* 4.13 was the number on the treadmill. I still had another .87 to go. The stinging knot on my side grew increasingly painful. I wanted nothing more than to push the red STOP button. I could not do it. I could not finish my 5 mile run today. Nothing inside me wanted to keep going.
Then I remembered why I was running, why I am training for this half marathon. I am not running for myself. I am not running for fun.
I am running for FREEDOM.
I quickly grabbed my phone and changed the song to the anthem of my half-marathon journey. “Twenty-Seven Million” by Matt Redman & LZ7. (You can listen to it here).
I first heard this song when it was introduced at Passion 2012. A couple weeks after that conference, I wrote these words:
I’m angry. Again, this is definitely a righteous anger. Did you know that there are CURRENTLY 27 MILLION slaves in this world? TODAY. Yes. Right now. January 15, 2012. SLAVES.
That’s NOT okay.
I want to do something about it. I want to be an abolitionist. I want to set the captives free. I cannot shake this. I cannot get those 27 million out of my head. Battling for them in prayer every day.
Tonight, as the following words rang through my earbuds, tears began streaming down my cheeks.
“She’s a nothing, a no one, she’s undone.
Broken dreams, stolen freedom
Trapped in the night, trafficked and beaten
All a part of an evil economy
Nothing more than someone’s commodity
A precious being like you and me
A daughter, a sister, a somebody.”
I continued running. I know I need to do this. I need to run for freedom. I need to raise awareness and support those organizations that are fighting against the evils of human trafficking. It’s not about me. It’s about those 27 million enslaved today.
Want to help me fight? Check out my story on my half-marathon page.
