1st Annual Sarah Beth Napier LoveYourGuts 5K
I want to share with you the beautiful story of her life that everyone that registered for the race received.
May 21, 2011
Thank you for participating in the first annual Love Your Guts 5K Run/Walk. Today we honor the life of Sarah Beth Napier. Sarah was born April 23, 1979 in Huntington. She was a very special girl. She lived a vibrant life. From a very young age, she was always concerned about the welfare of others. She laughed, cried, and rejoiced with family and friends through the ups and downs of life. It was part of her nature to love on others. And that was a part of her nature to love on others. And that was a part of her character that would make a deep impact on people. She graduated from Huntington High School in 1997 with high honors and decided she wanted to teach, so she went on to earn her education degree from Marshall in 2003.
After she graduated, she took a job in the Washington DC area and taught second grade...she was in her element and loved to teach, but she was still not satisfied. In faith, she quit her teaching job...knowing that there would be something that God wanted her to do. She began working in inner city DC...the projects...in an after school ministry, DayBreak, where she was able to give her life to children who sometimes were only getting love from her.
She was the kind of person who never really thought of herself and what was best for her...but she wanted to do what God wanted her to do and what would help other people and this was to be a major theme in the next season of her life.
About halfway through her first year of working in the after school ministry in 2005, she was given a diagnosis of breast cancer...stage 4 with some cancer that had spread to other parts of her body. She didn't understand why, but she chose to fight the cancer and to give God the glory and honor in the situation. Through it all she never stopped giving and she continued to work as much as she could in the after school ministry, even when she felt sick and didn't want to get up and go...she was there...not thinking of herself but of the needs of the children that she could love on a daily basis.
She finally had to stop working, but that did not stop her. She moved back to Huntington, and immediately got involved in various aspects of her church, working with the youth, teaching a girl's Bible study, helping with music...training to volunteer with Hospice, whatever she could do for someone else. She continued to battle cancer, but it kept coming back...and finally the cancer invaded her brain. She had three brain tumor surgeries to remove the tumors...all the while helping other people, calling someone who was sick, going to visit people in the hospital, loving them through prayer and kind words...always thinking of other people.
She never lost hope through her five year battle with cancer. She never lost her fight and her faith in God never wavered during these difficult years. Her struggle came to an end on March 29, 2010.
Sarah was know for saying 'Love Your Guts' (the opposite of hate Your Guts) to family and friends. When her battle with cancer began in 2005, this became the battle cry for her and so many others who were praying for her and standing with her in her battle. She kept an online journal, under the same name, about her battle with cancer and talked about the purpose for her life and the importance of living for God.
'I encourage you, wherever you are, to hold on and keep pressing forward. You may not understand the circumstances of life or why you are in the place you are in, but God does and He will show you where to go, if you allow him to work. Give Him your everything.'
from Sarah Beth Napier, May 19, 2007.
Sarah's work continues today. Her journal is being prepared for publishing and we know that this will impact even more lives. Her words of encouragement and love will continue to reach beyond her own live and generation.
Thanks for being part of this great day. We are confident that Sarah's life was lived with deep purpose and that in her death more and more people will be introduced to the Jesus she loves. Because of your participation today, kids will go to camp this summer and more importantly, the Word of God will continue to impact children and youth in this area.
You can read Sarah's journal at www.loveyourguts.com
We Love Your Guts!
Mark, Kathleen, Jeremy and Jason Napier and the whole extended family.
There were very special greeters telling us which way to go.
getting our instructions...which I forgot to follow...oops
Popaw Creasy and Christine
A very special little lady in Sarah Beth's life.
Luke and his crazy hair...love it and so would Sarah Beth. She would be very proud of all the Creasy
A family from Beverly Hills Baptist who watch Sarah Beth grow into a beautiful woman.
A very loving and special Aunt Leigh Ann.
And of course there was a kids race.
Jeremy
They are all winners!
A rose between two thorns for sure.
Hutch and Judah
Our niece Katelyn and her sister-in-law...AJ's wife
One very sweet friend
Uncle Dale and Aunt Martha
Sarah Beth's dog, Ella Mae
crazy boys
Julie...like a sister to Sarah Beth is so many ways...she was encouraging the runners on by saying...'don't let this pregnant woman beat you.'
I believe Dorthy might have been the oldest participant. Go Dorothy! Ronnie her son, was one of Sarah Beth's doctors and the Blake's came to walk also
Brother Jason with his finished tattoo
Brother Jeremy and his soon to be wife Sharon
I am not one to visit cemeteries and leave flowers. But Michael made a special request that I take flowers to Kathleen and Sarah Beth...and they must be purple and pink because 'they are Sarah Beth's favorite colors.'
I probably should state that I did take my camera but only too two shots. I was busy hugging friends, loving on kids and talking to 'old' preschool families. I 'borrowed' all these shots from friend and family that were there. Thanks guys for helping me out!According to Tristaterunner.com...There was a record turnout in the Barboursville Park for the Sarah Napier - Love Your Guts 5K. Over 350 finishers made it a record breaking race. This race was the largest ever at the Barboursville Park!
Sarah Napier Memorial 5K deemed a success
HUNTINGTON — The Sarah Napier Memorial 5K run and walk, held May 21 at Barboursville Park, brought out more than 400 people.
Tyler Salmons was the overall winner in a time of 17:30, with Andrea Wirtz coming in as the first female finisher with a time of 22:29.
Senior finishers were Earlisee Porter, 72, and Greg Porter, 71. And Dorothy Brownfield, 89, was pushed in by Ron Brownfield.
There also were several families who walked with their kids and dogs. Twelve states and the District of Columbia were represented.
The event was the first and honored Sarah Napier, who, at age 30, lost a five-year battle with breast cancer in March 2010.
Tyler Salmons was the overall winner in a time of 17:30, with Andrea Wirtz coming in as the first female finisher with a time of 22:29.
Senior finishers were Earlisee Porter, 72, and Greg Porter, 71. And Dorothy Brownfield, 89, was pushed in by Ron Brownfield.
There also were several families who walked with their kids and dogs. Twelve states and the District of Columbia were represented.
The event was the first and honored Sarah Napier, who, at age 30, lost a five-year battle with breast cancer in March 2010.
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-Tyler