Fix Your Eyes Ahead

At the end of every great weekend is another Monday. At five minutes until the start of my two hour commute, this Monday morning was about to tick-tock me out the door.

We had been blessed with a rare visit with my niece, her husband, and their three young boys. While the two older boys, Brandon and Conner, were busy devouring the outdoors, Zach, the two year old, stayed inside and kept the adults entertained.

As I savored the last few minutes before I had to leave, Zach looked up at me and decided I looked like someone fun to help with his blocks. This is what amazes me about kids. He had known me for less than twenty-four hours, yet he trusted me enough to build a house in my hands. There was something so precious about that moment.

My heart was heavy as I said goodbye and loaded myself into the car. Being with my nephews reminded of how much I wanted children, and I was also thinking about the new challenge that God had recently put in our path –  helping to plant a new church.

As I flipped on the radio, the familiar crooning of the Newsboys reeled me in, and reaffirmed that God had orchestrated this moment: 

“Stay strong
You are not lost.
Come on and fix your eyes ahead.
There’s a new dawn to light our day.
Stay strong. You and I run
For the prize that lies ahead.
We’ve come too far to lose our way.”

God knew that I felt lost, and that I needed to stop worrying and trust Him to lead us safely into our next assignment. Zach had it figured out. Just look up at someone bigger and start putting your blocks in their hands.

“Unless the LORD builds the house, its builders labor in vain.” (Psalm 127:1)

(originally posted in 2008)