Listen to this post
I learned a long time ago that sometimes the most beautiful blessings in life arrive disguised as a short straw.
I was forty-two years old when I found myself caught in a situation that felt incredibly unfair. My children’s father had a specific tradition for making the hard decisions no one wanted to make: he would break wooden matches and have us draw them. Whoever ended up with the shortest match was stuck with the task. While I can’t say for certain if that was the exact method used that day, I know the outcome: I was the one chosen to take our dog, Shawnee.
At first, I struggled with deep resentment. It was painful to feel like a responsibility had been thrust upon me that nobody else wanted to shoulder. I remember the drive home vividly—getting behind the wheel, alone with my thoughts and this dog, feeling a heavy weight of loneliness. I had to stop and truly check my heart, praying through my attitude to ensure I wasn't letting bitterness take root.
But looking back now, I see how the Lord used that "unfair" moment to build Platforms of Praise in my life. God honored that dog, and He honored the care we gave her. It taught me a profound lesson I carry with me as an inspirational composer every time I sit at the piano: If the Lord can show such tender care for a dog, how much more will He honor us?
When we look to Him and cry out from our places of difficulty, He is there. He honors our faithfulness, even when the journey begins with a heavy heart. May you find your own Steps to Joy today, knowing that no task is too small for God to use for His glory.
Reflection
Are you carrying a "short straw" responsibility right now? Trust that God sees your faithfulness in the quiet, lonely moments, and He is preparing to turn that burden into a blessing.
