A Christian athlete will run 130 miles to raise funds for Lifewater International and bring clean water to Tanzanian communities.
Katie Spotz’s latest challenge is the Run4Water on September 5 where she will run to benefit clean water initiatives. Her quest is to run nonstop across the state of Maine with her revitalized faith in God.
Faith Of The Christian Athlete
As donations and efforts grow, the Christian endurance athlete’s faith has also grown.
“I’ve done different challenges like swimming and rowing, and now it’s a chance to run for water,” she told The Christian Post.
She further added, “When God sees people having clean water, it brings a smile to His face. Providing clean water is an extension of how I believe God wants us to live.”
Photo | The Christian Post
Also, Katie revealed that pursuing endurance challenges became her reason to “to fight anxiety and to feel accomplished.” And the athlete enjoyed the journey. Now, she believes that what she’s doing is obedience to God.
“I believe that we’re all created in God’s image and we all have value, we’re all loved,” she said. “Faith has been a big part of how I see clean water,” she said while stressing that it’s an act of obedience to God.
Finding Christ Amidst Fame
It was 2010 when Katie rose to fame for finishing her row across the Atlantic. However, she said the media attention “duped” her.
“When you don’t know God, something else becomes it,” she recounted. The co-author of Just Keep Rowing admitted as well how she bought the lies of achievement.
“I had this extreme thirst for more and this discontentment. I did not get that promise achievement could bring,” she said.
Photo | Flynn-O-Vision
Then one day, a friend told her about Jesus, which led her to attend church. And since then, she has been growing in her faith. For Katie, “it is clear that personal achievement will never earn a love similar to God’s.”
“When you’re no longer attached to ‘love is earned,’ it frees you to receive this never-ending love,” she explained. “Before I was running on fear. Now I’m running on joy. There’s no words that can justify how good and amazing God is … we constantly witness God’s goodness and love and if that’s not an adventure, I don’t know what is.”
The Christian athlete will be the first person to run across the state of Maine. Starting from the Canadian border to Belfast. She ran New Hampshire and Vermont as well with the same initiative.
Today, she “stands as the only woman to complete the two feats.”
Reference: The Christian Post