Beyond the Crossroad

(Photo credit:   Biel Morro on Unsplash)

Just when I think the road ahead is smooth and straight, life throws in a few twists and turns. Several months ago I found myself at a one of life’s crossroads. I was having a hard time reconciling my reality with my faith.

In looking in my rear view mirror, I can see God was actively loving me through a crossroad, just as He always does. I can turn around and see His footprints along the path and can recognize that I was traveling alongside God who would use this specific journey for His purpose in my life. I can see the many crossroads of my past and am able to appreciate how God led me through each one in His own time and for His own purpose.  My reality was growing my faith in preparation for His purpose.

While crossroads can be overwhelming, they can also fill your soul in ways you never thought possible. I am someone that craves depth in my relationships with others. But have you been in a place in your life where busyness got in the way of true connection with others?  Are you currently craving a more intimate relationship with your spouse?

As I reflect on my marriage, I realize that the season of life we are in with young kids can leave me craving more…more alone time, more communication, more spiritual connectivity.

While I didn’t realize it immediately, God began fulfilling this spiritual craving in my marriage in the midst of a very uncertain time for us as a family. We felt God calling our family to pursue a new direction in following Him but could not understand why.  We were intentionally seeking patience (not a gift of mine) in order to clearly see the path He was paving for us, and hoping we would come out of the crossroad with our circumstances unchanged and on the same path. Until we didn’t.

Hours and hours of conversation with one another led us to prayerfully discern our next steps, re-evaluate our beliefs, and turn to the Word. The result?  An unexpected crossroad that led to a new path, but one that has left us closer to each other, and more importantly, closer to Him!

(Photo credit:  Tim Gouw on Unsplash)

Do you find yourself in the midst of uncertainty?  Are you questioning why you are stuck in a crossroad and anxious to be on the other side?  I have no doubt God is using this time to prepare you for the other side. This period could be a short red light on your journey of life or it could be a more epic traffic jam. But no matter the length of time, God is calling all of us to depend solely on Him, the one true Navigator.

Is He calling you to be still in the moment? (Someone teach me how to be still please.) Seems simple, right?  Trust me. It’s not. I recently was encouraged to be still and clear my mind for 2 minutes at a time four times a day. My brain has such a hard time shutting off. But when it can, it is so freeing!!  God wants me to let go of the steering wheel, quit fretting over all the traffic and noise, and allow Him the control so I can truly focus on the beauty of life. Sounds amazing, huh?  So why do I have such a hard time letting go? (Que Frozen’s “Let It Go.”  Stuck in your head?  You’re welcome!)

(Photo credit:  Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

I will take each day one step at a time to try and release control over to You, Lord. May you continue to pursue me and encourage me to lay my fears and anxieties at Your feet. Help me to be okay with not seeing beyond the next step and to be confident in knowing You are walking alongside me. Thank you for Your eternal promises, promises we may not fully grasp this side of heaven. Lord, continue to guide me through the crossroads of my life as I use these times of transition and reflection to grow more spiritually in tune with You.

In Your Name,

Amen ❤️

~Psalm 118:24

”This is the day the Lord hath made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.”