2023 would be the 7th year for the Spring100 Challenge. I want to first take a moment and thank each and every one of you for your past participation. It has been a joy to host the Spring100 and walk with you over the years!
As we enter the 7th year of the Spring100, I have chosen to take a year of rest. A year to step back, evaluate, restructure, and streamline the challenge. My goal is to come back in 2024 with new content and fresh energy!
My reason for this decision is twofold:
1.) First and foremost, With 3,000 participants last year, this challenge has grown into a ministry that I can no longer run on my own and one that I feel biblically needs male leadership.
2.).Secondly, Due to the vast growth of spring100 over the years, the challenge has become financially overwhelming! We have been blessed with donations from Spring100ers across the world but these donations have not covered the cost of this challenge. In 2022 we fell drastically short of reaching our donation goals!
I will be seeking the Lord for wisdom in these two important areas of the Spring100 challenge and ask you to join me in praying for the Lord’s direction.
My hope and prayer is to see each and every one of you next year, Lord willing! Until then, may the Lord richly bless you and keep you as you seek and serve Him. In every season, He remains faithful!
“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Hebrews 12:1-2
Carol Hearn
What a perfect year to take a rest – the 7th year!
Thanks for encouraging so many people to get out there and exercise!
May God clearly direct you as you seek Him. May He bless you for your tireless service.
May He multiply your resources – both physically and spiritually.
You likely never envisioned the marathon this all would turn into!
Thanks again!
Rachel @Spring100
Thank you so very much, Carol!! Truly humbled by your kindness.♥️
Dola
My family will be praying along side you during this year of rest. If you choose for there to be a fee for next year’s, it is definitely worth it!! Thank you for this amazing ministry!!
Rachel @Spring100
Thank you for those prayers, Dola! 🙏
Suzanne Sly
Thank you so much! You have motivated me to walk daily and record my miles for each season of the year. I usually walk 150-200 miles each season.
Blessings to you!
Rachel @Spring100
It’s always a joy to have you part of the Spring100, Suzanne! 💖 Thank you!!
Natilyn
Thank y’all so much for the work y’all have put into this! I really appreciate your honesty, Rachel, and will certainly be praying for you this year! I will miss this year’s challenge, but still plan to walk the 100 miles in remembrance😉😘
Keep up the good work and stay on the narrow path!!🤗♥️
Let me know how I can help!!
Rachel @Spring100
So blessed by you, Natilyn! 💕
Hannah Stiff
Hey there Rachel! I would echo the others’ comments and agree that you could really use some down time. I would wonder during Spring 100 how you could manage such an exciting yet time consuming event every year along with your other responsibilities in life! You’ve been a blessing to my sisters and I as we’ve participated for two years in your challenge, and gotten a lot of physical and emotional benefits from it. However, please know there is NO pressure from us or anyone to make this event happen every year. Wow, 3000 people is a ministry sized activity for sure! May God lead and guide you this year, and I know I’ll still be making a morning walk every day this spring here in PEI, Canada. ❤️
Rachel @Spring100
Hannah! Thank you so very much. It’s been such a fun blessing getting to know you ladies through the Spring100!!! 🙌🏼💕
Megan Jones
Racheal, I just wanted to let you know how much you are a blessing to everyone around you. You are a light that shines Christ everywhere you go. I will be praying and encouraging others to do the same so that Lord willing, the donations and whatever else that needs to take place will happen for the next year’s Spring 100 challenge. 🙂
Rachel @Spring100
Aw, praise the Lord!! Thank you, Megan!! 🫶🏻
Katelyn Mervar
I would love to know how we could help with this more in the future. I think it is an amazing ministry and it’s so cool how this has connected and brought people together from around the world!
I believe even if you charged a baseline cost for entry, a-lot of people would still love to participate .. or maybe not for entry but just if you want to receive the t-shirt. The t-shirts are fun but what is really neat is being a part of something this BIG that points others to Christ! I’m a runner and am always trying to find races and things that support good causes, but they’re hard to find.
I know I’ve definitely been blessed by this and just wanted to thank YOU! I invited our young neighbor boy to do this with me the last couple of years and he loved it too. I believe he even got his mom to do it with him last year! It is wonderful to see families out doing something like this together. I especially appreciated how you used Scripture throughout the challenge to point us all to Christ in our daily walks as well as in our walk of faith. May our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ continue to lead you in this effort as you move forward in the future and show you His Will in all things. Thanks for all the people you’ve blessed through the Spring100 Challenge. I will still be working towards getting my miles in this spring to the glory of God! Jesus remains the same yesterday, today and forever.
For Life and Liberty,
Katelyn Mervar from Fort Wayne Indiana
Proverbs 24:10-12
StandforLifeToday.com
Rachel @Spring100
Thank you so much, Katelyn!💞
Caroline Flournoy
You definitely could use a rest I’m sure.😃 I’ll be praying for you!🥰 This challenge has been such a blessing to me, and thank you SO much Rachel for all your hard work to make it happen.🤗I’m still going to do it myself this year!🥳
Rachel @Spring100
Thank you, Caroline!!!! Way to go still walking the miles. I would love to hear how it goes!😄💕
Amanda S.
I will miss getting to do the challenge with the Spring100 community this year, but definitely understand the need to take a break and evaluate things. I’ll be praying for you as you do that! Thank you for all the thought and hard work you’ve put into this challenge, Rachel!! ❤️
p.s. My siblings, myself, and aunt are still planning to walk 100 miles this spring. 😊
Rachel @Spring100
Thank you so very much, Amanda! ♥️♥️♥️ Y’all have been such fabulous Spring100 participants!!
Jeana Hill
You are awesome! Appreciate all the efforts through the years to help people in being healthy setting goals and coming to Christ! See you next year! ❤️
Rachel @Spring100
Thank you so much, Jeana!!!!! 🙌🏼💞🫶🏻
John Silvey
Well how sad😥
I never would have thought that this challenge would have been something I enjoy doing. I thankful my sister convinced me to join up two years ago! It’s been pretty amazing!
Thank you Rachel for all th work you and your family have put into this! I appreciate and respect your reasons for not doing it this year. I will be praying for wisdom in how to move forward and hope to see everyone next year!
I don’t know about the rest of you guys but I’ll be walking my 100 miles this spring still!😁
Rachel @Spring100
Thank you, John, for your enthusiasm as you’ve walked the Spring100 over the years!!!! You’ve been an encouragement to so many. 🙌🏼
Jon Paul Thomas
Hey Rachel! I just wanted to say thanks so much for all the hard work you have put into Spring 100 the past 6 years! I will definitely miss doing Spring 100 officially this year. I pray that God would bless you for the work you have done and the work you continue to do to serve other people. I will look forward to when Spring 100 will start back up!
Rachel @Spring100
Thank you for those prayers, Jon Paul! And your words of encouragement. 🙏🙌🏼
Moge Chupik
Aww, Rach, this is such sad news, but understand completely. Thank you for the immense about of work you put into this; a break in well deserved! Last year was my first year participating and words can’t express what a blessing it was and what an encouragement you are to so many folks!
Speaking for myself, I would certainly be willing to pay a participation fee to keep the Spring100 from being financially burdening, or at least paying for the T-shirts.
I will be praying with you for wisdom on and direction on how to proceed.
So looking forward to 2024 Spring100!!
Rachel @Spring100
Moge, thank you sooooo very much for your encouragement and kindness! I praise the Lord for using me in my weakness to encourage other. This is humbling to hear! 😌Thank you for your prayers and your friendship. 🙏🙌🏼 I’m tremendously blessed by both!
Sheri Claude
Rachel, my dear friend and sister in the Lord, may God grant you wisdom and clarity in the coming year as you seek His mind and will. I will also join you in prayer. 🙏
Proverbs 3:6
“In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
Those of us who have been a part of the walk can testify that you have consistently acknowledged and honored the Lord throughout the whole of the Spring100 ministry. It has benefited our souls as well as our bodies. God WILL direct your path, for His promises are sure.
I second what others have already shared. ☺️
Thank you (and your family, during shirt-shipping time) for your six years of serving us and walking with us. Participants have become an extended family that I have grown to love. 👏👏👏🥰
For 2024 I would suggest an entrance fee (cost of the shirt, plus tax and shipping) for those who want a shirt. You could offer family discounts based on shipping several shirts to one address. (I’m so sorry you had to absorb the lack of funds last year!)
You could offer two options: a free-walk for any who want to join the group but not sign up for a shirt, and an entrance fee for those who want a shirt. As always, the prize would be won by completing the requirement of 100 miles during the spring. This would greatly enhance the motivation to get the job done!! 😉😂
God bless your rest time! I hope and pray the Lord works things out to continue next year, but if not, I think I can say for all of us that it has been a joy and an honor to walk in the group and learn to recognize smiling faces from photos, and get to know those who have participated in writing in occasionally!!! 🌺🌸🌼👏👏👏
Let’s all continue to walk when we can, and come back next year renewed and invigorated!!
Stephen Blowers
Rachel, at the break of this year we felt clearly that it is time for re-evaluation and time aside to do so. At first we felt it was for a few weeks, then two months and now as a sabbatical year to gain strength and reorganize and be able to focus more patience for the endurance of the battles and all that is ahead as these days head toward the times where more and more endurance and patience will be needed, as God’s Word tells us. We have found that many others in ministry have also felt this way just this year. Maybe it is a year to pace ourselves for the long haul.
We want to encourage you that to see a vision grow to reach 3,000 in six years is a wonderful thing. May God bless and multiply the fruit!
Interesting enough Pamela our family mother felt this year that we could just do the miles but not bother with the reporting and registering like we have previous years. Then this is how turned out, without our input. Hmm.
The hope now is that many who have caught the vision will multiply it in their own circles and pass it on to activate many more to be following your good example and keep it Biblical and a way to spread God’s Word, that will always bear fruit. Isa 55:11!
From the Blowers Family in Estonia
We will miss seeing the pictures of the rest of the participant family. This was always and encouragement to all. That is called fellowship! You did it well and it was all well done.
May God answer the need your heart feels for a man to lead the ministry, in His way, which is always The best!
R
I think the challenge would be fun even if there was no prize of a shirt-if everyone just kept track of their own miles but were still able to send in walking photos! My favorite part of doing Spring100 in past years has actually not been the shirt (although that is fun), but has been getting the Monday post with all the pictures! Thank you so much, Rachel, for hosting Spring100 these past years! It has been very fun and a great motivation to get exercise!
Stephen Blowers
Maybe in 6 more years there will be 300,000 people doing the Spring 100 Challenge, with 100-300 organizers!
Stephen Blowers
R has a good proposal and hits on the most important parts those that unite and promote God’s Word!:
R wrote:
I think the challenge would be fun even if there was no prize of a shirt-if everyone just kept track of their own miles but were still able to send in walking photos! My favorite part of doing Spring100 in past years has actually not been the shirt (although that is fun), but has been getting the Monday post with all the pictures! Thank you so much, Rachel, for hosting Spring100 these past years!
Jane Flournoy
This is such sad news, but I pray that the Lord will bring you new strength through your break and lead you in His way concerning this challenge. You have been a wonderful host, and I definitely missed doing it this year. ( I only just realized you could comment on here XD)