Trouble Walking n Talking?

Lately it’s been difficult to walk. I woke up a week ago with a very sore left hip. It just so happened to be the first day of our 1^st Annual Walk n Talk Across Michigan to Stop Abuse. We met at the Capitol in Lansing, where I hobbled around painfully to do what I had went there to do—RAISE AWARENESS to STOP ABUSE and BULLYING of People & Pets. Thankfully, even despite the droplets of rain, the event went well, victims were honored, news crews were on site, we were able to minister to a woman and her two small children, and it was an awesome time of taking back what I feel has been stolen from our country, our freedom as Christians to STAND & SPEAK OUT for the HEALING that only God can bring!

Standing and speaking is about all I’ve been able to do in the past week. I’ve hobbled and limped far more than I’ve walked, believe me. But as I’ve dealt with this thorn in my flesh and hinderence to this mission God has called me to, I realize that sometimes our walking is way out of balance. I used to work out for an hour every morning and then walk for 3-5 miles, usually 1-2 hours per day. The rest of my day I spent very BUSY on the computer, phone, training volunteers, teaching, and doing the zillion other things a person who heads up two non-profits has to do. Not an easy task. But as a leader, I too set the pace for everything that gets accomplished. If I’m moving too slow, not much gets done. If I’m moving too fast, then we might get some things done, but because we’re hurrying and stressed, we make more mistakes. So we need to be moving ahead at just the right pace.

I believe that is the lesson God wanted me to learn this past week “pacing myself”. Last weekend when we went to the parks in Jackson and Kalamazoo I could barely walk, in fact, I sat most of the time and just ministered to women and children as they came to me. But I was obedient to “go” and that is the important part; that we go when God tells us, he’s not concerned about how fast we’re moving, just that we are. This is proof that God will use us just as we are, as limited as that may be, as long as we’re walking with Him.

Quite honestly in the past, I’ve probably gotten ahead of Him sometimes. I’ve probably even ran ahead, in the wrong direction. Maybe that’s why he felt the need to slow me down.

I’ve only taken two short walks this week. The first walk was a couple days ago, just a half mile, and took nearly 30 minutes. The other was this morning, I walked an entire mile at a VERY SLOW PACE, (my dogs even kept looking at me funny, like who put something in your cereal?), and it took me an hour. But as I’ve slowed down, I’ve learned that before I was probably rushing through every walk, every work out, every bike ride, every phone conversation, every prayer, every scripture, every intimate moment, every divine appointment, etc, so I could get to the next thing. In essence what I was doing is becoming a Martha, Martha, Martha – just simply doing a work God had called me to “walking and talking” instead of being more like Mary, who is in total synch with Jesus and follows his every step.

Noah and Enoch walked with God. Noah walked so closely with God that he was obedient, even though he was persecuted and made fun of every day, and God rewarded him greatly. When everyone else in the world was destroyed, him and his family were spared! Hallelujah! And Enoch, he walked so closely with God that one day God just took him up to heaven—he never saw death—he was transformed right there. Wow!

So I’ve decided on this walk, I want to be like Noah and Enoch. Just like them, I want God to transform me (my heart and mind to have a unique FAITH like theirs) so that I’m walking and talking at just the right pace, so that HE can transform others as we Walk n Talk Across Michigan to Stop Abuse & bring healing to all!

For more information about our 1^st Walk n Talk Across Michigan to Stop Abuse of People & Pets, please log onto www.abusebites.com

Day One: Walk n Talk Across Michigan to Stop Bullying n Abuse

Our Kick off at the Capitol went well, despite everything coming against us. There was unpredicted rain throughout the morning, but thankfully it was light and not a total wash out. My hubby, John, even pointed out a beautiful rainbow that morning before we left. Thanks honey :)

I had two phone interviews before we even left the house. We ended up getting a late start and even getting turned around due to construction. And since it was after 9 a.m. when I finished my interview with TV 6 News, I thought everything was set up and we could get started. My son, Jeremiah, opened the event with a song called "Hold My Heart" by Tenth Avenue North. He did an amazing job, I was so proud!

Then we had an opening prayer, followed by a moment of silence for the victims, then we were supposed to play "Tears in Heaven" but little did I know, John was still setting everything up. Our Emcee, Ron Hoshal, did a good job though and saved John from a most embarrassing situation as he went on to the next thing on the schedule. He also shared about how he and I raised over $10,000 for abused/needy pets for the local Humane Society.

One of our speakers, Kevin Epling, Co-Chair of Bully Police USA, later pointed out that even though our song couldn't play, with the rain coming down, we had literal "tears from heaven". He spoke on how we all needed to work together to bring about the change our kids need in the schools to protect them, through educating, raising awareness, and giving them the tools and prevention methods they need. I couldn't agree more!

I spoke on Change as well. About how we need to love and accept others, forgive our bullies, help our bullies, pray for our bullies, and that will bring about the healing and change that is needed.

There were a few quirks, like no video coverage, because no one set the camcorder up, and being physically attacked with my hip and leg giving me so much pain I could barely walk, let alone hobble that morning, but the message was powerful!

Still, I was a little disappointed by the turn out, as only a handful of people and a couple of news guys were there. It hurt me to think that we made all those calls to politicians, sent out hundreds of press releases, and yet, only a few people came that morning to listen and show their support, and we only sold three t-shirts.

But as we were getting ready for this event, John was pressing out the event t-shirts and trying to find the center of the logo for the back, and it came to my attention that the word "GO" was right in the center.

It was a message saying "GO". It doesn't matter who shows up, how many t-shirts we sell, how we feel, or who supports us. We're to be faithful to go, and let God do the rest.

And because we were faithful to go that morning, despite all the negative comments and lack of support, and low t-shirt sales, after the event, we had the chance to minister and pray with a young woman who came to us in tears who has been terribly abused. While we were praying with her, her two little girls were loving on Snickers. How awesome is that!

If we even touch one person, this Walk n Talk Across Michigan to Stop Abuse is well worth it.

Please show your support for this mission by lifting us up in prayer, considering a donation, and even getting an event t-shirt for you/your family, as all the money will go (for gas, food, lodging) to help us take this healing message to those who are abused and need it. We will be walking and talking through 15 major cities in Michigan over the next several weeks on the weekends offering one day healing events.

For more information on cities, dates, donation, sponsorship, etc, please log onto http://www.abusebites.com

Or write to: Abuse Bites, Walk n Talk, PO Box 1582, Owosso, MI  48867

Thank you for your continued support!

http://www.abusebites.com