My family and I love to come to the beach in the Outer Banks. We often venture out onto the sand dunes at Jockey’s Ridge, to fly kites or more recently to slide down the sand hills on little round snow sleds.

It's a long walk through sand up the hills to the top and then back down again. On a recent trip, my son, who is now 10, followed closely behind me. He started making a game out of it, trying to follow exactly in the footprints I was leaving.

Each indention provided a place for him to plant his foot. Those were the only rules of the game, and so I tried to circle around, do figure eights, take extra long strides, then baby steps, always trying to throw him off, and yet he always stayed right behind me.

It is difficult being in front. There is a lot of pressure there. I mean I am responsible for myself AND someone else now, who is watching my every footstep, seeing where I go next.

You see where this is going, don’t you?

As a dad, I get scared thinking of my children trying to follow me. They are looking to me to try to figure out the next step. What if I lead them through harder areas to walk? What if I screw it up? Ok, let’s be honest, what happens when I DO screw up? Where I lead my children can lead them to happiness, comfort, and wisdom but it also can lead them to pain, dysfunction and heartache. It’s a ridiculous amount of responsibility. A heavy burden to be sure.

What to do with the weight of this?

Give it to the Father who can handle it.

You have a Father who is walking ahead of YOU. God shows us where to step through His Word (Bible), through His leading (prayer) and through others who walk along side you (your community, friends and family who speak truth and love). You, my friend, are not leading alone.

To lead your children, just look to your Father’s footprints.

— Randy Dunn

Listen, friends, to some fatherly advice;
sit up and take notice so you’ll know how to live.
I’m giving you good counsel;
don’t let it go in one ear and out the other.
When I was a boy at my father’s knee,
the pride and joy of my mother,
He would sit me down and drill me:
“Take this to heart. Do what I tell you—live!
Sell everything and buy Wisdom! Forage for Understanding!
Don’t forget one word! Don’t deviate an inch!
Never walk away from Wisdom—she guards your life;
love her—she keeps her eye on you.
Above all and before all, do this: Get Wisdom!
Write this at the top of your list: Get Understanding!
— Proverbs 4:1-9 (The Message)