Many of you know that on September 28, 2013, I took on a challenge to race with my daughter in the Virginia 4 Miler. (For those of you that don't know- Lynchburg is known as the "Hill City" and I mean hills!) I used to run regularly until I broke my foot in January 2012. Since then, my foot is in constant pain. Over the past year, I have tried to run, but my leg cramps and I just end up being miserable. I have little self-disapline. It hurts. I stop. On impulse, I signed Marissa up for this race with me. I have never pushed Marissa until race day. There were points in the race where I thought, I was going to get sick. At one point, I leaned over the stroller and prayed that God would stop the burn and send angels to help push me up. He did just that. My two friends, Scott and Shera were right with me. They encouraged me to push and Shera had to take the bar for a short time so that I could get myself together. At one point, the emotion rushed over me. The reality that my daughter was "running" in a race. Simply amazing. We finished and we finished strong. After the race, I praised God that He had given me the strength to run, because there was no way I did that on my own. Blessing.
Several of you have been praying about Marissa's waiver that we lost last September. On October 1, 2013, we were notified that the Attorney General of Commonwealth of Virginia had settled our case and Marissa was placed on the Developmental Disability Waiver effective this day. This has a been a long and challenging fight. I have cried, I have screamed and I have asked "why God" so many times. But, in the end He prevailed and showed me a new life direction. Through the loss of her waiver, I have built a support system like no other. With my close friends, we are starting a non-profit organization called "Marissa's Missions". This would have never come to reality if we still had her original waiver. God knew what He was doing, even when I had no clue. He blessed me more then I could ever imagine, by people who once were strangers, who are now my closest friends.
I say all of this to you for you to realize that our greatest blessings often come from our greatest pain. I know that He is a merciful and graceful God- who loves us beyond all that we can imagine. Sometimes, when we are in the midst of our challenge or fight, we forget that God is there with us. We feel that we have to handle it on our own, that He is not really in control of the situation. This is a lesson that He often teaches me daily. But, I am starting to see His blessings daily. Thankful that He has allowed me the grace to see His action in work. Feeling blessed.
