We All Need a Cheerleader

This post is probably a bit overdue, considering that it's been almost two weeks since I did the River Bank Run, but better late then never, right?

After months of grueling training jogging around my neighborhood, I am proud to say that I finished the race! I finished the 5K run and was still able to smile at the end:

I finished the race in about 36 minutes, which was way faster than I had anticipated. It usually takes me about 14 to 15 minutes to plod through a mile, so I figured it would take me about 45 minutes to do the 3.1 miles. It was quite a surprise to see that I did it so "quickly" ("Quickly" being relative...the person who won the 5K did it in about 15 minutes...crazy!)

I was thinking about this, and realized there is a huge difference between plodding around my neighborhood by myself and running in a race with other people and with spectators along the side of the road cheering me on. Even though the people cheering me on where strangers, it felt good to know someone was encouraging me. Just before the finish line I spotted my mom in the crowd, and it was so great to see her standing there cheering for me! If having strangers cheer me on felt good, how much better was it to have my mom cheer me on? Priceless.

Now, considering that I've been a cheerleader in my day -

(This is me at 14, in the 9th grade)

- you'd think I'd have remembered this. However, considering that 9th grade was 17 years ago it's only reasonable that I needed a little reminder of the value that cheerleaders play.

Don't we all need a cheerleader every now and then? 

Someone to tell say "you can do it"...even when I have my doubts? 

Someone to say "I believe in you"....even when I don't believe in myself?

Someone to say "Well done"...even when all I see are the mistakes and the way things could have been better.

Yep. We all need a cheerleader. 

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." 

I Thessalonians 5:11