I'm still processing donations, but as of right now it looks like we will have $6,130 this year alone. INCREDIBLE!
Which means in the last four years we've donated $27,330! And that has everything to do with the amazing friends and family we have in our lives, those that have supported us each step of the way. Thank you!
And on top of having donated such an incredible amount of money, this year alone we brought 90 people to the run in Dad's honor. 90 people who have exceptionally busy lives, but took time out of their busy weekend to join us for an event that means so much to my entire family.
The rain. The forecast wasn't just rain, but hail- tornadoes- flooding. Imagine the absolute worst possible running conditions, that's what the forecast included.
And I looked at that forecast and I was so disappointed- but if I've learned anything these last 3.5 years it's that we serve a pretty amazing God- so I said a few prayers (ok I may have talked to him constantly once I found out about the rain!) and it went a little like this:
"Hey God, so I see there's a little bit of rain in the forecast for Sunday. And I'm working so hard on reminding myself that your plan is absolutely perfect, and there is always a purpose to your work. So if the weather is so bad that the run has to be cancelled, I will understand and remind myself that there is a reason for it all. But, I do know you've got a little pull up there, so if you don't mind moving that rain out of Houston, I would really appreciate it."
Sometimes I think God laughs a little from our talks.
And I repeated this prayer over and over again. And y'all, no rain. Not a drop! Do we serve an awesome God or what?!?
The race was incredible. As I reached the end of the race, I looked ahead and saw a brain cancer survivor ahead of me (they each wear a special colored hat during the run), and that's when I knew there was no way I was walking or stopping- because if he could run this race, by all means I could do the same.
The anticipation and concern over the weather was such a perfect comparison to our lives these last 3.5 years. With a beast like Glioblastoma, the forecast is always the worst of the worst- similar to what the weather was predicting yesterday. And I learned early on in Dad's cancer journey that we can not fear bad news, but confidently TRUST- and as anxious and stressed as I was going into the run (and on most MRI days for Dad), I try to remind myself that it is out of my control, and in the control of Him. And then when God's absolute glory shines through- whether it be answered prayers for clear skies for the run, or a great MRI- the appreciation I have for His extra hand in it all is so incredibly great. As I took each step of those 3.1 miles, I just kept thanking God over and over again for another year at the run- I kept thanking him over and over again for his incredible influence in my life.
"And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Pioneer and Perfecter of Faith" (Hebrews 12)
And run with perseverance we did, on an incredible race that has been so perfectly marked out of us, fixing our eyes on the perfecter of faith. Y'all, God is really so very Good!
Thank you to those that were able to join us yesterday, those who made a donation, and the countless number of you who said a few extra prayers for a successful run.
Each Run For The Rose includes a 'Survivor Walk', where brain cancer survivors walk and we are able to cheer each of them on each step of the way. It's an incredibly emotional moment at the run, as you see the countless survivors, where you see that brain cancer does not discriminate- there's every ethnicity, every age, and every gender. We can't thank the Dr Marnie Rose Foundation enough for all they continue to do in the brain cancer community and allowing us to celebrate Dad, and the many other survivors.
Thank you all for your love and support, and thank you all for helping us BTHO Brain Cancer!
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