In July of 2017 I missed the bottom stair of a set of stairs and went sailing through the air.  Since I had an audience of five, my pride was definitely hurt, but that was nothing compared to the physical injury.  I had a severely broken ankle,  tibia and big toe.  How I wanted to bounce right back up from that floor and continue my day!  That was not to be.

I can’t count how many times the doctor said, “This is a very severe injury.”   And, he was correct. The recuperation was slow, painful, and challenging.

Our grandson Andrew is four and quite a conversationalist.  Even though it has been six months since my fall, Andrew is rarely with me that we don’t have a conversation about my ankle.   He loves to talk about it.  Andrew lets me know that he can run, but I can’t run because I broke my leg, or he can climb a ladder, but I can’t because I broke my leg.  He does make me smile!

Recently while visiting us, Andrew was ready for lunch.  As I rose from my chair, I stood there a second to get my stiff ankle working.  I headed towards the kitchen, and Andrew said, “It’s hard for you to walk because you broke your leg.  You have to walk like a penguin.”

Penguin?  I really never gave much thought to how I looked when I walked.  I began to pay attention to my walk, and sure enough I could see that I waddled like a penguin.   After surgery, weeks of sitting in a chair with a propped-up leg, physical therapy, and learning to walk again, I was walking like a penguin!   I did not want to walk like a penguin!

From that day forward, I began paying very close attention to my walk.  I realized that I had let my wound, and the fear of more pain, cause me to walk like a penguin.  I began to concentrate on my steps.   I began to work at walking healed, like I walked before the wound and pain took up residence.

It has been almost a month since that conversation with Andrew, and I no longer walk like a penguin! Occasionally, if I’ve been on my foot too long, there is a little limp, but I don’t walk like a penguin!  Walking healed also revealed that it was more painful when I walked like a penguin.

Thank God Andrew spoke into my life!  Andrew caused me to realize that the wound was healed, and it was time to walk again!

It is so easy in life or church to be terribly wounded causing excruciating pain. Sometimes we might have to sit it out (withdraw) for a while, so healing can take place. God allows that for the purpose of healing, but it was never meant to be a permanent situation.   It’s very inviting to permanently allow wound and pain to be our master.  God’s plan is that healing be our master.

Thank God that Andrew Benton spoke truth to me!  Thank God that I responded!  It changed my walk.

Who do you allow to speak truth to you? We all need people who will speak truth, in love, to help us walk in healing and wholeness.   We all need loving accountability partners.  Accountability is not a negative term.   An accountability relationship is simply one in which two or more believers prompt each other to grow closer to the Lord.  This can be accomplished through questioning, challenging, admonishing, confessing, and encouraging. The purpose of this relationship is to help each other grow spiritually.

Child of God, be careful about allowing pain and wound to direct your walk.   Trust me when I tell you that penguin walking is more painful than learning to walk healed.

Thank God Andrew spoke. Thank God I listened.