Within or Without

I don't know about you, but I have realized that we aren't always going to walk the right path, no matter how 'determined' we are. There will always be alternatives, and we will not always select the right one. The issue isn't that we will veer off-course from time to time, it is that we should never make those 'veers' a permanent life choice. We need to learn to recognize them quickly, come before God in humility, acknowledge our need to get back on-course, and then let him help us take the right steps forward.

Godliness guards the path of the blameless, but the evil are misled by sin. (Proverbs 13:6)

A guarded path is much harder to veer off of than an unguarded one. We may try, but there is always protection to get us back on course or keep us there in the first place. It has good defenses to ensure there is nothing that can act as a destructive force on that path. The evil heart actually chooses a non-guarded path because it is more 'appealing' to their base sense of 'adventure', 'thrill', or 'interest'. It is kind of like driving on a road with no guard rails to keep you from going over the steep edges. 

The issue is which 'pull' will be heed most often. Will we heed the 'pull' toward right choices, or will we need the 'pull' toward what satisfies our fleshly desires. When the 'pull' to do whatever satisfies our fleshly desires is greater than the 'pull' toward obedience, we have a problem. There is always protection offered over our lives, but it must be recognized as a 'barrier' meant to keep us safe, and then we must make every effort to stay within that barrier. As with the guard rail on the road, they only protect us when we take notice, heed their warning, and realize than nothing good will come from going over them!

Blameless people don't really exist, do they? We might make right choices 'most of the time', but are we truly 'blameless'? If we read this the way God intended us to read it, we simply realize that when we 'goof up', we have a way back. We still have choices, but we are likely making correct ones more than we are making the incorrect ones. We are walking a path with a 'guide' that brings us back when we make a choice to go beyond the barrier. Godly people are grace-filled, and that grace draws them back into a protected path once again. Sin might be an occasional problem for the godly, but it is a lifestyle for the ungodly. We choose to live within or without protection - so we must choose wisely. Just sayin!

Through it we go

If you find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn't lead anywhere. (Frank A. Clark) 

The Lord is making roads through the sea. He is making a path for his people, even through rough waters. (Isaiah 43:16)

The obstacles one faces in life can sometimes be a little overwhelming - even to the point we want to find another path or just plain give up entirely. The good news is that the path God prepares may not be obstacle free, but it is prepared, provisioned, and protected. Prepared by the hand of God. Provisioned with his grace and strength. Protected by his mighty armies in high places, even when we cannot see his protection!

The path without obstacles is really not all that great! The obstacles are what brings out the character of God within our lives. Those obstacles actually show us how dependent we are upon ourselves to remove each and every one of them in our own power or strength. It is when we realize they are bigger or more numerous than we can 'deal with' on our own that we see our greatest need of God's presence and provision. 

A new year may present many new paths for us to consider, with some being much better for us to pursue than others. Remember, God isn't finished with our character development yet, so the path we take may just have a few choice obstacles that will uncover something deeply buried within us that needs to be brought to the surface. Rather than avoid the 'unwelcome obstacle', we might do well to ask God what the purpose of it actually is right now. It could be God is about to remove it but not before we get the entire 'value' out of it.

The Lord is making the road, and it goes 'through something', not just around it! We might just look for the ones that 'go around' those tough things, but he prepares the one that goes smack-dab through it! Even though the waters are higher than we want, the waves stronger than we can handle alone, and the current beckoning us to take a different path, he has prepared it, provisioned us, and will protect us THROUGH it. Just sayin!

Recalculating?

If you're walking down the right path and you're willing to keep walking, eventually you'll make progress. (Barack Obama)

Whoever abandons the right path will be severely disciplined; whoever hates correction will die. 

(Proverbs 15:10)

The 'right path' is usually something each of us pursues these early weeks of a new year. It is like we got a 'clean slate' at midnight on the 31st of December and now we are free to 'do over' what we didn't do so well with over the past 365 days. While that is a little exaggerated, you get the point. We all need a 'do over' from time to time, don't we? If you are anything like me, those don't need to happen just in the first month of the new year - they need to happen ALL year! The right path is laid out, the plans are made, then somewhere down the line, there is a missed opportunity or missed step and we are 'off-course' for some strange reason. The 'strange reason' is likely that we abandoned it at some point!

The real question we each have to ask ourselves is if we are willing to 'keep walking'. If we realize we aren't on the right path, will we continue to walk down it, or we will we choose to 'recalculate' the course and get back on track? It is way too easy to give up on our goals, especially the ones God has helped us lay out for the year. We might feel the tug toward seeing them through, but when the 'rubber meets the road, we find ourselves wondering if we have what it takes to actually follow the path set out before us. It is easiest to 'veer' when we lose focus. Driving down a busy thoroughfare, getting distracted by something we see on the side of the road, and we can 'veer' across the dividing lines that we are to stay within, right? It is not much different with our 'focus' whenever we make 'goals' and 'plans' - even those we make at the feet of Jesus.

I have a GPS unit in my car, one on my phone, and you probably have something similar. When the little voice tells you to make a U-turn in 200 feet because you missed the turn, do you do it, or drive on? If we know there are 'multiple ways' to get back on course, we may opt for the next roadway to get us to our destination. If we have never been that way before, we may follow that advice a little more intentionally, right? When God helps us set goals for what we haven't experienced before, why would we ignore his voice and just go another way? Wouldn't it be wiser to listen, make the adjustments, and get back on course before we are too far off the course he has prepared for us? Just askin...

Even or Uneven?

Show me what you want me to do. You are my God. Let your good Spirit lead me over level ground. (Psalm 143:10)

Sometimes we want level ground pathways in life, but they just don't seem to come. We find ourselves in all manner of 'uneven' paths, trying us from every angle spiritually, emotionally, financially, and even physically. They aren't meant to stop our forward progress with Jesus, but they certainly put a 'kink' in it at times! It is never a bad prayer to ask God to show us to that level ground in life. In fact, he'd relish the opportunity to take you from the 'unevenness' of life's challenges into the 'evenness' of his peace, presence, and purpose.

You might find yourself there right now - facing challenges that you'd never thought you'd have to face. The more 'uneven' the path right now, the more you can count on God helping you navigate to 'even' ground once again. It might not seem like it, but that brutally hard path can open up into a beautifully wide 'path of purpose'. The purpose may not be evident at first, but the more we trust him to move us from one path to another, the more we will begin to see his purpose revealed. The 'passage' from one to the other may not go as fast as we'd like, but we cannot rush the things God has designed to show us things about ourselves or others that we may not have discovered any other way.

Two things we need to keep in mind when life's paths become a bit 'uneven': 1) He is still our God, and 2) His Spirit has not abandoned us to walk this path alone. God wants us to know what to do WITHIN the uneven path - how to walk safely through it, what he wants to reveal to us through it, and where it is we will step out of it onto that even path once again. I have never really walked a totally 'even' path in my life. Even the sidewalks around my home have rises and tripping hazards! The evenest path may not always stay 'even'! Sometimes we just need the guidance of the Holy Spirit to show us where to step in order to avoid the 'hazards'. 

Let your GOOD Spirit guide us, Lord. This is always a good prayer to open each day. Perhaps if we prayed this prayer a bit more often, we might just find the pathway we are traveling a bit easier to traverse. One thing is for certain - our own choices might take us over some 'uneven paths', but it may just be that God's GOOD Spirit is about to break us out of that 'unevenness' and into a the wide-open path of obedience. Just sayin!

The old new wasn't all that bad, was it?

For I am about to do something new. See, I have already begun! Do you not see it? I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland. (Isaiah 43:19)

The 'old' may have seemed pretty awesome, but have you ever considered what God may be doing when he is beginning something new in you? There have been times when I have been so comfortable with the 'old new' that God did in me that I resist his moving me on into something 'new' again. I want to look back instead of forward, making it harder for him to keep me focused on what he is about to do. God may be laying out some pretty awesome change right ahead of us, but as long as we are constantly looking back and longing for the 'old new', we aren't going to fully embrace the 'new' he has in store.

I have noticed that God begins something 'new' and then he kind of 'wraps up' the 'old new' for us. It is like he is repainting the walls of our lives. The old was good for a time, but it doesn't quite 'measure up' to what he wants to see displayed in our lives now. So, he prepares us for the new by calling us, challenging us to see what he is doing, and then entering into it. We may not have realized how much of a 'wasteland' our 'old' had become until we see how he is transforming it. Hold onto the wasteland and eventually you will become crusted, dry, and hardened.

We get to the new from the old by following the pathway God provides. He has already made the pathway, but we might not see where it leads yet. His promise is that it is 'through' the wilderness of the 'old' and into the freshness of the new. To be entirely truthful with you, there have been times when I have known God is moving in my life but have had no idea what he was doing. As hard as I tried to understand what he was doing, where he was leading me, or what the need was for the 'move', I just didn't see it. God isn't finished and we need to trust him even when all we see is the wasteland around us. The path is THROUGH it! 

Give God the reins. Let him reveal the path, then set out to see where it leads. The 'old new' was pretty awesome when we came into it, but what God is about to do may be even more awesome. God doesn't want crusty Christians - he wants living, vital ones. Just sayin!

Lost Your Way?

Rollo May has reminded us, "It is an ironic habit of human beings to run faster when we have lost our way." Really ponder that reminder for a bit, because most of the 'running' we do in life is a result of having made choices that have led us down paths we would otherwise not have traveled. It also seems we 'pick up pace' as we run toward what we know we shouldn't be moving toward in the first place. We have chosen what we want over what we need.

No, the Lord is all I need. He takes care of me. My share in life has been pleasant; my part has been beautiful. I praise the Lord because he advises me. Even at night, I feel his leading. I keep the Lord before me always. Because he is close by my side, I will not be hurt. (Psalm 16:5-8)

God's plan is for us to pursue godliness - decisions that will promote and maintain his presence, peace, and power within our lives. Does it ever amaze you that the 'wrong direction' is the easiest one to pursue? I think the enemy of our soul knows if he made temptation too 'difficult', we'd never veer away from God's commands. The one who has lost their way will be the first to admit just how 'easy' it was to get off track with what they knew was right. 

What does it mean to be 'lost'? It can simply mean to be set 'adrift' - really having no purposeful aim in life. Not all of us are 'goal setters', but without a purpose, it is hard to set a course. It also carries the idea of being 'absent'. Too many times we can be 'present' but be totally and completely 'absent'. Our bodies may be there, but our hearts and minds are just somewhere else. 'Lost' people don't always realize they aren't 'present' in the true sense of the word. They just aren't all that aware of being 'absent' in the moment.

If we desire God's best in our lives, we will soon realize mindless drifting is just not what he has in mind. We all need a purpose - a path to follow. We all do much better when we have 'followed the directions' set our for us than we do when we have struck out on our own. Just sayin!

Traveling well

Two roads diverged in a wood and I - I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference. (Robert Frost)

Show me the path where I should go, O Lord; point out the right road for me to walk. (Psalm 25:4)

Which path have you taken - the one less traveled by, or the one that has been traveled well? It is fine to follow a well-worn path for a period of time, but it could just be the 'wear and tear' of that path is greater than your life can handle. The one less traveled by may be a little scarier at times, but I have found the discoveries along it are greater than I could have ever imagined.

There is a 'right road' for us to travel - it is seldom the easiest, nor is it the most 'frequented' by the masses. Does it make us 'odd' for choosing that path? No, it might just mean we are a little more 'intimidated' by the one everyone is taking than we are when we step onto the one that is marked with 'faith markers' all along the way. Why do I call them faith markers? There will be much faith required to take the path because it might not be as 'well-defined' as the other path.

While it is not 'well-defined' on maps and charts, it is 'well-marked' by these 'faith-markers'. God will meet us at each and every one of those 'faith-markers' as we travel this path. In those meetings with him, we find there comes this process some call 'sanctification' - but I shall refer to it as being set right so we can walk right. In meeting with him along each leg of the path, we find he challenges our beliefs, thereby increasing our faith. He opens some doors, leaving others closed, thereby bringing assurance we are on the right path.

I cannot say I have always been consistently following this path 'not well traveled by' throughout my days, but I have chosen it much more than I have the well-traveled one. Sometimes it seems like I am traveling it alone, but even within the solitude of these travels, I am joined at various junctures by others who have chosen this path, as well. We bolster each other and continue our walk. Along the way, we learn from each other, encourage one another, and help each other remain consistent in following the path. We may not be on the 'well-traveled' one, but we are 'traveling well'! Just sayin!

Huh...so that's how I stay on course!

Oh, that my ways were directed and established to observe Your statutes [hearing, receiving, loving, and obeying them]! Then shall I not be put to shame [by failing to inherit Your promises] when I have respect to all Your commandments. I will praise and give thanks to You with uprightness of heart when I learn [by sanctified experiences] Your righteous judgments [Your decisions against and punishments for particular lines of thought and conduct]. (Psalm 119:5-7)

We are probably frequently heard crying out to God, asking him to set our ways straight again because for some unknown reason we have managed to stray from the path we should be on once again. Our plea - direct and establish my ways - not to live as I want, but to observe your Word in its entirety. A "directed" life is one that is both God guided and regulated, so the course is made certain and true. It is like when I used to ride the little cars at Disneyland as a child - I had no idea the metal bar which ran between the two tires actually was keeping me on my course! It was there for my safety and to keep me from playing bumper cars with passers-by. I just rode along like I was mastering the road and watching the world pass me by as I maneuvered the twists and turns. I thought I was driving - directing the course of the vehicle, while in fact, someone with a whole lot more common sense than to give control of a vehicle to a child had my safety in mind! The same is true of our lives in Christ - sure we don't have a metal bar between our "tires", but we feel his pull and tug of our desire to veer off course, don't we?

The metal bar on the car ride was there to act as a mediator - it pushed me back on course when I was about to 'veer off-course'. It "established" the course of the vehicle in which I was riding. I wonder if we actually realize how much God is "establishing" the course of our lives, not with a metal bar, but with his Word? As we hear the Word, taking in its richness and promise, it forms the basis for our travels in life. As I drove that tiny car along a designated track, unlimited power existed - but only as long as I stayed on the track! I could not operate those little cars off the track - there was something about the track which gave them the "structure" in which they were designed to be operated. Disney envisioned the ride as the freeway of the future - but kids just saw it as plain fun! God envisions the "track" he provides through the intake of his Word as providing the "freeway" for each of our future endeavors - wouldn't it be great if we saw his Word as just plain fun for our lives!

 
The little cars on that track also had one other feature designed for safety - they were "one-wheel" drive. In other words, one wheel actually moved the vehicle forward. Interestingly, God has the same vision in mind for us - that we be "one-wheel" driven! He is the one who is designed to turn our wheel - not just the one who designs the course upon which our lives will travel. The "drive" of our lives would be ugly if there were two wheels each pulling in opposite directions. Imagine the wear and tear on the other wheels! Not to mention the other working parts of the vehicle! No wonder God requires there be just one wheel driving our lives! I don't know about you, but when he drives, I get to my destination the first time! There was one other little feature in these cars which says something to me about how God's Word, taken in regularly, applied consistently to our lives, affects how we arrive at our destination. The pedal. To the unknowing this pedal resembled the gas pedal of a sports car. To the designer, it was both the accelerator AND the brake. The Word of God is kind of like both in our lives - accelerating us into times of growth, holding us back when the next movement would cause us harm. As you pushed on the pedal of those little cars, they moved forward under the drive of one wheel. As you took your foot off the pedal, they stopped - not gradually, but immediately - because the "drive" was disengaged. God's Word gives us this kind of protection - something we lack on our own. Maybe we should see the importance of the regular and consistent intake of the Word as it applies to keeping us on track in life. What we take in becomes important in determining the path it will lead us. Just sayin!

Changed course through changed heart

For people who are stumbling toward ruin, the message of the cross is nothing but a tall tale for fools by a fool. But for those of us who are already experiencing the reality of being rescued and made right, it is nothing short of God’s power. (1 Corinthians 1:18)

A survivor is one who has 'beaten the odds', coming out on the other side of something they had a hard time enduring. If God is the one who fights with us, helping us with our 'survival skills' in the midst of whatever it is we have been called to endure, then we can be assured that we will come out on the other side. Will we have 'war wounds' of some sort? Probably. We aren't guaranteed to be 'wound free', but we are promised to be 'held together' and 'put perfectly together' in the presence of Jesus. There are a great many of us that can proclaim we have been 'redeemed' - made new through the power and grace of God in our lives. We have undergone a process of transforming our hardened hearts into something that resembles and gives back a little bit of the grace we have received. Our 'survival' wasn't our own doing - we played a part in getting into the mess we were in, but the way out of that mess wasn't in our hands alone! God took us to the place where we'd recognize that thing we were struggling to survive within was really going to be our undoing if we continued in that course. In time, we called out for help and acknowledged how foolish it was to attempt to continue in our own self efforts.

There are still others who are aimlessly attempting to just 'survive' life. Their life is hard - it isn't joy-filled, or even exciting - it is just one tough day after another sometimes even tougher one. They cannot hold their heads up because the weight upon their shoulders is so heavy they are just totally weighed down under the stress of it. If this is you today, I have a little hope for you - God's forgiveness and restoration is what awaits you at the end of that tough road. It isn't far off - it is as close as your lips. It only takes your acknowledging you aren't doing things very well on your own - that you need him to step in and change your course. Look at what the course of the 'challenged' is like - it is a place of stumbling. There is but one person who can keep us from stumbling - Christ Jesus. We don't avoid everything we could stumble upon in life in our own efforts. That attitude of despair will creep up unless God keeps our heart at peace. The frustration of things continually going in the opposite direction as we would have desired will bring repeated pain until God adjusts our focus to see each frustration through his eyes. He 'frames' those things in a manner that helps us see how those 'frustrating things' are acting to refine us - they are like sandpaper that brings out the beauty of the grain deep within the wood.

One other thing to consider today - some of us want God to change the course rather than stepping into the course he intends for us. We want him to change the challenging circumstances - not our 'challenged' heart, our responses, or our faith. God isn't going to change the challenging course until we are willing to let our heart be changed first! Instead of continuing to stumble toward ruin, perhaps it is time to just halt in our path and ask God to turn us toward the place of our victory - to the place in him where we will overcome our frustration, set aside our fears, relinquish the need to be constantly controlled by our circumstances. God isn't going to force himself into our 'battle', but he stands ready to help us to become more than just 'survivors' through his power, peace, and presence. We choose to stumble on, or walk strong in him. Just sayin!

And that has made all the difference...

Two roads diverged in a wood and I - I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference. (Robert Frost)

You haven't traveled my road anymore than I have traveled yours. Our roads may have intersected here and there, but the road we each travel is uniquely our own. At each major intersection in life, we make a choice - we choose one path or the other - we don't travel them both. Perhaps we follow in the footsteps of someone who has traveled portions of that path before, finding our view of the path just slightly different. As similar as my BFF and I are, as we take a road trip, or enjoy a stroll along a forest trail, we 'take in' our surroundings in different ways. I will remark about one thing I saw, only to find she didn't see it at all and vice-versa. Why did we not experience the path the same? We are unique - our eyes and hearts are open, but we might just find we are taking in life in just a little different manner as we travel paths that seem very similar!

It is God Who covers me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer. And He sets me on my high places. He teaches me how to fight, so that I can use a bow of brass. You have also given me the covering that saves me. Your right hand holds me up. And Your care has made me great. You make the road wide for my steps, and my feet have not tripped. (Psalm 18:32-36)

Our path will be the 'perfect' one for us when God is the one who directs it. When we are directed by God, regardless of the path we travel, there will be this 'covering' over us - something not quite 'tangible', but it there and we know it. His strength will bolster us for the journey, but his watchful eye will also help us to avoid the pitfalls. More importantly, his tender touch will guide us to 'take in' what it is we are not to miss along the journey - so we are 'seeing things' exactly as he sees them. I think this is probably one of the most reassuring things I have learned about walking with God in my life's path - that he is helping me to not miss the stuff he wants me to experience along the way.

The covering of God along our path goes way beyond keeping us safe - it keeps us focused and in tune with our path. Have you ever heard someone say to you, "Look", only to turn your head just in time to catch some majestic thing such as an eagle in flight, the gentle bounce of a fawn tagging along behind their mother through the forest trail, or the gentle movement of the fish just beneath the surface of the crystal clear creek? As quickly as your turned to 'take notice' of what you were called to 'look upon', you were engulfed in the moment of that discovery. God's covering over us is what helps us with our moments of discovery, my friends. He isn't just saying, "Look", because there is something beautiful to behold, but because in 'looking' we are discovering something about him.

It may be that we discover how much care he has taken to create things of beauty around us, but it could also be that we discover just how deep the hurt of someone's heart really is. When he tells us to 'look', he might just be showing us something about that moment that has opened a door for us to speak words of comfort into that hurting place in another's life. When God is with us on the pathway of life, the moments of discovery are innumerable. Some will be moments of discovery that uncover something within us that needs to be discovered afresh or anew. At others, there will be discovery of truth, light, and even wisdom. Regardless of the discovery, it has been uniquely prepared for us by the one who guides our path - God himself. At the intersections of life, don't hurriedly choose one or the other - consult with the one who has prepared the path. You never know what 'discovery' will happen when you do! Just sayin!

Am I being targeted?

If God were to point out something in your life that needs a little changing, what would that be? My attitude stinks at times toward certain people or situations and that needs a little adjustment to get back into alignment. On other occasions, my commitments get pretty overwhelming, requiring an adjustment in my schedule. At still others, my physical health requires some attention because I have let myself pack on some pounds again, or backed off on the healthier eating choices. God isn't going to point out stuff that doesn't really matter in the scheme of things. While the attitude adjustment may not seem all that important to you, he knows it is important to me because to continue with that attitude 'out of whack' would mean I might allow bitterness to take root - when that issue roots, the fruit begins to be pretty bitter, as well! God isn't pointing things out just to make us feel 'guilty' or 'ashamed'. He wants only the best for his kids, so he 'parents' us with an eye on those things that will have an influence on how we 'grow up' in his family.

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test my thoughts. Point out anything you find in me that makes you sad, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. (Psalm 139:23-24 TLB)

As I said, it isn't that God is 'made sad' by the stuff we do that needs a little changing in our lives. It is that he knows exactly how that 'stuff' will make it more difficult to find and stay on the path of life! The path of life he has planned for us to travel isn't one of heartache, remorse, or regret. He wants us to travel the path of joy, peace, and assurance. That said, any time he takes advantage of those moments when we will actually tune in and listen for his voice, he might just use those words that seem to bring conviction into our lives - these are his parenting moments. He is revealing his love in more than the warm fuzzies - he is revealing it in the moment of discipline, instruction, oversight, and encouragement. While all of life isn't going to be filled with 'parenting moments' per se, when they come, we need to tune in and listen just a little closer!

It takes a certain amount of courage to actually ask God to point out any area in our life that actually isn't going the way he'd like to see it go. It takes a certain amount of stubbornness to NOT ask him to point out these areas, as well! I can be as stubborn as the next gal - not wanting the stuff that needs attention to be focused on because it might just mean I will experience a few 'growing pains' if they are! Since God's desire in 'parenting' us is to actually get us gracefully through life's challenge, we can probably count on the fact there will come moments when we don't always 'like' him for pointing out those areas that need adjustment. Although his desire is to gracefully move us from one path to another, our impression may be that we are being targeted and his 'pointer' finger isn't letting up!

Remember God's desire in parenting isn't to scold his kids. It is to bring graceful transition from one phase of growth into the next. There will inevitably be growing pains along the way - count on it. Yet, no good growth actually takes place without oversight and a whole lot of work. God's style of parenting isn't to dictate our path, but he will challenge us to consider any path we take that is outside of the areas he has prepared for our good growth! Just sayin!

Valley or Hilltop View? It is different, you know!

"Over every mountain there is a path, although it may not be seen from the valley." 

Theodore Roethke

I have done a fair amount of hiking in my lifetime, but one thing continues to amaze me when I reach some summit point - the look back down the trail by which we ascended to this new height. The 'look back' often shows just how many switchbacks, twists, and turns that path really took. It also often shows us just how much we missed that was right there in front of us, but because of the things that 'bordered' the path, we missed what was just beyond that border. The view from the top is much different than the view while we are traveling the path. At the moment we enter that 'trail head' to explore the path, do we know what the path will hold? Not likely. If we have traveled it before, we are probably a little familiar with it, but even a short period of time and the influence of the elements can change that path. Erosion occurs where rain waters flow freely down the hill. Underbrush grows, sheds leaves, becomes the nesting grounds for new creatures. All is subject to change - nothing remains the same. Yet, the path still leads to the summit - changed as it might be from one ascent to another - it is still an ascent!

Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit? To be out of your sight? If I climb to the sky, you’re there! If I go underground, you’re there! If I flew on morning’s wings to the far western horizon, You’d find me in a minute— you’re already there waiting! Then I said to myself, “Oh, he even sees me in the dark! At night I’m immersed in the light!” It’s a fact: darkness isn’t dark to you; night and day, darkness and light, they’re all the same to you. (Psalm 139:7-12 MSG)

God is faithful as we climb the path - this is the one 'constant' in the path. The other changes we experience are indeed eye-catching and sometimes even a little startling. Nothing changes without God taking notice and preparing for our safe travel over that pathway, my friends. Over every mountain there is a path - what is that path for you today, my friend? Is it one that will bring you the greatest of delight in the journey, or will the ascent by harder than you might have imagined? I have taken on some paths in my years that were just way too advanced for my hiking skills. I wasn't prepared with the right shoes, didn't have a walking stick to help me maintain balance, and simply was too out of shape to really have attempted them. I didn't quit though - I just persevered because the view from the top was going to be worth it all! There are times we may feel inadequate for the path we are upon, but remember this - God has prepared a place for us to stand at the top, to take it all in, and to marvel at the greatness of his hand in helping us make it to that place!

Just a short reminder to us today as we are making new transitions, finding ourselves on paths that are yet unexplored in our lives, and re-traveling some that have been traveled so many times the path is worn smooth. We aren't going to appreciate the journey with each step - it is the accumulated steps that help us to appreciate the journey - for these are what have helped us be set high, enjoying the vantage point, and seeing the journey's path in total! Just sayin!

Learn on!

There are times when I just don't want to listen. I am intent on something else, the plot thickens in a TV drama I am intent on watching, or I am just too tired to care. Listening is hard at times because life gets us involved in other things. Listening is really a two-way street. When we aren't listening, we are blocking one side of the street! We must have open ears to hear the message - but we must also ask clarifying questions so as to get the full meaning of what is being shared. That is how God intends for us to be with our spiritual "ears" - listening with the intention of getting the full meaning of what he is sharing.

Simpletons only learn the hard way, but the wise learn by listening. (Proverbs 21:11)

There is a clear difference between being a "simpleton" and being a wise learner. We rarely use the word "simpleton" anymore in our English language. In fact, I cannot remember hearing it used in very many situations in my entire lifetime. A simpleton is a fool, a knucklehead, a ninny of sorts - he does not seek to understand, therefore we call him ignorant. I grew up with the idea that a fool was some kind of ninny that just did not get what was going on, was too self-absorbed to see others, or just plain 'didn't get it' in life. I think we need to focus on the fact that the fool is one who is "ignorant" - he or she just doesn't get it.

Look at the root of the word which is ignore. The fool is one who ignores what is right in front of his face - it is there for the taking, but he doesn't even notice it, or if he does, he just plain steps around it. He spends very little effort attempting to grasp what he has evident in his immediate path, much less a future one. The fool is ignorant because he will not learn from what is available to him - he has the tools, but he lacks the initiative to use them. I think of initiative as the 'internal reason' for which we use what is given to us. We are moved to use something because we see the usefulness, even though we may not fully grasp its purpose.

The fool is oblivious to life oftentimes ignoring the very plain or obvious. Even when there is clear evidence, he chooses to ignore it as not pertinent to him, the situation, or the future. Being oblivious is really because of two traits common to the fool - being inattentive and being easily distracted. The ability to distract a fool is really quite easy because he lacks the intent "focus" that is required to stay on task - not because he does not have the ability to focus - just because it is the path of least resistance for him.

The warning to each of us is that the simpleton (fool) only learns things the hard way! Ouch! That stings! Ever feel like you could have learned a lesson just a little quicker, or a little easier? The obvious conclusion is that you were submitting to the path of least resistance (the fool's path) and had to learn that lesson the hard way. So, the tendency to be "foolish" in our response to life events is apparent in all of us - even though we may not call ourselves a simpleton. We make the choice - live as a fool, taking the path of least resistance, or live as a wise man, submitting to the path of learning.

Keep one thing in mind: The "hard way" is evident at the end of the path of least resistance. The path of learning may seem "hard" at first, but in the end, it is really the path of "least resistance". Submission to the process of learning is paramount to avoiding the life-course of a simpleton - a journey none of us really wants to take. Therefore, we need to learn on! Just sayin!

I will follow you....

Remember the old Ricky Nelson song, "I Will Follow You"? The song started out with the words, "I will follow you, follow you wherever you may go, there isn't an ocean too deep, a mountain so high it can keep me away." I know this song was talking about someone's "true love", but the words just stuck me this morning - I will follow you...wherever you may go. Those are powerful words - especially when they are spoken to Jesus in sincerity. The idea is that we will follow - even when things seem a little harder than usual, or when the path seems a little 'foggy' at times. We will follow - no matter what. Why? We love him and our heart sings just as Ricky used to sing, "I love you, I love you, I love you!"

You’re blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God. You’re blessed when you follow his directions, doing your best to find him. That’s right – you don’t go off on your own; you walk straight along the road he set. You, God, prescribed the right way to live; now you expect us to live it. Oh, that my steps might be steady, keeping to the course you set; then I’d never have any regrets in comparing my life with your counsel. I thank you for speaking straight from your heart; I learn the pattern of your righteous ways. I’m going to do what you tell me to do; don’t ever walk off and leave me. (Psalm 119:1-8)

Today, as most days, I am challenged by the meaning of the word “follow” - maybe because I don't always do a very good job with this one - trying to take the lead when I really need to just follow the one who really needs to be in the lead! To follow implies many things that I have come to appreciate:

• To accept the authority of the one we make a matter of our focus or attention – it implies a condition of obedience to the authority and counsel of our righteous God. Don't gloss over this one, for it begins with focus or attentiveness - we rarely follow anything that is no longer in our focus. To keep God in our focus - central in our thoughts and primary in our choices is hard, but it is the beginning of a great journey!
• To come to a specified place in a specified time, sequence, or order – we are brought into a place well-planned for us in the exact timing, by the exact method, and in the specific purposes of our unchanging God. The idea of following means we are engaged in the pursuit of something - not just blindly tagging behind. We know there is a specific plan, and we are engaged in that plan, listening attentively to the one who is leading us within that plan.
• To imitate – it is our greatest glory to imitate, or take on the image, of our God. We all imitate something or someone - not one of us are truly unique. There are always examples we pick up little bits and pieces of and 'imitate' in our speech, actions, 'style', etc. The idea of following so as to 'imitate' carries more than the idea of taking on 'selected traits' of the one we are following, but rather the taking on of all the traits Christ has revealed in his character.
• To watch steadily, observe keenly, or to keep the mind on – it is not an inattentive, haphazard pursuit, but one of purposeful, directed steps with a fixed focus and an enlarged perspective. We sometimes limit our forward progress because we limit our focus to the things we 'want' in our lives and forget the things we 'need' might just be more important! God isn't just after us following him for our 'wants' - he would also like us to follow him because of our 'needs'.
• To chase or pursue – passionately engaged in truly catching or laying hold of the one we pursue – overcoming him with our passionate pursuit is what he has in mind as we set out on this journey with him. Not overcoming him so as to 'take over' the control again, but to 'catch up' to him so as to be walking as closely to him as possible.

We don’t go off on our own – we remain consistent in the path he designs, even in the midst of our own battle of will that pulls us to take an easier path or one promising us more tantalizing reward. We walk straight – not veering in our course. It is a blessed thing to remain – to not be used up by the path we pursue, to not be destroyed along the way. This ability to “remain” is provided by the God of divine compassion – the one who makes our ways straight and gives us the endurance to stand strong. He prescribes the way – outlines the plan. Our part is to walk in what he prescribes. In the end, the promise is a life free of regrets. Oh, I am sure that sounds like “pie in the sky” for many of us – we’ve already endured more regrets that we care to admit. It is never too late to “begin again” in the course God has prepared for us – to lay aside past regrets and to pursue the path he outlines in the pursuit of all he plans for us.

Regret is an outcome of disappointment – a result of hopes dashed, dreams unfulfilled, and losses deeply felt. This is not the outcome of pursuing the one that is unchangeable in all his ways – it most definitely the result of our pursuit of our own selfish desires, focusing our attention on imperfect people, or embracing empty relationships. We protect ourselves from regret by embracing his wise counsel – by comparing our every movement with what he has outlined in his Word. In it, God outlines “safe paths” and speaks to us “straight from the heart” so that we can avoid the pitfalls of disappointment that await us down the paths he has not designed. We learn to walk in his paths one step at a time – it is not a dash, nor is it a relay. It is a consistent, forward movement toward a goal. It is a patterned pursuit – marked out by the Master of our souls. As we daily seek his paths, we learn to step out in a growing assurance that the way is ordered, well-marked, and free of all that brings harm. At first, we may step out in the path God outlines, then quickly veer to the direction that appeals more to our natural reasoning, only to find ourselves knee deep in hazards we did not anticipate. At these times, we even are so vain as to blame God for the hazards – we question why we face the things that seem to have brought harm into our lives. Thank God, he is a merciful guide – he points out the hazards, heals our wounds, righting our stand – then he places us on course once again. Even in the midst of our accusing and questioning ways, he tenderly guides.

It is a good thing to walk in such a way that we never veer off course, but is an even more comforting thing to know that when we do wander or drift, he is there to restore and renew. He has even planned for our “changeableness” – knowing full well that we may purpose to do what he has revealed for us to do, but that our self-man is weak in its commitment to that path. We are like David – we yearn for the path he prepares – yet we struggle to resist the appeal of the path that offers the immediate reward, the passing enjoyment. David purposed to walk straight – let that be our purpose, as well. Just sayin!

Which way do I go?

Have you ever been lost? There have been times when I am heading to a particular destination along an interstate or back road somewhere and find I am all 'turned around' in my way-finding. I missed some sign somewhere along the way, or just plain didn't judge the distance correctly. I find myself back-tracking, looking again for the right way to go, or I might just give up on ever finding what I was looking for in the first place because it was just impossible for me to find without help! Much of the time in life we are on some kind of journey. We find ourselves kind of 'lost' sometimes, not because the way wasn't explained to us, or that we hadn't consulted the plan for how we'd get their several times, but because we misread, missed, or just plain didn't acknowledge the signs along the way.

You’re blessed when you stay on course, walking steadily on the road revealed by God.  You’re blessed when you follow his directions, doing your best to find him.  That’s right – you don’t go off on your own; you walk straight along the road he set.  You, God, prescribed the right way to live; now you expect us to live it.  Oh, that my steps might be steady, keeping to the course you set; then I’d never have any regrets in comparing my life with your counsel.  I thank you for speaking straight from your heart; I learn the pattern of your righteous ways.  I’m going to do what you tell me to do; don’t ever walk off and leave me.  (Psalm 119:1-8)

It is a comforting thing to understand the direction we are headed – to clearly know the paths we are to follow, the things to avoid. There are even times we head off in directions unplanned for us, venturing out on our own completely unaware of what lays in wait along the path we chose. It is a God-honoring thing to await his course direction – it is even more honoring to choose that course above any other. It is one of the hardest things to allow another to set our course, especially when we have created a 'picture' of the way we believe our course should be going! There is a sense of deep satisfaction when we stay on course – a deep sense of pleasure and contentment awaits us as we walk “steadily” on the road revealed by God. Happiness is a very elusive thing – it is conditioned on so many 'unknowns' along the way - things such as circumstance, the people in our lives, timing, and even the attitude of our heart at the moment. We seek happiness in the most amazing ways – through the pursuit of fame, fortune, or position; in some type of what we believe to be a meaningful relationship; and even in giving away all we possess because we heard this could bring us to a certain 'level' of happiness in life. All the while, true happiness appears to evade us and we are left empty, frustrated, and perhaps even filled with despair or disappointment.

The advice set before us is one of “walking steadily” on the course outlined by our God - a little harder than we want to admit when we have this thing called "self-will" to reason with along the way. The word used for God in this text is that of Jehovah – the God of divine compassion, who stands unchangeable in his promises, permanent in his tender care, and righteous. The course we choose in life is established, overlooked, and guarded by this very God of divine compassion and unchangeable character. We can walk steadily when we understand the care that has gone into preparing the course before us and the caring oversight that is ours as we traverse that 'established' path. To “stay” on course implies that we are continuing on, standing firm, and remaining in consistent pursuit of the course outlined by God. I think there is an even deeper meaning that we need to consider – that of enduring. Happy is the man or woman that “stays the course” or “endures” in the way. There is a great sense of inner satisfaction to have remained consistent under suffering without yielding to its pressures – to not give in to the hardships along the way - and each road has its own hardships, regardless of how small. Our consistency comes not in our own effort, but because of the power of our unchanging and consistent God. He is the one that gives us the ability to be firmly fixed in place, to be unfaltering in our movement. There is a resolute assurance that the course we walk is designed at the hand of our God - we have a direction established by God, but we need to choose to stay within the guidance of those directions. It is our fortune to stand with him along this course constant in our emotion, principled in our actions, and stable in our thoughts.

Along the path, we are commissioned to “do our best to find him”. What is our “best” – what does that look like? Some would describe “doing our best” as giving our maximum effort – I’ve even heard some describe it as giving 110%! To be painfully truthful here, I am not inclined to believe that I actually have more than 100% to give – so I am not going to stress that we somehow find an additional 10% to reach some “stretch goal” in our pursuit of God. Rarely do we even get to the 100% mark, let alone find an additional 10% we can muster up to go 'above and beyond'. I am challenged daily to be productive, to excel in some way, but rarely am I able to say that I have given “my all” in the pursuit of God. I daresay that most of us would find ourselves in that same condition if we were to truly analyze our walk with God. It is encouraging to realize that God only requires our attentiveness to his direction – that is how we “do our best” in serving him - we pay attention. We “pay attention” when he speaks, we “focus our will” on his, and we choose to be engaged in this course he has established for us. In so doing, we are placing ourselves on a steady path. What is God really asking you to "pay attention" to along this path you are travelling on presently? What is he asking for you to focus your will on - to be determined in effort and mind's focus? Until we can answer these questions, we probably will wander around pretty doggone aimlessly, even getting a little lost along the way. Just sayin!

Should or Would?

12 Teach us to number our days and recognize how few they are; help us to spend them as we should. (Psalm 90:12 TLB)

"As we should" are pretty powerful words, aren't they? They are also "telling" words, for many of us would probably echo back, "Not as we would", for we have chosen a much different path than the one we "should" have taken! Emerson told us, "Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail." Too many times we have followed his advice and found ourselves blazing a new trail that perhaps we'd have been much better off to have never explored! Someone once said that choosing a path means we abandon some other path - I think the rest of the saying implies that the abandoning of one may mean it is abandoned forever. 

We all have many choices of the paths we take each and every day. The paths may be well-worn by us by now, requiring us some effort to abandon because the grooves we have worn act more like a pit than a path! The choice to deviate from any path we have chosen as a "would take" path rather than a "should take" path opens us up to great perils based upon that misjudgment. Most disobedience carries some element of obedience - for we know the right path to choose, we just abandon that wise choice for the unwise! We are obeying an inner voice crying louder than another - listening to one over the other can often be our downfall - for the quietest voice is sometimes the hardest to hear, but the clearest on the matter at hand!

When we become "seasoned" in our choices toward obedience, we find the "should take" paths become more evident to us. What has happened there? We have learned to recognize the wisdom of the few! We have learned that our days are numbered and unwise choices will only eat up those "few days" we are given, sometimes quicker than we might imagine possible. As quickly as those days were given to us, we frittered them away on the "would take" path - losing sometimes days and days of opportunity which could have been ours down the "other path". What occupies our time the most? Would you say those things "fit" in the "should take" if I were smart or the "would take" because I want my own way path? 

The "I want my own way" ordeal is real! We probably struggle with feeling sorry for ourselves when we don't get it, create chaos at times when our way isn't being heard, and get really frustrated with constantly being challenged to take any other way but our own. Yet, the man or woman who learns to "number their days" realizes there may be only one opportunity to travel the obedience path. The chance for a "do-over" isn't guaranteed, even though God is pretty gracious to those of us who have needed more than one or two of those "do-over" moments! Obedience isn't accidental - it is learned in listening and in yielding to the "should take" path more and more. That may not be the one we desire the most, but in time, we will find our desires changing little by little until we crave that "should take" path way more than the "would take" one! Just sayin!

Good or Gooder

I am the Lord, who opened a way through the waters, making a path right through the sea. But forget all that—it is nothing compared to what I’m going to do! For I’m going to do a brand-new thing. See, I have already begun! Don’t you see it? I will make a road through the wilderness of the world for my people to go home, and create rivers for them in the desert! (Isaiah 43:16, 18-19 TLB)

Is it possible God is saying to you that he is creating a brand new thing in your life - opening a road through the wilderness in some area of your life that has never been explored before? We so often start our new year with resolutions - wouldn't it be awesome to start it with revelations instead! God revealing new paths - opening us up to new possibilities - that sounds pretty awesome to me!

There are definitely times we hold onto the past "good stuff" thinking we cannot move on from there because if we do, we might just "lose" some of that "good stuff". Remember this...if God is telling you he has new paths in front of you, then whatever has been part of the old may have been "good", but what is just ahead is even "gooder"! The past is nothing compared to what God is just about to do in your life - and mine, too!

I'd like us to consider the words of a song by Britt Nicole called, "Through Your Eyes". In this song, she talks about the pressure we all place upon ourselves, telling ourselves we "could do better". Isn't that something we all struggle with on occasion - thinking we could "do better, if just..."? The truth is evident - we didn't do better! Now we are faced with the "new path" and wonder if we will "do any better" along this one. When God calls us down a new path, he empowers us with all we will need to "do better" in that path!

As Britt sings the words of that song, she comes to a very poignant part in which she says, "And then you broke apart the lies. You told me I had something beautiful inside. You brought to life the part of me I thought had died." How is that accomplished? As she goes on, she tells us it is because Jesus stood right there in front of her until she began to see herself as he sees her! Oftentimes the only thing we need to really "do better" in our life is to see ourselves as Jesus sees us - not as someone who "needs to do better", but who has all he/she needs in order to "do best"!

The "do better" part of is us broken. The obedience path is riddled with lots and lots of attempts to "do better". God is making a new path before us - it is ours for the taking. It is time to leave behind the "good stuff" of yesterday and move into the new paths of "gooder". It is down that path that we will find something far more amazing than we ever expected had we have "gotten it all together" on the path we were traveling on! Just sayin!

Rekindle that love

Faith makes all things possible... love makes all things easy. (Dwight L. Moody) 

What we label as impossible is not seen the same way by God. What we label as possible may also not be seen quite the same by God! It is important to get God's perspective on each move we make - because we don't want to be ahead of his timing, outside of his plans, or apart from his presence to guide us through!

6 For the Lord watches over all the plans and paths of godly men, but the paths of the godless lead to doom. (Psalm 1:6 TLB)

We want to be on a path that is leading us somewhere in which we actually realize some benefit from exploring. We don't want to just spin our wheels or "travel" for the sake of traveling. I remember our Sunday afternoon drives as a kid - a tradition dad established early in life and one which continued well into my teenage years. We'd set out, but dad always had a destination in mind - even though we didn't always know what it was. We'd take in some scenery along the way, while passing the time in conversation and by making observations of having seen a jackrabbit, roadrunner, or the like along the journey. Where he took us was always "agreeable" to our senses, our heart, and our spirit!

God is just as careful in his plans for us, but they go well beyond the Sunday afternoon plans! They are continual plans - pathways unfolding before us each moment of the day - some new, others well-worn paths we just follow time and time again because we are faithfully ministered to along those paths. While it may be hard for us to travel some of them, others come much easier because we understand those paths. There are always going to be those paths that stretch us, while at other times the paths we travel will soothe us - bringing us respite and refreshing. Each has a purpose and each is best left in his capable hands of "driving us" to that end point on that path!

Why is it a path in God's capable hands seems to be easier to travel than one we are carving out ourselves? It might just be what Moody said - love makes all things easy! The over-arching love of God is what makes the path we travel a little easier and less "scary" - even though it may be a hard one to traverse. God's love is with us, just as my dad's love was always with us on those Sunday outings. He knew the importance of providing for his family - even if that provision was just for re-connection and a bit of laughter along the way! God isn't going to allow us to carve out our own paths for very long - there will come a time when we will yearn for that "re-connection" again. That yearning within us is because we miss that connection with his love - we miss HIM! 

My father's life was taken from us way sooner than I'd have liked, making those Sunday afternoon drives a thing of the past. It is a sure thing that my heavenly Father's care over all my paths will never cease, though. He will always be present with me - even when I choose to move ahead of his timing, not listen as close to his voice, or cease to heed his warnings. Just because I choose my own path doesn't mean he loves me any less - and the same applies to each of you! His love is drawing us each back to the path he has planned - the one in which connection is restored and love is rekindled deeply. Just sayin!

Navigation, please

Later, in one of his talks, Jesus said to the people, “I am the Light of the world. So if you follow me, you won’t be stumbling through the darkness, for living light will flood your path.” 

(John 8:12 TLB)

I usually do pretty well navigating someplace I am quite familiar with, even when the light has faded and I am faced with total darkness - I just traverse that space a little slower than usual and with a whole lot more caution. Why? Darkness doesn't allow things to reveal themselves to us in quite the same way as light does - they get revealed, just with a whole lot of stumbling! At night, I often navigate mom back to bed several times, not turning on any lights. I act as her navigator - she follows my lead. With her macular degeneration, even when the lights are on, she still has a whole lot of darkness to overcome, especially with the advancing of dementia on top of the blindness. So, as long as she is following someone, she does pretty well. Some of us would do well to realize we never have to navigate life alone - there is a "lead" we can choose to follow - one that allows "living light" to flood our path!

Light isn't all we need. We need a "navigator" to help us know the course we should take. The one who navigates our lives is also the one who directs the course of the light. If we hold an ordinary  flashlight in front of us, how well do we see what is around us? Do we see what is behind us? Do we see much out ahead of us? That limited light source really doesn't flood our path with light - it just illuminates "some" of the path. If we convert to the use of a floodlight type flashlight, or one of those "tactical" ones, how much differently are things illuminated around us? The difference is astonishing. The clarity improves a hundred-fold. "Floodlight" living is not only safer, it brings comfort to our souls because we can know what is there much easier.

Yet, even with the brightest of lights to illuminate our path, we still need a navigator to help us take the right path. A whole lot of paths can be exposed by the light, but knowing which one to take isn't all that easy. Mom has a tendency some days to just stand there, looking around, and it is quite clear to me she doesn't know which way to go. She knows where she wants to go, but she doesn't remember the direction on her own. It takes a short turn in the wrong direction to send her looking for what she will never find! She won't find it because it isn't down that path. There are times we just take short turns that lead us down pretty wrong paths in life. This is why we so desperately need a navigator - we don't see clearly where each path leads despite the fact we know where it is we want to go! 

We could stumble around, doing the best we can with the limited light we have; or we could allow Jesus to illuminate our path, and then navigate us down the right path. Just sayin!

But I want this....

I know Louis L'Amour was not really trying to wax philosophical when he said a good beginning make a good end, but he hit the nail on the head! The roughest beginnings can make for a very bumpy ride alone the way. The easiest beginnings can help us to get along the trail a little quicker, but the trail always has its own twists and turns, making the journey sometimes a little tougher than we first suspected it would be!

God’s way is perfect. The Lord’s promise always proves to be true. He protects those who trust in him. There is no God except the Lord. There is no Rock except our God. God is the one who gives me strength. He clears the path I need to take. He makes my feet as steady as those of a deer. Even on steep mountains he keeps me from falling. (Psalm 18:30-33 TLB)

Despite the beginnings, God's presence can make the journey bearable until it ends! There is no greater beginning than to begin with God - even if the start is a little rough around the edges. Most of us just need to get to the place we actually "start" - we just talk about beginnings and don't ever step up to the gate! Here's something I learned a long, long time ago - we get nowhere if we don't take the first step! We can spend a lot of time "admiring", "imagining", or "dreaming" of what we want to do, but until we actually step out to do it, we are just daydreaming!

God's ways are perfect - even when ours are a little messed up around the edges. His promises will prove true - even when the journey makes it a little unlikely that we will get out 'unchanged' or 'unscathed'. The moment we move from imagining the end and begin to take the steps to trust in what we come to call the beginning, the more we learn how very faithful God is when we place our trust in him.

I don't want you to miss one very important part of our passage today - "He clears the path I need to take." It isn't always the path I want to take. It isn't always the path you want me to take. It is the path which NEEDS to be taken. God knows what we NEED just as much as he knows what we WANT. Those two aren't always the same, are they? I want to be fishing. I need to be at work. I want to eat chocolate. I need to eat an apple. I want to be independently wealthy. I need to work for a living. Yup, those two aren't always the same!

Trust is the basis for any "good beginning" - making the "ending" more likely to be "spot on" for what we need in our life. What or who we trust in is one of the most important things we can establish prior to stepping out. We begin well when we have our trust rightly placed - even though we may not know the ending. We place our trust in a whole lot of dreams and fail to recognize those dreams aren't actually going to keep us for the "long haul" of the journey. The path we need to take may actually be contrary to our dreams - learning to trust God to refine the dreams so the dream matches the need is key to taking the "right" first steps! Just sayin!