Well, we’re finally all moved over to the new blog! Did everybody make the move with me? We didn’t leave anybody behind, did we? I hope you like the new digs! So glad you’re here!

Saturday, I’ll be running the 261 Fearless Virtual Race with Skirt Sports that commemorates the anniversary of Kathrine Switzer’s amazing finish of the Boston Marathon (261 was her bib number). The finish was amazing not because she broke any speed records or received any special awards. It’s amazing because she was the very first woman to officially finish the Boston Marathon.

If you haven’t heard the story, you really should go read it. In a word she was . . .

Fearless.

And the timing of Saturday’s race truly couldn’t be better as it coincides with the soft launch of something I’m over the moon excited about. I’ve written before about My Refuge House, a beautiful compound in the Philippines where young girls (the average age is 13) who have been rescued  out of sex trafficking are housed, educated, clothed, counseled and LOVED. They receive healing and hope. And they slowly begin to not feel afraid.

Just today, in fact, they posted this picture on their Facebook page:

“This is Mandy. She is seriously editing her research paper for their College Prep Class with our US Peace Corps Volunteer. The title of her study is, ‘Sampaguita: The National Flower of the Philippines’. 

I am in awe that a girl who has been through so much pain and suffering is now not only alive and safe and fed, but is learning, flourishing, and dreaming of college! That’s a new level of fearless and overcoming.

It humbles me to think of all I’ve been given and how even with all I have, I sometimes stop short of going for what I feel called to do because I’m afraid. I look to women like Kathrine, and like Mandy, and they make me want to be a better version of myself. As one of my favorite writers Brene Brown says, “What would you do if you weren’t afraid?”

It’s the very heart beat of  My Refuge House and in the month of May, I’m going to be part of their first annual Movement 4 Freedom! Here’s how YOU can get involved:

You can move!!

Register for a race, take a class, or just commit to going for a daily walk with your dog, and ask your friends to support you by donating to My Refuge House. You can go here to get started by registering and either using the pledge sheet or just sending your friends to the donation website!  And take lots of pictures and post them with the #Movement4Freedom hashtag! Trust me, knowing that you’ll be held accountable by generous friends and family is  a great motivator. With all these girls have been through, I can’t imagine NOT getting my tail feathers moving to support them!

You can share this post!

Who could read about what this place is doing and not want to give them money? The more we share, the more we bring awareness, and the more funds can be available.

You can donate!

I’ve known the leadership and board for years and I can promise you, the money is going directly to the girls. Just $11 a day provides loving care for one girl, for one day, and this includes education and professional counseling.

You can do something fearless.

What’s going on in your life right now that you need to move past but can’t because you’re afraid? Think of Kathrine and the girls at My Refuge House and push the fear away and be FEARLESS.

I can’t wait to run on Saturday as I begin my journey with Movement 4 Freedom! My 5K a day in May will also be dedicated to My Refuge House and I would LOVE for you to join me! I’ll be doing posts every week about how it’s going and sharing stories of the girls and other influencers who are moving and bringing awareness.

There’s a lot of dark and scary right now, and I can start to feel helpless, especially around an issue as evil as human trafficking. But this is something I CAN do. I can write and I can move, and it can mean that someone else can be free.

And I can’t think of anything more beautiful. Go be fearless!