Who is your pacer?

I am a runner.  I run for exercise, alone time to think and pray and worship, and for time to be in nature and creation.  I don't consider myself a competitive runner, but I do like to challenge myself to improve on my previous times.  Before a recent marathon, I prayed that God would speak to me as I ran.  I told Him that I want to listen and that I would listen during those 26.2 miles.  During the race, I came across a pacing group.  The runners were led by a pacer, and his words were what God had for me that day.  I have never run with a pacer...as I enjoy being alone while I run.  I had the image that a pacer would be yelling like a drill sergeant, and this was not something I would want to endure.  But that was not the case.  The pacer that day was running what seemed to be effortlessly.  He was offering encouragement, holding his sign with his pace time and balloons.  He said to his group, "Just stay with me...I will get you there...don't get ahead of me or you will wear out...I'm keeping you on pace...just stay with me."  I had this picture of Jesus at that moment, as though He was offering these same words to me.  This life is like a marathon, and each of us is running on varying terrain, a course unique to each individual.  Each of us may be on a different pace than our friend or neighbor.  But Jesus has run the race, and He has conquered.  He knows what each of us needs, where we need to go, and promises to get us there if we stay with Him.  Often when I'm feeling great and my circumstances are great I think I can move at my own pace, focus on my list of tasks to be completed and start checking them off.  I feel energized as I accomplish so much.  But I forget to listen to my pacer...to listen to the one who sympathizes, who knows me and loves me and has a plan for me.  The one who tells me to not run ahead on my own pace and course, but to stay with Him.  The one who promises to never leave me..."just stay with me," He calls.  Why do I feel so weary some days?...because I am running without my pacer.  I am going and doing and being at a pace that is not the pace I was created to run.  Our world and culture have a pace that I feel is going continually faster and faster.  I do not want the culture to determine my pace.  My desire is to seek the One who knows my pace and who promises to go every step of the way with me.  I want to listen to His voice and just stay with Him.

As I have been praying about listening and paying attention to my pace, God has shown me that He has put other pacers in my life.  He has placed other women who have been running the marathon of motherhood in my life to mentor me and teach me.  I am truly thankful for their experience and wisdom and willingness to invest in other moms, as the truth they have shared has transformed the way I see and approach motherhood.

I hope as we start our Desperate book discussion, you will look at your life and consider who is your pacer?  Or maybe you are a pacer for someone else?  I pray that God will place people in your life to run alongside you and encourage you and that you will offer the same to the next generation.