Walking by Faith and Why

Let’s talk about walking by faith—not as a neat little bumper sticker slogan, but as a sometimes messy, often directionless, occasionally downright uncomfortable journey. You know the one I’m talking about: where you look around at your life, scratch your head, and wonder, Am I even going the right way?

Lately, I’ve found myself drawn to the story of Moses and the Israelites. Maybe because their 40 years in the wilderness feels all too familiar when I’m balancing a household of seven with work while my 14 year old son is deeply entrenched in a mindset of constant opping and being defiant.

…. maybe because Moses’ story is honest about something most of us (I) don’t like to admit: trusting God doesn’t always feel like a straight path. It feels more like wandering—I mean… wandering with purpose, but wandering all the same.

And here’s the kicker: that wandering wasn’t because God wasn’t faithful. It was because the Israelites didn’t trust Him. Do I?

Why the Israelites Wandered for 40 Years (and Why We Still Do)

Let’s set the scene: God had promised the Israelites a land flowing with milk and honey—a land they’d seen, a land within reach. But they got spooked. The obstacles were big, the enemies looked stronger, and instead of walking in faith, they doubted. They forgot the miracles they’d seen, the ways God had delivered them, and they questioned whether He’d actually show up this time.

So, they wandered. For forty years.

Forty years is a long time to wander when you’ve already glimpsed the Promised Land, but let’s be honest: how often do we do the same thing?

We see what’s possible—whether it’s building a family we’re proud of, deepening our faith, or stepping into the calling God has placed on our hearts—but we let fear and doubt take the wheel. We forget the ways God has shown up before, and we freeze.

For me, this realization stung. I started looking at my own life—the big career, the noisy house, the overflowing calendar—and wondered if I’ve been so busy achieving, so busy doing, that I’ve stopped trusting God to lead me.

It’s a humbling thought.

Moses, God, and the Hard Conversations

Here’s what really struck me as I revisited Moses’ story: Moses never gave up interceding for the Israelites, even when they were ungrateful, stubborn, and downright frustrating. (Sound like anyone you know? Kids, coworkers, spouses—we’ve all been there.)

Moses had conversations with God that were raw and real. He fell on his face more than once, pleading with God to spare the Israelites, to forgive their disbelief, to help them see what they were too blind to notice. It wasn’t because Moses was perfect; it was because he understood that his role as a leader wasn’t to fix everything—it was to stand in the gap.

Your role as a leader isn’t to fix everything. It’s to stand in the gap.

Look, I’ve got five kids. Five dogs. A cat. The dogs are multiplying this week as adorable puppies are set to arrive. And just last week, my entire HVAC system decided to quit right before Christmas, which, I assure you, was not exactly the December I was planning on. Life feels abundant and wonderful, sure, but it’s also loud, sticky, chaotic, and—on bad days—overwhelming.

And yet, in the middle of all that noise, I feel a pull to do more than just manage my family. I’m called to lead them and intercede for them —spiritually, intentionally, and with a whole lot of love and grace. To stand in the gap.

The truth? Leading my family doesn’t look like grand, Instagrammable moments of us reading devotionals by candlelight while birds chirp outside. It looks like praying for my kids when they’re driving me crazy. It looks like choosing patience when I’d rather snap. It looks like asking God to step in where I feel weak and incapable—and believing that He will.

It’s messy leadership. But Moses reminds me that messy leadership is still leadership.

Nourishing What’s Already Here - 50% in 2025

This year, the word that keeps coming back to me is nourishment. I don’t need to chase something shiny or new; I need to tend to what God has already given me. When we talk about 50% in 2025 that is a part of this larger conversation I’ve been having with the Holy Spirit on who should I BE now?

But it’s not about becoming anything right now, it’s about waiting and nourishing what I am and what we already are.

My family. My home. My faith.

Moses didn’t abandon the Israelites when they wandered. He stayed. He kept praying, kept leading, and kept believing that God’s promises were still true—even when the people around him made it hard to believe.

And that’s where I find myself, too:

• Praying for my kids. Not just for their safety or their grades or their futures, but for their hearts—that they’ll know peace, that they’ll learn to trust God, that they’ll grow into the people He’s called them to be.

• Praying for my family’s direction. That God will show us where we need to let go of our own control and follow Him, even when it feels uncomfortable.

• Praying for my marriage. That we’ll grow stronger together, that we’ll model love and faith for our kids, and that we’ll laugh more often, even when life feels hard.

And most of all, I’m praying for myself—that I’ll be the kind of leader my family needs. A leader who walks by faith, who isn’t afraid to say, “I don’t have all the answers, but I know God does.”

Spiritual Leadership: It’s Not About Perfection

Here’s the thing about spiritual leadership: it’s not about having all the answers. It’s not about being perfect or holier-than-thou or pulling off a flawless family Bible study every night. It’s about showing up.

It’s about falling on your face before God—like Moses did—when you don’t know what else to do. It’s about interceding for your family, asking God to step into the cracks, and trusting Him to hold it all together.

You don’t need to be a biblical scholar or a saint to lead your family spiritually. You just need to show up, stay connected to God, and keep pointing your family back to Him—even when life feels more like wandering than thriving.

Because here’s what I’ve learned: It’s not the perfect moments that build a strong spiritual foundation. It’s the daily, ordinary moments when you choose to trust God in front of your family.

It’s praying in the carpool line. It’s showing kindness when no one else deserves it. It’s apologizing when you mess up and modeling grace when someone else does.

Leading Like Moses (When Your People Are Driving You Crazy)

Let’s be honest: Leading a family isn’t always inspiring. Sometimes, it’s maddening. The Israelites complained about manna—literal bread from heaven. My kids complain about some aspect of their very privileged lives. I probably do the same. I can only imagine how Moses felt after 40 years of complaints, doubts, and desert wandering.

But here’s what Moses teaches us: Leadership isn’t about perfection; it’s about persistence.

• You don’t stop praying when things get hard.

• You don’t stop leading when your family pushes back.

• You don’t stop believing that God has a purpose, even when you’re surrounded by chaos.

Moses didn’t have it easy. He got frustrated. He got tired. He probably wanted to quit more than once. But he kept showing up, falling before God, and leading his people—even when they didn’t deserve it.

And that gives me hope. Because if Moses could keep leading a stubborn, imperfect group of people, then maybe—just maybe—I can keep leading my family, too.

Walking By Faith (Even When You Don’t Have a Map)

As I head into this new season, my focus is clear:

• To nourish what I already have—my family, my faith, and the relationships that matter most.

• To lead my home spiritually, not perfectly, but persistently.

• To trust God to guide us, even when I feel like I’m wandering.

If you’re feeling directionless, overwhelmed, or frustrated with where you are right now, take a deep breath. You’re not alone. Moses felt that way, too.

Sometimes, walking by faith looks like falling on your knees, admitting you don’t have it all figured out, and trusting God to do the rest.

That’s where I’ll be this year—standing in the gap, praying for my people, and believing that God’s promises are still true.

What about you? Where is God calling you to step up, intercede, or trust Him in this season?

Because here’s the truth: Faith isn’t about having a perfect plan. It’s about walking forward, one step at a time, and trusting that God will show up.

And He will.