Brutal! Vegas Marathon Recap

29 Nov Brutal! Vegas Marathon Recap

About 75 LIFE Runners gathered for the Las Vegas half/full Marathon weekend (Nov 14-15) filled with a flurry of Pro-Life activities, prayer, fellowship, and team building. Our theme for the mission weekend was Prayer in the Desert. “I fed you in the wilderness, in the parched land” (Hosea 13:5). This verse perfectly fit our time of witnessing in sin city. God took care of us in spite of everything that stood against us.

We joined together for Mass Saturday evening, and the priest blessed us for our mission ahead. We then toured the local pregnancy help center and met their director who was simply the salt of the earth. It was overwhelming to hear the great number of women that they serve each day, helping them to choose life in their difficult circumstances.

We were warmly welcomed and cared for by the Knights of Columbus who fed us an awesome pre-race dinner on Saturday night. We spent the down time socializing with teammates. It was such an amazing time of team building and allowed us to catch up with old friends and make precious new ones.

Sunday morning we prayed over the pregnancy center, the street, and the abortion facility only yards away. We could feel the weight of the spiritual battle that takes place each day down that small alley. Most who laid hands on the gates of the abortion clinic were overwhelmed to the point of tears as we cried out to the Lord, claiming the precious lives for God. Everything about the abortion facility was uninviting and cold, which was perfectly countered by the gentle, welcoming pregnancy help center strategically placed to help them carry their burdens. We must remember to keep this precious jewel of a pregnancy help center in our prayers as it rests in the heart of a city famed for its lust of the flesh.

Everywhere we went people approached to ask about LIFE Runners and encouraging us forward. We were offering something they wanted, and they were happy to see it. Hearts seem to be ripe for the harvest, and the Lord brought us to the city right in time with His plan.

Race day was less than ideal, calling for strong winds, cold temperatures and rain. Everyone was excited to race, and we all kept a good attitude for our mission despite the declining weather. Between the 5K, 10K, marathon/half there was an estimated 45,000 people participating – so many got to see our “REMEMBER The Unborn – Jer 1:5” jerseys.  It was simply overwhelming! When the time came to head to our corrals we prayed the LIFE Runners Creed together. Some passed out LIFE Runners Creed cards in the corrals while waiting. By the time the race started the wind was blowing at about 20-25mph and gusting at about 40mph. Then the rain started. It was a very cold, windy race but LIFE Runners pressed forward and never gave up! It was a brutal race. The enemy tried to knock us down but we stood in spite of weather, injury, and struggle!

After the race we were able to join together for a meal. It was powerful to fellowship as we were all completely depleted. You could feel the spirits of the teammates lift as we laughed together. That is what teammates are for, they are there to lift each other up, to carry each others burdens, and to offer unconditional love and support. We are the team/family that God intended us to be – the Body of Christ.

The common word of the race weekend was “brutal.” We all faced a brutal challenge, be it a 10K, half marathon, or full marathon.  However, women facing an unplanned pregnancy are faced with a much more brutal reality.

bru-tal
adjective

*savagely violent
*punishingly hard or uncomfortable
*direct and lacking any attempt to disguise unpleasantness

Women facing unplanned pregnancy are often met with so much pressure that they feel their only choice is to end the life of their precious child, this brutal reality for nearly 3000 babies each day leaves mothers scarred and broken. Babies are brutally taken from their mothers, their lives snuffed out violently. Women face the brutal circumstances of pain and guilt after ending the life of their child. The world brutally rejects them if they share their shame or guilt after abortion because they have been conditioned to believe that abortion is no more serious then removing a lifeless clump of cells. The enemy thrives in brutality, he loves to see us hurt, struggle, and suffer.  The truth of abortion is that it is the most brutal thing that could ever happen to a woman.

In one of the most fleshly driven cities in the US, we stood as a team, we ran as a prayer, we finished the race and kept pushing forward. It is our duty to continue to fight for an end to the brutality that is abortion. We can do it, God is with us, cheering for us, giving us exactly what we need. Just like we all finished the race regardless of circumstances, we will not give up on this race, the race to end abortion! We are so thankful for all who carried us in prayer during the race. As we reclaimed ground in the city of sin, you could literally hear the rush of angels wings surrounding us.  We are All In Christ for Pro-Life!

REMINDERS:
* Prayer Wall.
* Sign up for 2016 A-Cross America Relay (Feb 10th to Mar 20th).
* LIFE Runners 2016 race:  Philadelphia 8K/half/full Marathon (Nov 19th-20th).
* Check out new LIFE Runners gear items.
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* Send photos in your LIFE Runners gear out in public:  contact@liferunners.org.
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* “REMEMBER The Unborn – Jer 1:5”