A Familiar Road...

With spring in the air, I have been looking forward to walking, jogging and riding my bike outside!

Not only have I looked forward to getting outside, but I have also eagerly looked forward to walking very familiar country roads!

I walked these roads for several years!

And many mornings and evenings, I walked these country roads with my daughter!

Our conversations were endless!

I loved hearing what my sweet girl would say on these walks!

Our conversations would vary from one topic to the next, including the few mentioned topics below…as well as…so many more…

How her day went…

Relationships…

Friendships…

Dance/poms…

School plays…

Homecomings/Proms

Why she should or shouldn’t date this certain boy?

God…faith…Bible studies…church…

Classes…

College…what career path she should choose…

Student teaching…and the students she had in her class…

Andrew…the boy that stole her heart in Jr. High…and when she finally realized he was the one for her!

The future…and her heart’s desires…

Getting engaged…

Wedding plans…

Starting a family…her hope and desire to become a mama one day!

And oh so much more!!

Those conversations were and will always be priceless to me!

I listened to my daughter share her heart…what was important to her…what she valued and what she hoped the future held for her!

I listened…

I talked…

And I listened some more…

And hopefully, I spoke into her young life!

As I walk these roads again…I pray that my daughter cherishes those mother/daughter moments as much as I did!

I pray that I was the mama she needed in her life while she was growing up!

And I continue to pray that prayer…asking God to help me be a good mama to my children today…and to be a good grandma (Gammy) to all of my grandchildren as well!

These are such important roles, and I desire to do them well!

Not only did I love the time I spent with my daughter as we walked those country roads, but I also loved the time that I spent with the Lord.

As I journey down these roads again…I remember the times when my daughter couldn’t join me!

I would walk alone and would spend that time praying…sharing my heart with the Lord!

I often thought of the vehicles passing by me…wondering what they saw and thought!!??

Did they see a woman talking to herself?

Did I appear to be a little crazy…my lips moving…my head lifted to the Lord…often waving my hands frantically as I shared my cares, concerns and my heart with God!

I imagine I was (and will continue to be) quite a sight to those driving by me during those times or prayer!

Traveling downs these roads countless times…I know where they lead…and if I follow them back…I know they will lead me home!

But what about the roads that don’t lead us back home…or worse…lead us away from our Heavenly Father?

God’s word reminds us…”Enter through the narrow gate.  For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.  But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it”…Matthew 7:13-14.

God’s word tells us that many will pass through the wide gate and choose the broad road.

Unfortunately, the more frequently traveled road…the more popular road…leads to destruction...and possibly, to eternal death!

God’s word also states that only a few will pass through the smaller gate and stay on the narrow road!

Dear friends…that narrow road leads to life…it lead to an eternal home in heaven!

I don’t know about you, but I prefer to continue on the less-traveled road!

I prefer to ask others to join me, so that too my find the road that leads to eternal life!

Wouldn’t it be amazing if that narrow road was filled with numerous travelers…filled with those who knew the truth…who desire to follow Jesus…regardless of where that road may lead them?!!

I think so!

So, as I continue to walk those familiar roads…I will be picturing and praying for others to walk through that small gate…to travel that narrow road…to follow Jesus!

Dear Heavenly Father…thank you for precious memories made with my daughter as we walked the country roads near our home!  But help me to remember to pray for others to join us on that narrow road that leads to life…that leads to you!