"I know what it is to be in need, I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation,whether we'll feed or hungry,whether living in plenty or want. 13 I can do all this through Him who gives me strength. ~philippians4:12-13

This past week I had a conversation with a lady who was, how can I put this nicely...offended that I was a doctor who choose to be a housewife. Yes you read that correctly, I offend her delicate sensibilities that I choose with pride to be a homemaker instead of making my own money. There are two very large problems with that statement.
1) This was my calling and my season to live this life.
2) No matter how much money I make, it will be our money.
I don't write this post lightly. Nor do I right this to offend those who choose to be working wives and mothers. I was raised by a mother who worked two jobs until I was 22. Till this day I admire and am forever greatful for the sacrifices and the hard work she put in, to make sure I had a chance in life. To the lady who was offend, please let me explaine something to you. 11 years ago when I became an army wife, not fully knowing what that entailed, I had a career, I was just graduating college with a bachalers and living a life of blind unknowing and nativety. Then my dear husband came home, looked me in the eyes, with his heart on his sleeve and said " I know I'm delpolying soon, but I really need you there with me." And that was it, that was the moment I jumped in with both feet and never looked back. I left my job, my family and friends, for a life of unknown.
Little did I know what God had in store for me. This housewife made friends, she was trained in how to deal with family losses, the school of army hard knocks, but most importantly to listen to the voice of calm and understanding that is Christ.
This housewife was able to be a comfort to other spouses during unexpectedly long deployments, give that tired momma with 3 under 3 a break on Sunday's, help a friend going through school finish her degree by becoming best friends with her two year old. And even to this day 11 years later God is still training this stay at home wife and mother. He prepared me and steadied my heart to be available for that special needs baby He blessed us with. I use that doctoral degree to concuiel woman and sit and pray with friends who are struggling. I rejoice in the fact that friends can call on me to sit with them or their babies when they drop kitchens-aide mixers on their feet. So on days like today, where I'm wearing yoga pants instead of a suit, bear feet instead of heels, because I'm tending to my
home. Preparing my family for the next adventure. God has taught me patients, the act of extending grace, the joyful noise of
laughing with friends in the middle of the day just because. This is my season and my story for now, and God has given me the peace to be okay with that. I'm over joyed that
my paycheck comsiste of thank you's, hugs, and army plaques. I'm content to wear the title housewife.

Life as a military wife can feel very lonely. Long deployments, TDY's
all over the country, and time in the field can make it feel like you
are always alone. The best way to make it through this life as a
military wife and mother is to have an incredible community around
you.

I have been fortunate enough to have an incredible community while
stationed here at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

I have an incredible family here, none of whom are related to me by
blood. This community is made up of all ethnicities, socioeconomic
backgrounds, and ranks. My ladies are so incredible, they helped me to
recover from my second Cesarean Section with my son Henry while my
husband was deployed over seas. From Bre and Denise sitting with me in
the hospital to Anna babysitting my rowdy 17 month old William, these
ladies were here for me.  I came home from the hospital to a full
kitchen, a clean house, and freshly finished laundry all letting me
know I'm not alone.

This is the part where people ask "How did you find this group of friends?"

I met them at the gym. Allow me to explain...

My husband and I have an in-home garage gym that we use as a free
ministry tool to tell people about our faith in Jesus Christ.  We
reach out to people in the community to help people strengthen their
bodies and their souls. What started out with one friend working out
with me one time a week has turned into over 200 people coming through
our garage gym in just two short years. Some of these athletes have
become my best friends. From Rachel and her smile, to Anna and her
get-it-done attitude, friendships formed quickly here.

Training with these other military wives gives us a common bond. It is
hard to be fake when you are sucking wind during an AMRAP workout.
It's ok to let the tears stream down your face while you're pushing
the sled, they know you're hurting and they are there for you.

Sweating it out together in the gym helps to level the field and break
down barriers. It allows us to take off the masks that society tells
us to wear and be real with one another. In our gym we have helped one
another with the things all couples deal with: family, fidelity,
finances... And more. But we also help each other with the things only
a military spouse can understand. We hold one another when our soldier
leaves for deployments. We babysit for each other while he is gone on
TDY. We celebrate together when he finally comes home.

In the gym we talk about AMRAP workouts. This is a workout where you
do As Many Rounds As Possible during a set time. A typical AMRAP would
be:
AMRAP in 8 mins
50 Double unders
20 American Kettlebell Swings
5 burpees
1 mile run
This isn't too far from Army life.
​And in Army life it can be a 20 year AMRAP.
​ For us it looks like this:
1 PC's
1 Deployment
4 TDY's
12 Staff Duties


And I can honestly say I don't know if I could do this life as Rxed
(as prescribed for you non-Crossfit speakers) without my AMRAP Wives.

Military life can be incredibly hard, and seemingly unbearably lonely.
But the good news is that it doesn't have to be.  Knowing that I have
a group of incredible women who are always there (even during a PCS!)
makes me strong enough to face each new day and whatever the Army may
ask of us next.

Bio:
​Morgan is an Army wife currently stationed at Fort Bragg in NC, with her wonderful husband Brian and their sons William and Henry. Morgan is a full-time homemaker that dedicates her free time to ministering to Army wives through Bible studies, one-on-one mentorship and physical training. Morgan writes about her transition out of feminism and into biblical womanhood on her blog www.forgivenformerfeminist.blogspot.com
​You can also find her training programs on www.FarrfunctionalFitness.blogspot.com