Dear friends and family,
As I close my blog I wanted to say THANK YOU! Thank you to everyone who encouraged me, prayed for me, prayed for the Refuge for Women, and prayed for the ministry in Lexington that reaches out to the employees of the adult entertainment industry.
THANK YOU to everyone who supported financially. Your generosity helped raise 2,000 dollars for the Refuge for Women. To stay in the loop with all that God is doing to restore value to the women at the Refuge continue to check out their website www.refugeforwomen.org or find them on Face Book.
Sincerely,
Angie Purvis
Let's go for a run!
Monday, October 25, 2010
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
The race
This picture was taken at mile 1, fairly obvious by the smile on my face. Ha! It was an honor to run for the Refuge for Women. I'll be eternally grateful for the experience. I learned a lot throughout my training and during the race. This was only my second full marathon but I agree with Runner's World that the Towpath is the most beautiful. This next picture was around mile 14.
The fall leaves were breathtaking the weather was awesome. God is so sweet. He gives us things like trees with leaves that change colors to remind us that He's ALIVE. He is alive and He is the one who changes the leaves from green to yellow to orange to red to brown. I can't do that; so the fact that He can is pretty fascinating to me.
I'm looking forward to the Refuge for Women banquet tonight. It's their second annual event and I didn't get to go last year so I'm really excited to join tonight.
Everyone keeps asking so here it is....4:32 and the clock doesn't lie.... I didn't beat my time from my first full marathon but I did my very best. 4:32 is just a number like 26.2 neither of them define me. My Maker alone defines me.
Let's go for a run!..... You go for a run.... I'm going to sit down for a while. Who wants the baton? Sara, you want the baton? Shannon you want the baton? Jennifer you want the baton? Neile? Andrea? Sharon you want the baton? Who's it going to be?
Sunday, October 10, 2010
At the Race (Guest Blogger)
This is Derrick, the beloved husband of our favorite runner, Angie. So don't expect anything too insightful here.
Ang is probably on mile 7 or so right now. Things have been pretty crazy getting here. The dear little Subaru frowned upon our choice to drive it here yesterday. In retaliation it overheated on the way up. (prayers are appreciated for our journey home :) ) After the long journey, we had missed the cutoff for picking up Angie's packet. That's fairly important. It gives you your timing chip, bib number and goodies. After lots of drama and phone calls, we were able to get an answer. We could pick up the bib and chip in this morning. Whew!
Not until the numbers were pinned on her chest did we really believe it was going to happen. But, alas, she is on the path. So, obviously, it worked out.
This morning was cold, but we found warmth in a closed down ski lodge. The lines at the bathroom were amazing. I was sure there had to be something more than a toilet at the end. Were people seeing Sinatra in there? I can't think of another reason to wait in a line like that... other than seeing a dead crooner, of course.
Anyway, I digress. Ang has done great this morning. Her excitement is matched by her passion behind this race. As she runs, she prays for the Refuge. Each step is in dedication to those women who need Jesus.
Three-ish more hours to go. Let's get behind her in prayer.
Ang is probably on mile 7 or so right now. Things have been pretty crazy getting here. The dear little Subaru frowned upon our choice to drive it here yesterday. In retaliation it overheated on the way up. (prayers are appreciated for our journey home :) ) After the long journey, we had missed the cutoff for picking up Angie's packet. That's fairly important. It gives you your timing chip, bib number and goodies. After lots of drama and phone calls, we were able to get an answer. We could pick up the bib and chip in this morning. Whew!
Not until the numbers were pinned on her chest did we really believe it was going to happen. But, alas, she is on the path. So, obviously, it worked out.
This morning was cold, but we found warmth in a closed down ski lodge. The lines at the bathroom were amazing. I was sure there had to be something more than a toilet at the end. Were people seeing Sinatra in there? I can't think of another reason to wait in a line like that... other than seeing a dead crooner, of course.
Anyway, I digress. Ang has done great this morning. Her excitement is matched by her passion behind this race. As she runs, she prays for the Refuge. Each step is in dedication to those women who need Jesus.
Three-ish more hours to go. Let's get behind her in prayer.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
TOMORROW!!!
Sooooo..... the race is tomorrow. I'm really excited. It's kind if hard to believe I'm really going to do this. We're on the way to Cleveland OH. right now. The weather is supposed to be beautiful! in the mid 50's tomorrow morning and low 70's in the afternoon. I've been taking my friend's advice drinking a lot of water. The only bad thing about downing the water is that we're just a little north of Cincinnati and Iv'e made Der stop 3 times already so that I could use the rest room. My head is kind of spinning... I'm hoping that I didn't forget anything, that I don't cramp up or deal with knee pain and praying I don't sleep late like Jean-Paul Jean-Paul. It would be great if I could sleep tonight but not counting on it. I've run 2 mini's and 1 full and didn't sleep a wink the night before. I'm like a little kid on Christmas eve.
I've made my list of 26+++ friends to remember in prayer while I run. Some of them are at the Refuge for Women right now, many of my friends I'm running for are still in the strip clubs. I'll also be praising God for the consistently increasing number of FORMER club employees. I know I'll be thanking God for the inspiring woman who started the ministry in Lexington. We are so grateful for you and your story. Running to restore value..... what an honor.
1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last FOREVER. Therefore I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not FIGHT like a man beating the air. No, I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.
Let's go for a run!
Friday, October 8, 2010
Stinky
Yesterday I spent over 2 hours steam cleaning our carpet and rugs. Before you get impressed and think I keep a clean home you need to know it's ONLY because we're having some friends over. We are the dirty family. I've learned to accept that fact. If we were the clean family with three kids I would probably need to be locked up for neglect or child slave labor. I guess some of you with three kids maintain a healthy family unit AND keep a clean home but I just don't know how. Maybe you could give me some pointers. I really want to be a clean freak. A few months ago I had this really impressive streak of like 4 days IN A ROW that I intentionally tried to keep the house and even the van clean. The fourth day the whole family was riding along in the almost clean Astro van. I was so proud of myself I asked Der, "I know we have three kids and that may change your answer to this question but; do you think I'm a neat person or messy person?". He busted out laughing before he could even say one word; like it was a joke or something.... Dangit!!! Or as my daughter would say Bingit! It's kind of like wishing I could be a really stunning brunette and after dying my hair thinking, "it's just not me...but I wish it was.... I'm not an organized clean person.
Back to the carpet cleaning; as I was steaming one of our rugs the SMELL almost knock me down. It was the stinch of dirty wet dog, by the way we don't have a dog...../ urine/ vomit/ smorgasbord of rotten kids snacks/ ??????. I couldn't believe how disgusting it was. The most shocking thing was that to look at the rug it didn't even appear to be dirty. It didn't stink when I vacuumed it... As I was dumping the black water out of the bladder of the steam cleaner I considered just throwing the rug away. I filled it with clean water and began to go back over the rug one more time when I heard my Alter-Ego say,
"That rug and that black water is like your sin,"
'Not now, please leave me alone.', I thought to myself.
Out of curiosity I humbled myself enough to ponder the statement. The more I cleaned the rug the more I realized how filthy it was to begin with. Thank you Jesus for making us clean.
Let's go for a run!
Back to the carpet cleaning; as I was steaming one of our rugs the SMELL almost knock me down. It was the stinch of dirty wet dog, by the way we don't have a dog...../ urine/ vomit/ smorgasbord of rotten kids snacks/ ??????. I couldn't believe how disgusting it was. The most shocking thing was that to look at the rug it didn't even appear to be dirty. It didn't stink when I vacuumed it... As I was dumping the black water out of the bladder of the steam cleaner I considered just throwing the rug away. I filled it with clean water and began to go back over the rug one more time when I heard my Alter-Ego say,
"That rug and that black water is like your sin,"
'Not now, please leave me alone.', I thought to myself.
Out of curiosity I humbled myself enough to ponder the statement. The more I cleaned the rug the more I realized how filthy it was to begin with. Thank you Jesus for making us clean.
Let's go for a run!
Thursday, October 7, 2010
We'll call her Samantha
I haven't been visiting my friends at the strip clubs along with the "church ladies". I just had too much going on towards the end of the marathon training. I'll be taking some time to regroup after the marathon is over and hopefully get my house clean as well. I really miss my friends and hope they are doing well. One of my friends who is a "church lady" said that this ministry is the clearest reflection of the Acts church that she has ever experienced. I agree. As far as the phrase "church ladies", some of the club employees started calling us the church ladies a few years ago and it stuck. We think it's funny and endearing.
Although I won't be going to the clubs for a while; names, faces, stories and prayer requests will be heavy on my heart until I rejoin the church ladies.
I will forever be haunted by the story of an exotic dancer I met a few years ago. We will call her Samantha. Samantha is a spunky outgoing and hilarious girl. Covered with tattoos and piercings somehow Samantha made any hair color beautiful. I don't have a problem with tattoos and piercings. I had piercings in the past. My husband is tattooed and already has our 3 year old son asking for one like Daddy's. I told him if he wants to get a tattoo with a heart that says "I love my Momma", I'll take him today. Ha! Even though outward appearance is meaningless to me I will be the first to say I was a bit intimidated when I initially met Samantha. You could just sense that she had a STORY, and she did.
After a bit of small talk over a home cooked meal in the dressing room of a local strip club Samantha unloads her story with me and a few other church ladies.....
"I went to church when I was a little kid. The church was WEIRD!!! One Sunday I had to go to big church with the grown ups. The preacher brought out a box full if snakes and let them out onto the floor. He said that those who were really "saved" and had faith would not be afraid of the snakes. I was only 5 years old and I started to cry I tried not to but when one of the snakes got close to my foot I screamed and jumped up into my chair. The preacher said anyone without faith was going to hell. I've never seen the point in trying since then. If you have to go to church to get to heaven I guess I'm going to hell. I would rather go to hell than go to church again. One of my friends was sexually abused by a leader in her church, WHAT is up with that? She hates church too."...
After shedding some tears and an appropriate moment of silence I said,
'I'm so sorry Samantha',
and gave her a hug. The other church ladies chimed in and said,
'we are SO SORRY'
and embraced her. She stood up to leave the room with angry tears streaming down. Before she walked out of the room I said,
'Samantha, I hope you know that's not what we believe.'
She shrugged her shoulders and walked out of the room. She never brought it up again.
How will Samantha know that we don't believe the same things she learned about the church because of her experience? Samantha will know what a person believes by their ACTIONS.
I've been asked, "Why aren't you guys more evangelistic in this ministry? You may only have one opportunity to talk to some of these girls shouldn't your number one goal be to tell them about Jesus and invite them to church? Why is your number one priority to love them and befriend them?"
Let me ask a question.....
If I had invited Samantha to church the first time I met her do you think she would have ever talked to me again?
Let me ask you another question.... Considering Samantha's life story and the fact that this absurd experience was her only view of church do you blame her for not wanting to go?
As the church we have a reputation and a name to reclaim. We are going to have to take responsibility for situations like Samantha's. We are going to have to earn back the trust of many people who have been hurt by the church whether or not we inflicted the pain. Most people who want nothing to do with the church have good reasons for that decision. We need to accept the fact that there are valid reasons people might not want to be friends with a Christian and earn back their trust by living TRUE lives. We need to learn more stories like Samantha's by breaking out of the walls of our churches.
I have a five year old daughter. She is so sweet. She is very sensitive and tender hearted. We have to be really careful with what she sees even with children's cartoons. If she gets frightened she will have nightmares for weeks. I can't imagine how traumatized my little girl would be if she saw 1 snake. I think about Samantha as a little girl and realize what a terrible scar was left on her heart by the church. She grew up believing she was going to hell.... Samantha had heard the biblical story of Jesus in Sunday school. She even knew some the bible, but with her experience she is going to have to SEE some people who claim Jesus start acting like Jesus.
The number one priority is to love. Love does not condone. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. Sometimes the truth hurts. Samantha's truth hurts. Love takes the time to get to know a person. Love is patient. Love tries to understand where a person is coming from. There are times that God ordains conversations about Jesus and about church. The majority of the times that I met a dancer for the first time they asked what church I was from. I told them and often felt lead to invite them to go with me.
You have to BE Jesus before you talk Jesus. The church ladies are subject to the direction of the Holy Spirit. It would be impossible if they weren't. There was one occasion where God ordained a conversation and all in about an hour one of the church ladies met a dancer for the first time, the dancer told her life story to the church lady. As God had planned, it just so happened that the church lady's past was very similar to the issues the dancer was dealing with. The church lady shared her life story and got to tell the dancer about her relationship with Jesus inside the strip club. She was in a desperate situation looking for answers. After that night the church lady never saw her again in the club.
I witnessed one of the church ladies courageously going into the club for the first time and by the end of the night she had invited a several of the girls to church got a great response from it. I've heard the story of one of the older church ladies who was asked to pray for a dancer in the dressing room of the club. She knelt down to pray like she always did and when she opened her eyes there was a room full of dancers kneeling in prayer. If we can just BE Jesus by dying to ourselves; He will do the talking when and where it needs to take place.
4 days..... And counting....
Let's go for a run!
Although I won't be going to the clubs for a while; names, faces, stories and prayer requests will be heavy on my heart until I rejoin the church ladies.
I will forever be haunted by the story of an exotic dancer I met a few years ago. We will call her Samantha. Samantha is a spunky outgoing and hilarious girl. Covered with tattoos and piercings somehow Samantha made any hair color beautiful. I don't have a problem with tattoos and piercings. I had piercings in the past. My husband is tattooed and already has our 3 year old son asking for one like Daddy's. I told him if he wants to get a tattoo with a heart that says "I love my Momma", I'll take him today. Ha! Even though outward appearance is meaningless to me I will be the first to say I was a bit intimidated when I initially met Samantha. You could just sense that she had a STORY, and she did.
After a bit of small talk over a home cooked meal in the dressing room of a local strip club Samantha unloads her story with me and a few other church ladies.....
"I went to church when I was a little kid. The church was WEIRD!!! One Sunday I had to go to big church with the grown ups. The preacher brought out a box full if snakes and let them out onto the floor. He said that those who were really "saved" and had faith would not be afraid of the snakes. I was only 5 years old and I started to cry I tried not to but when one of the snakes got close to my foot I screamed and jumped up into my chair. The preacher said anyone without faith was going to hell. I've never seen the point in trying since then. If you have to go to church to get to heaven I guess I'm going to hell. I would rather go to hell than go to church again. One of my friends was sexually abused by a leader in her church, WHAT is up with that? She hates church too."...
After shedding some tears and an appropriate moment of silence I said,
'I'm so sorry Samantha',
and gave her a hug. The other church ladies chimed in and said,
'we are SO SORRY'
and embraced her. She stood up to leave the room with angry tears streaming down. Before she walked out of the room I said,
'Samantha, I hope you know that's not what we believe.'
She shrugged her shoulders and walked out of the room. She never brought it up again.
How will Samantha know that we don't believe the same things she learned about the church because of her experience? Samantha will know what a person believes by their ACTIONS.
I've been asked, "Why aren't you guys more evangelistic in this ministry? You may only have one opportunity to talk to some of these girls shouldn't your number one goal be to tell them about Jesus and invite them to church? Why is your number one priority to love them and befriend them?"
Let me ask a question.....
If I had invited Samantha to church the first time I met her do you think she would have ever talked to me again?
Let me ask you another question.... Considering Samantha's life story and the fact that this absurd experience was her only view of church do you blame her for not wanting to go?
As the church we have a reputation and a name to reclaim. We are going to have to take responsibility for situations like Samantha's. We are going to have to earn back the trust of many people who have been hurt by the church whether or not we inflicted the pain. Most people who want nothing to do with the church have good reasons for that decision. We need to accept the fact that there are valid reasons people might not want to be friends with a Christian and earn back their trust by living TRUE lives. We need to learn more stories like Samantha's by breaking out of the walls of our churches.
I have a five year old daughter. She is so sweet. She is very sensitive and tender hearted. We have to be really careful with what she sees even with children's cartoons. If she gets frightened she will have nightmares for weeks. I can't imagine how traumatized my little girl would be if she saw 1 snake. I think about Samantha as a little girl and realize what a terrible scar was left on her heart by the church. She grew up believing she was going to hell.... Samantha had heard the biblical story of Jesus in Sunday school. She even knew some the bible, but with her experience she is going to have to SEE some people who claim Jesus start acting like Jesus.
The number one priority is to love. Love does not condone. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth. Sometimes the truth hurts. Samantha's truth hurts. Love takes the time to get to know a person. Love is patient. Love tries to understand where a person is coming from. There are times that God ordains conversations about Jesus and about church. The majority of the times that I met a dancer for the first time they asked what church I was from. I told them and often felt lead to invite them to go with me.
You have to BE Jesus before you talk Jesus. The church ladies are subject to the direction of the Holy Spirit. It would be impossible if they weren't. There was one occasion where God ordained a conversation and all in about an hour one of the church ladies met a dancer for the first time, the dancer told her life story to the church lady. As God had planned, it just so happened that the church lady's past was very similar to the issues the dancer was dealing with. The church lady shared her life story and got to tell the dancer about her relationship with Jesus inside the strip club. She was in a desperate situation looking for answers. After that night the church lady never saw her again in the club.
I witnessed one of the church ladies courageously going into the club for the first time and by the end of the night she had invited a several of the girls to church got a great response from it. I've heard the story of one of the older church ladies who was asked to pray for a dancer in the dressing room of the club. She knelt down to pray like she always did and when she opened her eyes there was a room full of dancers kneeling in prayer. If we can just BE Jesus by dying to ourselves; He will do the talking when and where it needs to take place.
4 days..... And counting....
Let's go for a run!
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Countdown!!
I guess a 10 day count down would have made more sense than a 5 day count down. I'm a procrastinator so it only seems fitting to start the count down today. Better late than never right? Let's just hope I get to the starting line on time race day. I still need to get MOVING on some last minute details but from perspective of a pitiful procrastinator things are coming together.
I've been coming up with a list of 26 things to pray for during the marathon. Taryn who started Running for the Refuge last year gave me that tip. She said she wrote down names places & specific prayer requests having to do with the Refuge for Women as well as the ministry in Lexington that reaches out to the employee's of several local strip clubs. The day of the Taryn's race she wrote 26 prayer requests on her arm and had something to pray about each mile. What an awesome girl! not to mention a great idea!
Im getting excited and I 'm SO thankful for all of the donations that have been coming in for the Refuge for Women. The generosity of friends and family and even acquaintances has blown me away! There are several people I've only met once who sent a check, a well as friends I haven't talked to in years. Those of you who contributed to the Refuge for Women will be in my thoughts and prayers as well, you have added motivation and conviction to do my very best. Although finishing is all that matters I really wish I could beat my PR. Seriously, doesn't everyone wish they could beat their PR if possible? I'm loving my training schedule this week. It's 99% covered in yellow high lighter. Tonight I have a 4 mile run, tomorrow 2...... then the race... BUTTERFLIES!!!!!
5 DAYS.... and counting......
Let's go for a run!
I've been coming up with a list of 26 things to pray for during the marathon. Taryn who started Running for the Refuge last year gave me that tip. She said she wrote down names places & specific prayer requests having to do with the Refuge for Women as well as the ministry in Lexington that reaches out to the employee's of several local strip clubs. The day of the Taryn's race she wrote 26 prayer requests on her arm and had something to pray about each mile. What an awesome girl! not to mention a great idea!
Im getting excited and I 'm SO thankful for all of the donations that have been coming in for the Refuge for Women. The generosity of friends and family and even acquaintances has blown me away! There are several people I've only met once who sent a check, a well as friends I haven't talked to in years. Those of you who contributed to the Refuge for Women will be in my thoughts and prayers as well, you have added motivation and conviction to do my very best. Although finishing is all that matters I really wish I could beat my PR. Seriously, doesn't everyone wish they could beat their PR if possible? I'm loving my training schedule this week. It's 99% covered in yellow high lighter. Tonight I have a 4 mile run, tomorrow 2...... then the race... BUTTERFLIES!!!!!
5 DAYS.... and counting......
Let's go for a run!
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