Restless. Sojourning. Soul. Sole.

One year ago today (December 23) the Awake My Sole Iowa journey came to completion.  Crazy to think it has already been a year.

To celebrate, I trekked some miles in the frigid negative North Dakota temps.  Yes, that is frost on my hat, and yes I am wearing 3 pairs of socks interlined with plastic bags.  

This song and lyrics sum up my thoughts and feeling today.

Restless soul, turning leaf 
Tomorrows unknown mysteries 
I'm leaving here, I end up where 
Into the unknown we fly 
We said there's no time to waste 
So hand in hand we run this race 
Let's end it well 
Escape them fires of hell 
Wander all out lives 
Till we're gone 
Pick up sticks and pack your bags let's go 
Where things grow, in the hills in summer time 
Under trees and over streams we walk and we talk 
All our days, into the night 
Into the unknown we fly 

And our hearts are beating 
And our feet they've got a long long way to go 
And our souls want to shine 
Can't you feel it from your head to your toes 

Touching down we're breaking through 
To a land that seems brand new to you and me 
And God makes three 
Lost and now we're found again 
This place playin' it's tricks on me 
Help me down from a strangers tree 
There's beauty here, but I miss it there 
Trace my path in wind and snow 
Thunderstruck I've got a place in mind 
All our time in the world, is gonna pass 
Grab your hand we've got some plans to know 
Open roads, we're together at long last 
Wander all our lives, till we're gone 

And our hearts are beating 
And our feet they've got a long long way to go 
And our souls want to shine 
Can't you feel it from your head to your toes 

And I thank the Lord, for everything He's done 
And I thank my Father, for sending us His son 
And I thank that Spirit, for helping us be one 
Helping us be one, out there on the run

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"Into the unknown we fly"

"Lets end it well"

"Our feet they've got a long long way to go"

"Helping us be one, out there on the run."

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the core pillars of Awake My Sole

Run Passionately
Run Purposefully
Run with Beautiful Feet
Run with Endurance
Run towards the Goal (Jesus)

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"Oh Lord Jesus, Guide our feet into the way of peace"

Where are you being guided?
By whom?
By what?  
By what influence?  
To where?

"Oh Lord Jesus, Guide us today for your glory's sake"

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"A sojourner is a person who resides temporarily in a place."

We runners are those with literal Restless Soles, each run a temporary sojourning endeavor.  Whether it's half a mile in little time to thousands of miles in a lot of time, we sojourn.  

I can't help but think of the Christmas story, and the wise men whose feet were guided by the star.  They were sojourners, guided by God

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Just some of the thoughts in the restless, sojourning, sole, soul of mine.

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it "feels like" -27 out, time to UNPLUG and RUN

The beautiful state of North Dakota blesses its residents with cold temperatures every winter.  After residing here for almost a year, it seems as if every person forgets how cold it gets in the winter, and then frigid cold fronts blow in and everyone talks about how cold it is.

North Dakota alone hosts 3 of the top 25 coldest cities in America, with Grand Forks at number 2, Bismarck at number 3 and Fargo at number 4.*

running in last winter's cold temps

I enjoy the frigidly cold weather.  Each morning I've become my wife's car starter.  Today, I got to run outside.  I hope to start biking to work again.

Some call me crazy, but nothing is more thrilling than running in frigid temperatures and surviving.  So far, my survival rate is one hundred percent, lets hope that doesn't change.

Running to Orange City in frigid temps  on the Awake My Sole Iowa journey.  Post by Awake My Sole.

Every time I go out and run, it's like this little expedition I conquered.  Starting and finishing at my house, with the journey being wherever my feet take me.  In these frigid temps, I see less and less foot prints in the snow, allowing me to feel that I was one of the few who journeyed out today.

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Here are some thoughts from today's "feels like" -27 degrees run:

I should have worn a warmer hat.  Each gust of North Dakotan wind froze the sweat from my head underneath my hat.

Running is simple.  You don't need much to run.  A pair of shoes, some clothes, two hats.

Running isn't punishment.  Its such a freeing activity.  Too often, people correlate running with punishment, when in reality it should be distanced far from punishment.

Wearing plastic bags was a good idea.  Base layer wool sock, plastic bag over it, cotton sock over that, then place the shoe on.  Perfect way to keep your feet warm by keeping gusts of wind out.

Unplug and run.  I didn't run with my music today or a watch.  I love music, and I love running to music, but today I really tried focusing on my surroundings,  on the outdoors and what I was running by.  Also, with so much ice, I didn't want not pay attention and slip.  Also, when I run with limited distractions I find I have more ideas pop in my head.  Its great for brainstorming.  When I don't have a watch, or an app whispering in my ear how far I've gone, I find that the time goes by quicker.  For serious trainers this might not be a possibility.

Enjoy the moment.  Don't worry about your speed, just run.  Be free and aware of your surroundings.  Be thankful to the Creator who has you in this moment experiencing this path.

Write down any thoughts.  After a run, writing down thoughts or ideas that popped into your brain.  Many ideas for the Awake My Sole journey were formed while running.

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"When your water freezes, you know it's cold" 

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As a runner, North Dakotan and fellow advocate for ideas that better other people, I found myself inspired by this runner from North Dakota.

Anne Mahlum

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How to simplify your life into a bag

the dream of a long distance runner living in north dakota.

the dream of a long distance runner living in north dakota.


840 miles.

*woke up early this morn.  drank some coffee.  brainstormed this outlandish idea.

dreamers gotta dream.  right?



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some inspiration for the morning.  enjoy!!!

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run with passion, purpose, beautiful feet and endurance.  run towards Jesus.  gotta run to awake the sole.

The whirlwind of the unexpected obstacles

Just like in running, life throws us some unexpected obstacles. 

This last week, we had to cancel all the Awake My Sole running and speaking events in Fort Dodge. 

Never expected this.

Why?

Our best friend was admitted into the hospital with pulmonary embolisms (blood clots in the lungs), and  without hesitation we made our way up to Bismarck North Dakota. 

An unexpected obstacle.

Life is full of these.
Some happy and joyful.
Some sad and disheartening.

...and just like in running, we must continue on.

Our week has been filled with a lot waiting in the hospital. 
Doctors and nurses. 
Prayer and food.
Tears shed, both in receiving positive and negative updates.

These unexpected obstacles make us question our present status, possibly realigning us to what really matters.

What does really matter?  People?  Career?  Money?  God?   
What is meaningful?  What makes life meaningful?  Am I living a meaningful life? 
Is there a God?  If so, why are negative unexpected obstacles allowed to happen?  

These are tough questions, and we must wrestle with them. 

After this week of going through this unexpected obstacle, we have once again been strengthened and realigned to what really matters:  the greatest commandment "to love God, and to love people."

I hope this makes you laugh