Unlikely Hero's

"Lord help me to do great things as though they were little, since I do them with your power; and help me do the little things as though they were great, since I do them in your name."  Blaise Pascal

 I like biographies and stories about hero's. It is inspiring for me to hear about success against challenges and beating sometimes impossible odds.

I have two favorite hero's I'm thinking about today. One is Esther. She was a young Jewish woman chosen in a sort of beauty pageant to become the new queen when the old one angered the King.  She found out about a plot against her people and went before the king to plead when them at the risk of her life. At a time when women were told to be seen and not heard, she found her voice. Her great risk paid off since she saved her people and gained the favor of the King.

My other hero on my mind today is Joesph.  He is the brother who was sold into slavery in Egypt and rose to be second only to Pharaoh.  All along the way Joesph tried to do the right thing. He faced slavery, false accusations and prison. Though it all the Bible says; "And the Lord was with Joesph".

So I always think of that. In every circumstance God was with Joesph and he blessed everything he did. He gave him gifts he applied to succeed and he rose to the top of Egypt in time to save the nation of Israel from famine.

Sometimes God finds his hero's in the most unlikely places.  When God was looking for a new King in Israel he sent his prophet to the house of Jesse. Jesse brought out one after one of his tall, strong and handsome sons. None met approval. The last son, the shrimp of the bunch was brought forward and that was the one God wanted. This was the one that killed the giant Goliath and became king.   So whether its slaying giants, leading Egypt or taking a risk to be heard, God finds a way to get his work done using the most unlikely people. 

So tomorrow I will repeat that verse often. If the Lord was with Joesph in his challenges, he will be with me and bless my efforts. I know I will be carrying the wishes, hopes and prayers of many friends, family members and CMT community members.  Pictured above are some of the signatures I will carry behind my running number as I complete the Boston Marathon. I know I could not do this on my own, yes God does get his work done using the most unlikely people or in this case runner sometimes.

Tomorrow is going to be a challenging and long day. Temperatures are expected to climb to near 90F with a strong headwind. Even on a perfect day completing a marathon is tough and challenging work.

I know I am ready physically and mentally. I can't wait for the start tomorrow, but will be even happier when God willing I cross the finish line.

I don't know if running Boston is a big or a little thing, but run it I will and I know I won't be doing it alone.

Chris Wodke

Founder & Manager Team CMT

Team CMT is a group of athletes and supporters working to raise awareness and to find a cure for CMT. We have almost 100 members in 17 states. If you wish to join us visit our web site.

CMT or Charcot-Marie-Tooth is the most commonly inherited peripheral neuropathy. It affects over 155,000 Americans (as many as MS).  It is a disease of the nerves that control the muscles. It is slowly progressive, causing loss of normal function and or sensation in the lower legs/feet and arms/hands.

Symptoms include; muscle wasting in the lower legs and feet leading to foot drop, poor balance and gait problems Atrophy in the hands causes difficulty with manual dexterity.

Structural foot deformities such as high arches and hammer toes are common.

Poor tolerance for cool or cold temperatures and many people have chronically cold hands and feet.

Additional symptoms may include fatigue, sleep apnea, breathing difficulties and hearing loss.

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