One of the ladies at my church, Lisa Robertson, has just published a book called "The Path of Life: Walking In The Loving Presence of God". It talks about the first step on a path, the Surprising Path, the Difficult Path, the Parenting Path, the Path of Change, the Path of Joy, the Narrow Path, and more.
Who knew there were so many pathways in the Bible?! I have the book in my growing-not-shrinking stack of books to read, but I've heard her share her story several times now. The verse that she shares the most often is this one:
"You make known to me the path of life, You will fill me with joy in your presence, With eternal pleasures at your right hand." - Psalm 16:11
She says the great thing about #paths is that 1) there's always a destination; 2) you're not the first one to walk it, and 3) God promises to walk with us.
I've always loved art featuring magical #pathways curving around the bend in a Japanese garden, straight and light-strewn, or deep in the green woods. One of my mental prayer-pictures is of Christ and I walking, hand in hand, on an ocean path, as I lean in and hear Him. Now that I have been walking with God for over 35 years, I can see and hear well enough that the path is (generally) worn and clear.
However, when I was a teenager I about drove myself crazy trying to "find God's will for my life". I went to camps, listened to and read everything that even hinted at finding God's pathway for my life. I got nothing. Nada. What was wrong with me?
Finally, I was released from the angst when an elderly Bible teacher, Fuchsia Pickett, (now in Heaven) spoke at a Women of the Word conference on the callings of God. (Did you know there are over 100 callings of God? Another post, another time.)
She said this one truth and it set me free:
"Do you want to know and do the will of God for your life? If so, just answer 'Yes!' to God and 'No!' to the Devil every time, and when you get to the end of your life, you will have accomplished God's will for your life."
Simple words, gracefull path.