Go bravely, Dearheart, for you go not alone.

(Jesus said) "... and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." - Matthew28:20

"You've got to be brave." My children and grandchildren have all heard me say this to seagulls at the beach when offering morsels of bread by outstretched hand. The reward is there for the taking if only they are brave enough to conquer the fear that I mean them no harm, only good.

Some hover for a moment, then dive in to take the entire slice. Others hover and approach tentatively, but think better of it and fly away.

I've always been like the second group.

Lately, I've been having to do quite a lot of "adulting" things, things I've needed to be brave enough to tackle instead of putting off like I usually do, which is seriously silly to admit being sixty-five and technically an adult most of my life! Tom and I have a will all in order, complete with powers of attorney and medical directives. I've enrolled in Medicare (ugh...when did I get this old??), and we've very recently purchased our burial plots. See, LOTS of adulting!

These things don't really require bravery, just a get'er done mentality and some big girl pants.

Last weekend I did something though I was really afraid to do. I know you're going to laugh at this; honestly I'd laugh too, if I were you, but I braved my first solo trip driving to the Houston area to hang out with my grandchildren in Spring, while my son and daughter-in-law were at a ministry conference. Oh, I've been there many times and have often driven halfway, but Tom has always been there with me should a problem arise or I get too "road fatigued" to continue safely.

I was needed in a pinch, and I jumped at the chance to spend some more time with the kids. I hadn't really considered what it would mean to drive solo, but Tom couldn't take time off from work, so solo it was... well... kind of.

I had a couple of days to get ready. Tom checked out the car, had the oil changed, and made sure the tires looked good for air. I did all the usual stuff... packed and prayed. I looked at the map and wrote out my exits to rest and fill up with gas, and prayed some more. Sunday rolled around and it was time, time to head out on my own, to tackle that fear head on.

When I entered I-10 I said, "It's you and me now, God. I'm trusting you to get me safely where I need to go."

And He did.

See, I was never really alone. He was right there with me, keeping me alert, helping to calm my jitters. He got me back home to San Antonio safely too, even amidst the delays and highway construction I encountered on the way.

I thought about the promise in Matthew 28, "I am with you always, (Jesus said). I counted on it. I reminded Him of it, though there was no need for that.

This would not even have been a blip on the radar for people who drive long distances, often by themselves, but it was a major victory for someone like me. God knew that, so in essence, He buckled up and rode shotgun all the way there and back, because He loves me, He cares about me, and He wants to prove to me that He is true to His word and His promises are a guarantee.

Unfortunately, there is much in this broken world that requires bravery, the kind of bravery that faces head on those impossibly hard and difficult things: a discouraging diagnosis, termination of a job, divorce, separation from family, addiction, money problems, death of a loved one, lonliness....

We don't want to travel those roads. We try to avoid them at all costs, but sometimes... the hard comes even when we beg it not to, and we find ourselves ill-equipped for the journey. What do we do then?

We do the same thing I did, Friend. We pray and we trust God to do what He said He would.

My little trip to Spring, insignificant perhaps to everyone except to me and God, is assurance that if He cares about the birds of the air and the flowers of the field... and the "Big Mamas" of the world just trying to navigate their way to their grandchildren... He cares for you and your concerns too.

So, no matter what it is that you are facing today, you can navigate it boldly, Dearheart, for you go not alone. He will be with you every step of the way.