I’m so happy to share something a little different with you today!
My friend Gina Johnson has graciously allowed me to share a piece she wrote called Always There.
Through a beautiful childhood memory, Gina reminds us of a truth we all need to remember: even when we cannot see what God is doing, He has not left us. He sees us, knows our struggles, and cares deeply for us.
I pray her words encourage you as much as they encouraged me.
Please welcome Gina to Six Brown Bears! ❤️
Guest post by Gina Johnson
Photo by Torsten Dederichs on Unsplash.
As a little girl and well into my teen years I loved riding my bike. Feeling the wind whip through my hair as I pedaled faster and faster was exhilarating. I rode my bike all around my neighborhood, often riding with no hands while turning corners with ease.
As confident as I was, there was one feat that I had never taken on. Napier avenue. Napier isn’t an ordinary street. It’s the busiest street in town, running through several communities and connecting to major roads. I had never thought to ride anywhere near Napier Avenue because my neighborhood was quiet and calm. No need to venture off into such busy territory. But one summer day I was bored of my neighborhood. I really wanted to go to my cousin’s house, and in order to get there, I’d have to cross Napier Avenue. Sure I could’ve asked someone to drive me, but I wanted to ride my bike. Being the rule follower that I was, I wouldn’t dare take on such a monumental trek without the permission of my parents. As I walked into the basement and entered the family room I studied my father sitting in his recliner with the newspaper open, diligently reading as he did every evening. A ping of apprehension raced through me as I swallowed hard and asked my question.
“Daddy?” I asked, looking down at my pink and white Reebok sneakers that had seen better days.
“Yes?” he replied without looking up from the newspaper.
It suddenly dawned on me that there was no way on earth he’d let me ride my bike across Napier avenue. Riding alongside him or my mom, maybe. But by myself? Not a chance. Still I asked the question anticipating the “no” that was sure to follow.
“May I ride my bike to Jenny’s house?”
Daddy lowered the newspaper and raised an eyebrow. “You want to ride your bike all the way to Jenny’s?”
“Yes,” I replied, attempting to sound confident.
“You’d cross Napier?” he asked.
“Yes.”
Daddy thought about it for what seemed like ten seconds and said, “Sure. Call me when you get there.”
I stood there stunned for a second before I exited. He had actually said yes. I couldn’t believe it. I was nervous, but if he said yes, then that meant that I could do it. So I went outside, hopped on my bike and headed to my cousin’s house. My heart pounded as I approached Napier Avenue. I was on the sidewalk waiting for the light to change so I could cross, but cars kept coming. Even with me having the right of way, cars from the opposite side of the intersection were turning right on red, driving past me so fast, the wind took my breath away, whipping my hair back and forth. I sat on my bike at that intersection for what felt like 30 minutes, unsure and too nervous to move.
Just as I was about to turn around and go back home an older gentleman sitting in his car at the stop light called out of his window, “Go ahead sweetheart! You’ve got it! I’m not gonna let them hit you.”
With sweaty palms I gripped the handle bars and rode swiftly across the intersection. I did it! When I got to my cousin’s house I proudly called my dad to let him know that I made it safely.
My mom answered the phone and assured me that she’d give Daddy the message that I had arrived without incident.
A few days later I told the details of my brave bike ride to my mother. I told her about how scary it was, but was so proud of myself for persevering. My dad walked in as I was talking and exchanged an amused glance with my mother.
He smiled and muttered the words, “I was there the whole time.”
Shocked, I asked, “What do you mean? I took that ride by myself.”
With a grin on his face he said, “Did you notice that when you called to let me know that you had made it there, I didn’t answer the phone?”
“Yes, but I figured that mom had just answered and would give you the message.”
“And she did give me the message–when I got back home.”
I stood there, too surprised to speak as Daddy explained that as soon as I left, he quietly got in the car and followed me. He watched as I approached the intersection. He kept a watchful eye as the car whipped past me and took note of how long I sat on my bike, too afraid to cross the street. And when I finally did make it to my cousin’s house, he quietly drove by, assured that I had safely reached my destination.
The quiet presence of my dad reminds me of my Heavenly Father. Metaphorically speaking I’m currently heading down my own proverbial “Napier Avenue.” The road is winding and the traffic is steady. Every time it seems like the “street” is clear and we’re heading down the road with ease, there’s a roadblock, a pothole or heavy traffic that brings everything to a screeching stop.
In the past 18 months my family has experienced job loss, extreme financial stress, health uncertainty, and the death of a close relative. I wish I could tell you that through it all, I’ve trusted God and maintained a Christ-like attitude, but that would be a lie. I’ve experienced crippling anxiety, resentment and I’ve cried myself to sleep on more than one occasion. The good news? By God’s grace I’ve never stayed in a state of discouragement. It’s never long before I come crawling back to the Savior, desperate for His comfort in the midst of my trials.
During the times when fear and uncertainty begin to take up residence in my heart, I have a strategy that brings me back every time. Feel free to use this in your life. It helps!
- Ask for prayer. I have a group of sisters-in-Christ who I call on during those times that I feel too weak to pray for myself. I’ll text something as simple as, “Today is hard. Please pray for me.” In no time they respond, assuring me that they’re covering me in prayer. Seldom do they even ask questions as to why I need prayer. They just go to war on my behalf and I literally feel it. Every time. “…The prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect.” James 5:16b
- Have scripture ready to read and/or recite. When Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness He fought back with the truth of the scriptures. (Matthew 4:1-11) Write down Bible verses that uplift you and commit them to memory. If you have a hard time memorizing scripture, I encourage you to make time to write out your encouraging verses each day, ideally during your quiet time. The next time you’re filled with hopelessness get your scripture verses out and read them. Recite them out loud if you have to. If Jesus used this strategy, we definitely should too. Here are a few of the go-tos in my arsenal of scriptures. Isaiah 41:10, I Peter 5:7, Romans 8:28 Isaiah 40:28-31.
- Create an atmosphere of worship. I once heard a pastor say that the enemy is allergic to our praise. So when we begin praising God, he can’t help but flee. Turn on praise and worship music and sing your heart out. Listen to it on your headphones while you’re doing the dishes or the laundry. Blast it in your car on the way to work. It’s impossible to have a heart posture of worship and be filled with anxiety. When I worship God, He is on the throne of my heart and whatever is stressing me becomes tiny. I actually use this as a litmus test on where God currently is in my life. If my problems are overtaking my thoughts then I know that God is not in His rightful place on the throne of my heart. It doesn’t take anything dramatic for there to be a shift. You could have had the most awesome time of worship at church and then find yourself worrying by the time you get home. It’s happened to me many times. But remaining in a posture of worship through music helps tremendously. There is joy in God’s presence. “…In your presence is abundant joy; at your right hand are eternal pleasures.” Psalm 16:11b
- Verbally encourage yourself. One thing I noticed about myself is that I’m always ready to encourage someone when they come to me in need of edification, but when I was in the depths of despair, it was hard to pull myself out of it. One day while in the car driving alone, I was so overcome with anxiety I could hardly bear it. At that moment I decided to encourage myself the same way I would encourage a friend in need. I said something like this: This situation is scary but in the midst of this scary reality, here is what I know to be true. God cares about everything that I care about (I Peter 5:7) and he loves me more than I could ever imagine (Romans 5:8). This situation doesn’t feel good, but I can rest in the fact that it is working for my good because Romans 8:28 is true. Peace is my portion because God will keep me in perfect peace as long as my mind is on Him. (Isaiah 26:3) In no time I was at peace.
You may be facing an insurmountable trial as we speak. You may feel alone as you attempt to cross your “Napier Avenue” but just as my earthly father was quietly present, making sure I was safe and secure, rest assured that your Heavenly Father is present too. He is there even when life is busy and scary and you don’t know what to do. Your Father sees, He knows and he cares. Trust Him. He’s got you.
About the Author: Gina Johnson
Gina Johnson is a bestselling author who has contributed to five anthologies and coauthored the Faith in Love series with award-winning author Michelle Stimpson. Her standalone novella, Love Delivered, an extension of the Faith in Love series, received rave reviews.
In 2021, Gina brought three authors together to publish the bestselling anthology The Good Enough Mom.
Gina is a devoted wife and mother of four. She and her husband have been married for 26 years. She home schools her three sons, and her daughter is a recent graduate of Moody Bible Institute.
Explore More of Gina’s Writing
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