I reached my arms straight up grabbing hold of my dad’s hands. Without hesitation my fingers curled around his first two fingers. Enthusiastically I stepped up onto his toes with anticipation. I’ll be honest, I don’t remember exactly how young I was, only that my feet could ride comfortably on his toes and my fingers were dwarfed in comparison to his hands. Excited to see where we’d go together; in my imagination we went far beyond the kitchen, dad taking the steps and me along for the ride. It was a sweet scene that played many times as I was growing up.
I was reminded of that time the other day as my dad and I recounted many stories capturing the impact he has had on my life and on those who have been blessed to know him. The priceless mental snapshot of me standing on his feet, holding on to his hands still warms my heart as it provides a valuable reminder of three things that can strengthen our walk of faith.
- Step where God guides, don’t go where He doesn’t. Standing on my dad’s toes, my steps followed his, some large steps, some small, my movement in tuned with his. When we’re growing and walking in our faith and seeking God’s purpose for our lives, we should look to Him for His guidance for each step on our path. Some steps may be quick or big, others may be small or not moving forward at all. Our steps should be in His timing, and in the direction He leads.
- Hold on to Him to maintain your balance. As I journeyed around the kitchen with my dad, my fingers stayed curled around his so that I didn’t lose my balance. In life, we need to keep our hearts tuned to God so that we can keep our balance especially when storms of challenge threaten us or our path is not smooth.
- Journey with anticipation. I always welcomed the opportunity to spend time with my dad, taking steps with him no matter where his steps took me. With the same childlike wonder and enthusiasm, we can welcome our time with God with anticipation. When we pursue Him, when we continually draw into His presence, we can find joy for our journey, wherever His steps lead.
It’s been many years since those sweet times on my dad’s toes. Still the image left in my heart and mind provides such a poignant illustration of our walk with God. I hope that my memory has stirred your heart and soul a bit. Maybe it’s beckoning you to reach up and grab hold of your Father’s hand, step up on His toes to journey joyfully with Him today. And, perhaps a lesson from my dad, prompted by his desire to have an impact others will impact you as well.
Can you picture me on my dad’s toes… can you relate? Does it make you want to draw your steps closer to God’s and grab hold of His hand a bit tighter? Or, does my story remind you of your own dad and a way he impacted your faith? Let me know! I’d love to hear from you!
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