“The Sun will rise and set regardless. What we choose to do with the light while it’s here is up to us. Journey wisely.” ―
Today was a beautiful beginning to March, the kind of day that if you don’t go outside and do something you feel you have missed a sweet opportunity to enjoy life. March can be a fussy month with ten different kinds of weather in one day, but it can also gift us with a perfect spring day before the calendar admits it’s spring. Not only was this first day of March beautiful with sunshine and warmer temperatures, it also landed on a Sunday. That gave extra time to enjoy and appreciate the sunshine.
I’m always happy when my son and his family come out to hike with me and often we end up at a cliff area on my farm. These pictures are from one of those times a few yea
rs ago. We went again today but I forgot my phone. It’s not totally bad to forget one’s phone. Not having to worry about pictures gave me extra time to soak in the sun filled air.
The walk today was the reason I picked this 1st Sunday devotional. It’s short but I hope you will enjoy the thought and words.
1st Sunday Devotional
When I walk with youngsters, I want them to have nothing but a smooth path before them with flowers to pick and no thorns to make the walk unpleasant. But of course, the thorns are always there and the paths are rarely perfectly smooth. Sometimes paths they want to follow are easy. Others times, the paths they face are steep and rocky. One place on my farm has those steep, rocky paths and of course, that’s one of the favorite places to go. When we’re there, I watch them walk among the rocks and at times hold my breath. Sometimes I reach out a hand to steady them or voice a warning to be careful.
That’s my way of trying to assure they’ll be safe. But even if I could somehow level the paths and make them easy, I’d be cheating my grandkids and other young friends out of the chance of developing their climbing muscles or the thrill of making 
it over the rocks in the path. The same is true in their daily lives. We want our children to be happy and not have to face difficult times. We wish we could somehow bulldoze all the problems out of their paths, but even if we were able to do that, we’d be doing them a disservice for how could they develop character without the challenge of overcoming difficulties?
So we watch and suffer with them as they clamber over the rocky obstacles in their daily life. We offer prayers and guidance and love. And then there’s nothing left to do but move out of the way and let them grow. We all have to figure out the way around the rocks in the path of life for ourselves. That helps us develop character.
And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Romans 5:3-4 (NKJ)
Have you faced rocky paths in your life? If so, how did you make it past those life obstacles?
As always, thanks for reading.
Comments 14
By keeping my eyes on Jesus and leaning into Him.
Author
That’s the best way to walk along life’s path no matter what else is happening, Lisa.
Sometimes there are rocks and sometimes there are boulders! Boulders are when your conscious mind can’t see a solution. That’s when you put you faith in God and put one foot in front of the other. In hind site you can see Gods plan, but while living it life just feels muddled and out of control. Keep praying and trying. Belief and faith in God can make a person stronger than ever thought possible.
Author
Thank you for those inspiring comments, Donna. “Have faith in God when your pathways are lonely.” And all other times too. I like where you say to keep praying and trying. I often have an underlying theme of the power of prayer in my stories. Prayer and forgiveness seem to generally be the faith themes that make it into my stories.
I had more than rocks…I had boulders but with CHRIST all things are possible to overcome. Blessings
Author
So sorry that you had to maneuver around life boulders, Lucy, but praise the Lord you trusted Him to lead you through whatever difficulties came your way.
Lots of rocky paths,loss of a baby, husband in the Desert Storm war while I was at home raising two little ones and gave birth to our youngest, loss of a grandbaby and Stage 4 cancer…thats the big stuff , but I made it through with God, prayer, faith , friends and family and goals.Goals and attitude helps.
You are so right if we don’t let our kids face difficulties while young , what will they do when we aren’t around to smooth their paths?
I always told my kids when they dreaded something” Can’t go over it, can’t go under it, gotta go through it ”
I said this so much that when I got sick and my sister’s made shirts for a fundraiser for my expenses that’s what they put on them.
Thank you Ann for this devotional, it really got me to thinking.I am a blessed, thankful , happy person.I owe everything to God.
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You have been through some rough times, Lisa, and have come through such a beautiful, faithful child of God. I’m sure people still have those t-shirts and the message on them is still inspiring them to continue their life journeys with the kind of faith that you had facing cancer and the other hard times and losses. I’m so glad to have had the chance to meet you and some of your family.
So well said, Ann. Two sons and eight grands grant many rocky journeys, yet we do keep on keeping on, praying for their safety, spiritual growth and perseverance on life’s rocky yet beautiful road.
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As mothers and grandmothers, Helen, one of the sweetest things we can do is lift up our children and grandchildren to the Lord and pray for them. Life can throw so much as young people these days that they can definitely see themselves on rocky paths. We’ll pray they look to the Lord for guidance at those times.
Thank you Ann. You are so right. It is the rocky paths and the struggles that make us who we are. The trials of life help us to raise our eyes to our Creator and give thanks for his hand that ever guides us.
Author
We do get strengthened by the things that happen to us, especially if we lean on the Lord for that strength, Joy. Some go through unimaginable hardships. I always think of Corrie ten Boom and how she survived so much and how the Lord used her to spread his love.
Many more of those obstacles than I would like to admit in my 79 years!!! Only through faith and a whole lot of prayer was I able to survive. Beautiful devotional and gorgeous property! Thank you, Ann! 😊
Author
I’m glad you soldiered through all your obstacles with your hand in the Lord’s, Karen. Thanks for your comments on my posts. So appreciated.