I took this photo exactly 11 weeks ago.
Do you know what makes a mountain peak stand out? A peak stands out for one simple reason. It's surrounded by valleys and canyons.
When I first started running, I did it for survival. I needed something to keep my mind from dwelling on the loss and pain of my wife's death. My running is different now. I'm not running from something. I run because it's who I am.
Today life is calm and peaceful. But I doubt I would have ever reached this point had it not been for the valleys. Becky's death gave me a whole new perspective on life and has broadened my understanding of the sovereignty of God. His sovereignty encompasses not only the tragedies in our lives but also our responses. He leverages our problems to make our lives better. Becky's death made my mourn. But it also helped me grow. I've been assigned a role (widower) for which I did not audition. Yet I have chosen to believe that God is working all of this toward some ultimate purpose.
Through suffering we are like the phoenix -- reborn. And we will keep on being reborn until we can soar no more.
