Running a marathon..."the spiritual experience"

“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7-8).

"Don't look down, keep your head up and look only to what is next in this race", these words were pronounced at the ~ 7 mile of the 2014 NYC half marathon  by the time keeper.  At this point,  I was ready to quit, I was exhausted but these words moved me deeply to focus mi sight on the people who where there cheering me up to keep going.   I didn't even know the crowd at that location but my heart  got filled of joy and I decided to continue on the race and I finished my second race in NYC after the 2011 NYC half marathon.   These two races where my motivation to participate on the 2014 NYC marathon.  

When I started running, it was difficult to keep running for 20 minutes, however, it became an awesome experience when at the end of the training races, a lake or a river was waiting for me to tell me the run is over, you can rest.    

 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”(Matthew 11:28-30).   Life is filled of these journeys that make us feel exhausted, depending on our responsibilities with school, work, family or church.  We all have a mission on life and God is calling us to give the best of ourselves and in our humanity, our bodies and souls sometimes get overwhelmed and they claim for rest.   We frequently avoid these moments when we are called to put a minuscule  "standby" in our life, without realizing that stopping means embracing the perfect rest that comes from Jesus.   This precious promise of receiving the perfect rest is meant to invigorate our souls and make our minds ready for next steps on our mission in life.   Running gave me the possibility of learning how important is to rest, so I can perform better next day and during prayer, my burdens have become lighter when I decide to rest on Jesus.   It was a process of many years until I realized that the only source of rest is Jesus.  

Each race was different, however, each of them was an "spiritual experience" for me, as someone told me once, when I described my marathon experience.  The inner strength that kept me moving was from God, my leader.    He pushed me to the finish line, maybe at slow pace, maybe with pain but as always, God was and is within me to run the race and with me to get further and further.

Definitely the 2014 NYC marathon is a metaphor of a life journey.  This long race was filled with moments that put my mind on how God guides my life.

The starting line was sealed with the goodbye from my mom who is my first teacher on the faith and her warm embrace is what encouraged me to be joyful in the beginning of this challenge.  We need our partners on the faith side by side when we start our life journeys, our new projects, our new dreams.

The beauty of NYC is at its bridges and the NYC marathon gave me this amazing opportunity to cross  many of them: Crossing the Verrazano-Narrows, Pulaski,  Queensboro, Willis Ave., Madison Ave bridges were essentially the highlight of the race. 

The marathon starts with the Verrazano News bridge, which is long, magnificent, the probe of the human capacity.  The run starts with this amazing moment of silence, with the beauty of what human beings can create.   I did not run with time pressure so I enjoy my time in the bridge, contemplating the beauty of nature, looking at the body of water between the upper and lower New York bay and the majestic bridge.   Athletes in the last corral, encounter emptiness and silence in this bridge as we do sometimes in life; our projects, our dreams take long to come through and we are waiting for a final ouput and the way that we wait make a difference.   We are not called to stop but we are meant to keep going with serenity, thanksgiving and purpose.

^"Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."  (Philippians 4:6-7) With peace on the heart, we are able to contemplate the beauty of God creation in the big and small of everything in life.  When we are able to see beauty in the small that comes from God, we are able to recharge ourselves with energy to cross the bridges, to finish the projects, to accomplish a mission.  

Verrazano-Narrows Bridge

Keeping the pace and getting to the finish line in the best time possible are the goals of professional athletes.  I admired their endurance and capacity for breaking records year after year.  I am not one of them, I am a runner by heart, only an amateur.  Being an amateur makes injuries difficult to manage, however,  resting, asking for help are ways to overcome these painful situations.  The same happen in life,  we are called to ask for help to our partners on the faith and they walk with us to God through Jesus, with brave love and thanksgiving and we can overcome the difficulties of life without stress but joyful even when we don't feel happiness.      "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church" (Colossians 1:24). 

I pray for your and mine bridges, crowds, silence and pain that are part of life.  As in the NYC marathon, we all need to be encouraged to keep walking on the path to God through Jesus, who is the only source of perfect love, rest and peace in this journey of life.  

Como un árbol de roble.  

Un árbol de roble puede vivir más de 200 años, pueden haber tormentas pero el árbol se mantiene, se hace aún más fuerte.   Los seres humanos tenemos una fuerza interior que puede hacer de las tormentas, recursos para que seamos capaces de vencer las batallas, cualquier que estas sean.  

Solo el tiempo, puede hacernos descubrir que aquella decepción, aquella enfermedad, aquel gran embrollo son solo situaciones que se asemejan a las tormentas que tiene que vivir el árbol de roble.   Los seres humanos tenemos una opción vivir las tormentas, evadirlas o crecer con ellas.   El árbol de roble se hace más fuerte con ellas, nosotros los seres humanos también podemos ser más fuertes con esas situaciones que produjeron lágrimas, que produjeron dolor, que produjeron ausencia.  Las adversidades son pasajeras pero están hechas para hacernos más fuertes, para enseñarnos que hay un amor grande que supera el dolor, el amor de Dios por sus hijos, el amor de un Dios que nos recordó que hay gloria después de la muerte.  

En una semana viste al médico en tres ocasiones, ninguna de gravedad, pero mi corazón impaciente, me hacía preguntar, por qué Dios?, por qué tengo que pasar por todo esto?, cuando hace dos meses empece mi lucha por recuperarme de la enfermedad de Graves y dos condiciones más afectaron mi salud en aquel entonces.    El cuerpo se cansa y reacciona nos pide un detente, nos pide un detente para tomar fuerza, para llegar a ser un roble.  Al final de la semana, cuando veía que iba mejorando,  Dios me dio entendimiento para saber que la enfermedad, la adversidad llegan para que volvamos nuestros ojos a la fuerza interior que nos mueve, para que volvamos los ojos a Nuestro Padre Celestial, que nos dice "descansa en mi".  Job 11:19 -Descansarás y nadie te atemorizará, y muchos procurarán tu favor-. Después de la tormenta, llega la calma, después de la calma, el descanso, después del descanso, la fuerza para seguir caminando en la misión de nuestras vidas.  

Gracias Padre celestial por las tormentas, que me detienen a pensar en mi misión en tí, en mi camino en tí, gracias porque cuando hay tormentas tu tiendes tu mano y me haces descansar y me animas a vivir la tormenta, pero a saber que la vivo contigo y luchamos en la tormenta juntos, la lucha no es de uno, la lucha no es mía, la lucha es nuestra, la lucha es contigo Jesús.   

When you dance……and the Leader of my life is……..

Being an amateur dancer, quasi dancer, music lover is such an incredible experience. My early years were about avoiding the dancing floor because of my lack of coordination to take the music into body movements.   I saw dancing as a sacrifice that made me feel uncomfortable. Even though dancing did not give me satisfaction, I admired the ones who were performing well in the dancing floor.

When I realized that people without the dancing genes were excellent after classes, training and practice, practice and practice, I decided that I wanted to challenge myself to this beautiful art.   I am 100% Latin and I am supposed to carry “the rhythm” on the blood but I am not sure when the dancing genes were mutated on my genome but there is an epigenetic component that might help me to overcome my dancing crisis so here I am in the learning process.
NYC gave me the opportunity to realize that everything is possible when you want to do it, as a result, I am pursuing the dream of being better in the dancing floor. I have experienced a little bit, on and off, of everything in the last year: cha cha, bachata, tango, waltz, rumba, NY, Cuban salsa, L.A. salsa.  So many for someone who has done so little of dancing in many many, many years and with an schedule that does not make easy a continuous practice.
What I have learned so far? Well, I focused more on salsa but I am still doubting in my turns and the rhythm is still limited but I have realized that there is an amazing happiness on the dancing floor, it does not matter how expert, how good you are, it is about enjoying; when you are able to manage an step, you can experience a feeling of accomplishment but it is a combination of trial and error, frustration and satisfaction what it make it such a great experience.  I am supposed to have the easiest part because I am a follower; the instructors say that I have it easy, I “just need” to follow but there is a need to have some sort of idea before following; it is not that simple; however a good leader makes a huge difference in the art of dancing. Class after class has taught me that every single individual can lead in a complete different way.  I have realized that the self-awareness, self-confidence and happiness of the partners are clue in learning any step and enjoying the dance.   I can make mistakes, laugh and my soul is just renewed. Dancing is the expression of your happiness; it tests your patience and your courage and makes your inner joyful spirit blossom like azalea flowers on the spring .   A leader and a follower with positive attitude, a great enthusiasm for learning and a great smile are the ingredients to have the best time when you dance. At least for me, it does not matter if the turn was excellent, what it matters for me is: how well and how sincerely I can smile in the dancing floor.  
Most importantly; dancing has taught me that life is a dance, oh yes, it is………..as a woman of faith, I believe that The Lord is the leader; self-confidence, self-awareness are only possible when we trust that we are made on image of our heavenly Father.  Joy comes from a trusting heart, the same, at least on salsa dancing, where the follower has to trust on the leader so he can guide the follower in the turns and harmonious movements.   Followers need to practice and know their steps to perform in the dancing floor and the Scripture is the guide that  prepare us to go into the dancing floor of life. Wisdom comes from above and God gives us His Word to know more about HIM and how to handle our journey, in this sometimes, broken world.
God has given me the opportunity to experience this beautiful dancing art and every day on my life He makes me experience the feelings and emotions of dancing in the journey of life, well, sometimes busyness of life prevent the enjoyment but it is a decision that comes from the inner being what makes possible to be joyful on life, the decision to say yes to God and then everything starts to flow.  Well, I was away from the dancing floor from years until I decided to say yes to dancing and I started taking lessons, as you see, one more time, life is a dance; the music is playing, maybe slow like waltz, maybe fast as a merengue or dramatic as a tango but there is music in our life and there is a good leader who will never fail to guide us in the dancing floor of life. God knows, how to perfectly lead us on the journey of life.  Music is playing, shall we dance!!!
P.S. “My English is not very good looking”  Celia Cruz

El pasado y la vida en la fe

"No recuerden las cosas anteriores Ni consideren las cosas del pasado. 19Yo hago algo nuevo, Ahora acontece; ¿No lo perciben? Aun en los desiertos haré camino Y ríos en los lugares desolados." Isaías 43 18:19

La vida nos pone frente a situaciones en las que tomamos decisiones que no siempre tienen consecuencias que nos llenan de gozo y satisfacción.  Cuántas veces tomamos una decisión financiera errónea?  Cuántas veces decidimos tomar el trabajo que parecía ser el adecuado pero no nos hace felices?  Cuántas veces decidimos aceptar una relación que no era la más adecuada? Cuántas veces dejamos ir a la persona que nos podía hacer feliz?  El resultado es frustración, temor, decepción.    Cómo enfrentamos la consecuencia negativa de una decisión equivocada?

El primer paso es regresar nuestros ojos al Señor e implorar su guía para enfrentar las situaciones con sabiduría, es ahí cuando seremos capaces de reconocer que las decisiones fueron tomadas a la ligera y no volvimos nuestra mirada a El, a nuestro hacedor.   La vida nos ha de dar NOs cuando decidamos tomar decisiones equivocadas, veremos partir el amor de nuestra vida, fracaso en las finanzas, pero la vida en Cristo es nueva, la vida en Cristo es amor, la vida en obediencia y en fe nos invita a ser nuevos.  El pasado de malas decisiones no existe más, el Señor nos renueva y nos invita a seguirle con fe, obediencia y coraje. 

La vida nos dice NO por nuestras malas decisiones pero Jesucristo nos dice SI a un nuevo camino de arrepentimiento, que las decisiones que tomamos sean en su gracia, en obediencia y en amor.    Los NOs de la vida nos causan dolor y tristeza, pero Jesucristo tomo la decepción en la cruz y esa es nuestra esperanza, la gloria después de la cruz.  Porque el Señor nos ofreció un camino en el desierto, luz en la obscuridad.  Que el pasado no nos defina pero nos construya, nos edifique, nos haga seguidores fieles de Jesucristo.   Dios está en el presente y el pasado son las lecciones, las memorias de algo que no volvera y que no podems cambiar.  Que las lágrimas del pasado se inviertan, así la cosecha del presente será fructífera. 

Señor Padre Celestial toma mis errores, mis decisiones a mal tiempo, mi dolor por un NO que cause, tomalos en la cruz y hazme nuevo ser de Dios.  Confiando en tu promesa que me acercan a tí emprendo un camino que me ayudará hacer del pasado una herramienta para construir un nuevo y gozoso presente. 

Camino en la fe

"Y El les dijo: Por vuestra poca fe; porque en verdad os digo que si tenéis fe como un grano de mostaza, diréis a este monte: “Pásate de aquí allá”, y se pasará; y nada os será imposible." Mateo 17:20

Nuestra humanidad nos hace ser individuos que anhelamos, que buscamos; en el camino, la vida no siempre nos responde positivamente a nuestros deseos.   Es ahí cuando la fe auténtica se pone en juego pero nuestra humanidad no siempre está de la mano con esa fe. 

Si nacimos en un hogar cristiano, la fe en Jesucristo es una etiqueta que adquirimos en la familia, pero solo el tiempo y la verdadera búsqueda convierten a esa etiqueta en nuestra esencia humana.  La vida nos muestra sus altibajos y es ahí cuando nuestra fe se prueba y se vuelve o más fuerte o completamente se desvanece.   Existen circunstancias en que nuestra humanidad no nos permite entender nuestra existencia, nuestras vivencias, nuestras experiencias, pero esa fe nos permiten ver que detrás de cada problema, evento inesperado en la vida de un cristiano obediente, están hechos que nos aleccionan para ser mejores y alcanzar el plan que el Señor ha diseñado para nosotros. 

La fe es como un grano de mostaza, si puede ser pequeña, pero por más pequeña que sea es un vínculo con nuestro Padre Celestial, creer en lo que no se ve, creer en lo que se espera, creer que el amor de Dios es más fuerte que nuestro entendimiento, creer que ese amor nos bendice.