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Running the Race— Liberty students and Lynchburg community members took part in Students Activities latest installment in the Liberty Mountain trail series, the Deep Hollow Half-Marathon and 5k Race.

Students, faculty and members of the Lynchburg community gathered at Camp Hydeaway on the brisk fall morning of October 9 with one goal in mind — the finish line.

The Deep Hollow Half-Marathon and 5k kicked off the Liberty Mountain Trail Series with more than 200 runners participating.

The blast of a foghorn interrupted the silence of the cool morning. Cheered on by family and friends, 114 half-marathon runners began the race, followed 15 minutes later by 97 5k runners.

Some participants took advantage of the race as a great way to spend time with family and loved ones.

Jordan Miller is a LU Online student who ran the half-marathon with his sisters and dad.

“My sisters and dad both are runners, so it’s a family event. All of us have done basically every race in Lynchburg this past year,” Miller said.

Lynchburg resident Paula DiCenzo ran the 5k while her husband did the half marathon. The two of them did the Liberty Mountain Trail Series 5-miler last year and have been checking the Student Activities page for more races that they could do.  She said that having her family at the race was extra motivation.

“We just started doing it a year ago and we signed up because we like trail running. My kids were waiting for me at the finish line so I wanted to get back as soon as I could,” DiCenzo said.

Many of the participants found that running with a group helped them to stay motivated.

“I wanted to run most of it and it helps when there are people around you. You want to just go with the group and finish with everyone, not be the last straggler to cross the finish line,” Liberty alumna Emily Franks said.

DiCenzo said she enjoyed running with a group better than doing it on her own.

“It makes you push yourself to run harder when there’s somebody in front of you because you want to catch up with them,” DiCenzo said.

Despite having an arm in a sling, senior Justin Elliot was one of the first people to finish the half-marathon. Elliot said that the encouragement of other runners helped him keep going.

“What motivated me the most were the other runners who said, ‘Oh, you’re running with a sling? That’s awesome, good job.’ That really brought my spirits up when I was out there,” Elliot said.

Elliot said he is avid runner, and he did not want to miss this opportunity to run, even though his arm was injured. He said he had to mentally prepare himself for how different it would be to run with one arm in a sling.

“I was pumping my body with just one arm instead of two and it was definitely more difficult going up the hills. I didn’t have as much momentum, but I was able to push through it,” Elliot said.

Whether they had one arm to work with or two, almost all the runners of both trails said that the most challenging parts were running the hills.

Tim Smith was the first 5k runner to cross the finish line. Smith has previous running experience but agrees that the trail’s hills were difficult.

“The hills were the most challenging because it’s a mental thing. It’s physically challenging to push past the pain of getting up the hill,” Smith said. “I like the atmosphere of being around other runners and just getting into shape is something that’s fun to do, (as is) seeing the progress that you’ve made from all your other runs and hard work.”

Franks said that having to run the hills at the beginning was hard but it helped make the end of the trail easier.

“I had no idea that the whole first part was basically uphill, so on the way downhill it was perfect and the momentum kept you going. If I had known it was all uphill, I probably would have been more mentally prepared,” Franks said.

The 5k runners were able to replenish themselves halfway through the race at an aid station at the Snowflex Centre. There were four aid stations throughout the 13.1-mile trail for half-marathon runners to rest and get drinks. Refreshments such as coffee, fruit and bagels were also available at Camp Hydeaway for runners to enjoy after they finished the race.

At the end of the event, runners were awarded medals and T-shirts. Plaques were given out to the top three overall winners of the half-marathon and 5k, as well as the top three age group winners in each event.

Smith said that more than winning a prize, he came to the event because he loves to run and to experience the environment at races.

The next race in the Liberty Mountain Trail series is the Valley View 5-Miler Trail Race, which will take place in November. For more information or to sign up, contact Student Activities at studentactivitiesinfo@liberty.edu.

Abraham is a feature reporter.

Hands-on teaching — The Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center educates clients about option for pregnancy, adoption, parenting and abortion.

From the front, it just looked like an unassuming one-story house, except for the driveway large enough to hold painted lines for multiple parking spaces. Walking up the front steps, the heavy glass paned doors become evident as well. What would be the living room, however, is richly decorated and warmly colored, with a bright oil paint mural stretching across the far wall at the other end of the room.

“That oil painting of the Garden of Eden, symbolizing God as the Creator of Life, was done by two E.C. Glass High School students, and the play box that surrounds the children’s play area was built by an Eagle Scout for one of his projects,” Blue Ridge Pregnancy Center (BRPC) Executive Director Lori Meetre said.

She then walks down the hallway leading to various decorated sitting rooms, small and intimate, meant for frank, yet confidential discussions of life-changing topics.

“This is where we meet with clients to talk with them about circumstances in life, options for their pregnancy and most importantly about the gospel.  We share the gospel with all of our clients because we believe that no matter what a woman’s crisis Jesus is her greatest need.” Meetre said.

As you walk further through the building, however, there are many more rooms than expected, some of them, like the Mommy and Me Boutique,  filled to bursting with practical resources for Moms including maternity clothes, baby clothes, diapers, wipes, formula and any number of items children need through age two.  Anything that has been donated to the Center is made available to the women who participate in “Parenting and Life Skills” which teaches skills for parenting and life.  The Center offers Bible studies, parenting classes and ongoing peer counseling as part of the PLS program.  The unfinished basement has been transformed into a cozy meeting space by a local Sunday School class.

“This is for the parenting groups as we watch videos in the class curriculum. This room was made to make more space upstairs for meetings with crisis clients,” Meetre said.

BRPC was established in 1999 thanks to “a combined effort by Lynchburg-area Christians who were concerned with the need for a ‘crisis center’ that would provide a pro-life alternative to women with unplanned pregnancies,” according to their website.

The Center has approximately 115 volunteers, which include peer counselors.  There are a myriad of ways for people who are passionate about life to get involved, according to Development Director Stephanie McBride.  The ministry gets a steady stream of volunteers and donors throughout the year, many of them from various church groups and local organizations as well as many of Liberty students.

“People can donate in three ways, with their time, money or talent,” McBride said.

The Center relies entirely on donations and grants, none of their funding is received from the government.

The Center specifically features free pregnancy testing and counseling, free limited obstetrical ultrasound, parenting and life skills programs, prayer and evangelical ministries, abstinence training and referrals to other community resources.

“All of our services are free and confidential however, we are not a full service medical facility so we do refer to an outside medical practice for further care throughout their pregnancy,” Meetre said.

Although BRPC educates their clients on all of their options — adoption, abortion and parenting, they never advocate or refer for abortions.

“We do not in any case make abortion referrals. We will educate them on the abortion procedure, risks and consequences, but we do not make any referrals. We do refer clients to places such as the Liberty Godparent Home as well as other adoption agencies,” Meetre said.

“One of the things we are most blessed with is our ultrasound capability.  Although the services we offer are limited, studies show that when women are able to see an ultrasound image of their unborn child that 80 percent will choose life for their baby,” Meetre said.

The Center also offers a men’s ministry for the men in their client’s lives.

“The man in the relationship is half of the equation and he plays an important part in what a woman will decide, ” Meetre said.

The Center is working on establishing mens’ bible study groups, and they currently offer one-on-one peer counseling for men.

“It’s one thing for a woman to give advice to a man about what being a Christian man really looks like, but it makes more of an impact when they hear it from another man,” she said.

The ministry also offers a post-abortion ministry for women struggling with psychological and emotional issues after abortion, whether it is 3 days or 30 years after the fact.

“People argue that women do not suffer any consequences to abortion, but many do experience symptoms that are similar to post-traumatic stress disorder, including nightmares, flashbacks, uncontrolled anger and substance abuse,” Meetre said.

For more information about the Center, how to become involved or scheduling a tour, please contact Stephanie McBride at (434) 528-9750 or visit their website at blueridgepc.org.

“We offer compassionate care and accurate information. It is our goal to educate women on all aspects of abortion and pregnancy. When a woman has a crisis pregnancy, she has three options – abortions, adoption and parenting, and we educate them on all of those options,” Metree said. “I just want women to know that they have a safe place to come and gain godly counsel in a time of crisis.”

Edwards is the feature editor.

Author, commentator and Yale graduate Eric Metaxas spoke in the Towns Alumni Hall Tuesday, Oct. 5, on his critically acclaimed book “Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery” as part of the English and Modern Languages Alumni Lecture Series.

“If you are here, raise your hand,” Metaxas said, bringing the over-crowded room into laughter. “I’m happy people are here even if it’s only for extra credit … The only thing I’ve done worth mentioning is my work for Veggie Tales.”

After the laughter, Metaxas’ lecture focused on the life and faith of Wilberforce. Wilberforce became influential in British Parliament in his early 20s and is known for his role as one of the world’s most famous and influential abolitionists.

Metaxas used his book to challenge the audience to consider what God is calling them to do and submit to it.

“People suffered less because of (Wilberforce’s) obedience to Jesus Christ,” Metaxas said. “Wilberforce has been a hero of mine for many years.  The thought of writing (Amazing Grace) was a daunting task, but I really felt called by the Lord to do this.”

Metaxas spoke about how Wilberforce used his political influence to affect a broken culture where 25 percent of single women were prostitutes and people were uneducated about slavery. According to Metaxas, two of Wilberforce’s goals were to reform British morals as well as to abolish the slave trade. At the very end of his life, Wilberforce got word that slavery had been officially abolished by parliament.

“This is a fact, not my version of the story,” Metaxas said.

Chair of the Department of English and Modern Languages Dr. Karen Swallow Prior invited Metaxas because of his published works and the monthly philosophical forum that he hosts, Socrates in the City.

“[Metaxas] sets an example of a Christian who is intellectually engaging the culture,” Prior said. “This is why he fits the lecture series.”

Metaxas’ lecture was the third in the series, which is held every semester. Julia Bolton Holloway is the proposed speaker for the next lecture, according to Prior.

“Even if many students come (just) for the extra credit, they’re still being exposed to Christian speakers who are loving God with all their minds as well as their hearts,” Prior said.

Roughly 800 people filled the Towns Alumni Hall, with students standing in the back and sitting in the aisles. Prior believes the turnout and lecture showed the progress of Liberty as an academic institution. Metaxas also spoke in faculty chapel Wednesday Oct. 6 on “Christians in Popular Culture.”

Metaxas was the narrator for Veggie Tales’ Esther videos and wrote several children’s books along with his nationally recognized books about Dietrich Bonhoeffer and William Wilberforce.

“Amazing Grace: William Wilberforce and the Heroic Campaign to End Slavery” was written as the companion piece to the real events featured in the movie entitled “Amazing Grace,” which was released in February 2007.

POWLEY is a feature reporter.