Life is Unfair - excerpt from Run, Pray, Breathe

An excerpt from my eBook: 

Run, Pray, Breathe - Going the Distance in Prayer ~ 

This excerpt is from part one

"The Reason I Run."

With determined resolve, I continued down the road. My throat tightened as I 
 walked past the home of Andrew’s skateboarding buddy. 

“Life is unfair,” I thought as I walked. Another thought emerged, “But God is good.”  

I passed a few more of my neighbors’ homes and began to run. The teardrops fell faster than the turnover of my feet.

I revisited twelve years of images on these roads - bike riding, rollerblading, skateboarding, dog walking, and the day Audra, Andrew and I were surprised by a sudden thunder storm. We raced back home, laughing the entire way. Dannie took a picture of the three of us - drenched, rain dripping from our hair, and Andrew clowning for the camera. 

Run, Pray, Breathe - Going the Distance in Prayer is an inspirational guidebook for anyone at any fitness level who wants to combine a run or walk with focused prayer.  Using the six topics of the Lord's Prayer, I teach my readers to incorporate scriptural meditation as they pray the living and powerful Word of God. This focused plan of prayer works for one mile and more and has the power to transform body, soul and spirit. 

The 3 main sections are:

RUN 
"The Reason I Run"
"Run 101"

PRAY
"I Was a Prayer Drop Out."
"Teach Me to Pray."

BREATHE
"The Fragrance of Christ"
"Inhale - Exhale"

I can hardly wait to finish writing it and make it available in eBook form.

Excerpt from Run, Pray, Breathe - How To Go the Distance in Prayer

This is an excerpt from the eBook I am writing Run, Pray, Breathe - How to Go the Distance in Prayer.

The book has 3 main sections. 
RUN 
The Reason I Run
Run 101 


PRAY
I Was a Prayer Drop Out.
Teach Me to Pray.


BREATHE
The Fragrance of Christ
Inhale - Exhale

From RUN - The Reason I Run


So many things every day had the potential of bringing me to utter despair. One day I stood before Andrew’s closet and drew a deep breath hoping to inhale a familiar scent. I touched the sleeves of the shirt he had last worn to church. Unbelievable to think he had worn it on a Sunday as he sat next to me on the pew and less than twenty-four hours later, he lay unconscious in a hospital bed. Holding my breath, I checked the pockets of his favorite pair of jeans. Empty. My eyes fell on his last pair of Nike athletic shoes. He had barely worn them as the tumors in his brain affected the left side of his body causing partial paralysis. I slipped my feet into his shoes. They were too big for me. Still I tightened the laces and walked through the quiet house. I cried aloud, “Andrew, I wish I could have stood in your place and taken the pain for you. I would have given my life for yours but I didn’t have that choice.” 

Linking to  Soli Deo Gloria ~

Run, Pray, Breathe

We all have them.
Seasons of little to say.
Weeks when words are few.
Days when ideas jump but don't settle.

Running for Team Andrew

One discipline in my life that has remained constant is running.
The other discipline that has taken a beating has been prayer.
For what is the greatest obstacle to prayer?
Unanswered prayer. 
Oh I know the common response: "God answers every prayer with either a 'Yes,' a 'No' or a 'Wait.' "
Well, let me give you my honest reply to that one. It doesn't feel like a good enough answer when your child dies.


And so I began to run. Not away. But to. To God. 
And in the running, I found Him to be greater than an unanswered prayer. Greater than "No." Greater than "Wait."
When I run, He speaks to me. He inspires me. He runs with me. 
Last week I began training to run a 1/2 marathon in January - my second one. This takes time. And prayer takes time. 
I have come to believe that the effectiveness of short prayers hinge on the foundation of longer ones. Since we lost our son Andrew, I have been guilty of being a short prayer. But the Holy Spirit is convicting me to pray longer.
As a runner I know the discipline of running parallels that of praying. And that is my inspiration for an eBook on combining running (or walking) with a prayer plan. The book is Run, Pray, Breathe and it's powerful plan that

• is always fresh
• improves your endurance
• you can do alone
• you can do with a friend
• works for a mile or more
• helps you go the distance

If you are a runner or if you prefer to walk your workout, this "power plan" has the potential to transform your life! I'll let you know how and when you can order it. 
 
"Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we'd better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he's there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!"
Hebrews 12:1-3 The Message Bible

Update

I'll be taking some time away from blogging so that I can fully focus on a new Bible study that I am preparing on "Womanhood." I want to give myself plenty of time to really do the subject justice as I study the Word.

In the meantime, my daughter and I are recording podcasts or PANTScast as we've started calling them for our new endeavor "Big Girls Pants Productions."


Each new PANTScast will be available in my sidebar. You can just click "play" and listen. We are keeping them around 10 minutes and our goal is to "lift you up & make you smile" with our mother/daughter take on life.

MomDar ~ He's Not For You (podcast)

Melanie Dorsey & Audra Dorsey ~ Big Girl Pants Productions

 "MomDar ~ He's Not For You."

(Click the title link to listen or listen from sidebar.)

On this PANTScast, we talk about MomDar ~ Mom's radar and give dating advice.

The Big Girl Pants Production Premiere

 Audra Dorsey & Melanie Dorsey present Big Girl Pants Productions.

Listen to our first "PANTScast" brought to you by Big Girl Pants Productions. It's a 6 minute podcast in which we discuss the meaning behind "Big Girl Pants" and the DNA of a dream job. We have redefined DNA.

   
   
Podcast Powered By Podbean
   

   "We're puttin' our Big Girl Pants on one leg at a time!"

True Womanhood ~ video?

As I prepare for my upcoming teaching series on True Womanhood...Fully HIS Finally Me, I'd like to know if you would view a weekly video about 3 minutes in length. My idea is to have 2 -3 posts per week with one being a short video on the subject. 

Also please see the top right sidebar and place your vote. Thanks!

Womanhood ~ new series

I'm in the planning stages of a new blog series on "Womanhood." Any topics you would like to see covered? I'm no feminist but I'm all for what God has for women. As a woman, I believe He's purposed and designed me to be "Fully His & Finally Me". I believe the same for every woman who calls Christ Lord.

Please respond to my poll in the top right sidebar. Thanks!