How to Balance Everything

Show notes:

• How to balance everything? Choices

• Harbor Conference

Marathon Training: Weeks 25 and on

I am days way from running my 6th marathon. The Lord has been so good to me. I went from running 18 to 21 miles to taper and now the big day awaits. 

Overall, this season of training has been my best one yet. It takes having several bad seasons to appreciate the good ones. 

I had seasons when I couldn’t really train like I wanted to. I was out of shape but filled  with hope that I could tackle the distance. It wasn’t pretty but I was able to finish those races. 

This season started as normal. I came out of sabbatical and decided to sign up for the half. My head coach asked me to run the full and coach one of our pace groups. I said yes, not knowing that a big change was ahead of me. 

Change can be good. I wasn’t sure what moving in the middle of a training season meant. 

It took a lot of grit and determination. It took finding a new running group. It took putting myself out there and trusting that God knew what He was doing. 

God proved to be faithful and so good. My new group proved to be just what I needed and more. I found new friends who pushed me to be the best I could be. The running community here also encouraged me not to give up on some dreams I had when I started running. 

The word “fast” and “slow” are not used here. Basically because everything is possible and you will have company on the way to your dream, whatever it may be. 

This season should have been shaky but it was solid. Solid cross training week after week. I remember complaining to one of my buddies back in H-town about having sore muscles. They told me “suck it up buttercup, put the work outs in.” Week after week, I grew stronger, my long runs because solid. 

The issues I was having in the past were no longer there. Thanks be to God, my weak areas became strong. 

My time away from marathon training helped me work on my mental game. My move helped me master my mental game. Yes, things are not as before, and that’s exactly how it is supposed to be. 

My training season taught me that hard work, week after week, pays off. 

I learned that the running community will embrace you and encourage you. 

I also learned that I can encourage others along the way. 

I love distance running and I always will. 

Will I run another marathon? I hope so. Will I run after this marathon? A million times, yes! 

I appreciate your prayers as I embark in this journey of faith. Running 26.2 miles takes a lot of faith. Mine is firmly founded in the fact that God can and will do exceedingly, abundantly, above all I can ask or imagine. 

I’m counting on your prayers this Sunday friends! Thanks for reading this series!

Transitioning from Stay-at-home Mom to Working Mom

Every mother works. Every mother is a work of art created by God. The unique ways mother work are carefully planned by God. If you are in a season of transition, this episode will give you the tools to rock your change from staying at home to working. You can buy my ebook on Amazon. For more information, please visit my blog, www.simplycintia.com or follow me on social media. I'm on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter! 

Trust the Magic of New Beginnings

I love new beginnings. I enjoy starting a brand new journal. I enjoy having new office supplies at the start of a new class.

I loved the beginning of our family. Marrying Zeke almost 14 years ago was filled with all the things a real marriage needed: God's blessing, commitment for one another and real love. I enjoyed the start of each new life who became our responsibility as parents.

I enjoy the beginning of the long-distance running season. The warm embrace of friends coming together again to do something few people choose to diligently do.

I enjoy the start of each day. The sun unapologetically shines. The birds sing only their best songs. Creation shows us their exuberance, a reflection of a magnificent Creator.

New beginnings are amazing. According to the Bible, there is something even better than beginnings: the end.

"The end of a matter is better than its beginning, and patience is better than pride." 

Ecclesiastes 7:8 (NIV) 

A lot of hard work and dedication goes into starting a new year.

You are establishing new habits. You are trying to change life patterns that pretty much became your norm. Can we honestly say, this is quite tiring?

I'm here to encourage you to keep on keeping on. Do not give up because the end is going to be better than the beginning.

Whether you are at the end of a marathon training season or at the end of a life stage. God is in the business of blessing those who are patient.

Patience is better than pride. Hold on and do not let go of perseverance. Keep taking small steps towards your goal.

The end will be better than the beginning my friend. You have patience and God, who loves you, is on your side.

Trust the magic of new beginnings. God, who began a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ. He knows the end from the beginning. You can trust His brilliant plan for your life this year.

Phenomenal 40

Today God is blessing me with 40 years of life. 

Today, I'm thankful that I know Jesus as my Lord and Savior. 
Life with Him gets sweeter than the day before. 

I am surrounded by my husband and children. 
My family is my joy. I'm firmly rooted in them. 
Because of them, I have everything I've ever wanted. 
I don't want another life. 

I am in a new community. 
I'm still getting to know people.
They are still trying to figure me out. 
I hope they know that what they see is what they get. 

I pray that my 40th year will be phenomenal by God's grace. 
Thank God for 40. Thank God for what's to come. 

"Now you understand

Just why my head's not bowed.

I don't shout or jump about

Or have to talk real loud.

When you see me passing

It ought to make you proud.

I say,

It's in the click of my heels,

The bend of my hair,

the palm of my hand,

The need of my care,

'Cause I'm a woman

Phenomenally.

Phenomenal woman,

That's me." 

"Phenomenal Woman" by Maya Angelou

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