The Chinese philosopher Lao-Tse once said, "A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step."

I find that inspiring. If you keep on stepping you'll eventually get to a thousand miles.

In Genesis 21, Hagar was sent into the desert with her son. They wandered the desert of Beersheban and when the water skin was empty she was overwhelmed and terrified. She couldn’t bear to watch her son die. She gave up all hope for her life and the life of her son.

But God had a plan for their lives. God said to Hagar:

“Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation.”

“Lift the boy up and take him by the hand.” What mother hasn’t done that hundreds of times for her son? It didn’t sound particularly difficult, but that is where God asked her to begin. The first step was just getting up and doing a little thing, something familiar.

“Lift the boy up and take him by the hand…”

Many people accomplish great things in our world, but they all start small.

God wants to do something great in our lives but we have to start by taking a small step in the right direction.

You may have a goal in mind but it might look overwhelming. You may not see how you could possibly reach your goal because the way seems too long or the process too difficult.

The answer is to take the first step. Even though the path may not seem clear at the moment, you can be sure that if you don't begin, you'll never finish.

Trust God to provide whatever you need along the way. As you step out in faith, expect God to step in with power.

The first step is always the hardest, but take it and see where God will take you!