Walking With The Lord

Walking with the Lord does not guarantee us a smooth road. In fact, if I have learned anything from my journey it's that the path will be full of potholes, bumps, deep valleys, as well as steep mountains and rugged terrain. John 16:33 reminds us of this. "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."

I've realized even though God is asking us to walk through unpredictable valleys we don't have to fear them Psalm 23:4-5 "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and staff, they comfort me." because when we trust Him, we know He will strengthen our faith.

1 Peter 1:6-7 "In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Chris is revealed."

Focus on God and He will guide you with His light. Psalm 119:105 "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path" and when you become overwhelmed by the size of your mountain, know that He will be there strengthening you. Isaiah 41:10 "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand."

It's imperative that we don't become overwhelmed or distracted by the path God has us on so that we don't miss the gifts He gives us along the way. This past Easter Sunday, I was in a hurry and almost missed my gift.

When our son Nathan first passed away, I struggled with Easter. One year I found it difficult to go to church because I was overwhelmed by my grief, but I went away only to be greeted by a gift of baby goslings when we returned home. You see we had Canadian geese that would have their young on our pond every year and this particular Easter we had baby goslings on the pond, and I knew in that moment, God gave me the gift of wildlife to ease the pain I felt that morning.

This past Easter I was in a hurry to get to church, and as I began to drive down our road where we had two geese sitting in the middle of our road. This is the first time I've seen this, and I hated to disturb them, but I needed to get to church so needless to say they flew away. That afternoon as I was walking along the bike path on the west shore of our lake I was reminded of our home in Michigan and the geese and their young on that particular Easter and I began wondering how God would give me that gift now that we live in California and in that moment I saw a lone pelican on the lake and I thought "okay he changed it from geese to pelicans" and it made me smile because I was grateful for the gift. But shortly after this I remembered the two geese I saw earlier on our road and realized God did in fact give me the gift of the geese, but I was in such a hurry that I didn't recognize the gift.

If I can offer you any encouragement it is to stay the course and stay focused on God, no matter what path your circumstance takes you on because the devil will use anything to prevent us from recognizing God's gifts to us.

Isaiah 42:16

"I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are thing things I will do; I will not forsake them."

God has certainly blessed me with some breathtaking views along the way, make sure you are stopping from time to time to recognize and thank God for yours as well!

Isaiah 40:4

Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.

Written by: Jill Theriault

Crossroads Coaching - @crossroadscoachingongodstime