I remember going on some pretty amazing trail rides as a kid. Sometimes they were nice, easy rides; not too steep, nothing too crazy. But sometimes, they were bush-whacking, branch-breaking, skin-cutting adventures. They were exhilarating and I have grown to crave me a good, hard ride ... but as a child, I was terrified.

One specific ride when I was 5 years old will always stick out in memory. I watched with anxiety as the mountain trail we were climbing suddenly turned into an ocean of dense pines and oak-brush. I didn’t recognize the trail we were on, but knowing my parents, I had a feeling we were going to try to find a way up

So I did the bravest thing any 5 year old could do: I began to cry. I called up to my mom who was leading the group and told her I was scared. 

Now keep in mind, my mom and dad were both on young horses that needed to climb.some.hills, so I’m sure having a crying kid was the last thing they wanted. But my mom stopped her horse, and turned around in the saddle. 

“McKenna, all you have to do is follow me. You’re on the best horse here, and you’re going to be fine. Just follow me.”

I will forever be grateful for these words. There is something so comforting about following someone who has been “on that mountain” before. If I followed mom’s tracks, if I swung wide around that tree like Dad just did, if I kept a STEADY pace behind them, I would be fine. 

I would’ve never dreamed of stopping and turning around either! I knew that if I decided the road was too scary and tried to do it on my own, I would be lost.

I’m so grateful that as we are on this “mountain” of life, Jesus Christ says, “Come, follow me.” He knows each trail. He is the Master of the Mountain. He wants us to enjoy the ride, but knows exactly where the rockslides are. He knows about our “oceans of dense oak-brush” fears. 

If we stop moving because we’re unsure, we will be lost. Being scared and having doubts doesn’t mean we turn around; those are the moments we continually follow the One who knows the trail. 

I’m so grateful to celebrate His birth this year. He is the reason for the season and everything else I do in my life. 

Indeed, it is true that “Wisemen still seek Him.”