Baby Steps

My baby, Darbey, started walking this week. She finally, took that first step that led to a second, and then a third, and now she is walking.

It has been amazing to watch her. She walked later than our other kids. She is more cautious. She made sure that she could stand and balance before she ever tried to take a step on her own. Darbey made sure that she understood how to step while holding onto something before she ever ventured off on her own. There were small steps from the table to the couch to get her confidence up and then she finally took that first step and then added another to it.

As I have watch Darbey God has caused me to think about my walk with him. I think about how cautious I am at times. How afraid I am to take the step, or to risk, because I fear I might fall or worse fail. I think about how the real growth happens when I finally take that step. I think about how when I do fall, God helps me back up.

Darbey, has learned this, when you fall you get up and take another step. At times she needs help up, but she has gotten up on her own. In our walk with Jesus, failure is never getting up and taking another step. Failure is to not risk at all. Failure is to stay so cautious that we never move toward Jesus. We will fall. It is how we respond to the fall that makes it failure or not.

We may learn the most when we fall. We may grow the deepest through falling and getting up again. We also have others who will help us get up. We have fellow baby steppers in this thing called life that will reach out a hand and pull us up. They will clap and celebrate when they see us walking closer to Jesus. These are our friends in Christ.

Finally, I have noticed a new since of joy in Darbey. This can be translated to our walking with Jesus as well I think. There is no joy like the joy that comes with walking with Jesus. There is a new since of joy with each step that we take in faith.

This is a process. Following Jesus and growing to be more like him is a process of walking in faith. Taking one baby step and than another. It is a process of getting up and moving forward. It is learning, it is risking, it is not allowing fear to win. It is joyful.

Take your next step.

Love today.

In Christ's love and mine,
Doug

Comments

Chet and Lisa said…
I can't believe that little Darby is walking ~ I'm very impressed with your observations! I need to give up the baby steps & move on like a big girl; knowing the outcome, what's there to be afraid of??

Thanks for sharing!

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