PREPARATION

Remember the short escalator video?

The mall is empty... there is no one to help... no one has a phone... they cry out for help, but they only hear the echo of their own voices. They are not trapped in an elevator or in a flooding water chamber; they are stopped on an escalator. All they have to do is take a step — just a step — then another and another and surprise!

 

 

Escalators without power turn into stairs. Just take a step.

We think, how stupid can people be? But, we are them. There are times when we all get frozen in our tracks, locked in a time warp, or stuck in place. Sometimes, the scariest thing to do is to take a step... just one step. And, there are times when we just don't think straight.

That's when faith shines — trust the Maker — just take a step.

Plan for it now, plan to... "Take a Step, Anyway!"

The goal is not to deal with the problem; the goal is to make God look good, to stand tall and take a step, anyway.

I feel like God has blessed me with Issachar blood. You remember Issachar's family; they were valued on King David's team because "these leaders knew the right time to do what needed to be done" (1 Chronicles 12:32 CEV). With so much uncertainty swirling around us, I know what to do. I have a plan.

In spite of fire and broken equipment, this ministry is standing tall and stepping forward. It is our plan to make God look good.

INSPIRATION

God is eagerly waiting for your first step.
Years ago Lyn and I were members of a West Texas church that had a major flaw in the sanctuary design. The nursery was behind the pulpit, which meant that if you had a crying baby, you had to walk down to the front of the building to get to the nursery area.

One Sunday morning, a toddler behind us was having a tough time. Nothing was going right, and the corrective whispers were getting more and more distracting.

Finally Glenn, the father, grabbed up the youngster tucked her under his arm like a football, with her bottom up and head hanging out facing the audience as he hurried to the nursery door. Just before they reached the door, the little girl stopped crying, lifted her head, looked out at the crowd, and said in a loud voice, "Please, pray for me...."

If I remember correctly, the preacher who had already stopped preaching, took a moment and said, "Shall we pray?"

MOTIVATION

Ready for a step; ask people to pray?

Build a team of people who will pray for your steps. Some of these steps will be planned and some unplanned. But every problem will require you to take a step. Remember, the first step is always the toughest.

Even if everything in your life seems to come to a standstill, God is eagerly waiting for your first step. You may stumble a bit, but the step of faith is what God is waiting to see. He wants to know what's in your heart. Remember Abraham's faithful steps?

Together we will experience the fingerprints of God and live to tell the stories of his power and might in this generation and the generations to come.