Direction Is Set in the Small Steps

Direction Is Set in the Small Steps

This morning, I found myself reflecting on direction and the weight of small steps. I was listening to a podcast that explained how, over a long distance, even being off by a tenth of a percent in direction guarantees you will miss the destination. That truth settled deeply with me, because it applies far beyond travel or goals. It applies to parenting. It applies to legacy. It applies to the quiet, daily decisions that shape where our children ultimately end up.

As a father, I carry the responsibility of direction. Bella Love has been watching me and Barbi her entire life. Not just listening to what we say, but absorbing how we live. Our tone. Our habits. Our reactions. Our faith when things are going well and when they are not. Parenting is not about perfection. It is about consistency. It is about modeling a foundation strong enough to hold when life shifts and seasons change.

Time carries an urgency that cannot be ignored. We are not promised tomorrow on this earth, even though we are promised eternity in heaven. Childhood moves quickly. Adolescence arrives faster than we expect. By the time a child reaches sixteen, the path has already been shaped by thousands of unseen moments. Direction is often set long before anyone realizes it has shifted.

In our home, there are non negotiables. Sundays belong to the Lord. Time in God’s Word matters. Prayer matters. Worship matters. Not because we never miss, but because when we do, we model grace, mercy, forgiveness, and humility. We reorient. We return. We show Bella what it looks like to get back on course when life pulls you away from center.

We also care for the whole person. Spiritually, we seek God daily. Physically, we honor the body God has given us. Mentally, we read, study, reflect, and grow. Faith is not passive. It shows up in habits, routines, discipline, and intentional living. We do not drift into holiness. We choose it.

One of the most encouraging moments came recently when Bella said to me, “Dad, I’ve learned from you. You always say if you’re going to do something, do it with your whole heart as if you’re doing it for the Lord. And if you can’t give it your best, wait until you can.”

That moment confirmed something deep within me. Direction transfers. What my father taught me, I am passing on to her. Not through lectures, but through lived example. Bella is learning how to move through the world. How to speak. How to treat others. How to show effort. How to carry faith when circumstances change.

Jesus Christ is our compass. When seasons shift, when life feels steady or uncertain, He remains the direction we follow. My prayer is that when Bella looks back on her childhood, she does not see perfection. She sees parents who stayed oriented. Parents who returned to center. Parents who lived with intention. Parents who taught her that small steps, taken faithfully, lead exactly where God intends.

That is my reflection today. Direction matters. And it is shaped one small step at a time.