Written By a Cafe1040 Student

I looked down and saw a rubble for a path. I looked to my right and saw a steep incline of jagged rocks. I looked to my left and saw a slope straight to the valley. I looked forward and saw my group ahead of me. I paused. I wasn't sure of my next step. My knees were shaking and I honestly didn't think I would be this terrified.

At that moment, I felt alone in my fear. I don't even know how I would have voiced what I was feeling to my group, but that wasn't the issue. It was the fear of moving forward. Without anyone else knowing this internal mess inside me, it was then how much I felt seen by the Father. He was the one to move my feet another step.

Just a step. All it takes is one step forward in faith. Even if you barely trust your own feet, you have to take that step. It is not my strength, but His. And He is trustworthy to get me through this amid my trembling. I only hiked a fourth of the hike we planned to, but it felt like a success. My trust in the Father has never felt so big in my life. By the time we got the chance to ride back for the rest of the way, it didn't matter that no one else saw that fear besides the Father. He physically saw me, held me, and kept me safe, regardless of how I felt.

I saw in just this hour what missions might feel like some of the time or even just obedience to the Father. You can feel paralyzed by the fear of the enemy and your knees are shaking. But, even in this fear, and physical instability, you know you have to take that next step of faith. You can know and trust that the Father has you. The ground may look unsteady and your feet may fail, but He is a solid foundation that will catch you if you fall.

As I finished my own trek up this mountain, I felt closer to the Father because I knew how close He held me (and as a number one physical touch love language girl, this was huge). And if I can encourage you in any way, it would be to take that scary step of faith. Do it scared. You won't always feel at peace before moving ahead. Because maybe the Father is waiting to meet you in the chaos and not the calm. And even if your foot doesn't land, you are still in His hand.