Running Around the World with Rev Run

“Who’s house? Run’s house!” Who can forget the introduction song to Rev Run’s reality show on MTV, Runs House which featured him and his family? Since then, they did a show on HGTV, Rev Run’s Renovation, which highlighted the remodeling of the home that they lived in for 12 years. Last year, the family shared their favorite meals on Rev Run’s Sunday Suppers on The Cooking Channel. And now, the family is chronicling their travel adventures on Rev Runs Around the World airing on The Travel Channel. The show features Rev Run the Run-DMC frontman and his family traveling to 16 different cities including Hong Kong, Tokyo, Dubai, Istanbul, Mexico City, Kingston and Rio de Janeiro. While Rev Run has been around the world while touring with Run-DMC, he said the show provided him with a new travel experience – with his family.

“We sat as a family and picked our favorite destinations,” Rev Run said, adding that it marked the first time Russell and Miley ever traveled internationally, except for “St. Barts during Christmas sometimes.”

Being in front of the camera is nothing new for the Simmons family. When we sat down with him we were impressed at their perspective on living life in front of a reality show audience. Conflict is inevitable when your life is being filmed and unfortunately many reality stars break up or get divorced. However, for Rev Run and his wife they turn to each other and the Bible to settle disputes.

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” James 1:19

We don’t fight each other. We look at it as the enemy coming with energy trying to stop us. We don’t turn on each other when things go crazy. This is an attack against us. The Bible says when you leave your parents to cleave to your wife. You become one. I am one with my wife. I want what she wants, she wants what I want and we watch out for each other. It’s about prayer, scriptures and knowing where to go to when the dispute comes. We let the Bible settle it rather than what we think. And once the Bible is involved, that’s the book; we sit there with the rules. We don’t have to do it like that, but we know the Bible has the answers to anything that would try and hurt my family.

Whether it is MTV, HGTV, The Cooking Channel or The Travel Channel, one thing is certain challenges and hardships will come to individuals or families while filming. Reality show stars are faced with the decision of how they would like that to play out. For some, they chose not to include it, for others including Rev Run and his family they chose to share it with the audience. While filming Run’s House, Rev’s wife, Justine lost their daughter Victoria, who died shortly after being born due to omphalocele. They decided to share aspects of the process with their audience.

“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Being a spiritual leader for my family I was like, God is still God. And God is still good. It’s coming at you, it’s trying to hurt you and you believe in God. You have to believe in God anyway. You have to take off your sackcloth, get up and mourn a bit. Go back to God ask for comfort. Keep it moving. It’s that simple, but it’s a little big longer of a process. But God is still God, and God is still good, no matter what happens. We didn’t let the whole thing play out. The whole time she was pregnant, we let that play out. We didn’t tell everybody that Justine was having complications. I knew throughout the whole pregnancy that there was a problem. When the final moment came, I was told by the Holy Ghost to let the people see what is going on. “You took them through happy times, take them through every time.”

While you may not be on MTV, HGTV or a reality TV show, our lives can be filled with drama. From lost loved ones to family conflict, God wants us to turn to him in the midst of our trouble. Often times, He wants to use what we have learned during those times to help others.

Risen Reflections:

1.Reconcile-Do you have an issue with a friend or family member? Turn to the Bible for guidance and words. God gave us two ears and one mouth. Go to the person, have a conversation. Humble yourself and ask for forgiveness.

Be Adventurous-You don’t have to travel around the world, but take a friend and do something you have never done before. Whether it is taking a hike at a park or going kayaking, make a memory with your family or friends.

3.Turn to God-When hardship comes, turn to God. He will give you the grace and strength you need to get through it. When the time comes, He may even ask you to share your experience with others.

Share with Others-You don’t have to go on a talk show or reality TV show to share what you learned. Ask God to show you a person or small group that could benefit from the trial you experienced.
Thank God-Take time and thank Him for getting you through your hardship. Thank Him for friends and family that were there to support you. Are you still in the middle of your trial? You can still thank God!

To read our entire interview with Rev Run click here.