Gabby bit her nails while waiting for Carla to take her first step. She knew her daughter was close, but something was holding her back. Could her baby be scared? Do they know fear that young?

Carla wobbled as she took one hand away from the side of the couch.

“Gabby, take your fingers out of your mouth,” Brian said. “She’ll be fine.”

She sighed and sat on her hands. “I can’t help it. What if she falls on her face?”

Brian kneeled in front of their daughter and reached out his arms. “Come on baby girl, one step at a time. Daddy’s here.”

Gabby sat on the floor beside her husband. “You can do it.”

Carla let go and took one step, teetered, and fell with a thud.

Gabby held her breath as Carla placed her hands on the floor, stuck her butt in the air, and made her way into a standing position. She took another step. Her arms flailed, but she stood her ground and took another step. Then another, and another until she made it across the living room and fell into her father’s arms.

Gabby clapped. “Yeah. You did it!”

Carla giggled and brought her tiny hands together imitating her mother.

“I knew she could do it as long as she took one step at a time,” Brian said.

These are words to live by. One step at a time.

Do you ever feel overwhelmed? Either you have so much to do you don’t know where to start? Or too much is happening in your life you don’t know how to deal with it all?

I think we can all honestly say—been there, done that. Bought the t-shirt.

As a writer, I’m overwhelmed with trying to finish my book. A million thoughts go through my head. Can I make it interesting enough? Are my characters flat or well-rounded? What if people don’t like it? What if, heaven forbid, writer’s block sets in? Yikes!

When I look at it as a whole I panic. Sometimes I want to give up.

Then I remember God has called me to write this story, so I take it one chapter at a time. Yes, I need to keep the plot in mind, but I take baby steps and the panic subsides.

It’s the same in life. We need to remember to reach out to our Saviour and ask for His help. To take one step at a time.

I know that’s not easy when our world comes crashing down around us. We panic. We want to give up and just stick our heads in the sand. Maybe that way everything will go away.

Not going to happen.

So, what if we took one step at a time and asked for God’s help? He will calm our hearts.

He’s waiting with outstretched arms. Can’t you hear Him saying, “Come on, my child. You can do it. Daddy’s here.”

Take that step. He won’t let you fall.

Matthew 6:34 (The Message)

“Give your entire attention to what God is doing right now, and don’t get worked up about what may or may not happen tomorrow. God will help you deal with whatever hard things come up when the time comes.”

(Great niece Anaiah modelling the sweater set I made her! So cute!)

Photo courtesy of Leanne Harrison