{"id":12155,"date":"2020-04-03T04:34:37","date_gmt":"2020-04-03T09:34:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mypeacezone.com\/?p=12155"},"modified":"2020-04-03T04:34:46","modified_gmt":"2020-04-03T09:34:46","slug":"we-need-each-other-to-finish-strong","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/mypeacezone.com\/?p=12155","title":{"rendered":"We Need Each Other to Finish Strong"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

I was (emphasis on \u201cwas\u201d) a half-marathon runner up until a couple of years ago when my knees starting singing songs of \u201cgloom, despair and agony on me\u201d. I knew I needed to hang up my running shoes and put on my walking shoes. I remember the many hours and days of training and preparing for the impending marathon events. That training, combined with friends and family support, would assure me of a strong finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I think about all of us in these formidable times. While I am in a cozy, safe place here in my little home all to myself, I am well aware of the moms and dads working from home and\/or homeschooling their children, which is an unprepared-for-way-of-life. A young single mom I know is having to confront all this by herself \u2013 with four young children. And I think about those who are struggling with enough finances to sustain their families throughout this time of job loss. And I think about all the healthcare workers and the essential services workers who are being stretched to the nth degree. And so many others whose lives have been turned upside down. They must feel like they are in a no-ending marathon because what was days has turned into weeks and maybe even months.\n<a href=”https:\/\/4.bp.blogspot.com\/-<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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I\u2019m convinced this race we\u2019re in won\u2019t last forever. The end may not be in sight just yet, but it is, without doubt, up ahead. I remember how long my marathons seemed. One mile completed, then two miles, then three\u2026\u2026 The energy at the beginning was being depleted as I ran. But a bright light shined for me when, at strategic locations, my family would be standing on a corner, holding up signs and cheering me on \u201cGo Nana! Go Mom! You can do this! You\u2019ve got this!\u201d It was just what I needed to help me finish strong. It seemed there was no end in sight, but I would round a corner and up ahead I could hear the crowd cheering, the announcer declaring the names of those crossing the finish line, and I just knew I could make it and hear my name being announced. Hurting, exhausted, and worn-out as I was \u2013 I crossed that finish line. How sweet the victory was for me AND for those cheering me on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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What can we do to be those cheerleaders who push and pull us through these times? My daughter-in-love sent me lots of videos and photos of what they\u2019re doing during these times. It made me tear up \u2013 with happy tears \u2013 to see them making the most of their isolation. We can do the same thing. We can hold up encouragement signs via drive-bys or social media, texting, making phone calls. We can assure others that we are REALLY praying for them. Maybe even offering financial support for those who are at the end of their resources. Those small acts help them know their value and worth to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And to all of you \u2013 all of us \u2013 who are in this \u201cseason\u201d of so many unknowns, we are not without hope. A new day is on the horizon \u2013 maybe we can\u2019t see the end yet, but it will be seen sooner or later. That\u2019s what this daily blog is all about. To be a cheerleader to you \u2013 no matter what you\u2019re facing today. To be a megaphone for God shouting out to you: \u201cYou are God’s beloved child and you are worthy of being encouraged and supported as you continue to run this race. Live strong during these times with knowing that God is with you, cheering you on to your Finish Line. Run strong. Finish strong. And, pass it along!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHelp carry each other’s burdens. In this way you will follow Christ’s teachings.\u201d Galatians 6:2<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I was (emphasis on \u201cwas\u201d) a half-marathon runner up until a couple of years ago when my knees starting singing songs of \u201cgloom, despair and agony on me\u201d. I knew I needed to hang up my running shoes and put on my walking shoes. I remember the many hours and days of training and preparing…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":12156,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[16198,16975,16974,16973],"tags":[16969,1210,4155,1716,1769,16971,1720,16970,14581,16924,6681,4656,16968,16972,3032,15561,3218],"class_list":["post-12155","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cheerleader","category-encourage","category-finish-strong-2","category-need-each-other","tag-bear-burdens","tag-blog","tag-bright-light","tag-cheerleader","tag-christian","tag-depleted","tag-encourage","tag-end-in-sight","tag-energy","tag-essential","tag-finish-strong","tag-galatians-62","tag-healthcare","tag-job-loss","tag-marathon","tag-need-each-other","tag-race"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/mypeacezone.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12155","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/mypeacezone.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/mypeacezone.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mypeacezone.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mypeacezone.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12155"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/mypeacezone.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12155\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12160,"href":"https:\/\/mypeacezone.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12155\/revisions\/12160"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mypeacezone.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/12156"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/mypeacezone.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12155"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mypeacezone.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12155"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/mypeacezone.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12155"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}