I am running 26.2 miles for clean water in Africa.

It's time to resurrect this blog. No, I am not leaving the country. There is no faraway trip scheduled in the near future. However, I do have an announcement.

I am running 26.2 miles.

Do I have you hooked? Good. Now I would like to tell you a little story.

I began college last fall. Quite the change of venue. During one of those crazy missions fairs we have here at good ol' Olivet Nazarene University, I signed up for the "I'm interested in running a marathon for Team World Vision." Thinking it would never come back to haunt me, I pushed the marathon business out of my mind.

And that was when I received an email from some stranger asking if anyone would like to join the Captain Team for Team World Vision Olivet. "Why not?" I thought to myself. "I can just run the half marathon. I've done it before! It'll be easy."

With that mindset I began talking with the experienced marathoners on campus, learned a little more about World Vision, and was told time and time again to "just run the full marathon. It's only 13.1 miles longer than the half!"

Peer pressure. Gets you erry time.

Long story short, yesterday, I began training for my first-ever marathon. I didn't realize how crazy this sounded until I paid the $185 race fee last night. Why would anyone run 26.2 miles of their own accord?

That's the thing. I probably wouldn't be doing this unless I felt God calling me to be a part of something bigger than myself.

I am running for wells in Africa because I believe no one should ever go without clean water.

World Vision is an international Christian organization that focuses on child sponsorship, builds wells in countries in Africa, and spreads God's love and His Word. One of the ways World Vision affords to build these wells is by people like you and me fundraising by training and running races like the Chicago Marathon.

My university became the first to have a Team World Vision made up of college students. Experienced runners and beginners come together to run for a cause bigger than themselves. I am honored to announce that with God's strength I will be running the Chicago Marathon for Team World Vision on Oct. 12, 2014.

I am signed up for the race, began couch to 5k training YESTERDAY!, and gave myself the first donation.

Will you help me reach my goal of $1,310? Just $50 equals clean water for ONE person.

Together we can help change lives in Africa across Ghana, Mali, Niger, Rwanda, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, and Zambia.

You can donate here. Thank you for your prayers and your support!

I am looking forward to what the next few months have to offer. God bless!