In almost every way I have chosen a colorless existence.

A peek inside my bedroom closet reveals a sea of black and grey resting neatly on velvety hangers.
My sofa, barstools and kitchen table are all brightly beaming in shades of white so I can add a “pop” of color at any time (though somehow all of my accent pieces are versions of light grey).
My bathroom towels are stark white … ready to be bleached at a moment’s notice … just not while I’m wearing black or grey ( so, pretty much never).

Indeed I draw great peace from this neutral, monochromatic world I’ve created … with only one exception: my magenta shoes.

When they first arrived on our doorstep in all of their brilliant glory, my children literally gasped in horror … shocked at my choice.
People at the gym seem similarly taken aback, as their eyes dart right past my all-black workout gear straight to my nearly neon feet.
Despite their abruptness in my otherwise colorless world … they inexplicably bring me pure joy.

It reminds of the smile our Heavenly Father gets when he watches us choose a path that excites us.

Still … rather than diving into these adventures, I sometimes find myself “waiting” for the Lord to reveal my next steps. Perhaps it’s because I am genuinely seeking God’s will over my own and don’t want to rush things. Or maybe deep down I’m afraid I might regret my choice once I’ve closed off the other options. Whatever the reason, this “waiting“ sometimes leaves me frozen in my tracks.

But aren’t we creative beings made in the image of our Heavenly Father?

And just like the joy I get when I watch in fascination how my children pursue what makes their hearts happy … perhaps God wants us to take the bull by the horns and pick a path for ourselves!

And guess what? If we choose poorly, you can bet he’ll be there to help us pick up the pieces. Or if things should go swimmingly, he’ll share in our excitement.

Let’s not allow ourselves to become paralyzed when making choices on how we’ll spend the summer, what we’ll do to earn some extra income, or whether we’d rather teach Sunday school instead of making a meal or two for a family that could really use one.

Just like parents, I imagine God wants his children to live life in a colorful way … embracing the freedom of choice in this amazing  journey.

And just like my crazy magenta footwear … let’s take some risks and make a splash with the choices that bring our hearts pure joy!

 


Chantel Jensen Johnson traded in her career in broadcast news to raise triplets plus one.  Now that they’re in school this Dallas, Texas mamma enjoys savoring and sharing God’s exciting truth with women and children.