The next few weeks

I’ve got missions trip, conferences, VBS, camps and like one week at home until I head out.  This is a busy, busy summer.

Not a whole lot going on.  I wish I haven’t been neglecting the blog as of late.  I just figured eating and breathing were a bit better.

Today will be 215 straight days of running.  Runs have been going very well lately.  Still not hitting my 50 mpw mark, but get over it.

I love my wife.

Ministry isn’t easy. 

Building websites isn’t easy either. Working today on the church website – firstbiblefwb.com – it’s a nice, slow, long, boring, exciting process.  Give me some feedback.

Just Around The Corner

Yeah, my trip is still some 59 days away, but it’s getting here.  As of last night, I finished my freelance writing for this quarter, so I have a bit more free time. Today in the office, I don’t really know what to do.  I’m ahead of schedule.  Isn’t it great how that works?

My running has been up and down lately.  Last week, I got in 40 miles.  No long run.  This week should be good though.  Yesterday I ran 7 miles before I came into the office.  I tried the same thing this morning with less luck.  I didn’t exactly get up, and it’s basically hot in the day, so I might cut it down today to around 6 miles.  Tomorrow morning, the goal is to get in at least 10 miles before I come into the office.  Who knows.  We’ll have to see.

I don’t really have a running goal, so that makes it definitely tough.  

For regular readers, please be praying for Lindsey (my wife) as she is in the search of a job. Elementary jobs are hard to come by here.  As a youth pastor, it’d be great for my wife to work for financial reasons…  With a couple of colleges close, other people join in the fight for positions.  Two jobs have already been filled that she applied for.  It’s just nervewracking.  I know that God is in control in the midst of it all, but it’s still a bit nervewracking being a newly wed.

Other than that, it’s been quiet here with R4H.  Not a lot of training.  A pretty boring life.  Check back though, because it’s getting close to heading back to Haiti, and I plan on using this to let off some steam about worries, frustrations, plans, goals, and ideas.

67 Days and 20 Hours

That’s all that left until I go back to Haiti.  (Thank you Mac for countdown clocks on my Dashboard.)  If you know me, you know I am super stoked.  As mentioned in numerous posts, Haiti does something to a person.  It makes me thankful.  It makes me think .  It makes me question.  It makes me relax.  It makes me uptight.  It makes me smile.  It makes me cry.  It makes me feel emotions that I haven’t felt in a long time.  It makes me feel at home.  It makes me want to go home.

Somehow, this mission that I work with has impacted me so much.  I eat, drink, sleep, read, everything…and Haiti is right there.  Run 4 Haiti came because I loved to run so much, and I wanted a goal to push me to keep running.  It is awesome to be out running, and suddenly have little Shaylah, Elda, Rickenson, or another kid from our churches pop into my head.  What’s even more awesome is I don’t have too many mental images of them NOT smiling.  There’s a relationship there, and I’ve never really even had a great conversation with them.  It impacts me.

This summer is packed.  Yesterday we had our final fundraiser here at church for our youth missions trip to Pittsburgh, PA July 6-13.  We had a pitch-in (a pot luck for southern people like me) and then auctioned off our students for hard labor.  When I set out to have fundraisers, I never imagined how time consuming some of them are (yard sales) or how much I’d worry about making the bucks in order to raise our money.  We needed a little less than 2,000 for our students to go.  And, in the end, we exceeded the amount of money that we needed by having five fundraisers.  It was phenomenal how God worked with us right there, all the way through.  That’s a big breath of fresh air, as my first youth ministry adventure in fundraising, I succeeded!

Anyways, packed summer, right?  Missions trip next month, VBS, the week after, National Convention for the denomination the next, 2 weeks of camp, 2 weeks home, and then a week in Haiti.  Wow.  When I look at it that way, that’s not much time, and there’s a lot going on in between.  

There’s not a lot of time to train hard-core this summer, unfortunately.  I do miss running lots of miles, but I don’t miss coming home to an empty house.  She’s here.  There’s nothing better than that.

Well, the post is basically nothingness.  There’s no point.  Just a bunch of ramblings from my mind.  Just wanted to point out, we’re that much closer to Haiti.  Please pray and if you can, support.

I feel like a youth pastor

For the first time in almost 13 months, I feel like a youth pastor.  Planning for a summer missions trip to Pittsburgh, PA, VBS, the Free Will Baptist National Convention, summer camps, weekly lessons for youth and children, choir, etc, has been the norm.  But, for some reason, I feel like stuff is getting done as of late.  It’s pretty sweet.  That wife thing has lots of benefits.  

So, since I’ve bought my Haiti ticket, I’ve been all in Haiti mode.  I can’t help but sit and think about the next couple of months as God begins to prep my heart and others to go and serve.  The week of Vacation Bible School is huge for the mission as it is a chance to reach many people.  It’s amazing to me how during the day, we’ll have 400 people which is a lot.  They are all in for the week going to classes, lessons, chapels, games, etc.  Then, at night, we’ll have 700-800 people cram into the church.  It’s a community event.  To be a part of it makes me feel so blessed.

I have lots of huge ideas for the mission I’d like to undertake.  It has been a long time vision of mine to set up some sort of adoption program through our orphanage.  Not a literal adoption program, but one of monthly support for our kids.  I don’t understand everything through the orphanage, but I do know that not all of the kids there are orphans.  One of the churches in our mission is in a little village called Montan Terribe (I hope I spelled that right).  It’s about 12 miles from Saut d’Eau, where our main compound is.  But, those 12 miles is usually a two day journey because it climbs like 2000+ feet.  Nonetheless, in the entire village, there is no school, so our mission has taken in some of the students to live at the compound, work, and get a free education, so in turn, they can go back and our mission can begin a school.  These students need support.  Likewise, I am sure we have some that are actual orphans, but due to my amazing Creole ability, I can only learn through a translator, and last year, the idea came to me and didn’t really follow through with it.  So, this year, my goal is to get all of the student’s information, and then come back looking for individuals to support our orphanage students.  (Yes, much like that of World Vision and Compassion).

Another thing I’ll be working on while I’m down there is trying to set up a promotional video.  I don’t mean something that really captures our trip in memory, but actually sit down with interviews with our missionaries, those who are going, and hopefully some of our Haitian pastors.  Video editing has been a long time interest and hobby of mine, and I’d like to use it to begin gaining more support for our mission and for the people of Haiti.

Finally, I haven’t been able to get a lot of work done lately, either. I’ve been in the office, not doing much.  There’s not tons of pressing stuff, but it’s Haiti mode time, so I find myself reading blogs and looking on YouTube.  God has used this place to fill a hole in my heart.  It is one of the most important places to me in the world.  I ask, and ask, and ask for your support.  Words, pictures, videos…they’re all worthless to describe the true reality of Haiti.  There are needs there that can be met by your donations.  You can see pictures of malnourished children, parents with tumors, grandparents without limbs, dirty streets, mud huts, and a number of different disgusting things.  Those pictures can move you to tears.  But sometimes, I feel that Americans have missed the point of why those pictures make it online in mission blogs and whatnot.  When I post them, I want people to see the need.  The need to help our brothers and sisters in Christ.  Not to have a life of six cars, eleven bathrooms, etc, but instead, to have a life period.  God has called us to care for others, and Haiti is an avenue in which you can easily do that.  There are NUMEROUS ministries down there doing amazing works.  I post pictures on here in hopes to pique someone’s curiosity to study more.  Or ultimately, to visit and allow God to move their heart even further.  

Be in prayer for our trip in on August 22.  Between now and then, I plan on setting out on many different adventures in order to prepare for going.  I want to come back and really begin to gain support for Mountain Faith Mission.  I want people to see the need and then act upon the need.  If you’re interested in helping, please, please, PLEASE email me at ryanakers@mountainfaithmission.com

This Guy Is Going To Haiti…

As of right now, I have bought my ticket to Haiti to leave on August 22.  My flight leaves Indianapolis at 6:00 am on the 22nd and after going to Chicago and Miami, I will land in Port-au-Prince at approximately 3:40 pm.  I am hoping to squeeze through onto some other earlier flights if possible because I think I’m the last person from our group to arrive.

While there, we’ll be holding out annual VBS.  This year will also be a big year because the original founder of MFM will be down there at the young age of 99 years old on the 23rd.  

Our theme is going to be Christ in the Old Testament.  I am trying to get four different topics together to divvy out to our teachers to be prepped to teach each day.  So far, I have decided that I will be teaching on the Passover and not only how it points towards Christ, but how Christ celebrated it with his disciples.

I am totally looking forward to it.  If you’re interested in going or supporting our VBS this year, please don’t hesitate to ask how you can go or support.  For those of you who’d like, check out our PayPal site and donate.

Proverbs 29:18

“Where there is no vision, the people perish.”

I think this is my theme in running lately.  I have lost a lot of motivation.  

I still run every day, but it’s just slipping away.  I guess this marriage thing has a.) wore me out and b.) made me want to spend all my free time with my wife.  I’m still grasping and hoping that I can get back into running 50 mpw+, so we’ll have to check it out and see.

Nonetheless, I have nothing to train for, and I am dropping quickly.  Thus, I am in the midst of searching for anything to train for so I can begin running regularly again.  That means, regular runs with a big ole smile on my face…or at least a grimace that could be mistaken for a smile.

Back in the swing of things

Last week, I knocked out 40 miles.  I was going for 50, but yesterday afternoon, I just couldn’t do a long run.  I am completely beat from this past week.  The yard sale for our missions trip went phenomenal.  We raised around $600, which is about three times more than I had ever expected.  The long hours of this past week caught up to me, so I napped and just ran a 3 miler on Sunday afternoon.

This morning, I got up at 6:00 am and headed out to run.  It was actually awesome.  There was little humidity.  It was cool at the start – around 60°.  I actually ran with my pastor’s son-in-law who is in town, and we clipped off 8.2 miles in 1:06:10 which actually comes out to a 8:05 pace.  It felt sooooo good.  I don’t know if it’s just the getting back into it or the morning or the weeks that were down a little…but it felt amazing.  

Anyways, runs will begin at 6:00 am regularly from here on out.  Lindsey doesn’t like me being in the office all day then going out for a run in the afternoons.  I’ll sacrifice early in the morning in order to spend quality time with my wife.  Plus, it beats the heat and humidity.

So, that’s about all the excitement that is going on in the world of Ryan + Running lately.  It’s pretty simply and straight forward over the summer.  

For those who read, I ask that you pray for Lindsey and I.  She has an elementary ed degree and is applying for jobs around here.  Unfortunately, elementary ed jobs in the county are few and far between.  In fact, there is only one opening in the county and surrounding areas – which means out of like 20 something schools, there is only one contract position open.  We are praying hard for God’s hand to guide and supply, and I’d like to ask you to join.

I now pronounce you…

Mr. and Mrs. Ryan Akers.  

Yep, I’m hitched.  It’s pretty sweet.  Our honeymoon was great.  We went to Tybee Island, GA and it rained every day.  We had one day at the beach.  The wind was blowing 30 mph most of the time.  It was too cold to get in our pool at our beach house.  Heh.  But, it didn’t rain on the wedding day.  

Running has been an afterthought lately.  I still have a 178 day streak, but on the honeymoon, I barely ran every day.  Most in one day was 3 miles.  It was sweet.

Nonetheless, I am back in the office as a married youth pastor.  I feel more mature.  I feel like I can finally be an effective youth pastor in this community.  My wife is an amazing woman who has already contributed so much to my ministry.  I’m very excited about it.

Plus, she’s hot.That’s a picture my mother took.  I have tons more from my mom.  Our actual photographer will be posting ours on her blog this Friday.  Regina did a phenomenal job. She already has some up with a slideshow for those who are not patient.  Go here.

Tomorrow

Tomorrow is my big day.  The meteorologists have been very helpful.  They’re giving a chance of rain.  Thanks.  Really.  That helps a lot.  “There’s a chance that it might rain, but there’s a chance it might not.”  Heck, there’s a chance that aliens driving BMW’s will come into town and abduct all of the animals.  There’s also a chance that they won’t.  They’re helpful.

Anyways, my running has been lacking.  I’ve got a 168 day streak going on right now, and that won’t change, but my mileage is lacking.  It’s okay though, I know that presently there are more important tasks at hand.  After the honeymoon, the mileage kicks back up and it’s back into training, I suppose.

Don’t expect anything next week.  I’m going to be on a honeymoon.  For real.  You think I’ll be wanting to spend time with you guys?  I’ll be sitting on the beach.  Drinking sweet tea.  Sleeping.  Reading.  Running.  Swimming.  Yeah, sorry folks.  I love you three for reading.  But, next week, you take the back seat.

The Final Countdown

I asked her to marry me on November 13.  The clock read 183 days at that point.  I sit in my office and the clock reads 5 days.  5 days.  Oh my.  

She graduated this weekend.  I’m proud of her.  I probably didn’t make that as clear as I should have, but she took a five year teaching degree at almost 150 hours, and crammed it into four busy years.  Plus she worked.  She worked to pay for school.  She did four years for me.  She wants to marry me.  I’ve got a good one.

The wedding is outside this Saturday.  They’re calling for isolated thunderstorms.  I’m praying super hard that it changes.

I’m going to the beach on Sunday on a Honeymoon.  I thought that was only stuff that mature, married people did.  I am overwhelmed at the prospect of suddenly being married.  It’s a scary thing to go from fiance who buys gifts and is sweet, to husband who is the sole care and provider for this wonderful girl.  I want to spoil her.  That’s scary.

This week is simply busy.  I have to clean my house because when I get back to it on May 23rd, it’s not just my house.  If it is clean when I get back, then I don’t get yelled at by my wife at that time.  I am learning early.  Unfortunately, it looks like a Category 2 Hurricane formed in the walls of my tiny home over the past couple of weeks.

Wedding showers are awesome.  We got lots of sweet stuff that’s new.  I don’t have to buy stuff from Goodwill and yard sales.  I have pots and pans that don’t predate World War II.  To me, that’s awesome.  We also got a sweet coffee maker.  I just got done drinking some coffee.  I really like coffee.  I don’t know if the tone of this post and the coffee are related.  Somehow, I’m thinking that they are.

I preached last night.  I spoke out of my favorite book in the Old Testament.  It’s Habakkuk.  Yeah, that’s actually a book in the Bible.  It’s really small.  It’s basically all about perspective.  You’re bitter, sad, depressed, unhappy, mad, angry, not feeling well?  Change your perspective and have faith in God.  It’ll change your life.  No really, read it.  All three chapters.  At the same time.  It’s just a short story, but it changes his life.  He goes from bitterness and worry about God’s lack of justice to trusting God in the midst of despair and completely relying upon Him.  I think it’s awesome.  Totally sweet book.  You should read it.

I ran 50 miles last week.  It was busy, so most of my runs sucked.  I’ll just be honest.  This week, I’m gonna try to knock out some quality mileage again.  The morning of the wedding, I plan on waking up at 6:30ish to go for a short little jog.  I’ve gotta calm myself down.  If I don’t hit 50 miles this week or next week, somehow I’m okay with that.  Why?  Because I’m gonna have a help mate.  

For me, this week is exciting and kinda scary.  I’m suddenly growing up.  I’m no longer the class clown.  I’m no longer the 4.0 college student.  I’m no longer the running youth pastor.  On Saturday, I’ll have a new name from the only person that will matter to me.  It will be “husband.”  

No pressure though, right?