Why I Started Weekend of Wins by Michelle D. Howe

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Why did I start “Weekend of Wins? So that I can help support others in building a renewed sense of confidence and the evidence needed for them to achieve their God-given potential.  This is what God used in my life, a transformational experience like a half marathon, to discover the “real” me.

It is Finished Weekend of Wins

In a race, you can’t manipulate the outcome or quit.  I guess you could but why would you?  In a race, everyone finishes and receives the same medal as long as you continue to  intentionally move forward.  Those 13.1 or 26.2 miles is a journey and whatever the distance of the race, it’s an experience – an experience that can transform you in the moment if you allow it to.  How do you allow it to transform you?  By attaching a meaning to “why” you are running.

Why run the race?

Anyone can just run a race but what if you ran a race and at the same time you…

  • healed from a past hurtful relationship
  • started a new business you always wanted to start
  • overcame an addiction
  • finished writing that book
  • renewed a broken relationship
  • began to be creative again
  • learned to love yourself
  • forgave those in your past
  • became free from abuse

  • _________________ You fill in the blank

The above list is many of the reasons why I have run 4 half marathons and 1 full marathon in the past 2 years.  Could I have just ran them and had them not mean anything? Yes, but understand I was never a runner.  Running was the furthest from my mind but in the Summer of 2009 I was ready for something new.  

Ready to be real rather than fake

Ready to give rather than get

Ready to love rather than hate

Ready to be responsible rather than a victim

Ready to heal rather than live in pain

You see much of my life before God transformed me in these experiences was one that needed some restoration.  My business had fallen to pieces, my marriage was shaky and my friendships were crazy.  I needed something else.  I needed to begin to commit myself to God and His ways.  Stop manipulating my life.  Stop controlling everyone in it.  Stop faking it and start living a “real” life of freedom, hope and potential with the only one true savior, Jesus!!  

Ready Set Go!!!

The starting line is set and all the runners are ready to go. The gun sounds and they are off.  What are you running towards or running from?  Either one you are running in the same direction it just depends on your motivation.  We have the choice everyday to run to God or to run from Him.  To choose His ways or mine.  I decided back in 2009 to choose His path because mine was not working anymore.  Life is hard sometimes and so is the race.  You hit obstacles, bumps in the road but you continue on.  What happens when you are learning to ride a bike?  You fall down.  Then what happens?  You get back up, right!  YES!! 

Evidence leads to Confidence

Why do we collect evidence?  In a crime scene you collect evidence to prove something happened or not.   When I trained, ran and achieved these races, it gave me evidence – evidence that I can do it.  I can build a business again.  I can have a 10+ marriage.  I can have healthy, positive and supportive friendships.  I can write a book.  I can develop a team of people to execute a leadership event for my community.  You see the more evidence I had the more confidence was developed.  In my own effort, impossible! But in God’s totally possible. (Mark 10:27)

Celebrating the Wins

Each of us have a different journey.  The race may look or sound the same but they are different depending on what each participant brings with them.  We each have different gifts, talents, pasts therefore comparison is not welcomed.  What is welcomed is celebrating each others wins.  A win for someone may be buying their 1st running shoes where another may be creating a PR (personal record).  During our weekend, we will celebrate each forward step for each individual.  You determine what that step looks like everyday. A win could be choosing to answer an email you are avoiding or setting up a lunch date with your difficult teenager.  What if we lived in a world where people really supported, loved and encouraged one another from start to finish.  You experience a bit of heaven during these race events because everyone is excited and wants to see you do your best.

My Mission and Vision

My mission at Weekend of Wins is to create an environment where we will compliment and celebrate each other’s wins and forward movement thereby giving us permission to create the same in our everyday lives. My dream is that as a church and the world we will stop judging and competing with each other and begin to compliment each others God-given talents and gifts.  We are all one body with many parts. (1Cor. 12:20)  Now let’s start working together AS ONE!!!  :-)

It is Finished!

These words are precious and are the foundation of my beliefs.  Jesus voiced these words when we was crucified on the cross.  It is finished, accomplished, done, complete!!!  He has already done it so let’s live in it!  (John 19:30)

Though He has already finished, completed His mission on earth to restore man to a right relationship with God, we as believers are still a work in progress. (Phil 1:6)  And He asks us to be ready to not fall asleep or by lazy but to be prepared to run the race set before us. ( 1Cor. 9:26; Hebrews 12:1)

So are you ready? I invite you to come along on this journey with us.  It’s a different one for each of us but we are here loving you, supporting you and cheering you all the way to the finish line.  www.weekendofwins.com 

Michelle D. Howe – My Life is Not My Own (1Cor 6:19)  :-)

What is your fill in the blank above?  Why would you run or train for a half or other distance race?  Tell us here at our comments then share it with those in your life.  Thanks!!

 

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