December 14, 2011
Ask the way—then start.
Oh, how I remember those first steps we took on this path we are still on. Blindly taking one step after another, not knowing where the path was leading. Many times we would walk (my husband and I walked together every day) before sunrise, praying as we walked for God to show us the way to go. We were asking God to show us HIS way.
Recalling that time period now, there are two instances that vividly stick out in my memory. The first instance that comes to mind is a time we were walking in the early morning hours. It was well before daybreak and it was completely dark with no moon or stars to help illuminate our way. You could literally only see a step or two ahead of you at a time. As we entered a wooded area it appeared like we were entering total blackness. You could not see the road or where it went. But as we continued to walk, putting one foot in front of the other, we could always see our next step. As we approached the place where the road made a "Y," it looked like we were approaching a dead-end. But then slowly, the closer we got, the way became clear and the direction of the road came into view. The lesson we learned that day was this: When you are following God's lead you may not have a clear path that is illuminated for miles ahead of you—but don't stop. Keep going! If you keep going He will direct your next step and your next step—and HIS path will become clear. Don't give up! Keep going!
Psalm 119:105 - "Your word is like a lamp for my feet and a light for my path."
The second instance that vividly sticks out in my mind is the morning we were walking in an extremely dense fog. It was like we were completely enclosed in a cloud. We were again walking blind, we couldn't see anything around us or the road in front of us. We were walking hand in hand up a slight rise in the road. My husband was praying. He was saying that our lives felt like the fog we were walking in, we were surrounded and fogged in, and we desperately needed to know what God wanted us to do and to know He was there even in the midst of all we were facing. We had just crested a small rise in the road. His plea had just passed his lips when the skies ahead of us opened and the sun broke through the fog, casting its beautiful rays through a grove of hardwood trees directly in front of us. The sun shown completely bright and clear for several seconds and then once again the sky closed and the sun totally disappeared behind the dense fog. We stopped in the middle of the road and stared at each other. We could not believe what we just witnessed. We kept saying, "Did you see that?" We immediately started thanking and praising God for reminding us that He is always there, even if we are in a fog and can't see Him. The dense fog remained for several more hours, but we learned another important lesson that day: God is always present—even when we walk through periods of fog and darkness. We may feel alone and we may not be able to see where HIS path is leading—but He is there—and with us every step of the way.
Romans 8:37–38 - "But in all these things we have full victory through God who showed his love for us. Yes, I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor ruling spirits, nothing now, nothing in the future, no powers, nothing above us, nothing below us, nor anything else in the whole world will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Another important lesson: The first steps are the hardest. We have the advantage now of being five years down the path since "the storm" first began. We are still walking this path step by step, but our faith has grown and we KNOW that God is in control and we TRUST Him to guide our steps. He has proven HIS faithfulness to us, and He has promised us HIS protection. We will continue to take one step at a time.
Ask—then start!!
Addendum: 8/13/16 ~ There is a tendency, when you are going through dark night or dense fog times in your life, to become fearful because of your lack of vision or knowledge of what lies ahead and you slow down to the point of a standstill. KEEP WALKING!! It requires faith to keep putting one foot in front of the other when you can't see what lies in front of you, but KEEP WALKING! God is already there. It is HIS footpath. He knows what lies ahead and you can trust Him.
Don't give up. KEEP WALKING!!
Next Entry: Jeremiah 50:1 – 51:64 (Continued)
Ask the way—then start.
Oh, how I remember those first steps we took on this path we are still on. Blindly taking one step after another, not knowing where the path was leading. Many times we would walk (my husband and I walked together every day) before sunrise, praying as we walked for God to show us the way to go. We were asking God to show us HIS way.
Recalling that time period now, there are two instances that vividly stick out in my memory. The first instance that comes to mind is a time we were walking in the early morning hours. It was well before daybreak and it was completely dark with no moon or stars to help illuminate our way. You could literally only see a step or two ahead of you at a time. As we entered a wooded area it appeared like we were entering total blackness. You could not see the road or where it went. But as we continued to walk, putting one foot in front of the other, we could always see our next step. As we approached the place where the road made a "Y," it looked like we were approaching a dead-end. But then slowly, the closer we got, the way became clear and the direction of the road came into view. The lesson we learned that day was this: When you are following God's lead you may not have a clear path that is illuminated for miles ahead of you—but don't stop. Keep going! If you keep going He will direct your next step and your next step—and HIS path will become clear. Don't give up! Keep going!
Psalm 119:105 - "Your word is like a lamp for my feet and a light for my path."
The second instance that vividly sticks out in my mind is the morning we were walking in an extremely dense fog. It was like we were completely enclosed in a cloud. We were again walking blind, we couldn't see anything around us or the road in front of us. We were walking hand in hand up a slight rise in the road. My husband was praying. He was saying that our lives felt like the fog we were walking in, we were surrounded and fogged in, and we desperately needed to know what God wanted us to do and to know He was there even in the midst of all we were facing. We had just crested a small rise in the road. His plea had just passed his lips when the skies ahead of us opened and the sun broke through the fog, casting its beautiful rays through a grove of hardwood trees directly in front of us. The sun shown completely bright and clear for several seconds and then once again the sky closed and the sun totally disappeared behind the dense fog. We stopped in the middle of the road and stared at each other. We could not believe what we just witnessed. We kept saying, "Did you see that?" We immediately started thanking and praising God for reminding us that He is always there, even if we are in a fog and can't see Him. The dense fog remained for several more hours, but we learned another important lesson that day: God is always present—even when we walk through periods of fog and darkness. We may feel alone and we may not be able to see where HIS path is leading—but He is there—and with us every step of the way.
Romans 8:37–38 - "But in all these things we have full victory through God who showed his love for us. Yes, I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor ruling spirits, nothing now, nothing in the future, no powers, nothing above us, nothing below us, nor anything else in the whole world will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Another important lesson: The first steps are the hardest. We have the advantage now of being five years down the path since "the storm" first began. We are still walking this path step by step, but our faith has grown and we KNOW that God is in control and we TRUST Him to guide our steps. He has proven HIS faithfulness to us, and He has promised us HIS protection. We will continue to take one step at a time.
Ask—then start!!
Addendum: 8/13/16 ~ There is a tendency, when you are going through dark night or dense fog times in your life, to become fearful because of your lack of vision or knowledge of what lies ahead and you slow down to the point of a standstill. KEEP WALKING!! It requires faith to keep putting one foot in front of the other when you can't see what lies in front of you, but KEEP WALKING! God is already there. It is HIS footpath. He knows what lies ahead and you can trust Him.
Don't give up. KEEP WALKING!!
Next Entry: Jeremiah 50:1 – 51:64 (Continued)
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