Strength in Numbers

When I started running last year I did it all by myself. Sure I knew that there were other runners out there but I ran at times and in places where I was fairly certain I could avoid those people. I didn't want to see any runners and I definitely did not want them to see me. I knew I was slow and I was embarrassed to even tell anyone other than my immediate family members that I was taking up this new hobby.

When I finally found the guts to join the running group to train for the half marathon, I met some of these runners I was so scared of and realized that I had them all wrong. They are really nice, encouraging and supportive people.

What's more, when we went on those early Saturday long runs, I ran past lots of fairly happy people out exercising. For the first time I began to see the bigger picture. I was not alone in my quest. I found a great deal of comfort on those runs. Even when I was running alone, I was not alone at all. Not only that but I discovered that surrounding myself with people with the same goal as me made the journey much more enjoyable.

In the end the accomplishment was mine and mine alone. No one could cross that line for me. But let me tell you, if left to do all that training and racing on my own, I think I would have quit. Even the simple pleasure of hearing my name called out as I neared the finish of the half, made me feel good. I was very, very grateful for all the support I received along the way.

The same holds true for Christianity. You can walk the walk on your own. You can build your faith. And of course, you have to walk, fly(whatever) into Heaven on your own. You can...but really, why would you want to?