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Chasing God's glory down life's unexpected trails

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Running Life’s Trails: San Joaquin River Trail race

Last month I completed my first trail race. I’ve been a runner all my life – running 10ks with my dad when I was a kid, racing hurdles and relays in high school, chasing half marathons as an adult – but I have never experienced anything quite like the challenge of that trail run.

My friend and I signed up for the 10k. We figured we could do anything for 6.2 miles – even if it meant we had to hike, walk or crawl. We heard the scenery at the San Joaquin River Gorge Trail (just 45 minutes from my home in Central California) was breathtaking. I longed to try something new. How hard could it be?

Let’s just say it was hard. Maybe the hardest race I’ve ever run in my life.

While I was running, I kept thinking about how this type of race mirrors my life journey. Part of the thrill and the greatest challenge of the run was that from moment to moment I never knew what to expect. For most distance races, I train, I fuel up, and I settle into a pace after the first mile or two. This course was different. I had to reckon with rocks, slippery dirt, tree roots, blinding sun, bugs, a collection of other runners on the path, and even cows. I couldn’t really pace myself. I had to just go for it. Along the way I discovered several life lessons.

The first mile of the race turned out to be a surprising downhill. I found myself chatting with my friend and cruising much faster than my normal pace. I felt the breeze in my face. I started to believe maybe this race wasn’t going to be as hard as I thought. Then it struck me that downhill can often be deceiving just like times when our lives feel comfortable. When I’m running downhill, I have to be even more conscious to stay under control, watch the path for things that might trip me up and maintain good running form so I don’t hurt my knees or back.

If we dive into the scriptures, we find examples peppered throughout the Bible to running the race of life. I am convinced the apostle Paul must have been a runner because of the number of times he uses the running analogy in his letters. In 1 Corinthians 9:26-27 Paul writes, “Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” We have to be purposeful and disciplined in training for the race of life. I have to put in time studying my Bible, memorizing scripture, and praying.

That first mile downhill was also a reminder to me that I have to be disciplined in the way I actually run the race. I can’t surge ahead of God and run out of control when the path seems easy because I never know what waits for me around the bend.

After the first mile of the course, we were guided onto a hiking trail that streamed straight uphill. The path was steep and dusty, twisting and turning. What a contrast to the downhill of mile one. I started out feeling strong on those hills. I was lifting my knees and pushing through, but after a while I started to grow weary. What had I gotten myself into? I couldn’t run anymore. The path had grown so steep and full of obstacles that I actually had to walk; I felt discouraged and ashamed.

Suddenly, I realized it was time to dig deep in my heart and refer back to my training. I had to preach back to myself what I learned. The words of Isaiah 40:29-31 started running through my mind: “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” On that stretch of the race, I learned I had to put one foot in front of the other. Walking was not giving up; it was moving forward.

This was much like what I experienced this fall after my husband died. There were so many days I felt worn and weary. I was overwhelmed by the steep-looking path ahead. I couldn’t find my usual pace, but I had to keep walking for the sake of my three young daughters. I had to keep hoping in the Lord. With each step, I was moving forward. And before I knew it I was over the steepest ridge to a flatter path full of sunshine and green grasses where cows were grazing.

As I continued my trail run, I leaped over rocks and ducked under tree branches. The pace changed once again. I switched to a new gear. As I ran I heard footsteps behind me, and then someone breathing in my ear. I was not running this part alone. After several minutes of breathing and running together the voice of a woman said, “You are running a great race. Thank you for pacing me.” I laughed. I had no idea where I was going or what pace I was running but she was depending on me to lead her.

I was reminded of the verse in Hebrews 12:1 that says: “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith.” My new friend was thanking me for running ahead but she was actually encouraging me on my own journey to keep going.

I passed another friend who had come out to cheer for me on the trail. I heard him call my name and it was a reminder again of that great cloud of witnesses God has sent many times to lift me from the darkness on hard days. The voices of these friends urged me to keep on keeping on, to persevere in the race set before me.

After I turned and headed down the path along the river, I started to feel the fatigue set in. I wondered how much longer I had until the finish. I questioned if my legs could keep going. Then the words to my favorite verse in Acts 20:24 started pulsing with my heart: “However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus Christ has given me – the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace.” These words reminded me of my goal: to finish well.

Here’s the kicker: we never know when our finish will be. It could be today, tomorrow, 10 years or 50 years from now. As I run this race called life I always have to run with that finish in mind. I have to consider every day that it might be my last and love my people accordingly.

I turned a corner through tall grasses and there it was – the arch with the word FINISH stamped across it. I broke into a sprint – my last surge of energy. Oh how I love that final taste of glory running as fast as I can over that line! As I crossed the finish that day, excitement, joy and a little relief rushed over me. By God’s grace, I had completed the race. And I had learned a handful of life lessons along the way.

Image Credit: ShareHows.com, Creative Commons

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April 28, 2015 Categories: General, RunningTagged: christian, christian blog, discipline, dorina gilmore, dorina lazo gilmore, inspirational, Personal Stories, running life's trails

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Marcy Pusey says

    April 28, 2015 at 1:16 pm

    Beautiful! I have a race coming up and these verses are all good reminders of what I’ll need along the way (though mine gets to be relatively flat) 🙂 I love how God uses our simple lives to reveal His magnificent truths. Thanks for sharing them with us, too. 😀

    Reply
    • Dorina Gilmore says

      February 6, 2019 at 5:05 am

      “Our simple lives to reveal His magnificent truths!” So good, friend!

      Reply
  2. Sarah VT says

    April 28, 2015 at 1:39 pm

    Beautiful, Dorina! I have yet to race a trail run, but I have tried running on trails and have somehow always ended up hurt! But I love the imagery of the cloud of witnesses and thoroughly appreciate those that God brings around you to encourage and support you, even if they don’t realize that is what they are doing! I had this on Sunday. We led worship and I felt like nothing went right, the sound was wrong, the songs were wrong, my voice wasn’t strong, I shouldn’t have agreed to be worship coordinator, etc. I went to fill my water bottle and a gentleman in my church came up to me, put his arm around my shoulders, and thanked me for leading and for always bringing the congregation into worship. He acknowledged that it wasn’t easy, but that he was praying for me and was grateful for how I used my gifts. It was what my soul needed to hear at that moment. Saturday I ran the 5K on campus and lined up at the start, looked next to me and there was one of my good friends I hadn’t seen in months. She ran with me and we were able to help each other pace. An unexpected gift. 🙂

    Reply
    • Dorina Gilmore says

      February 6, 2019 at 5:07 am

      I love these examples of how God sent your cloud of witnesses to cheer you on right when you needed it! Thanks for reading and sharing, friend!

      Reply
  3. John Smith says

    April 30, 2015 at 8:04 am

    This is my favorite piece so far. I am not a runner, Not athletic and believe being round in still in some sort of shape. That being said, I believe that there are three types of people. The first group sees only the good in life and are devastated when bad things happen to them. The second group sees only from the negative side of the line. These people can never find peace, and will try to steal it from others. The last group I am reminded of each time I see your writing. The group that looks for God’s hand in everything. It is refreshing to know someone who can stare adversity in the eye, and then beat it back with The Word (especially when under the duress of constant ups and downs). I admire you for taking an activity as simple as running and allowing God to teach you lessons that spread across the whole of your life. I also appreciate also that you share them with us.

    Reply
    • Dorina Gilmore says

      February 6, 2019 at 5:08 am

      Thank you for this! Let’s spur each other on to run this kind of race and “beat back adversity with the Word” and truth.

      Reply
  4. Anne McIlhatton says

    December 18, 2015 at 6:11 am

    Dorina, I so feel my heart connect with yours. Thank you for sharing your heart and being an ever present testimony to The Word of God, our Truth, that we get to cling to in our race called life.

    Reply
    • Dorina Gilmore says

      February 6, 2019 at 5:09 am

      I’m running with you, sweet Anne! May our races be our testimony to His goodness!

      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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Today I got to watch my Zayla girl and her choir perform at CalPoly Performing Arts Center. What a great opportunity for these kids! I loved hearing all the choirs and the variety of pieces and styles they brought.

Afterwards we spent the afternoon with friends at Cayucos Beach and rounded out our day at one of my favorite restaurants Giuseppe’s at the Central Coast! Yummy!

These are the days I want to slow down, the days I want to savor and remember forever. My baby girl is not a baby girl anymore!

#oceantherapy #choirkid #momlife

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Mar 25

Open
Today I got to watch my Zayla girl and her choir perform at CalPoly Performing Arts Center. What a great opportunity for these kids! I loved hearing all the choirs and the variety of pieces and styles they brought. 
Afterwards we spent the afternoon with friends at Cayucos Beach and rounded out our day at one of my favorite restaurants Giuseppe’s at the Central Coast! Yummy! 
These are the days I want to slow down, the days I want to savor and remember forever. My baby girl is not a baby girl anymore! 
#oceantherapy #choirkid #momlife
19 1

Several months ago, I invited my friend to join me for a pottery class at a new local studio for her birthday present. We both love to try new things and were intrigued by the experience of using a potter’s wheel to create something out of clay.

The process of forming clay on the wheel was longer and harder than it looks.

The trick was to keep adding water to keep the clay supple and moldable. We pressed, pulled, and pinched until that ball of clay eventually became a bowl or vase.

Metaphors for life abound in the pottery studio.

A few times, the teacher came over, stuck her hands in front of me, and started to work with my clay. At first, I wanted to take control of the clay myself. I wanted to learn by doing it myself. But soon I realized the value in surrendering to her expertise. In fact, I learned a lot from watching my teacher and her techniques.

The first surprising lesson was that it requires lots of water to make a clay pot on a wheel. Clay is naturally hard and heavy, but water makes it workable.

Our souls are much the same. We need consistent hydration. We need the living water that only Jesus offers. On our own we are heavy, brittle; we are dust. With Jesus’s living water, we are malleable clay.

{Read the full devotion at DorinaGlorygram.Substack.com} #pottery #clay #potter #biblestudy #bibleverse #encouragingwords

View

Mar 24

Open
Several months ago, I invited my friend to join me for a pottery class at a new local studio for her birthday present. We both love to try new things and were intrigued by the experience of using a potter’s wheel to create something out of clay. 
The process of forming clay on the wheel was longer and harder than it looks.
The trick was to keep adding water to keep the clay supple and moldable. We pressed, pulled, and pinched until that ball of clay eventually became a bowl or vase. 
Metaphors for life abound in the pottery studio.
A few times, the teacher came over, stuck her hands in front of me, and started to work with my clay. At first, I wanted to take control of the clay myself. I wanted to learn by doing it myself. But soon I realized the value in surrendering to her expertise. In fact, I learned a lot from watching my teacher and her techniques.
The first surprising lesson was that it requires lots of water to make a clay pot on a wheel. Clay is naturally hard and heavy, but water makes it workable. 
Our souls are much the same. We need consistent hydration. We need the living water that only Jesus offers. On our own we are heavy, brittle; we are dust. With Jesus’s living water, we are malleable clay. 
{Read the full devotion at DorinaGlorygram.Substack.com} #pottery #clay #potter #biblestudy #bibleverse #encouragingwords
30 4

Such a good conversation tonight with @sarahrubiobooks about her new book, Her Story, Her Stength: 50 God Empowered Women of the Bible (@zonderkidz )

This is a book I wish I had when I was a young person. I love the way Sarah illuminates the stories and strengths of these diverse women in the Bible and how their stories point us back to God.

We pull back the curtain a bit tonight and dish about how Sarah got the idea for the book, the trials she faced during the writing, and the glory she experienced during the process!

👉🏾Which Ezer story is your favorite? Share in the comments about the woman from the Bible who inspires you! 📚

View

Mar 23

Open
Such a good conversation tonight with @sarahrubiobooks about her new book, Her Story, Her Stength: 50 God Empowered Women of the Bible (@zonderkidz )
This is a book I wish I had when I was a young person. I love the way Sarah illuminates the stories and strengths of these diverse women in the Bible and how their stories point us back to God.
We pull back the curtain a bit tonight and dish about how Sarah got the idea for the book, the trials she faced during the writing, and the glory she experienced during the process!
👉🏾Which Ezer story is your favorite? Share in the comments about the woman from the Bible who inspires you! 📚
21 3

I’m so excited to chat with @sarahrubiobooks on my Global Glory Chasers broadcast tomorrow about experiencing God’s glory through writing and reading kids books. Sarah’s new book is Her Story, Her Strength: 50 God-Empowered Women of the Bible. Join us at 5 pm PT | 8 pm ET here on IGlive!

Sarah Parker Rubio edits children’s and young adult books by day and writes them by night. She was born in the United States, grew up in Costa Rica and Ecuador, and now has a bilingual and bicultural family with her husband, Colombian composer Gary Rubio. They live in Cincinnati with their three wonderful children and two sassy cats.

In a world that too often tells girls that they are not enough, Her Story, Her Strength uses biblical retellings and reflections that include the historical context behind each story to remind young women that they have a God who loves them deeply and empowers them to live and love like he does. For any girl ages 8 and up who is asking questions about her worth, identity, and place in the world and church, this colorful and engaging book provides a positive, loving, and scriptural lens that helps them interpret the messages they receive from their peers, media, and society.

#kidlit #womenshistorymonth #womenofthebible #womensupportingwomen

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Mar 22

Open
I’m so excited to chat with @sarahrubiobooks on my Global Glory Chasers broadcast tomorrow about experiencing God’s glory through writing and reading kids books. Sarah’s new book is Her Story, Her Strength: 50 God-Empowered Women of the Bible. Join us at 5 pm PT | 8 pm ET here on IGlive!
Sarah Parker Rubio edits children’s and young adult books by day and writes them by night. She was born in the United States, grew up in Costa Rica and Ecuador, and now has a bilingual and bicultural family with her husband, Colombian composer Gary Rubio. They live in Cincinnati with their three wonderful children and two sassy cats.
In a world that too often tells girls that they are not enough, Her Story, Her Strength uses biblical retellings and reflections that include the historical context behind each story to remind young women that they have a God who loves them deeply and empowers them to live and love like he does. For any girl ages 8 and up who is asking questions about her worth, identity, and place in the world and church, this colorful and engaging book provides a positive, loving, and scriptural lens that helps them interpret the messages they receive from their peers, media, and society.
#kidlit #womenshistorymonth #womenofthebible #womensupportingwomen
38 1

“Rise and shine and give God the glory, glory,” Mama sings. 🎶

Glory?, Zayla thinks, wrinkling her nose, “Mama, we talk and sing about glory at church, but what exactly is glory?”

“Well, that’s a good question,” Mama says with a broad smile. “Let’s go look for it.”

____

These are the opening lines to my new children’s book, Chasing God’s Glory. When my three daughters were little, we started going on glory-chasing hunts together. This was the way we would lift our heads to see God at work on ordinary days and difficult days.

The word glory is mentioned more than 500 times in Scripture. If we study the scriptures that mention it, we discover God’s glory is the very essence of who God is, His character. Glory is what sets God apart. It’s the way God reveals Himself to us. It’s His presence.

Back in 2014, I chose the word glory as my word of the year. Little did I know that this single, five-letter word would be the thing God would use to transform me, inspire me, lift me, and carry me through the most difficult year of my life. This would be the beginning of tracing His glory story in the most unexpected narrative.

I had to train myself to notice  God’s glory around me through tragedy and triumph. That was the year my husband was diagnosed with stage four cancer. That was the year my lover leaped into Heaven – the ultimate Glory – leaving me a widow with three small children. That was the year I experienced God’s glory in little girl giggles, home-cooked meals, and road trips. That was the year He showed up for us through our community who served us, fed us, collected money for medical bills, and lifted us.

God has shown me that glory is the very beginning of the story and also the grand finale…

{Read more about it at @incourage today and enter for a chance to win my new book!} 🫶🏾🚴📚🍀🌊🥰

#chasinggodsglory #glorychasers #kidslit #picturebook @waterbrookmultnomahkids #newbook #glory #creation

View

Mar 21

Open
“Rise and shine and give God the glory, glory,” Mama sings. 🎶 
Glory?, Zayla thinks, wrinkling her nose, “Mama, we talk and sing about glory at church, but what exactly is glory?”
“Well, that’s a good question,” Mama says with a broad smile. “Let’s go look for it.” 
____ 
These are the opening lines to my new children’s book, Chasing God’s Glory. When my three daughters were little, we started going on glory-chasing hunts together. This was the way we would lift our heads to see God at work on ordinary days and difficult days. 
The word glory is mentioned more than 500 times in Scripture. If we study the scriptures that mention it, we discover God’s glory is the very essence of who God is, His character. Glory is what sets God apart. It’s the way God reveals Himself to us. It’s His presence. 
Back in 2014, I chose the word glory as my word of the year. Little did I know that this single, five-letter word would be the thing God would use to transform me, inspire me, lift me, and carry me through the most difficult year of my life. This would be the beginning of tracing His glory story in the most unexpected narrative. 
I had to train myself to notice  God’s glory around me through tragedy and triumph. That was the year my husband was diagnosed with stage four cancer. That was the year my lover leaped into Heaven – the ultimate Glory – leaving me a widow with three small children. That was the year I experienced God’s glory in little girl giggles, home-cooked meals, and road trips. That was the year He showed up for us through our community who served us, fed us, collected money for medical bills, and lifted us. 
God has shown me that glory is the very beginning of the story and also the grand finale…
{Read more about it at @incourage today and enter for a chance to win my new book!} 🫶🏾🚴📚🍀🌊🥰
#chasinggodsglory #glorychasers #kidslit #picturebook @waterbrookmultnomahkids #newbook #glory #creation
53 14
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