One Step at a Time

One step at a time; is that so hard? Sometimes I want to insist on seeing what’s down the path I travel before I’ll journey on. Other times, I could care less about what’s ahead, I’m too busy enjoying the scenery where I’m at.

Months ago I went on a group hike up into the mountains. Our guide was strong and agile and knew her way around. Without her, we’d all have been hopelessly lost, anxiously awaiting the search and rescue team’s arrival to lead us home.

We crossed streams, climbed boulders, and hiked through some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. We discovered hidden joys along the trail and treasures framed in the trees – all the way up to the prized waterfall at the top of our climb. We exchanged stories and laughter, and shared in sadness and victories.

One woman had the body of a supermodel. Only the ‘holiest’ of us could have stopped herself from envying this body. But as we made our way through the forest and stream beds, we heard the testimony of this woman who had fought breast cancer, enduring a double mastectomy, and won!

Crossing one stream I gave up the effort of staying dry and walked through the water. At other points, I crossed on the rocks. Funny thing about stepping stones and bifocals; they don’t work well together. My choices were to take my glasses off and see everything through my fuzzy lenses or tip my head downward and take one step at a time, not even looking up to see where the next stone was until my foot was firmly planted on its intended target.

Leave no [wo]man behind! Yes – they had to wait for me a few times as I timidly crossed the waters. But I made it safely to my destination, with triumphal memories.

God uses these memories to prompt me to take one step at a time, firmly planting my foot where He leads me before attempting to move forward. Is that really so hard?