The Narrow Way

You will know that I am leading you by the narrowness of the way.
“I Control the Winds,” Come Away My Beloved

I don’t like to think that I am alone. I don’t like to consider that some paths bring fewer visitors, some paths are desolate, the road less traveled. I am uncomfortable in places that are not familiar to others, because we look around for the advice and knowing looks of others when we are only meant with silence and the lack of any glances at all.

But praise the Lord, praise my gracious Father that we are not alone, especially on seemingly secluded paths and unknown territories to others.

You know the calling? The purpose that holds tight to your soul, tugging in the direction that is slightly terrifying, but completely adorned with Christ? That calling is a narrow way. It is a desolate, secluded, way. It seems lonely, discouraging, dark, scary, unfortunate, stupid. But it is your way. Yours.

And it isn’t, not in any way, what it seems.

Some mornings I wake up still exhausted, still hoping that my nearly 10-month-old would sleep like his brother. I reach for my phone, check social media and emails, push myself up, and begin the day. I flourish in routine, so we stick to ours rather religiously. Breakfast, cartoons, get dressed, get toys out, TV off, prayer, dishes. Evan goes to his office and works until lunch, we eat together, I breathe for a little bit. Liam goes down for a nap, Asa goes down for a nap, I lay on the couch and rest. The boys wake up, we have a snack, we play, we wait for daddy. Dinner, playtime, TV, baths, bed. Somewhere in there is other stuff, things that I do around the house, some days involve a lot more rest than planned.

I know, you don’t come here to read about my routine. But it’s my ministry, my calling, my narrow way. Our narrow way. What you don’t see is the constant little prayers I send that ask for patience, understanding, courage, and love for my boys. You don’t see the work that my husband does to keep us living the life we live. You don’t see the spontaneous conversations we have about Jesus, about this path we choose, about fear, about hope. You only see the everyday, routine things we do.

Though some days feel lonely, we are never alone. Our path is narrow for a reason. Your path is narrow, seemingly secluded for a glorious reason. God sets aside this path for us, a path that doesn’t have a lot of travelers. A path that some people don’t know how to help you navigate. A path that is identified, structured for us and us alone. So He may whisper direction & teaching into our ears, so our eyes may be fixed on Him, not on other travelers around us. We look longingly at others some days, wishing we had what seems to be an “easy” way, but what may seem so simple on the outside may be incredibly complex within. This path is for us. Made for us. Narrow. Secluded. So we may see the God who calls us, who guides us, who loves us.

Yet he [speaking of Abraham] did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised.
Romans 4:20-21

Fully persuaded that God has the power to do what He has promised. Oh yes, in the narrow way, He will do what He has promised.