I just uploaded a new poem to my Gallery. You can find it here.
I wrote this poem when I was still an undergraduate. A campus ministry hosted a retreat for college students one autumn weekend, and I took part. The retreat was at a Methodist Assembly campground that my church used for its retreats, so it was a generally familiar place. On the Friday night of the retreat, there was a gathering at a campfire near the small lake on the grounds. I’d left the cabin with a few other young women, but once we were off the path, crossing the uneven ground heading toward the campfire in the near distance, we realized that none of us had brought a flashlight.
I looked at the long yardage between myself and the campfire and thought of all the possibilities for stumbling that hid in the darkness — tree roots, rocks, uneven ground, holes. But then it crossed my mind to just say, “I’ll trust the Lord to watch out for my feet.” I also thought of the Apostle Peter when he saw Jesus walking on the water coming toward the boat. When Peter got out of the boat, he too could walk on water those first steps – as long as he kept his eyes on the Lord. It was when he looked away that he fell into the water.
So I stepped into the darkness, and kept my eyes on the campfire ahead of me. And there was not a single stumble for me.
This isn’t one of my most sophisticated poems, but after having gone through a stressful period recently, I’m pleased to be reminded of that evening and the adventure of stepping out, trusting my feet to God’s care .
(Check out the Works Index for other poems.)
