Run 4 Jens

(Originally published on 4/24/14 on cotaforjensh.com)

It was a great afternoon for a day game at PNC Park. While the hometown Pirates didn't win, it was still a win in Jens's book for his favorite team, the Cincinnatti Reds. Note to self: Learn how to navigate the post-game traffic better!

Our dear friend, Emily Huff, is training for a marathon in June. She has chosen, once again, to train and run this race in honor of Jens. (She previously ran the Knoxville marathon in April of 2012 in honor of him AND with a time that qualified her to run in the Boston Marathon the following year!) She is an incredible person, and we are so honored by this intentional and loving gift. Emily sends an email every day with thoughts, prayers, and fun pictures from her run. With the busyness surrounding the move and wrapping things up in my classroom, I have not been able to be in touch with Emily as much during her training this time around. So, as she begins her training each day, she pauses to listen to be led on how to pray for us. It has amazed me the way that God is keeping us connected and that we have such a fierce prayer warrior on our side. 

Emily ran the 2012 Knoxville Marathon- in record time- for "Team Jens" while wearing a Vanderbilt Lego hair tie in her hair- all in honor of Jens.

We thought we would share some of our favorite emails from Emily with you all over the next few days. (If this moves you and helps you along your journey, let me know and I am happy to share more with you via email.) 

On Monday, the day that Jens was listed, Emily had not seen the blog posts (organ donation or being officially listed). Here’s part of what she wrote in her daily email to me: 

As I was running, it was on my heart to pray for the lung donor and for their family. Knowing that one person has to die and that life will be altered forever for those who love him in order for Jens to be able to have new lungs is a sobering reality. However, organ donation is such a beautiful way for life to carry on and for an incredible gift to be given. I read in one article that after death, one person can help as many as eight people by donating their organs. 

My route today took me over behind the University of WA campus in the same place where I ran while trying to breathe through a straw. That place will always remind me of you two, Abby & Jens, after that memorable simulation where I was gasping or breath after trying to run and breathe through a straw during my workout in an effort to understand your daily reality more fully. 

This afternoon, I caught up on email after vacation and saw your post about being officially listed on the transplant list now. No wonder God wanted me to be in prayer for the donor and his or her family. 

He's got you in His hands. Even if you don't know what grocery store to go to yet or what the fastest route is to the hospital, I am praying that you will have peace knowing that you both are in His hands. 

Stay tuned for more on Emily's run while breathing through a straw!