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Who loves to run?

There’s something about the widow journey that feels a whole lot like a marathon. It’s not a sprint or something you can just power through and be done with. It’s long, and it stretches farther than you ever imagined. This widow journey is like a race none of us signed up for. And yet—here we are.

And just like in a marathon, there are moments you find a rhythm. You wake up and think, I’ve got this, I can do today. Your steps feel a little steadier, your breathing not quite as tight. You make it through the day, through moments that once felt impossible. And then there are the other days, the ones where everything feels heavy and even the simplest things take more energy than you can muster.

But that’s the thing about a marathon. They aren’t run in perfect conditions. There are hills you didn’t see coming and long stretches that feel endless. There might be rain or snow, heat or cold, and moments where your heart whispers, I don’t think I can keep going. Yet somehow… you do. Maybe it’s not fast or graceful, but step by step, breath by breath, you keep moving forward.

“…and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus…”
Hebrews 12:1c (ESV)

Widowhood carries that same rhythm. It doesn’t follow a straight line, and it doesn’t move at the pace you wish it would. It’s easy to look around and wonder if you’re behind. But this race isn’t about keeping up with anyone else. It’s a race we run with endurance, not speed or perfection, where we just keep putting one foot in front of the other.

And then, somewhere along the route, there are aid stations. If you’ve ever watched a marathon, you know what I mean—tables along the way with water, fuel, and maybe volunteers cheering you on. They don’t run the race for you, and they don’t carry you to the finish line, but they give you what you need to keep going.

That’s what our upcoming AWM Hope™ Conference is like.

It’s not the finish line, and it doesn’t fix everything. But it meets you right where you are. It’s a place where you can pause, catch your breath, and let something in you that’s been running on empty finally be refilled. Where truth, encouragement, and the presence of God begin to steady your heart again.

Because one of the hardest parts of this journey is how alone it can feel, like you’re running a race no one else understands. But then you step into a room filled with other widows and something shifts. You see it in their eyes, hear it in their stories, and feel it in the quiet understanding that doesn’t need many words. They get it, in a deep, lived-in, I understand this road too kind of way.

Community

It’s like looking around during that marathon and realizing there are others running alongside you. We may have different paces and stories, but we are all moving in the same direction. And each one of us is carrying both the weight of loss and the courage to keep going. Because sometimes when your legs feel weak, seeing someone else keep going gives you just enough strength to take another step.

We’re not competing with one another or comparing miles. We’re just running together. We are encouraging one another, holding space, and reminding each other to keep going. And those aid stations—the conferences, the Zoom meetings, the articles–they matter because they don’t just help in the moment… they give us strength to keep going.

So if you’re tired, your pace has slowed, or if you’ve wondered if you have it in you to keep going, maybe it’s time to find an aid station. A place where your soul can breathe again, where hope is gently placed back into your hands, and where you’re reminded that God is still with you.

“but they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength;…. they shall run and not grow weary…”
Isaiah 40:31a,c (ESV)

So take the water. Take the encouragement. Take the moment to breathe. And when you’re ready… lift your eyes, steady your heart, and take the next step.

And remember, we’re right here—running with you.

Heavenly Father, we thank you for walking with us each step of the way. We appreciate you providing others who understand this journey to encourage us and help us to take that next step. Please continue to light our path and show us the way. In Jesus Name. Amen.