Running for Daisy

Yesterday, I posted the news that sweet Daisy has passed away. First of all, thank you all for your sweet comments and prayers. I am certain that they will be felt by all. 

Some of you mentioned that this was the first you had heard about Daisy. You can read more about her through older posts, or check out the Pray for Daisy website for more information on this beautiful girl and her story. 

This past weekend, I was in San Diego for my Valentine's Day 10K. A few weeks ago, God put it on my heart to dedicate this run to Daisy. I now understand why. 

I posted this shortly after my run:

And I seriously struggle now to find the words. 

It was so good. 

For those that are new around here (hi!), I have never been a runner. I up and decided to train for a half marathon last year, and ended up getting myself a stress fracture. 

Whoops? 

So I made the only logical decision here, and decided to start all over again this year from square 1. Fingers crossed for no injuries!

Training for this race was so different than training for my half. Yes, probably because a 10K is half the distance. But a lot of other things felt different too. 

I guess I just didn't stress as much about it this time. I was training with a friend who had never run before (so proud of her!), so we took things very slow. The most we ran before the 6.4 mile race was 3.5 (ish) miles, at an 11:30-12:30 minute average pace including walking breaks. 

This was very different from the training routine I had for last year's half marathon, and I noticed a huge difference in my confidence level. 

Each time we would stop to walk, I didn't feel like I needed to. When we decided to go at our own pace for the actual race, I decided to just run my little heart out at a pace that felt good, going as far as my body wanted to without stopping. 

Well that pace that felt good? Ended up being an 8:30 mile time.

And that "going as far as my body wanted to?" Ended up being the entire race. 

My ideal goal was to run at a 10:00 pace, finishing just around an hour.

I ended up finishing at 54 minutes, placing 8th in my age group. 

Me! The non runner that I am!

Crossing that finish line? Best feeling ever. 

Not to mention I was pretty blessed with some amazing cheerleaders!

The entire race, I could not stop thinking about how this run was for Daisy. And it made me realize something. I don't want it to stop with this race. 

I want to run all my races for Daisy. 

And I want to invite you to do the same! I know some of you have running goals of your own, so if you've got it on your heart, I'd love for you to run for Daisy with me!

I decided to use a hashtag on Instagram, running4daisy. I'm going to continue to use it, and if you're documenting your own running experiences, please go ahead and spread the hashtag love.

It doesn't have to be pictures from a race, any run is worthy of running for Daisy. I want to celebrate the healthy, strong, beautiful bodies that we have been blessed with by giving glory to her memory. 

Remember her strength as you are building your own.

Happy Humpday, dears! Make it a great one. 

Daisy

My heart is so heavy, I don't even know how to begin this post. 

That face. That beautiful face has captured the world. Her story has spread like wildfire from city to city. Country to country. Continent to continent. 

And it is not a story of a typical 8 year old girl. Nor is it a story of sickness or disease. 

Are those things a part of her story? Yes. But they are not the heart of her story. 

Daisy's story is one of faith. Of strength. And of courage. 

A story of shining for God's glory even on your toughest days.

No matter how tough. 

And that face, that beautiful face, is now up in Heaven staring into the eyes of our Savior. 

That gorgeous girl is now cancer and pain-free, resting in the arms of our Lord Jesus Christ, Himself. 

And while her time here may have come to an end, I am 100% confident that her impact here is only just beginning. A light that bright doesn't fade quickly. 

Because Daisy had the light of her Savior inside of her, and that light will continue to shine. 

Please pray. Pray for the Merrick family. For our church family. For all of those around the world mourning this tragic loss. 

Pray for God's comfort that surpasses understanding. 

And if you would, join us for an International Day of Prayer, the Day for Daisy Love.

Daisy and her family have taught me that prayer changes things. 

We might not understand why the outcomes are the way that they are, but thankfully we have a God that we can fully trust because of His goodness and faithfulness. 

Daisy and her family have taught me that we can rest in God's promise that He will be with us. 

And they have shown me that His presence is enough. 

But join with me as I pray that in this season of life, they are given more than just what's enough. Pray with me that they will be abundantly showered in His love. His comfort. His presence. 

And we can thank Him in advance for what He will do with this story of our sweet Daisy Love. 

So Who is Daisy?

Hi guys! I hope everyone had a great weekend. I'd love to hear how your's went, so tell me about it, will ya? 

These last few weeks, I've seen a decent amount of new faces around here {which I love}. I am so glad that you guys are here, and can't wait to become best friends with each and every one of you. 

It's gonna happen, just saying. 

Some of you may have noticed that Pray For Daisy button on my page. I've talked about this before on my blog {specifically here, here and here}. Today, I want to introduce any newbies here to Daisy, and give some updates on her story. There's a reason that button is on my page guys, because Daisy needs prayers. Allow me to explain why. 

Daisy is currently in a battle with cancer. This is the third time that she has fought this battle, and this time, the disease is taking her all the way to Israel for treatment. 

The Merricks are fighting for their daughter's life with every resource that they have, and I'm confident that every prayer, no matter how short or long, will help. 

How do I know the Merricks? Britt Merrick is the pastor at my church, the church that has truly transformed my relationship with God in the last year. 

How can you pray for Daisy? Funny that you ask. 

This tweet came up literally as I was typing this post:

Coincidence? I think not. 

If you would like to learn more about Daisy and her story, you can do so here.

And since we're on the topic of prayer, how can I pray for you?

If there is every anything that I can pray for you about, please do contact me. I have seen prayer do amazing things in my life, and I would love to pray for you. So if you've ever got a prayer request, don't hesitate to send me an e-mail. I would love to hear from you :)

Happy Monday, loves. Thanks for taking the time to read about a cause close to my heart. 

I Have to Share This

Yes, I realize that I just posted like 4 hours ago. 

But some things just have to be shared, and this is one of them.

If you can't check out the blog post, just read this excerpt:

So this means, God willing, that Daisy has completed her last chemo which is happy on so many levels: her hair can start to grow in 3-4 weeks! She can be around friends after she recovers! She can go out to a store or restaurant or a museum! She can swim! She can enjoy so many of the things we take for granted on a daily basis. We are forever changed by this experience of extreme restriction that has marked our lives for nearly 3 years. So go out and have some fun today, there's so much to do! We're right behind you...

We get one life, guys. Let's live it. Better yet, let's enjoy it. 

And pray, pray, pray for daisy. 

Keep Praying for Daisy

Not too long ago, I wrote a post about Daisy. Many of you commented on that post saying that you would keep Daisy in your prayers, and I can't tell you how much that meant to me. 

If there's one thing that I've learned about the blogging community, it's that it truly is an amazing support system. I have read so many incredible stories from incredible women that inspire me on a daily basis. I had no idea how much I would gain from starting a blog, but to say that I was pleasantly surprised would be an understatement. 

I think it's time to see what this little blog of mine can do. I created a button for Daisy that links to PrayForDaisy.com. I firmly believe that God has a plan for everything, and at the very least, I hope to draw attention to this amazing family. Their strength that comes from their faith in the Lord is truly inspiring, given the tragic circumstances that they are facing. 

Please feel free to grab the html code for the button down in the "Grab a Button" section of my page. Maybe this button will spread, and maybe it won't. But the more important thing is to spread Daisy's story, and to help her get what she needs. Prayer. 

 I look at this 7 year old and aspire to one day have half the strength that she does. 

May your strength match the length of your days!

Deuteronomy 22: 25

Pray For Daisy

Being that it's a Tuesday (the day I participate in Kerrie's Life on A Mission link up), it works out perfectly that I have something very near and dear to my heart to share with you all. 

Meet Daisy: 

This gorgeous little girl is the daughter of my Pastor, Britt Merrick. Since attending Reality, Britt never fails to give message after message that speaks straight to my life. My faith has never been stronger, and I can confidently say that I am an entirely different person than when I first set foot on Reality's campus. 

There are many important lessons that I have taken away from Britt's powerful sermons, but there is one extremely relevant message that I would like to share today:

Prayer changes things. 

This may seem fundamental and obvious to some people, but the way that Britt so concisely made the point of how powerful prayer is just really stuck with me. Since hearing that statement, I look at prayer differently. I realize that I have a very strong need for prayer. This world can be rough, and I am far from perfect. I need God's guidance, and as He says in the Bible, I only need to ask through prayer in order to receive it. 

Keep on asking, and you will be given what you ask for. 

Keep on looking, and you will find. 

Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened. 

For everyone who asks, receives. 

Everyone who seeks, finds. 

And the door is opened to everyone who knocks. 

Matthew 7: 7-8

Through experiences in my own life, I am able to have no doubts that God will answer my prayers. The important thing to remember, is that He might not always answer them in the way that I expect. 

And since He knows wayyyy better than I do, I say Amen to that!

I end this post with a prayer request. Britt's daughter, Daisy, has been diagnosed with cancer for the third time. To learn more about their story, go here. Please pray for Daisy, and for her family. As Britt says "We believe in miracles... we believe in Jesus."

There is a reason that Britt taught me that prayer changes things. He taught me, so that I could pray for him. And recruit others to do the same. 

The Lord works in beautiful ways.