It was a close call today

I almost collided with a deer. Not the deer in the photo. I captured a mama a baby on our property years ago and it is still my favourite photo. I have yet to see a mother and her baby again. I remember that moment so well. I ran to grab my camera and sat quietly, I couldn’t move for fear I was going to startle the pair. Today was different. I was not attempting a photo!

I was heading down one of the country roads near my house when, out of nowhere, a determined deer ran in front of the car. It happened so fast, I didn’t see it coming, and I still can’t believe I didn’t hit the deer. I kept thinking about how it all happened within a fraction of a second. I’m sure there would have been significant damage had the impact happened. Who knows if the deer would have survived? Or what about me? I started to let my mind unravel a little bit, until I had to realize, no, you did not hit the deer. There was no accident. Everything’s OK, keep driving.

Isn’t that the way it is right now with our lives? We must remember to keep walking forward, despite what’s going on to the left and the right, despite the chaos and confusion, and despite the unknowns; we need to keep pursuing Christ. We don’t know what’s coming, but we must choose not to let our hearts be troubled, even while our hearts are troubled! (John 14:1). We need to believe in God, believe in Jesus, and trust him with our troubled hearts. To trust him with the unknowns and to help us with our unbelief. Jesus is the only one who can calm our hearts and guide us into perfect peace.
That moment with the deer was a stark reminder of life’s unpredictability. Our days are fleeting, and we never know what’s around the corner. It’s a call to make our moments count, to keep our focus on what’s eternal, not what’s temporary. We have broken and fractured relationships. We struggle with unforgiveness, fear, and more.

Perhaps today is the day you choose to take a step forward and trust God with that truly challenging thing. You ask for forgiveness. Or you forgive someone. This looks different for everyone.
I don’t know what it looks like for you, but for me, the close call with the deer was a stark reminder that life is short. It reinforced my desire to live in peace with others, to seek unity, and to spend my days on things that have lasting significance. I want to invest my time and energy in actions that will last forever, rather than being consumed by the temporary. More than ever, I am motivated to act on God’s calling and to do it with his strength. I will never do this perfectly, I know that. One step at a time.