Lee: Just walk with me.
Amanda: I certainly will not!
Lee: Please. I'm in trouble.
~Scarecrow and Mrs. King ("The First Time")
No ones path is without hardship and heartache. It is often an uphill climb. In addition, we can’t predict what our challenges will be, because our moves are not scripted like a television show. Our journey is made up of many steps, yet we can heed the warning signs: rough road ahead, slow down, watch for falling rock, the path will be straight and narrow.
Last summer, my eldest son participated in Trek, a four-day, 28-mile reenactment of the trip west made by some of the early Mormon pioneers pushing handcarts. The purpose of Trek is for the youth to gain a deeper appreciation of the principles of faith, obedience, and sacrifice. Dressed in pioneer garb they pushed and pulled handcarts over dusty trails in sweltering heat with no modern conveniences. Their theme this year was Walk with Me.
“Behold my Spirit is upon you, wherefore all thy words will I justify; and the mountains shall flee before you, and the rivers shall turn from their course; and thou shalt abide in me, and I in you; therefore walk with me.” (Moses 6:34)
The same is true when we choose to walk with the Savior. One of my favorite passages is the enduring poem, Footprints in the Sand, because it gives me hope and touches my heart. The Lord carries each of our burdens, pain and disappointments upon Himself. It is nice to know when our burdens are too great the Lord is carrying us and our burdens will be light if we choose to just walk with Him.