOU ARE NOT ALONE. 😘 So many women are struggling to find space for focused time in Bible study and prayer during this crazy time. But, DON’T LET THAT BE AN EXCUSE!
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Second, I have a way to help! I would LOVE for you to join us for Online Women’s Bible Study. It’s a cool site designed just for you! Every week new teaching sessions from some of my very favorite teachers will be released to you. 
.
🌸This spring the theme is “More Than Ordinary” and how God calls ordinary people to live More Than Ordinary lives! I will be teaching a session on Ruth, and I can’t wait to share it with you! 🌸 Plus, OWBS has many opportunities that will help grow your faith, and connect you with others in the process! 💖
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Does this sound like the reset that you need?
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👉🏽Head over here to grow and connect:
https://www.onlinewomensbiblestudy.com/a/30364/z2aSX6sm or head to the link in my profile! 
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#biblestudy #ruth #onlinewomensbiblestudy #womensgroup #womenoftheword #bible #scripture @onlinewomensbiblestudy @beckykiser #biblereading #biblestudytime #godsword #communityovercompetition #christianwomen #smallgroup @vivmabuni @kianstephens @karakae.james @insideoutwithcourtnaye
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All winter
she waited,
wondered,
rested
until one day
in the deep soil of anticipation
and grief
she felt the ground
...

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Feb 25

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All winter
she waited, 
wondered,
rested
until one day
in the deep soil of anticipation
and grief
she felt the ground
around her warming.
She felt her strength rising,
pushing through the
transition.
The pain was acute there,
but the shadow lifted.
And now, fully-rooted,
well-nourished
she extended her arms
in abandon toward the light.
She burst through hardened earth
– a flash of color –
her petals singing Spring! 🌸 
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👉🏽Friend, are you in a winter of waiting? Let your waiting be purposeful. Take time to reflect. Give yourself permission to feel deeply and grieve the past. Live expectant of the resurrection to come.
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🌸Read my full article on “How To Wait Through The Winter Of Grief” on my blog at www.DorinaGilmore.com.🌸
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#womenoftheword #spring #writersofinstagram #authorsofinstagram #flowers #waiting #christianrunners #flourishingtogether
149 37

🥳 It’s podcast day!!! 🎧 Today on the Walk Run Soar podcast we featured an interview with runner Jonathan Winter, who hails from Belfast, ...

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Feb 24

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🥳 It’s podcast day!!! 🎧 Today on the Walk Run Soar podcast we featured an interview with runner Jonathan Winter, who hails from Belfast, Northern Ireland. That’s right! We are going international with this episode. Jonathan currently serves as the Mission’s Coordinator/Mobilizer for Word International Ministries Europe. He’s also a lecturer at Maranatha Bible College in the Philippines.
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We loved this conversation with Jonathan about:
👉🏽the running scene in Belfast
👉🏽how his faith connects to his running
👉🏽his passion for coaching.
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He also shares the story of how his love for running and God’s glory led him to the Glory Chasers Christian running group!
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Listen here: https://anchor.fm/dorina-gilmore-young/episodes/Walk-Run-Soar--Season-2--Ep--7---Jonathan-Winter-eqho7r
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#walkrunsoar #podcast #podcastersofinstagram #christianrunners #christianrunnersofinstagram #runningmotivation #runningcommunity #runforGod #glorychasers #runninggroup #runnersofuk #faithrunners
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