Back on Easter week, I felt the umption to pray about the intentionality of Jesus’ steps as He walked to the cross – with me, and you on His mind. His steps purposeful for my redemption, trading His life for mine. I quietly spoke these words from my heart “May my steps through life, be as intentional as your’s Jesus, ever directed by the Holy Spirit, for your Father’s glory.”

The following Thursday, my man and I went for a ride out to O.O. Denny Park, on Lake Washington, affectionately dubbed as “our” park. As we got out of the car, I shot up an arrow prayer asking for the Lord to speak to us in the quietness of nature, in the beauty of His creation. Sitting on “our bench” not talking, breathing n the stillness of where we were, we saw a “huddle” of ducks begin to go by. One duck obviously leading the group, until one by one they began to form a single line as they moved toward another “huddle” some distance away. a whisper went through my mind “Get your ducks in a row.” I laughed out loud and told Russ, who also laughed, as we continued watching the ducks all connect, form a big huddle and drift off out of sight to an unknown destination.

The next day we ventured up to Mount Vernon to go see the tulip fields of Washington in all their beauty. The colors truly stunning as acres and acres of tulips and daffodils showed out in a display brighter than any rainbow. The fields we visited, advised in signage, that they were only at 50% bloom. Another field we drove by was so busy, cars lined up to get in, people all over the place, the field signage indicating they were 100% in bloom. I’m glad we went to the 50% bloom fields. It gave us time to walk slowly, not be rushed along by the crowd, enjoy the time in the sunshine, as we admired the intricacies of the tulip centers, the colors ‘painted’ within, hidden from sight until in full bloom. How much like us, I thought.

When I looked at the photos I’d taken I noticed everyone of them entailed the STRAIGHT ROWS of thousands of bulbs that had been planted. Same with the daffodil fields – their bright yellow seen from afar, as they stretched for miles – all in straight rows, carefully planted so as to not impede the growth of each and every plant.

Then a few days later, as I listened to my man share something he was reading, it all just came together. “I run STRAIGHT to the goal with PURPOSE in EVERY STEP” (1 Corinthians 9:26). As we run the race of life, our competition is not with other believers, the goal is not to out run someone else, but the wicked influences that could bring us down. Run the race God has called you to – don’t concern yourself with who is behind you or who is ahead of you! Stay in your assigned lane, do what Jesus has told you to do and run your race to win.”

My Tuesday prayer about intentional steps, watching ducks go from a huddle to an orderly row, the whisper that followed, the thousands and thousands of tulips and daffodils all in their straight rows for as far as the eye could see. All playing a part in my ordinary days, yet speaking loudly now, about what I needed to hear. May I always run my race, under the covering of Your wing, arrayed in the beauty of Your righteousness and grace.