Spark

When Dorina Lazo Gilmore-Young ’99 was a Calvin student, she ran on Calvin’s campus with roommates and friends, but her passion started before that. “I started running when I was in grade school,” said Gilmore-Young, who trained with her dad for her first 10K when she was in third grade. “Running has always been a great outlet for me to stay physically fit.”

In recent years, running has taken on a deeper meaning. “My husband died of cancer in 2014, and running then became my grief therapy. It’s the place where I prayed, lamented, and found restorative rest.” She grew to love the running trails in Central California, where she could find space away from her kids to process and pray. “God continues to meet me with his glory seen through creation on the trails,” she said.

Gilmore-Young started to jot down reflections and scriptures that came to her mind when she was running. “Those little notes and reflections started to take root and grow into a book,” she said. Bethany House Publishers recently published Walk, Run, Soar: A 52-Week Running Devotional. Each chapter includes scripture, a devotional, an inspirational quote, a place to record reflections, and coaching tips from Gilmore’s husband, running coach Shawn Young.

“I believe this is a perfect book for our time when people are struggling with fear, anxiety, depression, feeling cooped up because of the pandemic, and needing a physical outlet. Families are walking more. People need ways to move, and this book coaches you to do just that—with the purpose of connecting with God and his presence,” said Gilmore-Young.