There were children everywhere! School had just gotten out. Some were playing soccer, some were swinging, some were just enjoying not having to sit still. I looked around and spotted a line of children waiting for their turn on the monkey bars. I watched them one after another go across, some making it all the way but some dropping halfway because they couldn't quite hang on long enough. I walked over to where they were and asked if they wanted me to help them go all the way across. This was followed by... Auntie, Auntie help me! Auntie me next! The high fives, smiles, and giggles that trailed were simply adorable. :)

As I stood there helping one after another swing across and grab ahold of the next bar, one of them ran up to me and said,"Auntie, me me!!" I told him to get in line and I would help him across too. When his turn came he was a bit reluctant to go. He wasn't quite sure if he could reach the bars and the ground was a little bit too far down there. I reassured him that I had him and I wouldn't let him fall. So he placed one shaky hand in front of the other and was delighted when he made it to the other side.

After a few minutes of seeing the pleasure these children were having as they made it all the way across, I thought about the monkey bars of life. You see, I'm a lot like the little boy that ran up and wanted me to help him across. I get in line and climb the ladder to cross the bars. As I'm about to reach out for the first bar, I look down and the what if's flood my mind. Like what if I fall?, or what if I get to the other side and it's not like I thought it was? I begin to want to climb down, because somehow I think it's safer on the ground. It takes courage to grab ahold of the first bar and swing out in faith trusting God's unfailing grace. And with each bar that I stretch and grab on to my faith becomes strong, because that is the way God designed it. So as I swing from one bar to the next and they get farther and farther apart causing me have to stretch more, I begin to realize just how much I need Jesus.

So whatever monkey bars you may be facing, don't be afraid to swing out trusting in God's amazing grace to carry you to the other side. God never allows anything in our life that isn't for His glory and our good. So..."Don't worry about all of the steps. Begin."