Running as the Helpmate!

Hey, I know it's been forever, but emotionally I have been in what I feel like is a train on a track with no brakes! Unfortunately, life brings ups and downs to all of us. So no matter how strong or weak you are, no man is exempt from trials. It's what you do with them that counts!

Anyway, I had the awesome opportunity to run with my man! If I neglected to share with you, Marc is running in the Chicago Marathon . I am so very proud of him. It's something that he never thought he would do! So, because of his intense training schedule and the lack of having an A.M. babysitter, I haven't been able to accompany him on many of his runs. This week, however was very different.....

For two days, we got to run in the trails together, just the two of us and our garmins! Now, of course we have run together in the past, but it is something about those trails and God's ability to speak loudly in them to me that makes the whole difference. We ran the 5 mile loop and Country Lane and the 8 mile loop the next day at Swallow Cliff. God is so awesome in that during both of those runs, He reminded me of two very important things.....my commitment and my confession to Him regarding my husband.

As the helpmate my family I was given only two roles according to God's word....  1.Wives, understand and support your husbands in ways that show your support for Christ. The husband provides leadership to his wife the way Christ does to his church, not by domineering but by cherishing. So just as the church submits to Christ as he exercises such leadership, wives should likewise submit to their husbands. (Ephesians 5:24 MSG) and 2. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. (Ephesians 5:33 ESV)

I have, too many times in my marriage, taken on more jobs than I was supposed to. I decided, without God of course, that I was the better leader, the better provider, the better, you fill in the blank! During those times of walking away from my two jobs of helping and respecting, I ultimately found myself emotionally distraught and spiritually flat. That's usually what happens when you walk outside of the plan God has for you. You can stay outside of the perimeter of His protection for only so long without getting hurt.

Anyway, I know you are like, "What does all of that have to do with running with Marc?".....Well, I can say these last two runs were probably some of the best runs of my life because I relinquished any authority that I thought I had over to him. He asked what pace we were going to run. I willingly said, " this is your run, I am happy to be with you. When you say run, we run, when you want to walk we walk, when you speed up, I'll speed up and when you slow down, I'll slow down." I made sure I stayed on his right side just a 1/4 of a step behind his step so that when he adjusted, I could adjust. I pretended that I was attached to his hip and that his run cycle was propelling my run cycle........Wow!  (I said that loudly to myself so, I placed an exclamation point behind it when I wrote it :)


Ladies, I didn't worry about what was ahead of me because I knew Marc had it. Yes, it was hard at times to stay in my place, there were times when the terrain was uneven, so I had to readjust my footing, but as long as I remembered I didn't have to lead and only follow, things got back on course pretty quickly.

I can't tell you how much of a revelation this was to me as a wife. God designed marriage as a source of protection for us, ladies. Now if you married the wrong leader, I understand why you are out of order!  However my next question has to be,is he the wrong leader because of you? It could be, like me for so long you have been neglecting your two jobs as a wife of helping and respecting and instead doing his jobs, that he doesn't know how to be the right leader!

God is in the business of renewal and restoration. As long as you are committed now, to running as the helpmate, He is willing and able to help your running team, run smoothly!

We are assured  and  know that [God being

                a partner in their labor] all things work together  and  are

                [fitting into a plan] for good to  and  for those who love God

                and are called according to [His] design  and  purpose. (Romans 8:28 AMP)

Until the Springbok runs with her man again!