Many people have been asking about my health and how I have recovered from the cancer surgery on June 27 of this year. All I can say is that God’s grace has been absolutely amazing during these days. He has renewed me in every way = spirit, soul and body.

After my surgery, the doctor told me that I could not exercise for six weeks. That turned into eight weeks due to a foot injury. The first day that I tried to jog, I could only walk/jog about a mile and a half. Yet, it was in my heart to attempt to run in the Baton Rouge Beach Half Marathon on December 1, 2007. I grew up in Baton Rouge and wanted my childhood city to be the place to restart my journey of getting myself back in shape.

I knew that I would have to begin training by September 1, 2007. However, that did not give me much time. I would need to be able to jog 3 miles by the first of September. I was in the Indiana/Michigan area in late August and a friend, Floyd Miller, and I went for a three mile jog for the first time since my surgery. Although it was a slow three miles, I was able to do it. I was really excited, but knew that I had a long way to go in order to be able to run the Half Marathon. I needed to be careful not to reinjure my foot. I also needed to be careful not to injure my stomach muscles. The surgeons had to cut through my stomach muscles during the surgery.

I was surprised at God’s grace in bringing healing to my body. I started very slowly – running at am 11 minute 30 second pace and slowly built up my mileage and speed. I told my wife, Tex, after one month of working out, “I think that I can run a 10 minute pace for the 13.1 miles.

As I progressed, God’s grace continued to be evident. I told Tex two weeks ago that I thought that I could run it at a 9 minute and 30 second pace. Well, Saturday was race day. People came to Baton Rouge from throughout the nation to run in this Half Marathon. The weather was perfect – about 52 degrees at the beginning of the race and 58 at the end.

Yes, you read correctly – at the end. I finished, ran the entire 13.1 miles just three months after starting to exercise and five months after my surgery. Not only did I run the entire course, I also ran faster than I expected. I ran at a 9 minute 21 second pace. And even more astonishing, I came in second place in my age division. I was amazed, overwhelmed. I am stunned at God’s grace to heal and restore. I just wanted to let you know and give Him all the glory.

Sammy Tippit