The 12th Mile

by Louise Ann Gibson

When life takes a hard turn and keeps getting harder, where do you find the endurance to keep going? The 12th Mile invites readers into one mother’s raw and hope-filled journey through her daughter’s relentless battle with mental illness—and how God used the unexpected gift of running to reveal His presence, resilience, and care in the middle of the “harder still".

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Louise Ann Photo Collage
Louise Ann Gibson

Embracing Hope in the Harder Still

Look up. Take your next step. Life is a marathon. The hardest miles can make us believe we are running alone. We are not. And seasons of deepest struggle can be ones of profound growth. It is in embracing these moments that we find a hard-won hope! My story — my family’s story — testifies to this truth. The 12th Mile: When Hard Becomes Harder Still is our journey…

Louise Ann Gibson Photo Collage
Louise Ann Gibson
Louise Gibson

About Louise Ann Gibson

Louise Ann Gibson is a passionate storyteller, caregiver, and runner who has spent nearly fifteen years walking alongside her daughter through chronic illness while navigating her own epilepsy diagnosis. With humor, honesty, and faith, she shares how God uses unexpected tools—like running shoes—to equip us for life’s hardest miles. Louise Ann has taught, spoken, and served in schools, churches, support groups, and military bases. She lives in Michigan and loves encouraging weary hearts to persevere.

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About The 12th Mile

When life takes a hard turn and keeps getting harder, how do you keep going? In The 12th Mile: When Hard Becomes Harder Still, I share my personal journey of parenting a child through chronic mental illness while navigating an unexpected health struggle of my own. Through the surprising lens of running, I uncover the power of thoughts, the beauty in resilience, and the hard work of perseverance. I pray that I have communicated our family’s story with humor, honesty, and hope. May the road we have traveled encourage weary parents, caregivers, and anyone facing relentless challenges to take the next step, trust God’s timing, and find strength to endure their own “12th mile.”

The 12th Mile - When hard become harder still by Louise Ann Gibson

Devotions

black-framed eyeglasses on opened book

Insight From the Sidelines

Insight From the Sidelines… Have you ever realized that a perspective you unknowingly held was entirely incorrect? How did you feel about the discovery? In one experience of The 12th Mile, I found the discovery of my perspective completely amusing. I laughed. I laughed at how naïve my belief was and at how I hadn’t…
a person holding a camera in their hand

A Wide Angle Lens

A photographer—intently absorbed—claims a view of the world that only they can see. Have you ever witnessed this? Artists, they are. Looking through the lens, their minds create, think, and adjust…striving for the best way to express a moment. Changing lenses, adjusting lighting, or altering their own physical position is part of the process of…

Two IS Greater than One

2>1 Two IS GREATER than one! Yes, it is! But it is truth I forget! Question: What is a favorite movie for you? (Send a comment back to me below and let me know—I would love to hear!) If it is a favorite, you know its story well. You probably know the scene that truly…