Light Guides

    As the two boys crossed the finish line, they jumped up and down with joy and embraced. They had won as a team. Both ran, but one had special needs and one was a guide. The guide kept his buddy on course and focused. Similarly, at the National Ability Center in Park City, sight impaired athletes ski with a guide. Though the situations vary, we all need a guide from time to time.

We are all light guides.

     My sisters have guided me many a time. Parenting dilemmas, marital stresses and even fashion dilemmas... there is no topic that hasn't benefited from their loving intervention. When my newborn son was ill, my sister found my hospital room in Japan. When I heard her voice, I saw a beam of light crossing the globe and anchoring me to the earth. She was my guide in my darkest hour. Friends and family have stepped in during unemployment, military deployment and sickness. Here's the beautiful thing: This kind of aid doesn't make you beholden or weak. Eventually you will be called on to walk alongside somebody and be THEIR guide. Your own history and challenges actually make you a better guide. You approach others with empathy and compassion.
     For believers, being a light guide is an opportunity to be a channel of God's grace. It is a privilege. Sometimes you guide a loved one. Sometimes you guide a stranger. The soul work is the same. Just as there are fishing, hunting, trekking and snowshoe guides, there are different life guides. There are many gifts but the same Spirit. You may give counsel, teach, encourage, heal or simply be present. Offering your time by being present is a significant way to bring light into darkness and remind a person of their inherent worth.
     The impact of a guide is exponential. The light is passed from one soul to another. It is a vital circuit. When you are following, take notes. Your time to lead is coming.