My Savior Leads Me

Fanny Crosby wrote in her beautiful hymn,

All the way my Savior leads me;

What have I to ask beside?

Can I doubt His tender mercy,

Who through life has been my Guide?

Heav’nly peace, divinest comfort,

Here by faith in Him to dwell!

For I know, whate’er befall me,

Jesus doeth all things well;

For I know, whate’er befall me,

Jesus doeth all things well.

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2012 was a year that, for me, held both sorrow and great triumph. Like Dickens wrote, "It was the best of times...it was the worst of times." The Lord granted us a sweet, soon-to-arrive little girl and so many other blessings! He gave us memories that I will cherish forever. He is, indeed, a GOOD God. And yet in the midst of beauty, He also allowed us to walk in the darkness. Sometimes I was afraid. Some moments I was angry. Other times, I could only sit and cry and ask God the question we always seem to ask - "WHY??"

If I could sum up 2012 - personally - it would be, He led. 

In life, there will be days when we walk through valleys and deserts where, quite frankly, our spirit and even our flesh cries out in agony. Other days we will walk on mountain tops where we are high above all the trouble and pain and heartache that seem to cover the world we live in. But still He leads. Our great Savoir is far above all that we can see or think and He has more than we can ever imagine in His plan for our lives. He calls us to follow Him. And though our typical, Christian answer is to say, "Yes, Lord, we will follow You," our actions rarely obey the call. He calls us higher. He calls us to trust Him. He asks us to let Him lead. He may take us through deserts where we feel nothing but dry, desert sand that leaves us panting with thirst. He may take us through dangerous storms that threaten to plummet us. He may lead us through darkness so thick that we wonder if we will ever see light again. Up and down, twists and turns, darkness and sunshine.... sometimes it may look as though we will never reach "the end." But if there one thing I have learned, and will no doubt continue to learn, in 2012 it is that our great Shepherd leads all the way. And He leads well. He truly never forsakes. The pain that we experience in doing His will is so very little in comparison to the pain of not trusting the Master's voice. The fear we may feel in following Him is only a little shadow that He can rebuke with one word. As Fanny Crosby wrote, For I know, whate’er befall me, Jesus doeth all things well. All things.

Regardless of the past, I pray that this year - in 2013 - you and I will both answer His call to daily die to self, pick up our cross, and follow Him. One year from now, when we look back on 2013, I pray we can say that He led us...and He is still leading. Let us then let Him lead us....all the way.