One Step at a Time

One Step at a Time

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye.   

Psalm 32:8

 

I grew up on a one-mile stretch of gravel road in Dry Creek.

Our house was the only house at the dead end of this narrow country lane. My Dad always said that when a car came down our road they were either coming to see us or they were lost.

This hilly Louisiana road was lined with pine forests. As a teenager, I loved taking nighttime walks on it. The only sounds would be the crunching of gravel underfoot, the sound of the wind in the pines, and the occasional call of an owl.

These nighttime walks were times of solitude. I’d look up into the clear night sky at thousands of glittering stars. How can anyone not believe in God after looking into the night sky? 

Many times my walks were to mull over a decision or pray about a problem. One particular instance stands out in my mind:

During my first three semesters of college, I had not declared a major. I was unsure of what career to pursue and had reached the point where I had to choose an area of concentration.

As a 19-year-old young man, the magnitude of this decision scared me. I felt as if I was standing on a road with several forks, and it was time to choose.

I  desperately wanted God’s will in my life. If only He would show me . . . I was willing to follow.

During this time of indecision, I took a long walk on a cold and clear moonless night. Walking along with only the starlight to guide my path, each step was a step of faith.   I prayed,  “Lord guide me. Show me what to do.”

Then in the quietness of the moment, God spoke to me. Not in an audible voice, but deep down in my heart—right where He speaks to all of us:

You can’t see to the end of this gravel road. However, by taking one step at a time in the darkness, you will reach the end. There is just enough light for each step—no more, no less.

I realized that God was not going to lay out His plan for my entire life or even the next five years. Instead, He would wisely lead me step by step . . . moment by moment.

My responsibility was simply to take it one step at a time in the light I had. I didn’t need to see all the way.  God knew my life’s road all of the way to the end. He would guide me without fail.

Now a lifetime later,  God is still, when I listen, giving the guidance I need—one step at a time.  A lifetime of small steps has guided me as a young teacher/coach, a school principal, camp manager, all the way to Africa and back, and to a fulfilling career as an author.

He has been faithful one step at a time.

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