Walking the Trail

Growing up in Cincinnati, Ohio, my parents raised me in the Lutheran tradition and made sure that everyone in the family made it to Sunday School and church each week.

There were two ways to get to Zion Lutheran Church from our house. The "sidewalk" route went up two steep hills before finally descending down to the church. But the more interesting way was the "woods" route. I walked to the end of our street, cut through a neighbor's backyard, climbed over their property line fence, walked uphill through a twisting wooded trail, and finally reaching the back of the church's property.

I heard the Gospel faithfully proclaimed, but it wasn't until I was 16 that the Good News really became Good News to me. Then it took a few more years until I became intentional about walking with Christ.

Picking up the example of my parents, my wife and I have been diligent to read the Scriptures at home and be Good News to our kids. Yesterday when I got home, my daughter Jenna declared, "Daddy, I've asked Jesus to be my Savior." When I asked what made her decide that, she said, "I just wanted to." I guess that's reasonable 8 year old logic.

Obviously, Mom and Dad are thrilled. Our daughter has reached the end of one trail and the start of a glorious new one.