I’ve seen the signs today. This has been a life-changing thing recently to be able to take pause and recognize the signs that are clearly laid in front of me.

When I was little (until I was about 14) I went to my grandparents’ house every weekend. And every Sunday we’d go to church. My grandmother, who raised two boys, took a perverted pleasure in dolling me up for Sunday church. I remember there being spools of ribbons in every color in her walk-in closet (that closet is another story!), which she would use to braid my hair (She called it “plaiting,” but again, I digress.). One Sunday, when I was around 10 years old, the teenage girl sitting next to me, Sherry, who’s family sat with us every week, went to the front of the church during the alter call. When the music stopped, the preacher said, “The Lord has spoken to Sherry today; and she wants to give her life to Christ.” I distinctly remember thinking, “What? Why didn’t I hear Him? I was sitting right here and I didn’t hear nothing.”

Clearly, I had a ways to go; please don’t judge 10-year-old me. I get better. 🙂

Back to now: you know I’ve been running. And people who know me know that I have long-standing hip pains, among some other physical ailments. I said to my mom yesterday, in all seriousness, if I were biologically related to my grandfather (step-, but he was all I knew), I’d be terrified right now. He suffered with Muscular Dystrophy, as did his mother. Pain, coupled with what I believe to be “unsuccessful” running, taunts me daily not to exercise. But I blew off yesterday (really, I had a lot of work to do), so today I went. I popped in Pastor Furtick’s podcast* “Don’t Stop on 6,” and turned on my MapMyRun app.

I had to stop and walk periodically, and the sweat was thick; but the message was clear: run every lap like it’s your last—because someday, it will be. I won’t get into the nuances of his sermon structures—but I’ll tell ya’ I liked teaching AP Language for a reason (and I love writing and editing nonfiction here on a daily basis). Whether you’re of any deep and profound faith or of no faith, the message to do what you need to do whether or not you see the outcome—or any indication of that outcome—you do it because you should (i.e. are driven internally to do so).

The outcome will come out, basically; and I don’t need to be focused solely on the outcome.

Pumped, and ready to work, I was like, I got this. I randomly picked that podcast, and look at that. Smiley face. My new running shoes may have scuff marks along the bottoms from the days I can’t seem to pick up my legs, but I’m going for it. I sat down at my desk and turned over one of my two desk calendars’ pages, and this quote beamed at me: “How enduring are our bodies, after all!” –Henry David Thoreau. And I have such peace, knowing this is a sign, not a coincidence.

Pick up your feet, even if you’re just barely going today; reach out to that client you’ve been working on. Today may be the day that she gets your message and realizes your sincerity. Today may be the day he understand how your working together really is a fantastic idea for his business. Today may be your day.

Amy

*My post today is not about one particular faith, please understand. But it is what happened to me this morning. Please share with me your signs, your faith, your progress. I’m happy to know it. 🙂