See Something More

There was a rumor that it might snow on Christmas eve, providing us with a rare white Christmas. But it has been so long since we've had such a special treat that my hopes weren't held very high. Our family woke up early Christmas morning to drive to my grandfather's house and I slept all the way there. But when I opened my eyes and peered out the window as we arrived, the white winter wonderland before me took my breath away. All around, a soft three-inch blanket of snow covered the ground, making the sky more blue and the trees more elegant. The little sparkles in the snow glistened as we drove by, and a thin layer of snow nestled on the tops of each bush and branch like a dash of powdered sugar. Although only a small amount of snow iced the ground, it was just enough to make snow angels and leave footprints in the fresh, untouched snow. My sister and I frolicked around outside like we'd never seen snow before, but the magic of Christmas combined with the surprise gif...

The music swells with the holiday beat and the kitchen is filled with everything sweet . Sipping hot chocolate from a snowman cup, in a warm blanket I am all snuggled up. The bells on my Christmas house shoes clink while the little white lights on the Christmas tree blink. My favorite ornaments take center stage on the tree as my favorite music box sings a Christmas melody. A warm fire crackles in the cozy living room and the beautiful red poinsettia colorfully blooms . Staying up late to laugh and to play, then staying in my warm pajamas all day. But the holiday’s traditions and decorations remind me of Christ, the Lord of Creation. For the music of heaven came to earth one dark night, And the sweetness of God came to make all things right. Because of Him, our winters are warm . He’s the light of the world in the midst of the storm. Christ, in our world, came to bloom and to brighten what had been lost, condemned, and frightened. His presence brought peace, joy, and grace . New...

As my first semster in college comes to a close, my heart is filled with gratitude as I reflect on all the things I learned, all the new things I experienced, and all the new people I met. Here are ten things I am thankful for, accompanied by pictures and memories! 1. I am so thankful for all the wonderful new friends that I have met and come to love! 2. I am thankful for my suite - these girls have laughed with me, cried with me, and been there for me no matter what. We are so close and I don't know what I would have done without them! This picture is us having our own little Christmas party in our dorm room. 3. I am especially thankful for the fall this year. I spent much more time outside, enjoying the cool weather and bright colors. 4. I am so thankful for my "home away from home." Our little dorm room has become a safe place for me amidst all the change and adjustment that moving to college brought. 5. I am thankful for the beautiful Harding campus, the good food, ...

Mountains melting, a heap of ruins, an incurable wound, going barefoot and naked, rolling in the dust, and making yourself bald - all of this is found in the first chapter of Micah in the Old Testament. Great start for a great story, huh? It wasn't really the introduction I was hoping for when I opened my Bible to Micah this morning. The first three chapters of Micah are a little depressing to say the least, and the next two aren't much better. It's all about the sins of God's people and the destruction that awaits them. I was beginning to ask myself, What in the world is this doing in the Bible? What am I supposed to do with this? But then I began to read chapter 4. "Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD...that He may teach us about His ways and that we may walk in His paths." (vs 2) "In that day," declares the Lord, "I will assemble the lame and gather the outcasts...And the LORD will reign over them in Mount Zion." (vs 6-7) ...

"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have recieved from God." 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 Last night, I experienced the comfort of the Lord in a powerful way, and I would like to share a piece of it with you. God, the God of compassion and comfort, sends encouragement and comfort at just the right times. I believe that His special comfort is meant to be contagious; it is meant to be shared. Just like God washed me with His comfort last night, I pass the bowl of encouragement to you so that you may wash in His perfect comfort as well. It is in times of weakness that we are most susceptible to temptation. Last night was one of those nights for me. I was stressed out about final exams, exhausted from late nights, worried about some of my relationships, and feeling guilty about past mistakes. It is when all th...

One of my favorite family traditions around Christmas time is our family ski trip to Colorado. This year, we are going to Wolf Creek ski resort, and the homepage on my computer is the official snow report for the mountain. Congratulations, Wolf Creek! As of today, you have recieved 137 inches of snow! Can you imagine a pile of snow almost 12 feet high? As an Arkansas girl, I'm not sure I've ever seen more than 2 inches of snow in my front yard, so the mental picture of a wall of snow as tall as my ceiling is magical! Here in the south, as soon as one snowflake falls, school is cancelled, everyone panics, and all the milk and eggs in the grocery store are sold within two hours. What would happen if we were dumped with over 100 inches?! Today, as I was celebrating Wolf Creek's amazing amount of snow, I realized that I have something much greater to celebrate - not the accumulation os snow, but the accumulation of God's love; not the downpour of winter weather, but the dow...

Had I not had such high expectations, it probably would have been a lot better. When it was announced that there would be an opportunity to ice skate on the front lawn of our college campus, I bought my ticket and cleared my schedule for Thursday-night-winter-wonder-land-fun! Looking back, the whole event would have been a lot more exciting if I hadn't expected real ice, real skates, and an arena bigger than my dorm room. When I first saw the little ice skate patch made of white puzzle pieces, I let out a sigh of disappointment and began to wonder if my ticket was worth the five dollars that I paid for it. However, after overcoming the initial shock of disappointment, my friends and I got out there on our funny skates, slipped and slid around for thirty minutes like clumsy penguins, and had the time of our lives doing it. My intention in telling this simple, silly story is not to complain about the ice skating; it was rather fun and hilarious - something I'll always remember. M...

As my first semester in college is coming to a close, I'm finishing papers, studying for exams, and counting down the days of class that still remain. Yet as I reflect on all the things that I have learned this semester, I realize that assignments, tests, and projects have played a very minor role in the grand scheme of things. As I look back at my first semester in college, it is like a giant photograph of all the activities, classes, lectures, and friendships. Among the fuzzy, out-of-focus backdrop of college life in this photograph, the clear point of focus is my spiritual theme: oneness . I tend to have "themes" for the spiritual focuses in my life at different times. God has been actively involved in developing a theme of oneness in my life. Throughout all the adjustments, stresses, and decisions that come with the college life, God has made it known to me that He wants to have a relationship with me that is so close, so personal, so intimate - that we are one. Time...

As Thanksgiving Day approaches, I find myself filled with an unusual attitude of appreciation. I'm almost giddy with gratitude as I tend to notice everything around me for which I am thankful. I'm not normally ungrateful, but something about the holiday season makes me thankful for everything . I'll find myself looking all around me and being thankful for everything I see: the trees in our front yard, my bed, my favorite hot chocolate mug, everything! It may seem silly and childlike, but a simple attitude of thankfulness is a treasure to me. I've been reading Psalm 119 for the past week, and it is one of the most beautiful passages to be reading around Thanksgiving! You can even read it as if it were a list of things to be thankful for. Thank you, Lord, that... "You revive me in your ways..." (v 37) "You have established your Word to your servant..." (v 38) "Your ordinances are good..." (v 39) I am able to "trust in your Word..."...

The battle was won, the weapons laid down, and the banquet of celebration served. God had delivered His people in a mighty victory! In fact, they collected all the weapons of the enemy and burned them! As I read Ezekiel 39, I pictured this great day of rejoicing: the men return from war, the women and children dance in the streets, the trumpets play as a victory parade marches down the streets of Israel. I can almost see the smiles on everyone's faces, until I get to verse 12: "For seven months the house of Israel will be burying the dead in order to cleanse the land." What?! They spent seven months burying the dead? This little verse shattered my day dream of the party day in Israel. If God had brought about such a mighty victory for His people, I wondered why He would leave them with such an ugly task. If I were writing this story, I would dictate that the people of Israel spent seven months celebrating with feasts, concerts, and parties! But the more I meditated on thi...

This past weekend, I went with some friends in a prayer group on a wonderful camping trip to Petit Jean State Park. With this group of friends, something fun and crazy always happens, and I never expect anything less! On this trip in particular, we went on a day hike to Cedar Falls. But this water fall wasn't something just to hike to, just to see, just to observe, or just to explore. It was something to which to play, in which to dance. We played, we splahed, we danced, and we worshipped under the beautfiul waterfall of God's creation until the water soaked into every layer of clothing and little droplets dripped off the ends of our noses. But later that night, when we were warm and dry, we sat around the campfire and reflected on the day. As we felt the warmth of the fire and heard it crackle, we gazed at the stars and at the faces of the friends around us that were radiant with the reflection of the campfire in their eyes. We sang praises to the God of the universe, and we ...

My face lit up as my suitemate bobbed into my room with a great big smile on her face. I knew she had a story to tell, so I turned my chair away from my desk to listen for a while. She reminded me of the time not too long ago when she plugged her ipod into her computer. An abnormal and surprising window popped up on the screen saying, "resetting to default." Stunned, she watched all three hundred songs vanish into the great technological abyss. Staring at the blank screen in disbelief, she boiled over with a gut feeling of frustration. "Really? I can't believe this!" she said to me as she recounted the incident. But she went on to explain how, in such a simple inconvenience, she saw something more. This past semester hasn't been the easiest time of her life. Heartbreaks, hurts, and discouragement have followed her around, desperately trying to steal her attention away from her passionate love for the Lord. In her own words, she said that she had been "w...

In Philippians 1:21 "To live is Christ and to die is gain." In the culture of the United States, death is rarely ever considered a gain. But there's something about Paul's words in Philippians that turns things upside down. In fact, there's something about Christianity and the belief in the Almighty God that flips the human perspective. What is ordinarily ugly becomes beautiful with Christ in view. What is typically discouraging can be full of hope when seen in the light of God's love and grace. And what is typically a terrible loss can be counted a great gain . I often wonder about what happens after death. We even had a family discussion about this in our kitchen this afternoon. Does time exist when you die? Are you just asleep or are you with the Lord? Are you waiting or are you active? When is the spiritual resurrection of the soul? What do you do when you die? Needless to say, we spent a lot of time thinking about these questions around the kitchen table...

It is amazing to me that when I go to serve others, my motivation is to be a blessing to them, but somehow I always leave feeling blessed myself. It was like that way today when my friend and I took some chocolate, a card, and some Scriptures written on index cards to our sweet friend in the nursing home. When we showed up at her door, her alzheimers prevented her from remembering who we were, but we still stayed to talk and pray with her. After we read some Scriptures to her, she paused for a long time like she was contemplating something, like she was sorting through her fading memory very carefully. Finally she said, "It was when I was nineteen." She paused for a while and slowly continued, "It was in august...that was when I was born again." In that moment, my face couldn't contain the smile that my heart was trying so hard to express. I realized that this woman couldn't remember who we were or what her birthday was, but she could remember the day that s...

"Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest." Hebrews 4:11 I rolled down the window in the back seat and let the cool fall breeze whirl the hair around my face. It was almost too chilly, but I didn't mind the goose bumps because I liked the feeling of freedom the wind brought as it twirled around me. I hung my arm out the side of the car and admired the brilliant fall colors of the Ozark mountains. As the little bumby dirt road weaved in and out of the saddles in the hills, every corner revealed a new angle of beauty that took my breath away. The dips and folds in the mountains were like wrinkles in a giant autumn curtain, and the sky contrasted a deep and pure blue. I felt like rolling up the window would fade the glorious colors or block my unspoiled vision of the beauty of fall. The nature that surrounded me was so untouched, so vibrant with life, so still and majestic. I love the weekends like these when I go backpacking in the wilderness. I leave my cell...

In the past few months, I have experienced a renewed appreciation for hymns. For some reason, I used to think that the songs in the hymn book at church were too old , too slow, and too out-of-date, but now I regret ever letting those thoughts creep into my head. Although I love the new songs that we sing at devotional gatherings, there is something that you miss out on if you neglect the hymns. The more I sing them, the more I feel their richness. They have a way of expressing the emotions of my heart, giving my love for God a voice. They speak to me in ways that make me aware of God's truth and His presence in my life. Sometimes, I can almost hear the angels singing along. There is a hymn in my heart today that I want to share with you, and I hope that it gives wings to the words of your heart. Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart; Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art. Thou my best thought by day or by night, Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light Be Thou my wisdom, Th...

This past Sunday I had the wonderful opportunity to join a group of people from church and spend the afternoon at a local nursing home. Some of the group played bluegrass music for the residents while the rest of us talked with people or visited their rooms if they didn't feel like getting out. I enjoyed listening to the bluegrass music because I could tell that the elderly folks enjoyed it, too. But what I loved the most was talking with people, hearing their stories, listening to them, and praying with them. I'll never forget the sweet squeeze that one precious lady gave my hand as I said "amen." There was a slight miscommunication among the group as we transitioned to a different nursing home for the later half of the afternoon. Apparently many people didn't realize that we were visiting another nursing home, so many members of our group didn't show up at the second location, including the singers for the bluegrass band. The band waited a few minutes to see...

I used to think that prayer was the only way to handle struggles, but now God has shown me something new and exciting. Not only is there power in prayer, but power in praise as well. I have been experimenting with a new kind of prayer this week - a prayer of praise. Whenever I am struggling, hurting, doubting, fearing, worrying, or experiencing any negative emotion, I go to God in praise. There is something about singing God' name, praising Him, and worshipping Him that puts everything into perspective. Praise washes over all doubt, fear, anger, and insecurity. I don't have to say a word about my problems (God already knows anyway), instead, I just call Him by name and offer a prayer of simple praise. The more I praise Him, the more my struggles vanish as my mind is filled with truth about who God is. Every now and then, instead of praying about it, praise about it. Instead of going to God in prayer, go to Him in praise. And really, praise is a prayer - a prayer that declares t...

The colorful clothes and costumes, silly chants and songs, late-night parties, and crazy demonstrations of enthusiasm are only a few of the exciting things on campus during the week of social club inductions. This year, I am only an observer. At first, I was thankful that I didn't have to participate in the late night activites, not do I have to complete the ridiculous requirements of joining a social club on campus. However, the more I see the creative costumes, colorful signs, and fun gatherings, I begin to feel a little bit left out. I want to be crazy, too! I want to wear club colors, sing club songs, and most of all, be a part of something bigger than myself. But I wasn't invited, so I wear normal clothes in a sea of colors. I study in my dorm room, listening to the chants ringing outside my open window. I have nothing against social clubs, and I don't think there is anything wrong with joining one, but the Lord reminded me of something this week through the whole club...

Of all the new and exciting things that college brings, one of my favorite parts is the freedom to arrange my own schedule each semster. When I sat down at my desk today, the excitement of selecting new classes and arranging my schedule filled me with a sense of adventure. The timing and planning of my schedule this upcoming spring semster was all under my control! But my enthusiasm and optimism quickly faded into frustration as I realized that the process is less like an adventure and more like solving an intricate jigsaw puzzle. I knew what classes I needed to take, but getting them into my week without overlap and conflict was a different story. Since my Anatomy class was important, I started with that. But because the lab took up such a large block of time, that only left one section of Human Situation. And if I enrolled in that class, then I would have to take an 8:00 Bible class every day. Then, there would be no time for me to take Cell Biology because it was only offered at 8:...

I have a confession to make: I eat way too much candy. When Halloween rolls around and they start selling candy corn at all the grocery stores, I go a little bit crazy. You see, it's my favorite candy, and they don't sell it all-year-round. That means that the month of October is the time to satisfy my craving. During October, squirrels may collect nuts for the winter, but I buy as many bags of candy corn as it takes to last me all through the upcoming year. This year is no different. I ate through the first bag in two and a half weeks all by myself, and I have four other bags on reserve. (I'm telling you, it's bad.) This weakness is not helped by the fact that I keep a bag of candy corn on my desk all the time. As I'm working or studying, I'm snacking. I tell myself, O kay, Ashli, only one more handful . Then after I eat those, I say, Okay Ashli, only three more . After I eat those three, I say, Okay, for real this time, only three more ! And it goes on and on ...

I love the time of year when the cool weather transforms the leaves into deep shades of red, yellow, and orange that illuminate in the sunlight. When you look up at the leaves from below, the sun shines through them like a stain glass window. I love hanging all my colorful sweaters in the closet and then carefully choosing which one to wear on each crisp autumn afternoon. I can almost smell the cool air as I take a deep breath, and I can feel the warmth of a scarf snuggled up to my cold nose. I love the smell of pumpkin pie, apple cider, and my favorite "sweet cinnamin pumpkin" candle that my mom bought just for me. During the fall, I'll take every opportunity to get outside, even if it is a simple trip to the grocery store. (Which means I can grab several bags of candy corn to last me all year round!) The season of fall makes me feel at home and at peace, but it also fills me with energy and excitement, like the leaves that twirl through the air with the dancing of the ...

I just finished reading Isaiah in my Bible, and I have discovered that it is one of those books that is just plain hard to grasp at times. It is very easy to get lost or confused in the prophesies woven through its chapters, but I am reminded of something a friend shared with me one time. Together, we were studying the book of Isaiah with a group of peers, and we were meeting each week to discuss what we had read. On one particular week, we found ourselves gathered together with nothing to talk about. We had read a difficult section of Isaiah, and no one really knew what to do with it. After tossing around a few ideas about the passage as a whole, one girl spoke up and said, "It's like God is saying, 'I dare you to find someone better than me.'" After a few moments of silence as we let her comment sink in, we all began to see the truth in her statement. Among all the confusing prophesies, predictions, and preachings, Isaiah says over and over again that there is n...

To say the word "holy" is the simplest task, but its powerful message is harder to grasp. Four little letters make a word of small size, but in them immeasurable meaning lies. To speak the word "holy" can be easily done, just a pluck of the lips and a roll of the tongue. Though a simple word of smallest measure, it is saturated with incomprable treasure. To sing the word "holy" in done every day in various songs and in various ways. Under its sound is a great connotation of a powerful God beyond imagination. It is He who is holy; He defines the word. He gives it meaning of wonders unheard. The word may be small, but its owner is grand, all holiness held in His mighty hand. He who is holy is high and above, set apart from all others by His infinite love. There is none like Him to even compare, for His righteousness and mercy are ever rare. He who is holy possesses all sovereignty, all strength, all glory, all authority, all wisdom, all honor, all of creatio...

When the week's schedule gets hectic and the items on my to-do list accumulate, I always look forward to my Sabbath day walk. You might call it a "Sunday stroll," but I like to think of it as my own type of Sabbath tradition. The only way I can rest from my work is to leave it on the desk and escape for a while - so I take a walk. Today, as I was walking outside in the cool fall weather, God reminded me of all the things He has done for me this past week. I remembered in the Old Testament that God often called His people to write down His words, record His works, and build alters and memorials so they wouldn't forget what He had done. As I reflected on my week and its events, I felt a tug of my heart to write them down so I would never forget how wonderfully faithful God is to guide me. This post is simply a journal entry of my heart, a personal testimony to what God has done in my life this week that I don't want to forget. ~ This week brought some joy as well as...

When I approached the librarian desk to check out my books, there was a war going on in my mind. Every little thought was fighting for my attention and my head was spinning from the inward battle. I had just returned from my 8:00 chemistry class. I was probably supposed to learn something about molar mass and percent composition during that hour, but as the result of a conversation with my professor, all I learned was that I had messed up in the lab the day before and there was nothing I could do to correct it. It didn't help that I had taken a three hour chemistry test the night before, and I was already worried about that test grade. Now I had another bad grade in my lab on top of that. As I was walking out of the class room, I dropped my remote (a fancy tool we use in academic classrooms these days) and broke it, so now the batteries won't stay in. That was the straw that broke the camel's back. I officially hated all things chemistry. So I headed off to the library in a...

When my eyes first peeked open Saturday morning, I was suddenly wide awake. I glanced over at my sister in the bed beside me, and the lump under the covers told me that the bright morning sun had not awakened her. With excitement, I quietly seperated the blind and peeked through the slot to see what the weather looked like outside. Then, I tiptoed over to my computer and checked the radar on weather.com to confirm my certainty that today was going to be a beautiful sunny day. After a week of solid rain, surely the clouds would roll away just in time for all the great things I had planned for the day. I had been anticipating this weekend with my sister for a long time, and I had scheduled several exciting and adventuresome activities for us to do together...if the weather approved. As I clicked on the radar on my computer screen, my stomach sank as I watched the dark green blobs cover the screen and block the map from my view. I watched it several more times, hoping that it might change...

It always amazes me how God knows exactly what I need, and He always gives it to me right when I need it! It rained all day today, and every drop reminded me of how vast God's storehouse of blessing really is. There is no way I can comprehend all that He has in store for His children, but maybe if I open my hand, I will catch a few drops of His glory and goodness! I'm experiencing one of those moments right now, one of those moments where His love overwhelms you! I feel like I'm standing in a beautiful rainstorm of His love, holding out my hands and catching all the drops that I can as I let His love wash over me. I just returned from a devotional where a group of college girls gathered to sing, fellowship, share, and pray with each other. As I walked home in the rain, I began to experience this feeling of awe in the presence of God. Not only was the singing beautiful, but the devotional message was just what I needed to hear, and the group of girls that I prayed with provi...

When I first stepped outside this morning, I was rudely awakened by a pestering raindrop that landed right on top of my head. I had expected a cool, crisp fall morning, but instead I encountered a clammy, humid, and rainy greeting from the world. I grumbled as I realized that I didn't have an umbrella, and it didn't help that I had just spent twenty minutes fixing my hair only to have it frizz instantly when I stepped off the front porch. I walked to class, frustrated by the inconvenient rain and concerned that everyone was looking at my hair and murmuring, "What's wrong with her hair?" As I was complaining to myself about the rain, I recalled an experience from this past weekend... I had come home from college for the first time since I began my freshman year, and I had brought a friend with me. Eager to show her a good time, my mom and I took her to a little shopping center with roundabout drives, small shops, and romantic lights at night. We were enjoying a won...

Note: These tips are for young ladies like me who might struggle with body image, weight, or diet, whether that comes in the form of an eating disorder or not. To see the first two tips, check out the previous posts. Practical Tip #3: Journaling and Writing I haven't always been a "journal-keeper," but as soon as I started, I never stopped. My first journal was a big long list of things that I was thankful for. As I look back on each journal entry and read the things that I was thankful for each day, I smile and laugh. I remember the days when my pet goldfish was number one on the list of things I'm thankful for! Some of my old journals are a source of laughter and amusement, but one otjer journal in particular is a source of hope and strength: the journal I kept during my eating disorder. It was a very simple journal, one that I could take with me wherever I went. I didn't feel like I always had to use my best handwriting when I wrote in it. The lined pages are s...

Note: This series of posts is what I like to call "Practical Tips" for girls like me who might struggle with negative attitudes towards their bodies or their weight or food, whether that comes in the form of an eating disorder or not. See an earlier post for the first practical tip. Practical Tip #2: Thinking of Food as Fuel! Temptation always creeps up on you in the moments where you feel most vulnerbale. For me, that seems to be around food. My eating disorder triggers around mealtimes and snacktimes, and it causes me to think negative thoughts, or "eating disorder thoughts", about myself or the meal in front of me. If you relate to this in any kind of way, let me share with you something I learned from my counselors at the clinic I attended. Think of food as fuel . For me, I was tempted to not eat enough. When I began to think of food as the fuel I needed to serve the Lord and obey Him, I experienced mealtimes in a whole new way. My meals were no longer times of ...

I'm a fan of practical tips. My favorite classes in school are the ones that have practical applications. (Who wants to learn something that you'll never use?) My favorite books, movies, and songs are the ones that leave me saying, "Wow, this has changed my life." I love to hear a speaker that leaves the audience with a practical application - something that you can tie into your own life, a lesson that you can use daily. When I was diagnosed with an eating disorder, I wanted something practical to help me through it all. I wanted some little tip that could help me when I started feeling the pressure. And as a recovered patients of an eating disorder, I want to share something very practical with you! So the next few posts are devoted to sharing some of the practical things I did that helped me regain a healthy mindset and a healthy body. Practical Tip #1: Direct your thoughts (aka "Thought Triggering") For me, mastering my mindset was the hardest part of m...

At one point in your life, you might have heard a Christian talk about how important it is to read the Bible. If you grew up in a church, this was probably hammered into your beliefs at a young age. Although the phrase, "read your Bible", may seem powerless because we hear it so often, I can't go a day without living out this command. When I struggled with an eating disorder, the most valuable thing I ever did was read my Bible. The power of God's Word is something you come to recognize, experience, and love when you actually dig into its pages every day. From experience, I know that its words are alive! They carry meaning, truth, encouragement, conviction, and life that is so deep, so refreshing! It's one of those things that God will show you personally when you devote your time, energy, intellect, and heart to the study of His marvelous book! It's so wonderful that I can't explain it - it's one of those things that God will reveal to you on a person...

I had never felt like a star athlete until the spring of my sophomore year in high school. It took me a while to find where I fit in, where I had talent, and where I could succeed. I played elementary basketball for several years, but I couldn't even get the ball up to the rim until I was in fifth or sixth grade. I also swam on a neighborhood swim team when I was young, but that never amounted to much either. When highschool rolled around, all the girls were trying out for volleyball, soccer, and softball while I concluded that I had no athletic ability whatsoever. But one day, we timed a mile in my P.E. class and I remember my teacher telling me that I should go out for track. Reluctantly, I decided to give myself one more shot at athleticism, and this time it worked. So the spring of my sophomore year became my fifteen minutes of fame. I ran hard, ran long, ran well, and ran successfully. And I loved it! I felt like God had given me a unique gift that I could use for Him in some ...