![]() As I changed my perspective to focus on positive thoughts that I knew were true, instead of fearful ones, I was strengthened to be able to wait in faith. So much of what I felt while Jacob was running in those terrible conditions really depended on what I was focusing on. This may seem a simple example of finding peace during turbulent times, but I think the principles I learned from it are sound. He had paused to help another runner in distress and then ended up spending a significant amount of time trying to warm his freezing body at a campfire until another runner motivated him to keep going. I just needed to hold on.Īround 6:00 a.m., 24 hours after he started the race, he finally showed up safely. I knew I was doing everything I could, and I knew others were praying for him too. I reminded myself of things I knew about Jacob: how experienced and smart he is in the wilderness, how physically prepared he was for this course, and that he wasn’t alone on the trail. Positive thoughts came into my mind through the Holy Ghost that helped me push out the fear and worry that weren’t doing me any good. I prayed and was very thankful for the calm feelings that came. It was interesting how peace could come in this situation where I was so stressed not knowing what was happening to Jacob. The wait began, and hours passed with no sign of Jacob. Once I reached the aid station, I hurriedly asked the workers to check to see if Jacob had been accounted for at the last station, but they were swamped and told me to ask again if he was hours late. I hoped the race workers just hadn’t been able to update all the information on the website yet, and I set off to drive to the next aid station. Based on his pace throughout the day and accounting for the muddy conditions of the trail, I figured I would need to be there around 2:30 a.m.īefore I left my hotel, I viewed the race website to ensure that he had checked into the previous aid station where crew members weren’t allowed. It was difficult to watch him leave, knowing that he had 20 miles to run to get to the aid station where I would be able to meet him next. Jacob changed into dry clothes, put on his headlamp, and set off into the night. ![]() When I met him around 8:00 p.m., the weather was bitter cold and the trails were full of mud. Jacob maintained a steady, predictable pace throughout the day, and I was able to meet him smoothly. ![]() It was important for me to keep track of Jacob’s pace so I could arrive at the aid stations at roughly the same time he did. Jacob started running this race at 6:00 a.m., and, as his support crew, I was to meet him at certain aid stations to bring him extra clothes, food, shoes, and any other supplies he needed. Race organizers decided to alter the race’s course to keep the runners lower and hopefully safer. Days before the race, the weather forecast changed dramatically to rain, cold temperatures, and even snow. The course of this demanding 100-mile trail was steep. My husband, Jacob, participated in an ultramarathon. I had an experience a few years ago that helped me find peace during a troubling time. So how can we feel peace continually flowing in the midst of turmoil and when life feels turbulent? So when I think of peace like a river, I think of peace as something that can be continually flowing in our lives despite our circumstances or the obstacles that may get in our path. The river simply finds a way to go around or over obstacles. The water surges over rocks, logs, falls, or any other kind of debris. I value this imagery of peace being compared to a river, continually running. In 1 Nephi 20:18, we read these words of the Lord: “O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments-then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea.” What does it mean to have peace like a river, especially when the circumstances of life are anything but peaceful? One phrase from the book, “peace like a river,” nullgot me wondering. Yet, through these challenges, the family receives blessings to sustain them. Some of their circumstances are warranted, but others feel undeserved. After my most recent reading of one of my favorite novels, I was struck by what a sad and difficult journey the central family faces.
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