Last weekend, I took advantage of the gorgeous fall weather and went on a hike to a waterfall near my home. I decided since this wasn’t a very long hike to take my two nephews, 6-years old and 3-years old. The hike isn’t very long, but there are parts where the trail narrows. Before we left on the hike, I told my nephews to be sure to “stay on the path” and not go off the trail. I warned them we could get hurt if we went off the trail.

As we hiked, my little 3-year old nephew kept saying, “I’m staying on the path.” I thanked him for staying on the path and told him we were having a good time because he was obeying me. He would giggle and then we’d move on up the path towards the waterfall.

When my nephew would tell me he was staying on the path, it got me thinking about life. What path are we on in life? I looked at these little nephews of mine and wondered if I was teaching them correctly. Am I teaching them to choose the right? Am I teaching them to stay on the right path in life? The path that will keep them out of danger?

I thought about these questions all day long and pondered what I am teaching my nephews. Now granted, I’m not their mother, but I do have a responsibility to teach them correct principles. I can teach them by example. Just like on our hike to the waterfall, I told them before hand that we needed to stay on the path. And then, they followed my example by staying on the trail. Nobody got hurt and we all had a good time because we obeyed.

It’s the same with life. We have a loving Heavenly Father who tells us where to go. He teaches us to “stay on the path” and that there is safety in obeying. When we stay on the path and don’t stray, we have fun and we are kept safe from danger. We reach our “waterfall” and we enjoy the journey along the way.

I learned a valuable lesson taking that short hike with my nephews. I challenge you to think about the path you are on…are you where you need to be? Are there changes that need to be made in your life to get back on track?

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