One particularly hard day last week, I was picking up around the house and in the process grabbed this plastic shoe box sized container and placed it on a shelf. Suddenly I heard a voice coming from inside the box saying, “Follow me! I’ll light the way!”. This proud proclamation was followed by something that sounded like a small rocket taking off and flashing lights that could be seen from within the clear sided box. It was coming from the Buzz Lightyear action figure inside, which had inadvertently been activated when the box was jostled in the move. Eric, who was around the corner and knew just what I was thinking in that moment, laughed and said outloud, “Thank you God we needed to hear that”.  

When life is filled with hardships it can be difficult to know where you are going. Whether you’re dealing with the loss of a relationship, walking through a scary medical diagnosis, caring 24/7 for a child who takes everything you’ve got and more, or experiencing any number of devastating things that can come your way; it can all be so disorienting and overwhelming. We can feel so lost and alone. But God knows the way. He wants us to know that we can trust Him to be there and to lead us through anything and anywhere. And if we follow Him, we will never walk in darkness again because He will light the way. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12).

It’s funny how God works. Sometimes I actually find myself laughing out loud when I see His sense of humor in action. I mean, He had used a plastic talking toy to remind me this week of His beautiful promises. To remind me of who I am placing my trust in with one simple exclamation, “Follow me! I’ll light the way”. And of course no battery-operated light up toy could ever compare. He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6). He is everything and I can follow Him anywhere because He not only knows the way – He is the way.