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Running for His glory: How I started running for all the wrong reasons

This essay is part of our summer series called “Running for His glory,” focusing on the intersection between running and faith. Gloryanna is a dear friend, whom I met through an online writers community called Hope*writers. She and I have connected on a variety of topics, including writing, mothering, marriage, and running. In this essay, she shares about how she started out running for all the wrong reasons. I’m sure many of us can relate!

 

By Gloryanna Boge

“Just try to stay with her as best you can,” Coach said as she staggered us on the track.

I was in lane two with my eyes locked on the feet in lane one. Lane one was a senior and she was one of our fastest runners – that much I knew as a wide-eyed, bushy-tailed seventh grader.

Coach wanted a few of us to run a timed trial of the 200-meter dash. Mainly we were bodies to give the senior a practice run. I had never run 200 meters on a track before in my life. I went to a small, Christian school so pretty much everyone was expected to go out for track.

There I was completely inexperienced and unsure of myself. My heart beating nervously.

But I was excited.

I have loved running ever since I could race the kids around the block in my neighborhood.

That hot spring day on the track, I had the chance to see if I was any good.

Coach blew the whistle and we took off. I don’t remember how many of us were on the track that afternoon, probably only three or four. I remember staying as close as I could to the senior, within arm’s reach of her back.

I remember no one else passed me that day. I also remember Coach saying I’d train with the senior for the 200 meters as our second runner.

I became competitive in our Christian school track community. I thrived every spring when we lined up for repeats on the track. I won some races and broadened my training as I took on more events. By the time I was a senior, I had a small box filled with medals from various races. A little space for my pride to sit nice and safe.

I ran for the medals, to stand on the pedestal when I was done. I ran to feed my young teenage ego.

If I knew then what I know now about running, I’d tell that seventh-grade teenage girl to pace herself. I’d tell her running would open doors she never knew were closed. Doors that only the grace of God could pry open.

When I was in college, I ran to stave off the Freshman Fifteen. I’d binge eat as I studied for exams and wrote essays late into the night. Then I’d wake up the next day filled with guilt about eating all the food. So, I’d punish myself with a four-mile run.

Running became a cleanse that only left my heart feeling more soiled than before.

After college, I got married. During the first five years of my marriage I wrestled with resentment, unhappiness, and depression. I worried about sharing my fears with friends because I didn’t want to trash talk my marriage. I didn’t want my marriage to have a different image than what I presented to the world. I stressed about what my heart felt and wondered if I was a bad Christian.

My heart filled up with questions and concerns. I had no one I wanted to turn to. So, I’d get up in the morning and run. I’d come home from work and run some more.

I didn’t realize it at the time, but God met me in those stress-related runs. God used the rhythm of my feet on the pavement as a path to clear out the lies I had about my husband.

When my mother passed away a few years ago, I was numb with grief. There was a window of time when I pushed grief away and numbed myself with busyness in order to avoid the pain.

Guess what helped break down the walls of grief?

Going for a run.

When your feet hit the ground and your heart rate increases, when the sweat starts to roll, your mind starts to clear. And when your mind starts to clear of all the lies from this world, you make space to hear God’s voice. To listen to his truth.

I find God’s truth that smashes the lies the Enemy feeds me about my marriage.

I find strength in knowing God grieves with me.

My box filled with medals collects mostly dust these days. I let myself enjoy that piece of cake without counting the calories I would need to burn in a run the next day.

Life without running feels empty. Each time I get that 30 minutes or an hour to myself, I find rest in the embrace of the Holy Spirit. I find his voice and my heart attunes to his words.

I hear God say, “Surrender. Stay with me as best you can, Gloryanna.”

I surrender all the wrong reasons and in exchange, God reminds me that I am His. He tells me I am not defined by how many miles I’ve covered, but that my identity is grounded in being a child of the King.

 

Gloryanna is learning to look to Jesus for growth instead of Google for fixes. She encourages women to reclaim their faith from the noise of this world so they can focus more on Christ. Join her on Facebook or Instagram. Read more at www.gloryannaboge.com/blog.

 

*Read the other articles in the “Running for His glory” series:
-In “When God brings you full circle,” Dorina describes how sometimes we have to return to particular places, relationships or memories in order to measure just how far we’ve come. She learned this on a trail race she ran a few times in different seasons of life.

 

-In “How running found me,” Danielle E. Morgan shares her story about how running found her as a young adult and has shaped her health, her mothering, and who she is in Christ today.

 

-In “Battling negative self-talk,” Kristy Wallace runs us through how she reframes her internal dialogue using scripture. She runs and meditates on specific passages throughout the week.

 

-In “How running provided healing during mental illness,” Abigail Alleman shares her personal story of how running provided an avenue for her to continue healing during dark seasons.

 

-In “Discovering running as soul care,” Erin Reibel talks about how she grew into loving running as a busy mama. She consider it an important soul care practice.

 

*Dorina and her husband Shawn recently started the Glory Chasers running group on Facebook. They offer up courage, coaching, and community for Christian runners. If you’re a runner or know one, pass it on.
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July 17, 2019 Categories: RunningTagged: courage, fear, finishing well, inspirational, self-care, struggle

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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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After my husband soared to Heaven eight years ago, my three daughters and I found ourselves on an intense grief journey. I never imagined being a widow at age 37 when my girls were just 2, 5, and 8 years old. Despite the heaviness of grief, I knew God was near. And I longed for my daughters to experience His comforting presence too. That’s how we started chasing God’s glory together.

We started with a nightly rhythm of watching the sunset together. We would step out onto our back patio or pull over on the side of the road and pause to watch the colors waltzing across the sky.

Initially, my girls asked, “Mama, why do we watch the sunset? It happens every night.” But soon they discovered that every sunset was unique. Little by little, this rhythm became something we looked forward to. There was something calming and comforting for the girls and me as we watched God paint the sky each night. Our Creator God, the Master Artist, met us in the brush strokes of sparkling gold and emerald green. The girls would point out the ribbons of ruby red and deep amethyst sashaying across the sapphire blue sky. We would smile and delight at the jewel-toned colors. We felt like it was a kiss from their daddy in Heaven.

My daughters are teenagers now, but they still love to chase sunsets and tell me about the ways God showed up in their days. They text me photos or pull me out to the balcony to watch His glory chasing across the sky.

I have learned we can plant seeds of hope and faith in our kids when we go glory hunting together.

Read the full article on @herviewfromhome here: https://herviewfromhome.com/widow-at-37-gods-grace/

#chasingGodsglory #sunsetchaser #glorychasers @waterbrookmultnomahkids #sunset #parenting #gloryhunter

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Jun 7

Open
After my husband soared to Heaven eight years ago, my three daughters and I found ourselves on an intense grief journey. I never imagined being a widow at age 37 when my girls were just 2, 5, and 8 years old. Despite the heaviness of grief, I knew God was near. And I longed for my daughters to experience His comforting presence too. That’s how we started chasing God’s glory together.
We started with a nightly rhythm of watching the sunset together. We would step out onto our back patio or pull over on the side of the road and pause to watch the colors waltzing across the sky.
Initially, my girls asked, “Mama, why do we watch the sunset? It happens every night.” But soon they discovered that every sunset was unique. Little by little, this rhythm became something we looked forward to. There was something calming and comforting for the girls and me as we watched God paint the sky each night. Our Creator God, the Master Artist, met us in the brush strokes of sparkling gold and emerald green. The girls would point out the ribbons of ruby red and deep amethyst sashaying across the sapphire blue sky. We would smile and delight at the jewel-toned colors. We felt like it was a kiss from their daddy in Heaven. 
My daughters are teenagers now, but they still love to chase sunsets and tell me about the ways God showed up in their days. They text me photos or pull me out to the balcony to watch His glory chasing across the sky.
I have learned we can plant seeds of hope and faith in our kids when we go glory hunting together.
Read the full article on @herviewfromhome here: https://herviewfromhome.com/widow-at-37-gods-grace/
#chasingGodsglory #sunsetchaser #glorychasers @waterbrookmultnomahkids #sunset #parenting #gloryhunter
99 12

☀️ We cherished a day of celebrating our Giada’s 8th grade promotion in Disneyland yesterday! Her sisters rallied and saved money for their tickets. Instead of a party we took a family trip to the happiest place on earth! 😃 It was a surprisingly cool, overcast day!

In the younger days, I spent more time taking them to the bathroom and making sure everyone had a buddy for roses. Now I’m enjoying Disneyland with older kids who plan the trip, strategize which rides to go on and when. We ate some yummy treats, laughed a lot, played games in line, and made it to most of our faves!

@shawnyoungruns has definitely influenced our fam with his love for all things Disney! I am not sad about it. As for me, I’m in it for the Disney-themed food! 🥨 🍍 🍹 🍔 🍦My new fave is this pineapple churro with Cheema cheese dipping sauce. Woweee!

🏰 Are you a Disney fan? What’s your favorite park, ride, food, or show?!

#globalglorychasers #disneyland #disneyfoodie

View

Jun 7

Open
☀️ We cherished a day of celebrating our Giada’s 8th grade promotion in Disneyland yesterday! Her sisters rallied and saved money for their tickets. Instead of a party we took a family trip to the happiest place on earth! 😃 It was a surprisingly cool, overcast day! 
In the younger days, I spent more time taking them to the bathroom and making sure everyone had a buddy for roses. Now I’m enjoying Disneyland with older kids who plan the trip, strategize which rides to go on and when. We ate some yummy treats, laughed a lot, played games in line, and made it to most of our faves! 
@shawnyoungruns has definitely influenced our fam with his love for all things Disney! I am not sad about it. As for me, I’m in it for the Disney-themed food! 🥨 🍍 🍹 🍔 🍦My new fave is this pineapple churro with Cheema cheese dipping sauce. Woweee! 
🏰 Are you a Disney fan? What’s your favorite park, ride, food, or show?! 
#globalglorychasers #disneyland #disneyfoodie
82 4

Last night the six of us went to see the show SIX and to cheer on my talented childhood friend Valerie Maze who was the conductor/keyboardist. This was my birthday/Mother’s Day gift from my hubby, and it was so special!

What a phenomenal and engaging way to learn about history and the stories of the six wives of Henry VIII! The music, the lights, the voices, the dancing made for a truly unique and memorable show! The Pantages Theater in Los Angeles is also one of my favorites!

And the biggest treat of all was hanging out with @valerie.maze afterwards. We haven’t been together in YEARS! And this was the first time she met my Shawn and Meilani! #sixshow #broadwaymusical #globalglorychasers

View

Jun 4

Open
Last night the six of us went to see the show SIX and to cheer on my talented childhood friend Valerie Maze who was the conductor/keyboardist. This was my birthday/Mother’s Day gift from my hubby, and it was so special! 
What a phenomenal and engaging way to learn about history and the stories of the six wives of Henry VIII! The music, the lights, the voices, the dancing made for a truly unique and memorable show! The Pantages Theater in Los Angeles is also one of my favorites! 
And the biggest treat of all was hanging out with @valerie.maze afterwards. We haven’t been together in YEARS! And this was the first time she met my Shawn and Meilani! #sixshow #broadwaymusical #globalglorychasers
38 6

Hey friend, do you know about my weekly Glorygram? Every Saturday I gently drop this gift in your inbox, which includes an encouraging essay about chasing God`s glory, a monthly book giveaway, recommendations, recipes, and more.

Consider this like sitting down at my table for some homemade lumpia and a tall glass of mango lemonade. My heart is to share in community about what God is teaching us. You can hop over to DorinaGlorygram.Substack.com and read this week`s edition. Be sure to Subscribe while you`re there so you don`t miss a thing.

In this week`s Glorygram, I`m sharing a story about the power of asking questions and five sisters who asked a question that changed history. Don`t miss it!

#glory #encouragingwords #substack #glorychasers #hesed2023 #biblereading #bibleteacher #leadership #powerfulquestions

View

Jun 3

Open
Hey friend, do you know about my weekly Glorygram? Every Saturday I gently drop this gift in your inbox, which includes an encouraging essay about chasing God's glory, a monthly book giveaway, recommendations, recipes, and more.
Consider this like sitting down at my table for some homemade lumpia and a tall glass of mango lemonade. My heart is to share in community about what God is teaching us. You can hop over to DorinaGlorygram.Substack.com and read this week's edition. Be sure to Subscribe while you're there so you don't miss a thing.
In this week's Glorygram, I'm sharing a story about the power of asking questions and five sisters who asked a question that changed history. Don't miss it!
#glory #encouragingwords #substack #glorychasers #hesed2023 #biblereading #bibleteacher #leadership #powerfulquestions
24 7

Join me for a stroll through the next psalm of ascent. Psalm 128 is a wisdom psalm that walks us through what it looks like to enjoy the blessings of the Lord. If we have the fear of the Lord and choose to walk with Him, we get to step into this abundance!

-What does walking with Him look like for you in this season?

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Jun 2

Open
Join me for a stroll through the next psalm of ascent. Psalm 128 is a wisdom psalm that walks us through what it looks like to enjoy the blessings of the Lord. If we have the fear of the Lord and choose to walk with Him, we get to step into this abundance!
-What does walking with Him look like for you in this season?
22 2
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