Tiny Steps into the Land of the Living. Letters to Serena
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Remembering God’s Faithfulness to Find Courage for Today - A Letter to Serena
Dear Serena,
There was a time when I thought I had to wait for a mountaintop moment to recognize God's goodness - a grand sign, a loud voice, or a glittering answer wrapped in fireworks.
But life has taken me through a few deep valleys, and I am beginning to understand something different.
The land of the living may not be a distant place I have to strive to enter. Perhaps it begins the moment I open my eyes in the morning and whisper, I'm still here. And so is He.
I have been spending time with Psalm 105, with its repeated invitation to remember God's wonderful works, His faithfulness, and the covenant He has kept. The psalmist looks back, not to remain in the past, but to remember who God has been throughout the journey.
I wonder if that is one of the gifts of remembering to help us take the next step.
When I recall the ways God has carried me - the prayers answered differently than I expected, the strength that arrived on ordinary Tuesdays, the people who appeared at just the right time - something softens inside me. I no longer feel quite so much pressure to have arrived somewhere better. I can simply be here, in this moment, trusting the One who has already walked with me this far.
Faith, I am learning, does not always sound like a five-star concert. Sometimes it sounds like a hummingbird in the backyard. Sometimes it smells like morning coffee. Sometimes it is nothing more than the quiet realization that another day has been given to me.
And perhaps this is what the psalmist means when he writes in Psalm 116,9:
“I will walk before the Lord in the land of the living.”
To walk. Just to walk before Him, one ordinary moment at a time.
Tiny Steps into the Land of the Living
So, Serena, I have been thinking about tiny steps - small actions that carry purpose and gently awaken the heart, especially on grey or teary days.
A note of gratitude. A whispered prayer. A few minutes in the garden. A kind word offered when it would be easier to withdraw. A moment spent remembering that we have been loved, even through the seasons when love was difficult to recognize.
I like to think of them as spiritual fruit snacks: small, colourful, and surprisingly nourishing.
None of these little things has to change the whole day. Perhaps they simply make room for us to notice that God is already present in it.
When we remember His goodness, the present no longer has to feel empty or unfinished. It becomes another place where His faithfulness can meet us even when the work is slow, the answers are incomplete, and our hearts are still finding their way.
Maybe looking back is not the opposite of moving forward. Maybe remembering gives us the courage to do so.
Why Looking Back Helps Us Live Forward
We remember God's faithfulness not to live in yesterday, but to find courage for today.
We gather the little pieces of grace we have known, carry them gently into today, and take the next small step.
And perhaps, without even noticing when it happens, we discover that we are already walking in the land of the living.
So, Serena, I pray for you today with the words of Psalm 116, 5-6:
“The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. The Lord protects the unwary; when I was brought low, He saved me.”
I think of so many little steps I remember you taking, my dear. Some may have seemed ordinary at the time, but I see them differently now. Each one tells a little of the story of how you kept going, how you found your way through difficult days, and how God was faithful along the way.
You touched my heart when I saw you open the window and say out loud, “Thank You, Lord, for this breath.” You didn’t need a special reason to be grateful. You were grateful to be here.💛🌿💛
When I see you gently pet your dog, make sure he has what he needs, or simply stop to give him some attention, it makes me proud of you. Love often looks just like that.💛🌿💛
When you get up and make yourself a cup of tea or coffee, even after a difficult night, you remind me that a new day doesn't have to begin with grand plans. Sometimes, getting out of bed is a good first step.💛🌿💛
When you try again after something doesn't go as planned, even if all you can manage is one small thing, I see courage in that.💛🌿💛
When you admit that you're tired instead of pretending you're fine, you permit yourself to be human. There's no shame in needing rest.💛🌿💛
When you speak kindly to someone, especially when you have your own worries, you bring a little gentleness into their day.💛🌿💛
When you take care of a little task no one asked you to do, you offer a gift freely, simply because you care, and you show yourself that small beginnings count, too.💛🌿💛
When you laugh at something silly, enjoy a good pastry, or find a reason to smile in the middle of an imperfect day, I hope you know that joy doesn't have to wait until everything is sorted out.💛🌿💛
When you look back and recognize that something which once felt impossible has become part of your story, I wish you could notice how far you've come and give yourself credit for it.💛🌿💛
And Serena, I hope you learn to see these moments as I see them. Not every step has to be brave or remarkable. I remember so many little pieces of your heart that say, “You matter to me.”💛🌿💛
These are the little things worth remembering because they remind you that you are living, growing, loving, and still finding your way with God.💛🌿💛
If you’re wondering whether all these small steps really count, just remember, even Jesus started His day with breakfast on the beach (John 21).
If He can serve grilled fish at dawn, you can hand someone banana bread or a smile and call it kingdom work.
Have a blessed day, Serena. 🌸
With love,
Blessings & Hugs,
Babcia BE💕
🌿💛🌿💛🌿
So… what will be your first tiny step into the Land of the Living today?
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