First Steps

and why we might discount them

Two of my proudest moments were when my daughters took their first steps. My oldest, Julia, took two steps, then four, then she walked all the way across the house and never looked back.

My youngest, Lucy, has had a different walking journey. A couple days ago, she took ten steps all by herself. They were solid steps. She did it exactly right. And then…she burst into tears! Something about the experience was completely overwhelming to her. She may have been scared to be without her mama’s hand, unsure of her own abilities, or maybe our cheers for her were a little too loud. Or maybe it was all just too new. I know she’ll take more and more steps on her own, but for now, she’s back to holding mama’s hand.

First steps take a ton of courage! Sometimes those first steps aren’t just disorienting, they are seismic. They make our whole world and how we operate in that world unfamiliar. And that can be very scary.

As a coach, I’m trained to help people take just a few steps towards their goals. Maybe it’s a first step towards a new career, a first step in reconciling with a friend, or a first step in changing a life rhythm. Sometimes those first steps are enough to send someone running all the way to the finish line. But sometimes those first steps are so overwhelmingly complex that we are tempted to call them unimpressive.

Here’s my encouragement for today:

1. Don’t discount your first steps! Even if you fall to the ground or if you feel too scared to take the next few steps, you just did a really brave thing! And that is worthy of celebrating.

2. Don’t be afraid to go find that hand to hold. The experience of taking those first steps might feel confusing or overwhelming. That does not mean you did it wrong or that you are going in the wrong direction. It may just mean you still need a hand to hold at times. Finding your help and encouragement will not be the hindrance to your progress. It may just be the assurance you need to keep at it.

I honestly don’t think there’s ever been anything in my life I’ve been more proud of than to see my daughters be so brave to take their first steps. Nothing compares. This is God’s heart for us when we step out in courage and take some first steps, in whatever direction he is calling us. He is so so so so proud of you.