“Ok, Sarah, second… now third gear. Good.” Dad and I rolled down a country road in his silver Volkswagen pick-up, enveloped by lush maple and oak foliage. Barely nine years old, I sat in the passenger’s seat, ready to respond like a runner on the starting blocks to shift the manual transmission. 

Father-daughter adventures

Dad and I had many father-daughter adventures in that cozy cab: camping trips in the pines, sunset tennis practices, canoeing meandering rivers, and, my favorite: skiing in the snowy mountains of Maine. We drove through the night, and I woke to pale blue skies streaked with orange, knowing I’d soon see the “Sugarloaf/USA” sign smile at me. 

When I skied with friends, the tips of my skis tried to turn back to the lift. This is too steep! I’m going to fall! I panicked, exhaling giant puffs through my neck warmer. But I knew that the safest way down was with slow turns across the breadth of the trail like Dad had taught me. “I can do this,” I reassured myself aloud the whole way. And somehow, I did, despite my wobbly legs.

“Are you ready, Bean?” Dad asked when we met back up at the chair lift. His ski instructor’s name badge, ”Gene,” flashed in the sunlight as my pride beamed even brighter. I’m with him, my heart sang! But as an introvert, I kept the proclamation subdued to my sparkling eyes. 

Dad put his arm around me, and his leather glove squeezed my shoulder. The wind-worn trees near the summit weren’t much taller than me, and they leaned in to listen to us. “Let’s go to Bullwinkle’s, Dad, please!” With a Cheshire cat grin, he descended the trail, setting a playful pace. Hot cocoa welcomed us in the rustic pine lodge nestled among the snow-dusted evergreens. It was a place I only found when I followed Dad, as if our togetherness parted the pines to reveal the mysterious trail. 

Wherever I go

As I reflect on these sweet memories with my dad, I see how my heavenly Father longs to guide me through life. He continues to challenge me to explore new places with his loving hand upon me. My childhood memories are a glimpse at the goodness of our Father God and his unwavering gaze on me. The psalmist describes God’s fatherly presence like this, “If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast” (Psalm 139:9-10 NIV). 

Regardless of the height of my mountaintop joys or the depths of my pain and suffering, I cannot escape God’s loving hand to guide me. I just need to pause, look for him, and cry out for help. I now treasure the growing awareness of God’s love, care, and when I dwell with him in all parts of my journey. He waited many years for me to invite him in and trust him for the healing and for hope of new adventures.

On the slopes at Sugarloaf, I realized I felt courageous following my dad. I am not meant to wander through life alone without the Lord’s fatherly guidance. Instead, I am learning to embrace my identity has his beloved daughter. “But now thus says the LORD, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: ‘Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine’” (Isaiah 43:1 ESV). Knowing where I stand in Christ— redeemed, called by name, chosen— gives me courage to embrace the challenges each season brings. 

Invite your Father to guide you

Of course, the stakes are higher than a few wrong turns navigating down a mountain. As adults, we carry tremendous burdens—loved ones’ well-beings, financial needs, health crises, relationship struggles, and much more. But, dear reader, the Lord desires to dwell in your heart and gently lead you all the same, especially in the hard places. Invite your Father guide you and do the heavy lifting. Trust his perfect plan will unfold and his peace will envelope your soul you like a cup of tea on a frigid day. He will show a way forward that may even surprise and delight you. How? His presence changes everything. “The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him; though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand” (Psalm 37:23-24 NIV).

Father God always has you 

Sweet friend, trust that God is always with you. Where others may have been absent, your heavenly Father never is. He longs to lead you with security, love, and peace. He knows where you need to grow and how to help you do so—new challenges, joys, and restoration from your past—in ways only he can. Trust his heart for you and lean on his character. He wants you to know him, know his heart, as you are fully known. Share what’s on your heart with him. Don’t be afraid to ask for his reassurance when your knees are wobbly and you’d rather return to the safety of a familiar path. God knows you better than you know yourself. Envision his loving hand reaching out as his eyes crinkle, seeing you step forward in faith. Come, daughter, let us journey together…

Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me rest in your love and delight for me. I am in your hands. I invite you into my life to breathe fresh hope. I am trusting you have good for me because you are a good, good Father. You have a purpose and hope for my life, and you promise I will find you as I seek you. Lord, let me see you and sense your gentle lead in my life for healing, peace, and new adventures. I love you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.