This morning I ran 4 miles to commemorate my fitness journey anniversary started 4 years ago on Sept 5, 2016. At the end of today’s run, I met a young lady who graciously handed me a bottle of water and we ended up speaking for a few minutes. She told me I had inspired her to get back to running – That is an answered prayer. For someone who didn’t do sports outside of PhysIcal Education, I am grateful that this journey I’ve been on can be inspiring to others.
4 years ago, I had been fighting to live through some dark times and I really didn’t see a way out that was healthy. The last straw was having the realization that if I didn’t figure something out I couldn’t be a mother to my then almost 4 month old baby girl. To many I had so many reasons to be grateful, except I couldn’t find joy. Some of that pain and suffering was self inflicted, but I didn’t know what to do. Fitness was the only outlet I had stumbled into. At approximately 240pounds, I started training for my first Spartan Race. I learned to stop caring what others thought of me. Building my physical strength would lead me to mental strength, except it was not sustainable at least not by me. 2 years in, I had hit my weight goals, but was still miserable, dissatisfied with my life, depressed and struggling to find joy in the things that should be joyful. Due to failure to address the core issues, I started rolling back towards the place I had tried to crawl out of on my own strength.
Cheesy as it may be, that was where I found Jesus. Right there in the pits and hopelessness, I cried out to God and I felt His Spirit descend on me. My life has never been the same since that night. That is why I will boldly and faithfully live for my God, even when life hurts. When I was lost and felt abandoned, He spoke to my soul. He placed me on the Solid Rock – Jesus- and started tearing down everything that had held me captive. I am so grateful for everything I have been through. The last 4 years had been truly transforming! I am so grateful that when I was undeserving of love, God called me His own. He has been so good to me, placing me in the right church and putting the right people and resources in my hands. I am thankful that I have been guided by the Holy Spirit to learn to walk in faithfulness, obedience and surrender. He showed me my true identity and since then has been stripping off layer after layer of the past. I am so grateful for the freedom journey I have been on. I pray that I can be an instrument of His peace, love and goodness all my days and to the Glory of His Holy Name in and through my life. I pray that others are inspired by my journey and can be uplifted and inspired to let God in, to seek Jesus and let Him take away all that has held them back. In the Mighty Name of my Savior Jesus I pray, decree and declare, Amen ♥️🙏🏾
Still Elated,
Uju
Dear Uju 