Our Inspired Journey

I've been thinking a lot lately about what it means to "support" as a wife. I think in our culture today we can hear the word support and conclude that the one being supported must be more important than the one supporting. A first glance we may say, "Of course not!" But do we "supporters" or wives operate out of spirit of obligation and feeling of insignificance or do we rejoice in the calling to truly fulfill that supportive role God designed for wives to be for their husbands?

I looked up the meaning of support and I loved some of the synonyms I found:
Synonyms: support, uphold, back, advocate, champion
What an incredible picture it is to be one who upholds, backs, is an advocate and champion for someone else; and then in God's design it is someone whom you've pledged your life to walking alongside, to in the role of wife...supporting. Someone whom at some point caught your attention in a way no one else did. Who showed you a version of yourself that you didn't know existed but who you wanted to be more like, more of the time. Someone who believed he wanted you to be his primary advocate...his champion.

I love that this idea of a supportive wife did not come from man but from God. It was not the words of Oprah, Dr. Phil or some brilliant philosopher or psychologist that originated the idea that man was better with a supporter...it was God.
In Proverbs 31:10-12 God says...
"Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts her; so he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life."
From the very beginning of time, God met man's need for a champion with Eve. Now we all know how that story goes and what it looks like when we "advocate" the wrong decision! Which in our own strength will happen over and over again.

This is the first time in my life that I have no other "outlet" in my life outside of my husband and boys. In the past I spent most of my time at home but always had something else I was involved in to add dimension to my days...Bible Study, small group, teaching, children's ministry at church, etc. I think God has placed me in this current state of "family immersion" to remind me of my primary calling. I am definitely not opposed to secondary callings in a wife and mother's life as those of you who know me know...I love being called to used my gifts to glorify God in ANY setting; church, school, parks, anywhere! But I do feel I am in a season of reminder. :)

And here it is...God is whispering in my ear through the voice of Ryder calling me in the middle of the night; He's gazing in my eyes through Cole's bright smile as he toddles with arms outstretched; He's embracing me again as I greet John at the door after a long day at school...He's drawing me near, regaining my focus. I'm being reminded of things I never forgot as no mother can...that my primary calling is to love God and love others...my "first" others being the ones under my roof. I've also learned through incredible friends who serve well that loving them "first" ultimately means teaching them to love those outside of our home well. Jesus was an incredible example of this as he walked with his disciples and healed others. He didn't reserve his power for them alone. He knew that His time with them was short. He wanted them to continue his ministry of loving after he left.

My prayer is that my desires would be aligned with the one I worship. May the short days I have with my boys under my roof be days filled with loving God, them and others well. When I leave them someday, my strongest desire would be that they learned that loving Jesus means lavishing the love God has for us into the lives of those around us.