Hello, friend,

Have you ever heard the term "Life is a marathon, not a sprint”? I’ve heard it somewhere before, I just don’t remember where. I can relate to that phrase on a more personal level now.

On September 3rd, I ran my first live half-marathon (21.1 kilometers). I ran that distance on a treadmill a couple of years ago, but I’d never run it in a live, organized event. I trained for several months to prepare for this event.

On the day, I felt jittery and nervous, but I was excited the day had finally come. There were thousands of people! Some were running to compete, some to qualify for longer events, and others, like me, were just there to challenge themselves.

I made my way to the front of the start line to discover I was milling about with the elite athletes (those who would finish the full marathon faster than I could finish the half). I was out of my league. I knew they would all outrun me, but I still felt confident. The gun went off, and we all shuffled, shoulder to shoulder, rubbing elbows, scuffing shoes, across the start mat until we each found our own running space to push ourselves in this long-distance event.

The first 14 kilometers were great. I was running at my desired race pace, and I was confident I would finish close to my goal time. But something happened at 14 kilometers. My left foot and right hip started hurting—not just tired, muscle soreness, but piercing pain. It was difficult to keep going. I started walking more than I was running, and with 7 kilometers to go, I doubted I would reach my goal time.

Looking back, I can see a few ways I had not adequately trained for the course and distance I was running. First, it was outside on the road, and with safety a main concern in our neighborhood, most of my training had been on the treadmill. Second, there were hills, and it is difficult to train for hills on a treadmill. Third, I relied on their water points to have food, and they only had water, sports drinks, and diet soda. Lastly, at 14 kilometers, I really needed a toilet (thankfully, there was one at 14.8 kilometers).

My family, knowing I would be struggling at this point, met me on the course to cheer me on. 

Having support in the marathon of life is priceless!

The last 6 kilometers of the half-marathon were grueling. But I finished! I may not have reached the goal time I’d hoped for, but I finished. Crossing the finish line was a victory and a relief. Though I was in pain and decisively stating the half-marathon was not my jam, I still found myself asking, “What’s next?”

Sometimes, waiting can feel like a marathon. But the main difference is we can prepare for a marathon. Even if the training is not up to snuff, there is still preparation. Nothing can quite prepare us for any season of waiting.

September 1st marked three years since we submitted our daughter’s immigration petition. Three years. That’s 156 weeks or 1095 days. We check our status every week. Still nothing. The wait continues. This season of waiting has been one of the longest I’ve ever experienced. And it feels like a marathon I haven't trained for at all.

But there's always something to learn in the waiting, right?

I have learned that it’s helpful to break up our time into smaller chunks. Much like I would break up my marathon into smaller sections, just focusing on 4 or 5 kilometers at a time, my husband and I have started planning events to look forward to a few months out. Having something to look forward to helps us enjoy life, and not think about what's not happening.

I’ve also learned to look around and see what God is doing and enjoy the season we’re in now. To keep looking forward, wondering when our next season will begin can bring discouragement and discontentment. But to see all the beauty around us at present brings joy and hope and reminds us that God is still working things in our lives for good, even though our life doesn’t look the way we thought it would. The last 6 kilometers of my half-marathon didn't look the way I thought it would, but I was able to take time to enjoy the scenery and encourage others who were also hurting and walking alongside me.

Finishing never felt so good!

Running my half-marathon also taught me that even when we get what we’ve been waiting for, we still tend to look forward to what’s next. So, if we start noticing and appreciating what is, our outlook on life will be so much brighter!

So, what are you waiting for? Are you looking forward to what’s next? Or are you enjoying what is? Take a moment to look around and see what God is doing in your life while you wait.

In case you missed it, the Lady Lits recorded a panel interview in July with Jennifer Elwood! I emailed a podcast link when the episode aired August 23rd, but here it is again, just in case. Click here to watch the YouTube recording.

We share a little about our Christmas anthology project in the podcast interview, so you don't want to miss it!

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J. Bea’s writing passion is using story to unveil and celebrate the essential role of people with disability within the body of Christ. She has completed writing novels based on the Genesis account of Leah and on events recorded in Joshua. Her story featuring Mephibosheth is outlined. All seven novels planned for her Blemished Sheep Series recast biblical accounts into modern or future contexts and feature characters challenged by disability.

For updates on J. Bea’s writing, visit jbeawilson.com to join her Lift! newsletter community, lifting hearts and hands through story. She especially loves featuring the creativity of others through her prompt-driven Inspired contests. You’ll also find jbeawilson on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.

You've seen some of our highlighted author's works in JBea's Lift newsletter, so why not check out the story that started it all? Poison Mushrooms was JBea's first Inspired story!

Click here to read Poison Mushrooms

My writing endeavor has never been about making money, so I will not post ads on my website or in my email. However, I will occasionally share works that I feel may interest you or people you know.

I love that you're here, and I hope you'll be blessed through my blog writing as well as my fiction writing. If you know of someone working in missions or just beginning their journey, please feel free to share my web address, blog posts, and my books.