Love this feeling!

4 1/2 months ago I would have laughed at myself just thinking about what I did tonight and back just those few months ago, I would have thought I could have never done it. Yet here I sit feeling AMAZING after coming back from my run and I pushed myself to run one and a half miles straight this time instead of one mile. I remember in high school in track I did the mile relay once and so that means I only had to run 1/4 of a mile and I remember at that time, it seemed hard for me and here I am at 27 years old running 1.5 miles straight. I just feel so thankful tonight, for all that God has done in my life and is continuing to do. The ways He is changing me from the inside out and not just physically/health wise but I am thankful for that but in all areas.

I realized the mile I had been running was starting to get easy so I decided to further my distance and boy it amazed me at how a mile is easy for me now but just adding on that extra half mile really bumps it up a notch for me and makes me really get a good workout in. So now I will stay around this 1.5 for a few weeks and then increase again. I am really starting to LOVE running and I cannot wait until my first 5k race!

I just cannot begin to explain to you all how it feels to begin this new year 100 lbs lighter and only 15-30 lbs away from my weight where I will maintain! I give God all the glory for this. The way He orchestrated everything to lead us to the Grace and Strength program and meet Cyndi and then my coach Anna and Jim's coach Ric.  Remembering back how I felt at my highest weight and now feeling the way I feel, I just want everyone to experience this. I am so blessed to have been asked to be a group coach for Grace and Strength and both groups had their first meetings last night and started the program today. I love all of these ladies already and I am SO pumped for them to experience the freedom I have found. I cannot wait to see the change in these ladies and for God to use me to lead them to freedom!

I was reading a book tonight and came across this that REALLY hit home for me and I want to share it with you "None of us are as free as Jesus intended for us to be. We may be as free as we know how to be at this hour. As we gain new freedom, we will then be able to look back and see how deeply in bondage we were all along."

AMAZING right? Now on the other side of this journey and after having experiencing so many chains being broken and freedom found I truly can look back now at my life just 4 1/2 months ago and see all the bondage I was in. There was so much freedom to be found through Him in so many areas of my life and still is but already so much has been set free and I thank Him SO MUCH for that!

I just wanted to share how i'm feeling tonight because I don't ever want to forget it. I am so thankful for it and I am so excited for the girls in my groups to experience it too.


Speaking of the Grace & Strength groups, we are going to keep growing them and doing more groups as they continue to grow and get bigger. Whether it be one of the in-home groups or the Skype groups. So please let me know if you or anyone you know are interested in joining. Email me at aprilcstarkey@gmail.com for more information. You can join anytime.

Love,