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Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young

Chasing God's glory down unexpected trails

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Walk Run Soar: Less flapping, more soaring

For the last several weeks, our air has been smoky in Central California because of the fires chasing up and down our state. We have been forced to stay inside for many days. This was a little harder to swallow after five months of sheltering at home due to the global pandemic.

My husband Shawn and I decided to take our three daughters and my parents on a weekend trip to the Central Coast to get out of the murky air. On that Saturday morning, Shawn and I drove to Montaña de Oro State Park for a trail run. I craved fresh air and some space to breathe before the new school year began with all my girls learning at home.

Some friends recommended this amazing trail that overlooked the ocean. I am all about chasing God’s glory along ocean vistas. We made our way to the trailhead and started our run.

Montaña de Oro State Park boasts golden wildflowers in spring, secluded sandy beaches, streams, canyons, coastal plains dotted with succulents, and hills upon hills. As the trail wove through the park like a thread through a tapestry, we found ourselves peering over the edge of rugged cliffs. A symphony of waves crashed beneath us.

I felt the storm in my soul begin to calm as my heart tuned in to the cadence of the ocean waves. I was reminded of my Daddy God who holds all the details, all the decision fatigue, and all the problems of this year in the palm of His hand.

Then I began to notice this bird flying overhead. As I ran, he flew just ahead of me. He was so close I could make out the curve of his expansive wings. I’m not a birder, but I’m pretty sure it was a hawk or eagle. I could tell by the way he would flap his wings only once or twice and then soar on the wind.

The prophet Isaiah says, “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” (Isaiah 40:31).

These words remind us that we are called to place our hope in the Lord. We cannot trust in our own sense of control over situations. So much in this season is out of our hands. We have to look to God when we feel weary and broken.

Different translations and versions of the Bible use different words in place of that word “trust,” which helps us get a fuller picture of what the prophet Isaiah was saying. We are called to “wait” for the Lord (ESV), to “trust” in Him (NLT), and “wait upon” Him for our next move (MSG). When we trust and wait for God, He leads us in surprising ways to fly like eagles.

Eagles are beautiful, majestic birds created by God to soar. They have long, large wings. Their bodies are very light with bones that are hollow. Their skeletons weigh only about half a pound, but their wings are very strong.

When eagles fly, they flap their wings for only a short time to gain altitude. Then they stretch their wings horizontally and use wind thermals to soar or glide through the air, conserving energy.

A wind thermal is a big gust of wind that rises up from the atmosphere. Eagles wait and perch (sometimes for days) before they catch a good, strong wind thermal to carry them to where they want to go. Like the eagle, we also must wait with hope, listening for the Holy Spirit to whisper, nudge, or direct us where to run next.

While we wait, Isaiah 40 says God “renews our strength.” An eagle molts, which is the natural way God renews and replenishes its wings. The old feathers fall out and new ones grow in to take their place. Similarly, God can give us a dose of renewed strength, power, and ability while we are waiting for Him.

Whether you are waiting for an answer, waiting for healing, waiting for a child, waiting for a job promotion, or just waiting for this pandemic to be over, know that your waiting has purpose.

Waiting does not mean wallowing or sitting idle.

In the waiting, God can give us “fresh strength” (MSG) so we can soar when the time is right.

We can’t simply rely on our own human strength because it is too-often misguided and will eventually run out. Like the eagle, we need to conserve energy and look with anticipation for that just-right wind the Holy Spirit provides.

We need to stop striving and start soaring.

*This post was adapted from the Introduction to Walk Run Soar. Snag your copy of this new 52-week devotional that follows the theme of running life’s race. More details here.

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October 2, 2020 Categories: RunningTagged: running life's trails, WalkRunSoar

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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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We love Pastor Josh Hawley’s perspective on running your own race and staying in your own lane. In Season 2, Episode 2 of the #WalkRunSoar podcast...

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Jan 20

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We love Pastor Josh Hawley’s perspective on running your own race and staying in your own lane.  In Season 2,  Episode 2 of the #WalkRunSoar podcast @hawley.josh encouraged us to pivot away from comparison and run our race to the best of our abilities for the glory of God.
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In this episode, you’ll also hear about: 
👉🏽Josh’s physical, emotional, and spiritual transformation through running and exercise
👉🏽How Josh started a fitness cohort at His church to inspire others 
👉🏽How God created us to care for our bodies, minds and souls
👉🏽Ways exercise can connect us in community
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🎧 Listen to Season 2, Episode 2 of the Walk Run Soar podcast anywhere you play your podcasts! 📺 We also have a YouTube version if you like to see facial expressions! 
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#christianrunner #runningmotivation #runnersofinstagram #runningismytherapy #devotional #runningcommunity #podcast #runningpodcast #faithblogger
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✈️ This year our family is traveling the world from the comfort of home. We are sharing stories, recipes, and resources in case you would like to ...

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Jan 20

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✈️ This year our family is traveling the world from the comfort of home. We are sharing stories, recipes, and resources in case you would like to join us and explore a country and culture along with us. The goal is simply to make memories and explore the world through food, books, music, and movies. You have freedom to make this experience your own! 🌎
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This week we would like to invite you on a “trip” to Armenia. My mother-in-law’s family is originally from Armenia so we invited Grandma Chris and Grandpa Larry to join us for this adventure. We picked out a few recipes to try making from scratch and Grandma picked up some favorites from Nina’s Bakery, which is one of the top spots in Fresno for Armenian delights.
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My late husband Ericlee Gilmore’s great-grandpa was Garabed Bedrosian. He was born in 1883 into extreme poverty in Armenia. His father died when was 9, and he helped his mother to care for the family of five children. Three years after his father’s death, Garabed witnessed the Armenian Genocide. Many were killed. His own village was set on fire, but the family managed to escape to the home of an uncle in a different village.
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When the crisis passed, they returned to their home to see what was left. Through that winter, Garabed watch his brothers and sister pass away. He and his mother were the only survivors. {For the full story of how Garabed and his family immigrated to the United States, check out my blog at www.DorinaGilmore.com}
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For our Armenian feast, Grandma Chris made her signature pilaf. I made chicken kebabs, hummus, and paklava with my girls. The rest we ordered from Nina’s Bakery. As Grandma Chris describes it, this is a legit Armenian bakery complete with the grandmas in the back rolling the dolma. Yummy!
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👉🏽Do you know your family’s story of coming to the United States or landing where you live today?
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#foodie #globalfamily #goodeats #armenia #armenian #paklava #dolma #yum #worldtravel #familytime #glorychasers #makingmemories #multicultural #pandemiclife #immigration
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🏃🏽‍♀️Hey, friend! If you are a walker or a runner who has a hunch that running and faith are intricately connected, you’re in the right ...

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Jan 19

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🏃🏽‍♀️Hey, friend! If you are a walker or a runner who has a hunch that running and faith are intricately connected, you’re in the right place.
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If you’re a runner who wants to accomplish your physical goals, but also longs for a more personal connection with God, then we
need to chat.
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If you’re a runner who deep down wants your training to engage the body, mind, soul, and spirit, I am with you.
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If you have ever felt out of breath or stuck in life, I am here to help you find new strength to press on. I can certainly relate.
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My heart is to run alongside you this year and help coach you to connect with God, develop muscle memory, and catch a second wind to soar to the finish line. Whether you are a walker or a seasoned
runner, my new book Walk Run Soar was designed with you in mind.
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In this 52-week experience, I encourage you to read one devotional at the start of each week, and then spend time journaling and taking the faith steps throughout your week. Let’s walk, run, and soar together in 2021!🏃🏽‍♀️
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👉🏽More details at www.DorinaGilmore.com
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#walkrunsoar #christianrunners #runnersofinstagram #runnerslife #runningmotivation #runningismytherapy #runforgod #bookreview #devotional @bethany_house_nonfiction
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“No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until ‘justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.’
...

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Jan 19

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“No, no, we are not satisfied, and we will not be satisfied until ‘justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.’
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...I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. 
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I have a dream today!
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I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.
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I have a dream today!
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I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; ‘and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together.”
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💬Tonight before bed we listened to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s “I Have a Dream” speech again with our girls. We talked about the context and history behind these words. We talked about the things Dr. King stood for and believed. We talked about how he was a man of God who led from Scripture.
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My youngest had lots of questions: “Where was he when he said this?” “Why were people against him?” Why did they kill him?” “Have things changed?” They were good questions and hard questions. And together we searched for answers.
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👉🏽We remember these words today. We honor this dream. We must wade into the water and do the hard work together for this dream. In 2021. And always.
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#mlk #glorychasers #mlkday #mlkquotes #mlkweekend #justice #justicejourney #letjusticeroll
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Five years ago today, our family stood at the altar and said “I do” to a redemption story only God could craft. We chose love in the midst of our ...

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Jan 16

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Five years ago today, our family stood at the altar and said “I do” to a redemption story only God could craft. We chose love in the midst of our deep grief.
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People talk about the “dumpster fire of 2020,” but our dumpster fire was in 2014. That was the year my beloved received a devastating diagnosis. Four short months later, the girls and I stood at the graveside surrendering him to Heaven. That year I walked away from a ministry and work that we had built together over a decade in Haiti. The loss was unimaginable. Not only had I lost my husband, but I also lost my community, any sense of normalcy, my confidence, and my livelihood. I buried many dreams in that dumpster fire.
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But God promises to bring beauty from the ashes. And we stand a testimony today that He is faithful to His promises. For five years now, Shawn and I have been a couple. Two became one at that altar. And defying all math, five became one. For five years, my girls have experienced a new earthly father. We have stepped into a new sense of family.
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God has planted new seeds in our garden of ashes. We watered these seeds with tears and laughter through the years. Our family has cultivated new rhythms and watched new life spring from the grave. 
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Friend, I know you have walked through the fire this last year. I know you are worn and weary, broken and bruised. I know your loss is unimaginable. Today I want to give you permission to grieve. I also want you to know that hope is always on the horizon. Even in darkness there is a glimmer of glory. May you and I be like phoenix that rises from the ashes and spreads her resilient wings. May we sing in our loudest voices the redemption story God composes over and over again.
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Happy 5th anniversary, @shawnyoungruns  I’ve said it all year, and I’ll say it again. I’m so grateful to walk through the dumpster fire with you. 🔥 
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#beautyfromashes #redemption #redemptionsong #hopewriterlife #newsong #phoenix #widow #grief #griefjourney #anniversary #fiveyears #allthingsnew #chosen2021 #glorychasers #flourishingtogether #walkrunsoar #weareincourage #1000gifts
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