He Will Direct you Steps

January 25, 1967 the sun rose and shone brightly through the beautiful ice crystals that hung from the trees.  The winter was one of many ice storms across the country.  The ice was the most beautiful thing she had ever seen.  As she looked out the window and admired the glistening branches, she held her future in her hands as she was reflected on the last 12 hours.

 Shortly before midnight labor had begun and her baby would soon be born.  There would be complications and the possibility that the baby would not live. She and her husband waited for the doctor to arrive.  He was on call but could not get to the hospital because of the treacherous roads.  An intern with came to assist and explained that he would be helping to deliver the baby that evening.  However what happened next was horrifying.  The nurses began to administer anesthesia, which was common in those days.  Because her doctor was unavailable, the nurses were unaware of the adverse reaction she had to anestehsia.  As they began to cover her face with the mask she swung her arms and knocked the nurses down in the process.  The nurses strapped her down and continued to administer anesthesia.  Which caused a delay in the baby's birth and further complications. 

Joyce was unable to think in order to deliver the baby.  The contractions delayed and she was having a difficult time staying focused.  The intern quickly entered the waiting room to tell Juan that the baby may not make it, and if they do not take the baby by cesarean section both Joyce and the baby may not live.  The medical staff quickly prepped Joyce for the cesarean section.  She was in and out of consciousness from the anesthesia but she understood what was going on.  She tried one last time to push, and instead of a cesearan section, the baby was born naturally at 7: 18 am.  At first everyone sat with baited breath.  The baby was blue, she wasn't breathing.  The intern smacked her on the bottom and rubbed her back and she began to cry.  Joyce was relieved and her first child was born.  

There was clearly a destiny for Joyce.  She would go on to have 2 more children.  As a mother and wife she would go on to follow her passion and teach everyone she could about the love of Christ.  Today as you read her words, let God direct you toward the path he has chosen for you.  

He Will Direct Your Steps January 25

Every person ever created was filled with a passion that defines their purpose and ultimate destiny.  Everyone is unique and designed with God’s plan written inside of their DNA.  Too often life takes us on a journey where we lose sight of our true passion and find ourselves settling for less than God’s best. This then becomes an existence without life.

When we travel down the wrong path, even though it is good and seems to fulfill us, deep inside there is a yearning toward something more.  Things that should completely satisfy us leave us empty and we inadvertently find ourselves drifting along with the status quo.  We force ourselves to become content in the world and lose our expectation for the greatness created within us. 

That is not God’s original intent; He built in us a desire to know Him and to do His will, to make a difference in the world around us and take dominion over our own life. When we seek Him, He will be found, and by His Holy Spirit He will direct us in the way that we should go.

The only way we can impact our world for righteousness is to become totally submitted to God.  When we yield to Him in every way we will begin doing what we love and love what we do.  The Lord’s greatest pleasure is to bless His children with every good and perfect gift.  Psalm 145 says, “The Lord upholds all that fall, and raises up all that are bowed down…He opens His hand and satisfies the desire of every living thing. The Lord is near to all who call upon him and He will fulfill their desires.”

The beautiful thing about developing a relationship with the Lord is that it is never too late to get on the right track. Proverbs 5-6 states, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and don’t lean on your own understanding, acknowledge Him in all your ways and He will direct your steps” …and your latter days will be made to be greater than the former.