walking

a walk on the wild side

Posted on by Grace Day

I take them often – wild side walks that is. These walks that I’ve been taking give new meaning to the term “concrete jungle.” because these walks aren’t exactly nature walks. Instead of being surrounded by scenic views and bird calls as I walk, I am surrounded by the sounds of traffic, cars backfiring, sirens wailing, horns honking, in addition to the sounds of heavy machinery on the ground and helicopters overhead. No, I am not walking through a war zone, well not technically or literally anyway. I am simply walking during my break around the inner-city high school where I work.

This high school is located on a very busy main street close to the interstate, which explains the constant high volume of traffic surrounding the school. It is close to downtown and a few blocks from the medical center, which accounts for the helicopters landing at the heliport on one of the hospitals there. (or maybe they are traffic helicopters? I can’t tell the difference) The old football stadium has been torn down and a brand new one is being constructed in its place, which is why all the bulldozers and other such big machinery have been operating during my daily walks. Only a chain link fence separates me and the other pedestrians from the noise and activity of all the large earth moving trucks and other heavy machinery operating there every day.

So it is a different kind of a jungle that I walk in every day. I don’t have to watch out for dangerous wild animals, just dangerous traffic. I don’t hear bird calls, I hear sirens growing louder, closer, then fading into the distance. I don’t walk on a dirt path, but on a concrete sidewalk. After all, I am in a concrete jungle. Maybe this concrete jungle is actually more dangerous than any African jungle or Amazon jungle? Actually, both jungles are full of pitfalls and perils. These may be different, but they are equally real and equally challenging.

Ironic isn’t it? I choose to walk on my break in order to focus and find a few moments of peaceful tranquility before I return to the noise and chaos of the classroom, and instead I find myself walking through the noise and chaos of the concrete jungle I have just described to you. Gives new meaning to the expression – “it’s a jungle out there” for sure. It would appear that no matter where I walk, I will face challenges. Whether the possibility of poisonous snakes and prowling lions in the real jungle, or the dangers of fast moving traffic and heavy machinery in the concrete jungle – life is certainly no walk in the park.

The apostle Peter apparently figured this out centuries ago, because he wrote to believers saying, “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)

It seems to me that no matter where I walk, I will encounter some degree of difficulty and danger. Some environments are more dangerous than others. Some roads are just harder to walk than others. For me what matters most is not where I am walking, whether that be a peaceful path or an impossibly steep and slippery slope, but who is walking with me. This makes all the difference in my journey and in its outcome.

Case in point – Daniel’s three friends. Talk about your walk on the wild side. I don’t think “furnace walking” is a thing (unlike glacier walking or creek walking) but Daniel’s three friends were forced to do this by an angry king wanting to prove a point. Now a furnace is not an ideal environment for a walk (so much for the where) BUT the who joining them on this walk made all the difference in the outcome of their walk on the wild side. We join the story in progress –

“So these men, wearing their robes, trousers, turbans and other clothes, were bound and thrown into the blazing furnace. The king’s command was so urgent and the furnace so hot that the flames of the fire killed the soldiers who took up Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, and these three men, firmly tied, fell into the blazing furnace. Then King Nebuchadnezzar leaped to his feet in amazement and asked his advisers, ‘Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?’ They replied, ‘Certainly, O king.’ He said, ‘Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.’ ” (Daniel 3:21-25)

These three men weren’t alone in the furnace. God was right there with them, which accounted for the fact that they were no longer bound up but now walking around freely, unharmed. Our story continues –

“So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, . . . the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.” (Daniel 3:26-27)

For these three, their walk on the wild side did not end in disaster because of Who walked with them, which mattered much more than where they found themselves walking. I’m sure those three friends of Daniel never planned on having to walk through a furnace. Not a lot you can do to prepare for something like that. Even as I write these words I know too many dear people, friends and family, who are walking through something right now that none of us would choose because the path is painful and scary and hard.

These wheres none of us would choose. BUT – we can choose the who – who walks with us. And that makes all the difference. King David made a choice. He boldly declared –

“The Lord is my shepherd,” (Psalm 23:1)

The result of his choice of shepherd? “I shall not be in want.”

King David had to walk in some hard places. He said this –

“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 Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” (Psalm 23:4-5)

The valley of the shadow of death has to be one of the most dangerous, difficult places to walk if not the most treacherous of all. But David said he wasn’t afraid because of God’s presence walking with him, bringing him comfort. And not only that, David said God’s provision for him was abundant and overflowing while he was still walking in the valley. My Heavenly Father does the same for me every day no matter where I find myself walking. His presence goes with me, giving me comfort, protection and provision – even when, like King David, I am walking through “the valley of the shadow of death.”

I pray this knowledge for all my friends, family and for you dear readers – the knowledge of God’s everpresent presence abiding with you and with me, with each one of us, supplying all our needs even when we find ourselves walking in dark valleys. God is there. We have His promise on that. King David knew this. Must be why he wrote these words about God-

“You hem me in – behind and before; you have laid Your hand upon me. Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain. Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast.” (Psalm 139:5-10)

How wonderful, how reassuring – to know that God is always present with me no matter where I go, no matter where I am walking, be it a concrete jungle or a dry desert. God is there. I will not be afraid. I will walk with confidence and purpose because Jesus promised –

“And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20)

sincerely, Grace Day

walking weighted

Posted on by Grace Day

My prayer walking partner does this. She walks weighted. Every time we walk and pray, she wears a weighted vest. I wasn’t aware of this for a long time, actually until last spring when the weather turned warm and her weighty vest was no longer concealed by her heavy coat. I could then see the extra burden she bore as we walked and prayed. Of course, the obvious query is why? Why would anyone willingly choose to carry more weight with them than they absolutely had to. Doesn’t the extra weight make her journey slower, harder, longer than it would otherwise be?

Ironic, isn’t it? My last post was about lightening our loads and now I’m talking about increasing what we carry with us? It would seem I can’t make up my mind these days. However, in my defense, I’ve been thinking about these words in Galatians which give me a very specific instruction –

“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)

Seriously? I already feel the weight of the world on my shoulders more days than I care to admit, and now I’m supposed to add to my load and offer to help someone else carry their burden? their baggage? Impossible right? Well, no because “with God all things are possible.” My Heavenly Father will enable me to do whatever it is that He asks of me. Still, it sounds unduly difficult to me and a bit unreasonable of God to ask such a thing of me, don’t you agree?

I always thought the goal was to travel light through this life, both literally and figuratively. However, if I pay closer attention to what God’s instructions are, I realize that although He does tell me to throw off some things, He also asks me to pick up or to put on some other things. My Heavenly Father tells me to throw off “the sin that so easily entangles” – anything that hinders me and holds me back. My instructions also include this directive –

“Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.” (1 Peter 2:1)

Well, that should certainly lighten my load! Those things are heavy burdens, never intended to be carried with me everywhere I go. But God also asks me to put on plenty of weighty things – namely, God asks me to “put on His full armor”, He asks me to “take up my cross and follow Him” and He invites me to “bear other people’s burdens.”

Sounds like a lot, doesn’t it? Is this really in my best interest, this walking weighted down with armor and my cross and my life’s burdens and now other people’s burdens, too? I guess armor was the original weighted vest. That breastplate of righteousness must have weighed quite a bit, (still does – character building is like weight training for our souls instead of our muscles) not to mention the shield of faith would be weighty to wield as one walked along.

BUT – it turns out, walking while weighted is good for us. That’s why my friend wears the weighted vest. There are benefits to carrying this extra weight around with us. Apparently, it builds and maintains our muscles and our bones, making them strong and keeping them strong. And as it turns out, weight bearing is good cardio, too – meaning it’s good for our hearts. So when Jesus told His disciples “take up your cross and follow Me” He knew carrying this extra weight would produce necessary and desirable results in their lives. Today, Jesus invites you and I, dear readers, into this same weight bearing journey of following Him.

“Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.” (Matthew 16:24)

Did you catch that? I am to “deny” or throw off some things while simultaneously “taking up” other things. Knowing what to leave behind and what to carry with me on this journey makes all the difference. Fortunately, God’s word gives me some pretty clear guidelines about what to leave behind and what to carry with me, even listing out all the pieces of the armor in Ephesians chapter six. (ie. the helmet, shoes, belt, breastplate, shield and the sword of the Spirit, which is God’s word)

Some things, like bitterness, unforgiveness, hate, anger, anxiety – these are burdens that destroy me, burdens that weaken me, hold me hostage and keep me paralyzed. However, other weighty things I carry, such as the cross of Christ or the burdens I bear for others, these make me stronger instead of weaker. I become strong in compassion, empathy, unselfishness, helping others. These are vitally important muscles which need to be used in order to be made strong. If I don’t use them, I lose them. (we all recognize that mantra from the gym, right?)

Carrying my cross daily builds my character and my trust in my Heavenly Father. Crosses were notoriously heavy. We know from the account of Jesus’s crucifixion, how He and the one who carried His cross for Him struggled under its weight. But we are told the weight we bear for Jesus and for others is weight we carry with a purpose, for a reason, for a very good reason.

“For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.” (2 Corinthians 4:17)

Yes, you and I are growing stronger as we carry our crosses and sometimes shoulder the weight of the crosses of our loved ones as well. (or those of our enemies) As we do this, we are building necessary spiritual muscle and bone. We are strengthening our faith as we walk with our weighted vests (or breastplates and shields etc.) while following Christ. You and I have the privilege of carrying with us something very weighty and very special. God’s word says this about us –

“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’ ” (Isaiah 52:7)

That’s you and I, dear readers – and that’s another thing we carry with us – the most important thing – God’s Good News. My prayer walk partner and I carry so much more than the weight of her weighted vest with us when we walk – we carry God’s proclamation of peace, salvation, and the assurance and knowledge that our God is alive and well, sovereign and loving. We carry God’s message of redemption and hope, all while wearing His shoes, the shoes of the gospel of peace.

I am definitely walking weighted through this world BUT – if I am carrying the proper weights that God has given me to carry, I will be increasing in strength and stamina as I continue on in my faith journey. In fact, I have this promise as I walk bearing the weight of armor, cross, burdens and the Gospel (God’s Good News is quite weighty in the best sense of the word, having the substance (weight) of truth that stands the test of time for eternity, the power to save lives, to redeem, restore and set free each one who hears and receives God’s message) –

“Even youths grow tired and weary and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:30-31)

you and I will soar, dear readers, all while wearing our weighted vests!

sincerely, Grace Day

fabulous footwear

Posted on by Grace Day

I went walking today, so my footwear was a prime consideration. You might think that the weather or comfort would be the most important factors influencing my choice of footwear for said walk. You would be correct. However, there was a time when the style, brand and popularity of what I wore on my feet carried far more weight than any practical considerations. I even used to wear high heels. (what was I thinking?) Not so anymore.

One thing is still true however. There are shoes for every occasion and every activity under the sun. There are running shoes, hiking shoes/boots, dancing shoes, basketball shoes, ballet slippers, soccer shoes, rain boots, snow boots, wingtips, sandals, clogs, crocs – there are water shoes and even footwear for swimming and scuba diving – aka flippers! One of my favorite shoes as a teenager was a pair of soft leather moccasins complete with fringe. Not much foot support but super comfortable. I wore them everywhere. They were cool. Then there were my very uncomfortable, well actually very painful, pink toe shoes from my ballet days. Ballet is a beautiful but painful pastime and I had the bloody toes to prove it at the time.

Since footwear has become so important and so specialized nowadays, this begs the question – what are the appropriate shoes for me to wear for prayer walking? (one guy in our group wears flip flops pretty much year round and we have all four seasons here) After all, prayer walking is a very specific type of walking, encompassing both all terrain and all weather walking, as I have alluded to in previous posts. (post -“walking on what?”) You would think this would call for some very specialized footwear and you would be right. God’s word clearly describes the footwear that I need to put on for this particular activity.

“and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” (Ephesians 6:15)

I need to be fitted with special footwear, specifically designed for just the type of walking I, along with my prayer walking friends, do on a regular basis. Fortunately, my Heavenly Father provides me with this very specialized, personalized, powerful footwear. It is just what I need to enable me to walk the distance and to have sure footing on all types of terrain. I don’t want to stumble and fall. Fortunately, God’s footwear enables me to walk with confidence as is promised in Proverbs –

“When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble.” (Proverbs 4:12)

God’s shoes make it possible for me to walk, to run and to stand, which I also need to be able to do, just as it says in Ephesians –

“Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then,” (Ephesians 6:13-14)

These special prayer walking shoes are part of the armor God graciously provides for his children, knowing that we are in a spiritual battle and that we need the protection His armor provides and the ability His shoes provide us to both go where He sends us and to stand firm when we get there. I am told my feet must be fitted with this readiness so that I am ready and able to walk anywhere at anytime, and when I reach my destination, I am able to stand firm in my specially fitted, God provided, shoes.

This is some fabulous footwear for sure! I guess that makes sense because beautiful feet require special shoes and God’s word says this about my and my friends’ prayer walking feet –

“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, ‘Your God reigns!’ ” (Isaiah 52:7)

In Romans I read this same sentiment –

“How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!” (Romans 10:15)

My Heavenly Father says my feet are beautiful! And He provides me some fabulous footwear so that I can safely and effectively carry His gospel of peace far and wide, to anyone and to everyone. King David knew about God’s special shoes. He said this –

“It is God who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of a deer; He enables me to stand on the heights.” (Psalm 18:32-33)

And in Habakkuk I read –

“The Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to go on the heights.” (Habakkuk 3:19)

I definitely need special shoes if I am going to stand on the heights. And I really need special shoes if I am going to carry God’s gospel of peace to the neighborhood where we prayer walk every Saturday morning. Without fail, my Heavenly Father provides me these shoes when I need them (which is twenty-four/seven). These shoes fit me perfectly, they are totally comfortable, they don’t wear out and they never go out of style. I guess that’s because the good news of the peace of the gospel never goes out of style either.

The peace of the gospel is ageless and priceless. Kind of like God’s fabulous footwear that enables me to go on the heights, to walk in all weather, on all terrain, to deliver the good news to all people and to stand firm. Nowadays, these are the only shoes I wear. These are the only shoes I need – God’s designer shoes, specially fitted with the peace of the gospel.

“and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.” (Ephesians 6:15)

thank You, Lord, for the gift of Your fabulous footwear!

sincerely, Grace Day

walking with who?

Posted on by Grace Day

They were very large white letters on a black background – too big and too bold for me to miss their message, although I was definitely caught off guard when I saw the words, probably because of context, meaning where I was at the time. These words were on the front of a student’s hoodie – all in caps – inescapable – “WALK WITH GOD”. It was something I didn’t expect to see in this public inner city high school. A private Christian school, maybe. But here, no. Maybe that’s why her hoodie got my attention even in the crowded hallway, packed with students hurrying to their next class, intent on beating the bell.

I must admit, I have grown accustomed to the more typical cliche’s of the current culture being displayed on the students’ t-shirts and hoodies. As there is no real dress code, a lot of darker sentiments and profane sayings are more often displayed on students’ clothing than something as counter cultural as – “WALK WITH GOD.”

So of course these words got my attention and got me thinking about . . . about walking and about how walking is, in many ways, a metaphor for how we go through life. ie. – “a walk in the park, a walk on the wild side, walking on eggshells, walking a fine line, walk a mile in my shoes”. You get the idea. And in this case the question becomes – “who do we go through or who do we walk through life with?” As it turns out, the answer to this question makes all the difference in how we experience this life and in how we navigate our way through life. Who it is that is walking with me matters. And of ultimate consequence is – who do I chose to walk with?

You would have thought I would have figured this out by now. Although I often prayer walk by myself (but not alone) I also join with others weekly to prayer walk and this is a very special time because of who walks with me – another praying person, someone to share in this part of my daily walk with God and vice versa – I am sharing in their journey on this stretch of the road as well. Our journeys or Christian walks intersect during this time and it is encouraging and uplifting.

There’s a song – “You’ll never walk alone” – a beautiful song but my experience often makes me question its sentiment. If you’re like me, maybe you question that too? Like me, you probably feel like you are walking alone many times in your life, perhaps daily? BUT – there is One who is always walking with me, (and you) even when I am not acknowledging His presence nor seeking His company. My Heavenly Father has promised –

“Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)

King David acknowledged this truth when he said –

“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast.” (Psalm 139:7-10)

Walking with God is not something new. It’s been going on since the beginning of time, even though sin disrupted this activity. Ever since Adam and Eve made their fateful choice in the garden, you and I can choose to walk with God or not. Adam and Eve chose hiding rather than walking.

“Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as He was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden.” (Genesis 3:8)

Adam and Eve weren’t the only ones to walk with God. Consider Enoch –

“And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years. Enoch walked with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.” (Genesis 5:22-24)

Enoch surely walked a lot of miles/years with God! Maybe he holds the record? But there have been others.

“Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.” (Genesis 6:9)

“When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, ‘I am God Almighty; walk before Me and be blameless. I will confirm My covenant between Me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.’ ” (Genesis 17:1-2)

“Then Moses said to Him, ‘If Your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. How will anyone know that You are pleased with me and with Your people unless You go with us? What else will distinguish me and Your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?’ The Lord replied, ‘My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.’ ” (Exodus 33:14-16)

Moses has a good point. If I don’t walk with God, if His Presence doesn’t go with me, what sets me apart as belonging to Him? When I’m not walking with God, I lose my way and I miss out on the direction, the protection, the provision and the peace that my Heavenly Father’s Presence brings me as I walk with Him. The Israelites experienced God’s Presence walking with them in the desert in this way –

“By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.” (Exodus 13:21-22)

As the Israelites walked with God, God provided them water from a rock and manna new every morning. His Presence lit their way at night, protected them from the sun by day, and guided them on their journey. Of course, walking with God means He’s in charge. I have to walk His way (or in His ways) instead of going my own way.

“There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” (Proverbs 14:12)

Instead, as I walk with God I am learning to –

“Trust in the Lord with all my heart and lean not on my own understanding; but in all my ways to acknowledge Him, and He will direct my paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

The psalmist had this to say about those who choose to walk with God –

“How blessed is everyone who fears the Lord, who walks in His ways.” (Psalm 128:1)

I want to walk in God’s ways. I want to walk with God like Enoch and Noah and Abraham and the Israelites in the desert. As I write this, I realize something – God’s word says, “Noah walked with God” (where God was going) – not “God walked with Noah.” (wherever Noah was headed?) It was all about God’s plan for humanity, not Noah’s plan for himself. Noah never would have built an ark if he were doing his own thing. An ark would have made no sense in a land locked place that had never experienced rain. God didn’t join Noah on Noah’s journey, Noah joined God as God was in the process of carrying out His Sovereign, eternal plan to save those He created in His image (you and me) from eternal destruction.

God will not join me on my self-centered journey BUT – I am invited to walk with God on His road – to walk in His ways. I am invited to experience the journey of a lifetime, the journey that leads to eternal life. Walking with God is an adventure. I will walk in dark, dangerous valleys, I will walk through fire, I will walk through deep waters, I will walk up steep mountains, I will walk across deserts. I may even find myself walking on water! Impossible? well –

“Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’ ” (Matthew 19:26)

As I walk with God, His words give me comfort, courage and the hope I need to continue walking in His ways rather than pursuing my own path –

“But now, this is what the Lord says – He who created you, O Jacob, He who formed you, O Israel; ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name, you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.’ ” (Isaiah 43:1-2)

the choice is mine – with whom will I walk?

“He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)

sincerely, Grace Day

walking into the New Year

Posted on by Grace Day

that’s right, I said walking, not running or sprinting BUT neither did I say crawling or limping into the New Year – even if some of us may feel today as if that is how we are entering into this New Year, perhaps weak and wounded, going at a slower pace than we would like – perhaps entering into this new year from a position of perceived defeat rather than victory –

Nevertheless, the new year is here and I just walked into it, literally – that is to say, I just took my first walk of the New Year. Ironically, I took this walk not somewhere new, but in an old, familiar place, but one that I have not walked at all in the last several years. The route or path was full of memories even though this time of year it looks very different from what I remember. That’s because I used to walk this place in summer or fall, when it is in full bloom with wildflowers, community gardens, all kinds of wildlife and plenty of other walkers.

Today is bitingly cold and windy, the landscape brown and barren, except for some cattails and other tall brown grasses. Still, I find beauty in the stark barrenness of the landscape and of the trees, and I take comfort in knowing that the time is coming when this same landscape will again be full of color and life.

This is the same place I remember, just in a different season. I walk alone, remembering all the times I walked this path with a friend as we shared and prayed our way along the route until we would arrive back where we started. Actually though, today I was not alone. My Heavenly Father was walking with me, as He always does. I’m just more aware of His Presence when I’m by myself.

I am reminded that God walked with Adam and Eve in the garden “in the cool of the day.” God has been walking with His people from the very beginning and He’s still doing it today. God told Abraham –

“Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you.” (Genesis 12:1)

God would be going with Abraham to show him the way. I feel like God does that for me every day. He doesn’t send me off alone – He walks with me to guide me, to direct, inform and teach me along the way. This is a good thing because I am directionally challenged. I can so easily lose my way and my focus and my purpose as I walk out my life’s journey. But I have the promise of His Presence even when I lose my way or get off course –

“Where can I go from Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your Presence? If I go up to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in the depths, You are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there Your hand will guide me, Your right hand will hold me fast.” (Psalm 139:7-10)

I especially like the promise that my Heavenly Father’s “right hand will hold me fast.” This knowledge, this truth, gives me both comfort and courage as I walk forward into this new year. I welcome both, as it is the comfort of His Presence that gives me the courage I need to face the uncertainties and the inevitable challenges this new year will surely bring to me. With my Heavenly Father’s hand holding me fast, I am able to walk into this new year with grit, grace and gratitude – knowing I do not walk alone.

That doesn’t mean my walking is always graceful or that my walking conditions are always ideal – far from it. Very few moments do I find myself “walking on water” like Peter. I love those dramatic moments when my faith overpowers my fear and I step out in obedience. I step out of my boat like Peter did, leaving behind what I trusted in, instead walking toward Jesus across a stormy sea, trusting only in Him. I have eyes only for Jesus – I am walking on water – until I notice the storm surrounding me and I began to sink like Peter did. BUT – as with Peter, it is in that very moment God’s hand holds me fast and rescues me.

“But when he (Peter) saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, ‘Lord, save me!’ Immediately Jesus reached out His hand and caught him.” (Matthew 14:30-31)

My walking will not always be in pleasant places during this coming year. BUT – God’s Presence walking with me will make all the difference. Like King David, I will probably walk through many valleys in 2025, and some will be dark valleys, like David’s valley of the shadow of death. However, look how David describes his experience of walking with God –

“He guides me in paths of righteousness for His name’s sake. 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 Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.” (Psalm 23:3-5)

Even when I am walking this world’s darkest valleys, I don’t have to be afraid! (“I will fear no evil”) I have the comfort of God’s Presence. And even while I am walking my valleys, my cup overflows! God sees to that. Will I be walking in any more difficult places than valleys surrounded by my enemies? Well, I imagine I’ll face a few fiery trials, aka. furnaces again this year. Remember Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble.”

However, I recall the furnace experience of Daniel’s three friends and I am encouraged. Remember they were bound up and thrown into a furnace heated seven times hotter than normal to assure their destruction. But when King Nebuchadnezzar looked into the furnace, he got a surprise –

” ‘Weren’t there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire?’ They replied, ‘Certainly, O king.’ He said, ‘Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods.’ ” (Daniel 3:24-25)

A furnace is not a place I would choose to take a walk, but the three men were “unbound and unharmed – walking around in the fire” – because God was there with them, the fourth One in the fire. As long as I’m walking with God, I can walk with courage. Although, climbing mountains does seem a bit daunting, to put it mildly. Not so with God.

“The Sovereign Lord is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to go on the heights.” (Habakkuk 3:19)

Walking on water, walking through dark, dangerous valleys, walking in fiery furnaces or walking up steep mountains – I never know where walking with God will take me, but I do know He will be with me every step of the way – and that is enough, more than enough actually. I have these marching (walking) orders for 2025 –

“And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (Micah 6:8)

Sometimes I walk with friends, sometimes by myself – but never alone. God’s right hand always holds me fast. That’s His promise. When I fear that I am losing my way, I am reminded that –

“I am to walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7)

My life is a walk of faith from start to finish. Currently I am continuing on said walkabout knowing this to be true –

“but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)

walking with you, dear readers, into God’s new year – today I walked not on water, but into the wind and the cold – tomorrow? who knows? (well, actually God knows) I have the promise of His Presence, the assurance that I will walk without fainting, the knowledge that God will direct the paths that I walk – that’s enough for today – enough for me to put one foot in front of the other – I don’t need to see the end – I walk by faith today, tomorrow and every day. To that end I will –

“Trust in the Lord with all my heart and lean not on my own understanding; in all my ways I will acknowledge Him, and He will direct my paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

sincerely, Grace Day

another unexpected encounter

Posted on by Grace Day

There is an old (undoubtably outdated) saying – “another day, another dollar.” This saying originated from American sailors, who in the 19th century, were paid a dollar a day on long voyages, where each day was pretty much the same as the day before it had been and therefore their days at sea were fairly monotonous.

Not so, however, my daily prayer walks. Now you might think that my walks would be the same each day, just like the sailors’ days at sea. And I do usually walk the same route around the neighborhood at about the same time each day. (you would think I would get bored and mix it up a little, but no, I tend to be a creature of habit) Yet even with keeping to the same route and the same schedule, no two walks are ever the same. Of course, the weather is constantly changing, but it is much more than that.

It is the joy of the unexpected encounter, which always takes me by surprise, then leaves me uplifted and thanking God afterwards. I receive these “chance” encounters as gifts from God, as reminders of His constant presence with me and with others, wherever we are. Today’s encounter was pure joy. I came upon another walker who appeared to be on her phone as she walked (not unusual) although she was listening rather than talking. We had said “hello” in passing a few times previously, and today was no different. Well, no different at first, and then it was.

Turns out she was listening to “Our Daily Bread” which I recognized as a daily devotion from God’s word. So I walked with her and we listened together to God’s word to us as we walked. What a great way to start a new day – breakfast with a friend! I guess I should explain that one. There’s a reason this particular daily Bible reading is called “Our Daily Bread.” In Matthew, Jesus says something interesting in His response to satan, when satan tempts Jesus in the desert, after Jesus had been fasting for forty days and forty nights. Their conversation goes like this –

“The tempter came to Him (Jesus) and said, ‘If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.’ Jesus answered, ‘It is written: Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ ” (Matthew 4:3-4)

Get it? God’s Word is our daily bread. We need to eat physical food every day. We need God’s Word every day. Food gives my body the strength and energy I need to be able to do everything that the day will require of me. Likewise, God’s Word gives me the wisdom, direction, teaching, hope, truth and inspiration I need in order to deal well with every situation and person I will encounter that day. I can’t survive long without either one – physical food or God’s Word. God told the Israelites as much when He told them this –

“Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law. They are not just idle words for you – they are your life. By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess.” (Deuteronomy 32:46-47)

God’s words are life to you and to me! In John I read this –

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. . . . The Word became flesh and made His dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” (John 1:1-2 & 14)

The Word – the Living Word – that’s Jesus! No wonder Jesus said this about Himself to His disciples –

“Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me will never go hungry, and he who believes in Me will never be thirsty.’ ” (John 6:35)

Jesus is the Living Word – which explains why we are told we aren’t meant to live on just physical bread alone, but truly by “every word that comes from the mouth of God.” The first is simply survival. The second leads us to the life that God intended for us – the life that Jesus talked about when He said –

“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” (John 10:10)

Every day I am hungry for physical food and I am intentional about eating the food my body needs to keep going. There are even favorite foods that I crave. I will go to great lengths to find, purchase and prepare these foods. But I have to ask myself, am I as intentional about being fed from God’s Living Word? God’s words are life to me. They feed my mind, my heart and my spirit. God’s Word sustains me. Apart from His Word I grow weak and weary and I lose my way. Jesus told His disciples this –

“The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.” (John 6:63)

There it is again – God’s words are life. No wonder when I turn to God’s Word, His words fill my heart with hope, they renew my mind, they light my way, they lift my spirit, they give me life. As I walked with my new found friend, the two of us listening together to God’s Word being read out loud, I realized how hungry I was for God’s word, starving actually. His word fills all those places in me that the world cannot fill, that the world cannot satisfy. My mind, my heart and my spirit long to be filled with His Living Word daily. Nothing else will satisfy the longing of my heart and soul.

What a special time we had in those few moments of feasting together on God’s Word, my new friend and I had. We discovered we had much in common in addition to being sisters in Christ. I gave my Heavenly Father thanks for His gift to me of another unexpected encounter of the very best kind – breakfast with a new friend from His Daily Bread. It’s like Jesus told His disciples –

“I am the bread of life. Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.” (John 6:48-51)

sincerely, Grace Day

the gift of an unexpected encounter

Posted on by Grace Day

That’s what I had this morning on my solitary prayer walk – an unexpected encounter of the best kind. I say this because there are “unexpected encounters” that do not make our day better, but instead make our day more difficult or more painful than it otherwise would have been without the encounter. However, this was not one of those encounters that brings one down, leaving you discouraged or even distraught. No, this encounter was pure joy, just the encouragement I needed on this ordinary day, this mundane morning, to lift my soul in thanks to God for His unexpected gift of this encounter.

You see, I was walking weary – not weary of body but weary of spirit. I was weary in prayer because the needs are so numerous and the burdens so heavy – alone it is easy to feel overwhelmed. This in spite of the fact that I know “nothing is too hard for God.” I was feeling weak until our paths crossed (literally) and everything changed. Now full disclosure, our paths had crossed once before just recently, where I had acknowledged to her that I wasn’t talking to myself as I walked, but to God. I guess I felt the need to explain my odd behavior to a stranger so I wouldn’t be thought weird.

To my surprise, I received complete understanding instead of a bewildered or a judgmental response. Turns out, she’s a prayer walker too! So, no explanation needed. Which brings me to this morning, when our paths crossed again and she remembered my name! We talked briefly. She shared a prayer request which gave me the courage to share a prayer burden of mine, so close to my heart that it is too painful to share with others, so I don’t. But I shared it with her this morning. My load was lightened. My burden wasn’t gone, but it was borne by another besides myself. Reminded me of this instruction from Galatians –

“Bear one another’s burdens; and so fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2)

I walked on feeling lighter, while thanking God for this good gift, this unexpected encounter. As I continued walking and talking (which is to say praying) I was reminded of something that happened to Moses that seems relevant to me today. The story is told in Exodus about Joshua and the Israelites fighting the Amalekites. It happened like this –

“The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. Moses said to Joshua, ‘Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.’ So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up – one on one side, one on the other – so that his hands remained steady till sunset. So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.” (Exodus 17:8-13)

Moses was weak, he grew tired from having to keep his hands raised while the battle went on below him. But Moses wasn’t alone. Aaron and Hur were with him. They lifted him up. They fought the battle with him. That’s how it is with prayer. We lift each other up to God in prayer. When the enemy seems to be winning and I feel too defeated, too tired, too weak to pray, I am sustained by the knowledge that others are praying for me until I can again take my place on the wall and cry out to God.

This I do gladly for others, praying for those weak and wounded souls who are too weary to pray for themselves, feeling far from God until they come to know just how near He really is. This morning, I felt my faith strengthened, knowing someone else was praying with me for a specific, impossible mountain to be moved. I think this is something the enemy of our souls fears – us bearing each other’s burdens in prayer. Probably because he knows our faith, even if only a mustard seed amount, moves mountains and he knows –

“The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.” (James 5:16)

We all have mountains in our lives that need moving. It is prayer that will move them. What a privilege to pray with others for their mountains to move even as they pray with me for the moving of my mountains. When I pray with and for others, I am essentially holding up their hands to God, when like Moses, they have become too weary to raise their hands themselves. And I am grateful for all the times others come alongside me in prayer, holding up my hands when I am too tired to continue holding them up to God myself. I am told to –

“pray continually” and “always keep on praying for all the saints.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17 & Ephesians 6:18)

I thank God for my unexpected encounter today, encouraging me in my prayer walk to keep on praying, never giving up, knowing that someone else is praying too. Together we are calling down the kingdom as we pray individually and collectively –

“Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.”

Today, I encountered a stranger and found a sister! (we even share a favorite movie, “War Room”) Thank You, Heavenly Father!

sincerely, Grace Day