World Run Day: Sun, Nov 8th

I’ll admit, I didn’t know about World Run Day until I received an email from active.com that linked to an article about it. Now that I do, I’m really excited to learn more! 2009 is the 11th year for World Run Day, a chance to use running to support your favorite charity (like OneVerse!).

With over 1,400 participants registered on runday.com, the event “benefits both local and international charities by celebrating running and charity. Runners register to run their favorite distance and pledge a donation to their favorite charity. Results are posted and then calculated for a worldwide total.”

Basically, you are given the tools to host your own charity run on Sunday or participant in an already existing runito support a charity you love. Pretty cool idea — so whether you support Team OneVerse and Bible translation or another charity, consider how running is a way for you to give to others.

New Translation Center in SE Asia

Team OneVerse is generating funds for Bible translation, specifically for the Rutara people in southeast Asia. In a recent issue of The Seed Company’s newsletter, they share the story of a new translation training facility opening in the same region! The area in which the center is opening isn’t safe to share, which is also why we can’t specify where the Rutara are located. But be assured that this National Translation Training Center is there!

The center is working with over 16 languages that are spoken in the region, and, the article shares, “each of the language groups are in desperate need of the written Word.” The center will train local villagers to translate each of those languages.

Thanks to your donations to Team OneVerse, even more Scripture can be translated for this language group and many more!

TOV running the Drumstick Dash

Oh yeah! Team OneVerse is excited to be part of the 7th running of the Drumstick Dash in Indianapolis on Thanksgiving Day! Benefiting Wheeler Mission Ministries in downtown Indy, the 4.5 mile race (or 2.3 miles if you prefer) through Broad Ripple is a great way to serve through running.

This year, some runners will serve in more than one way. Not only can they donate canned goods and support Wheeler’s ministry to the homeless, Team OneVerse runners will be competing while raising money for Bible translation!

Even more exciting, so far, all the TOV runners are members of Heritage Christian School’s cross country team! Students and their coach are joining others to help spread God’s word to the Rutara people in southeast Asia.

If you’d like to sign up for this event with TOV, please leave a comment to let us know! If you’d simply like to run the Drumstick Dash, click here to find out more!

Congrats to me!

Yes, I am congratulating myself for an awesome accomplishment at the Bank of American Chicago Marathon! I finished in 4:16:47 — a 9:47 minute mile. It was a new PR for me and I’m so happy with how it turned out!

The weather was colder than ideal (30 at the start, 42 by the end), but I stayed pretty warm. The energy level was amazing — from the other runners (33,000 actually at the start line of the 45,000 who signed up) and from the crowd (1.5 million spectators) despite the cold. It was a great way to see the city and over 29 neighborhoods. Plus, the new PR made it even sweeter!

So hooray for two of the four Team OneVerse runners completing their marathons! Over 100 verses have now been translated thanks to your donations. Praise the Lord!

Allison’s Favorite Verse

My favorite verse recently has been Psalm 69: 13

But as for me, my prayer is to you, O LORD. At an acceptable time, O God, in the abundance of your steadfast love answer me in your saving faithfulness.

In this season of my life, I’ve been learning to present my questions to God and trust that at an acceptable time, He will answer me from his love and faithfulness. I have a lot of uncertainties for the next year, but am trusting Him to reveal the next steps for me at the right time.

Congrats, George!

Congratulations to Team OneVerse runner, George Houston! He finished the Augusta Half Iron-Man in 6 hours and 34 minutes, a new PR!

George shares his favorite verse

George is the first Team OneVerse member to actually run for the team! On Sunday, September 27th, George will compete in the Augusta Half Iron-Man. A half Iron-Man distance is 70.3 miles: a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike ride, and 13.1 mile road race. I asked George to share one of his favorite verses, and here is what he said:

One that has comes to mind is Philippians 4:13 – I can do all things…. Why? -Because I never thought I could use triathlons to help spread the gospel. What is so cool about Team OneVerse is I’m able to use the gifts God has given me for his glory. There have been times this summer when it was too hot to train or too early to get up or raining or I just got hit by a car and I wanted to quit. But by the grace of God, I can swim, bike and run 70.3 miles and at the same time bring glory to his name.

If you’d like to support George’s fundraising efforts and ensure that one of your favorite verses is translated so the Rutara people can read it, please visit this site to be involved. Don’t forget — Team OneVerse is always looking for new team members!

No time to run a marathon?

Even six months ago, I inwardly rolled my eyes when people would come into the running store where I work and say they didn’t have time to run a marathon. The past three marathons I’ve done haven’t taken up too much of my time. I usually run two days during the week and have a long run on Saturday morning. I would inconsistently cross-train, usually swimming, two days a week as well. The mid-weeks runs creep up to 10 miles, which can be hard to fit in before or after work. The Saturday long runs may keep you out all morning, but still, not too bad overall. How can you not have time?

Well, now I am eating my words! I don’t have time to run a marathon!!! But I am in four weeks!

I’m in the process of going back to school to be a teacher which means I’m taking two online classes, student teaching one period a day, preparing for student teaching, and working two part-time jobs. Some days I’m on the go from 6 am til 8:30 pm. I know, what a sob story! But now I can really relate. I work most Saturdays and go to church on Sundays, then work again, so blocking out four hours for a 20 mile run is pretty tricky! This week, it’ll happen on Friday between 4-8pm. Talk about a happening weekend.

On the other hand, since I’m so busy, probably one of the first things to go on a full day would be a run. Knowing that I have this 26.2 mile goal ahead of me keeps me commited to running throughout the week. So in a sense, while I don’t have time to run a marathon, more than anything, I need to have a marathon to run!

An “Ah-Hah”  I was thinking about that this morning and suddenly had an “ah-hah” moment that is, admittedly, cheesy. But here goes: I realized that my faith is a lot like running. In the seasons where I am most busy, most likely to watch spiritual disciplines slip off my desk, those are the times when I most need moments of rest and a chance to refocus on Christ. With running, it may feel artificial to schedule in time to hit the track or in this case, study the next chapter of I Corinthians, but that doesn’t mean the time I set aside won’t be increasing my strength for the upcoming race or my belief in God’s love for me. (In fact, my 8:30 pm track work-out on Monday was awesome! Maybe because I knew I had to make the most of my time?)

Back to Running  So maybe a marathon isn’t realistic for you. But you need a goal to keep yourself disciplined no matter how busy you are. Find a 5k or 10k. Pick a park and commit to hiking all the trails. Find something that keeps you strong. This is not my season to be in two Bible studies or lead a Sunday school class. But I have to find something to keep Truth impacting my heart and life. (For instance, I’ve been listening to sermons while doing computer work at one of my part-time jobs.) Maybe that’s memorizing a passage, spending time mentoring/being mentored by one person twice a month. I think what’s important, is setting your priorities and creating practical, realistic ways to keep those first.

Knowing God without His Word?

Found this video from One Verse and The Seed Company, Team OneVerse’s “parents,” so to speak. If you struggle to understand what life is like without easy access to Scripture, watch this and let yourself learn from a new perspective.

The Word is Life

Wycliffe International has a website called TheWordisLife.net that I recently discovered that has me really excited! It’s basically a go-to site for any questions you have or information you might need about Bible translation. You can find Bible translation partners (like The Seed Company who is behind Team OneVerse), stories from translation projects, and new ways to pray for language groups around the world.

AND best of all, using a map of the world, you can select different continents, countries, and language groups to learn about that location, people group, and find an update on Bible translation there.

For instance, I selected Asia – Afghanistan – the language group Aimaq. I learned how many people speak this language (650,00), their religion (Islam), livelihood (mainly agriculture), and that currently no Scripture translations have been started.

Spend some time looking around! Not sure where to start? Pick a country where you’ve been or a place where you support a missionary. Look at the tag of your shirt and pick the country where your shirt was manufactured. Learn what you can, then find a way to pray for that area as God’s Word continues to spread there.