Edited by Chat GPT
My morning steps.
This morning, I took my usual walk—circling the pool in our backyard, which has become my personal track. To some, the repetition might seem tedious, but I find ways to stay engaged: listening to audiobooks, talking on the phone, praying, or simply acknowledging all of the work that needs to be done. Lately, I’ve been immersed in Dr. Dinah Dye’s book series The Temple Revealed in Creation.
As I walked, step after step, thought after thought, I glanced at my phone. The time read 7:11. At that exact moment, Dr. Dye was speaking about the number seven, which represents spiritual origin and perfection. Eleven, in contrast, often symbolizes chaos. But even chaos, when viewed through the right lens, is under God’s sovereign control (Amos 3:6, Isaiah 45:7, Lamentations 3:38). I smiled and praised Him right there, awed by the timing, the meaning, and the reminder of who He is.
As she continued, describing God as Ruler, clothed in royal robes, I reached the Japanese Maple tree that hangs over the path just before the diving board. Its low-hanging branch forced me to bow. The imagery was sudden and striking.
Trees have long symbolized kingship. The diving board, just ahead, invites a plunge into the deep end—into fresh, clear water. Water, in Scripture, often symbolizes the Word of God. Our pool has a gate at the steps to keep one of our dogs from taking ten dips a day. Not that I mind his joy, but drying him off repeatedly wears thin. Still, that gate blocks the shallow end, the usual point of entry. It made me think: how often do we try to ease into the Word, into understanding, through the shallow parts first? But sometimes, the path we need to take—the meaningful path—is straight into the deep.
Life moves in cycles. Whether in our careers, our finances, our families, or even our spiritual walk, we find ourselves going around again and again—often unaware of where we are in the pattern. And yet, the pattern is there. His Appointed Times, the seasons of the soul, the rhythm of Scripture. The question is: do we stay in the shallows, or do we ever choose to dive deep?
I used to consider asking Darrell to trim that overhanging branch. Now, I see it differently. It’s become an important marker—a reminder to bow before my King, the Word made flesh.
If you quiet your mind, if you’re willing to see—He is everywhere, speaking through everything.
