Here I was on another run. Running has been quite difficult to keep up with while being on the field, but as I have fought for those runs tho, the Lord always seems to meet me there.
I wasn’t pumped about my run that day. I was running in Quito, Ecuador, which was 9,200 feet above sea level. It was harder to breathe that day and all the rocks beneath my feet felt bigger. I looked down at my shoes and noticed a hole was starting to form. At first I was bummed that my shoes were wearing out, but then the Lord reminded me about the places He had taken me in these shoes, and it brought me back to when I first got those shoes.
When I first got those shoes, I was struggling a bit in life and I wasn’t in the best shape to do more than walk. Fast forward a few months and they were with me on my first 10k where I could run the whole thing. The Lord stretched me more and asked me to jump, and now I am here on the field leading this amazing squad with the same shoes. In the same pair of shoes, in different times of life, I could only walk, then I learned how to fight for myself and run, and then the Lord pushed me even more and I jumped, trusting that He would catch me.
As I was running, I realized that shoes can be a physical representation of our journeys and seasons with the Lord.
As a baby, our shoes never get scuffed because we are picked up, loved on, and carried around.
As a toddler, your shoes start to get a little scuffed as you learn how to walk, and you fall, but get back up and get stronger.
As you grow into your childhood, you become more confident and get new shoes but you’re so excited to try them out that you get them filthy and wear them out within a week.
As we grow older we still scuff up our shoes but learn how to take better care of them and get them fixed up as needed.
Shoes represent a journey and it’s good sign when they become scuffed and worn because that means we are LIVING.
Sometimes in life we own too many pairs of shoes, we never have a chance for any of them to get worn out because we are just trying to fit into what shoes the world wants us to wear.
Once we have worn through one pair of shoes, and it’s time to get new shoes (or a new team, new job, etc.) they feel stiff and uncomfortable. Doesn’t mean they don’t fit tho. We just need to keep walking and trusting the Lord. Getting new shoes and being uncomfortable doesn’t mean I have moved backwards. It didn’t mean that my old shoes somehow became clean and new again. New shoes means that we are needing to be stretched. The more we walk in those shoes the better they fit our feet and we become more comfortable in that season.
What do your shoes look like right now?
We need to understand that we may be on the same/similar physical path as someone else, but their shoes may be in a different condition. If someone is struggling while wearing their new pair of shoes (a new season), I can’t just put them on and wear them out for them. If I tried running in someone else’s shoes I would trip and fall all over the place, because they don’t fit. We can’t run in people’s shoes for them but we can try to understand their part of God’s journey for them and walk along side them. Running/walking alongside someone, in whatever journey they are in is the best way we can love them through it.
We are the only one’s who can where the shoes we have been given in life. Are we going to try to do it with our own strength or trust that the Lord will help us along the way?
A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. (John 13:34)
Love love this! Miss you friend, but so proud of you:) xo
Beautiful Danae! Love the image you paint here, thank you for sharing 🙂
I love this analogy and will remember it forever. So beautiful the way the Lord speaks to you!
“How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news” Romans 10:15
Love your feet Nae
This is a great analogy and so true. Thanks for sharing and inspiring us to wear our shoes out! 🙂
Always encouraging. Proud of you for allowing The Lord to stretch you through leading this squad!
Encouraging and insightful message. Thank you for the work you are doing Danae