I am a cold weather runner.  Heat and humidity do a number on me, and since I live in a part of the country that is very hot and humid, I find maintaining my half-marathon training a real challenge through the summer.  I really do not want to give up running outdoors and resort to running on a treadmill or indoor track.  I also prefer not to run after the sun goes down for visibility reasons.  My only option is to go to the Refuge, literally and spiritually.   Mingo National Wildlife Refuge, a 21,676-acre swampy area enclosed by beautiful forests, lakes, and ponds, has become both a physical and spiritual refuge for me.

My love for plants and animals (I have a degree in Biology), plus an old log cabin that had once been a part of my husband’s family but is now part of the refuge, first drew me to this place.  Also, many of the roads are dirt and/or gravel so I can escape the pounding of asphalt on my body. 

So, began my journey of running on the refuge in all seasons, hot or cold, wet or dry.  It honestly doesn’t matter to me.  Each time I enter the refuge gates, I feel His presence, as if I am leaving the real world behind and entering a sacred place.   I also feel the benefits of solitude, communing with God through the refuge’s beautiful natural landscapes, far away from the noise of everyday living.  But above all else, in the summer, I feel His protective shade.  Isaiah 4:6 says “It will be a shelter and shade from the heat of the day and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and the rain.”

Each summer day when I run, I choose a part of the refuge that provides the most shade for me.  When I run out of shade into the direct sun and feel its rays beating down on me, I look down the road ahead and see lots of trees, appearing to form a tunnel of shade waiting for me. That, my friends, is what keeps me going. 

I focus my eyes on the “tunnel” of trees up ahead and tell myself that if I keep going, I will be out of the heat eventually.  I wipe the sweat from my eyes and think about how wonderful the shade will feel once I reach that point.  This can be applied to our life as well.  When problems come pressing in and the heat is on, just remember that it won’t last forever.  As 1 Peter 1:6 says, “So be truly glad.  There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while.” 

Running in the summer has shown me some enduring biblical truths. I have learned that when life presses in and I feel the heat, I can look to Him.  I’ve also learned that what God cares about most is what’s happening in me, not what’s happening around me.  How I respond to the heat from life’s circumstances is important to Him.   I know there is joy up ahead and I can anticipate great relief from my problems once I get out of the heat and into the shade.  Therefore, I will keep running with passion and joy, even in the heat of the summer.