My Testimony

Webster defines Comfort Zone as “: the level at which one functions with ease and familiarity”  

1 Corinthians 12:4-6, “There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.  There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.”

Hmmm... comfort zone and spiritual gifts.  What do they have in common?  Well, you can’t receive one without stepping out of the other.  I discovered this some time ago when God turned my life upside down and moved me so far from my comfort zone that I couldn’t find my way back with a road map.  As far as I can remember, I have always been a runner.  I ran from my problems.  I ran from accountability and basically ran myself ragged.  But I always ran.  It was different before I truly gave my life to God though.  I ran for me.. when and if I wanted to.  Hey,  I was saved.  I was a Christian.  I went to church.  What else did He want from me?

Then one of my very good friends was diagnosed with an inoperable, fast growing brain cancer of which there is no cure to date.    Surely, this was a mistake.  As he lay in the hospital, I did what I always did when I needed answers... I ran and I prayed.  In my sadness,  God seemed so much closer.  I asked Him what i could do to help and He said “run”.  I was like, “are you talking to me?”  That’s crazy I thought.  How could that help anyone?!!  So I kept running and praying and He kept telling me the same thing until I finally got the point.   I wasn’t quite sure what I was to do yet but knew it involved running.  UP to that point , my longest run had been 10 miles but I knew what i had to do... a marathon!!!!  Didn’t know how and didn’t know why just knew it had to be done.  I remember telling my husband that I was going to run a marathon and he looked at me  and said “WHY?” to which I replied, “I’m not sure”.  Talk about taking me out of my comfort zone!
He had given me a purpose.  

During training, I would pray.  If I felt weak, I would stop and pray sometimes with hands folded on the side of the road.  Appearances didn’t matter any more.  Nothing did!  I realized then that I had tapped into a greater power than I had ever known existed.  I knew God was big but I didn’t know He cared about the “small” things.   I realized, for the first time, how blindly I had been going through life when His strength was there the whole time.  Wow!!!  I thought, I can “do all things through Christ who gives me strength”  and I can run this marathon!

With the help and support of a lot of people, the race was held.   We only had about 50 runners but we raised several thousand dollars for the family.  Most importantly though, I think we all learned a lot about love and sacrifice.  My friend, by Gods grace, is still doing well today 7 years later against all odds.  Praise God!  

After the race, I was unable to get out of bed the next day without help.  I remember saying, Ok God, thank you!  I’m so glad that’s done.   I will never run another marathon!   And then, I heard it... oh yes you are..    And, my life has never been the same.

God led me to TEAM413 soon after.  TEAM413 is the world’s largest organization of endurance athletes.  We exist solely to spread the word of God with whomever we meet wherever we are.   I have told other runners about the love of Jesus everywhere from the backwoods of a 50 mile trail run to the streets of a rock and roll marathon to a small town 5k.  And, this, I realized, is my spiritual gift.  Taking me out of my comfort zone again and again is God’s way of reminding me to rely on Him and Him alone.   And, that His strength would always be enough to equip me with the words I needed.  

Seems crazy that running would be a gift but it allows me to witness where most people can’t.      We all have spiritual gifts.  The key is to find out what your gift is and let God refine it.  There are opportunities everywhere and there is  no greater time to share God than now... today!  If you saw someone drowning, would you throw them a lifeline?  Of course you would... well you are that lifeline.  In Matthew 29:19, Jesus instructs us to “go, make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the FAther and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”    

I would like to share a story of how being somewhere at God’s appointed time can change lives.  My sister and I ran the Boston Marathon together in April 2010.  In fall of that same year, I ran the Tulsa marathon.  I met a man who shared his testimony “at mile 13” of coming to Christ.  He shared his story of how he saw two girls at the Boston marathon that year with shirts like mine with scripture on the back.  He hadn’t read the whole shirt then only knew it said something about Christ and Phil 4:13 as he described the scripture emblazoned on our shirts.  Said he was at a bad time in his life searching for answers.  He went on to say that he thought about this afterwards for some time before asking a friend who had been “waiting for just the right time” to witness to him.  His friend shared the meaning of Philippians 4:13 and went on to share God’s gift of salvation.  This guy got saved!!!    I asked him, were the shirts pink?  and the girls blonde?  Yes and yes!!!  With tears in my eyes, I said That was me and my sister!!  We had no idea!  But God knew where to put us and when.  We just had to surrender to His will.  He is amazing and his timing is perfect.    Don’t underestimate Him!

You see, once you feel his love and power, there’s no going back.   All this because God took me out of my comfort zone and showed me the gift He gave me and how I was supposed to use it.  He can and will use you too if you will let him.  He wants to use all of us.  

So, I guess the question you must answer is  what’s your gift?  How will you use it?  Comfort Zones are... well.. comfortable but God wants more for you.  He wants all of you.  All you have to do is step out in Faith and He will do the rest.