Footprints in the Snow

By Nicole Kerr

Growing up in Iowa, I remember winters with snow days, snow forts, and snowball fights! So much snow! Now winter consists of snow shovels, ice melt, and windshield scrapers. The “wonder” is sometimes lost in the “Winter Wonderland.” 

But as that child full of wonder, I thought it was always a fun game to follow behind my daddy or someone else with a longer stride and try to match their footsteps in the snow. Sometimes it took a full two-leg jump to make it to the next footprint; at the very least I really had to stretch myself. 

A friend of mine recently shared a similar picture of a child keeping up with a parent’s footsteps after reading Galatians 5:25: “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit” (NIV). 

That young child pouncing through the snow after her daddy is not concerned about what is behind her or around her or thinking about the next ten steps. Her full concentration is focused on getting from where she is to the next footprint. It takes effort, and she cannot do it without stretching a little. 

What a great example of how we who live by the Spirit should keep in step with the Spirit. We can so easily get caught up in the everyday demands of life or in what has happened in the past that we forget to continue to move forward. I realize we can all get concerned about what the future holds. But in order to keep in step with the Spirit and go where He is leading us, we need to concentrate on following one step at a time. It will stretch us, and it will sometimes require a leap of faith. But if we step only where He steps, we can be confident that the path He is taking us on is for our good if we just trust His leading.