Journeys With Jani

Another oldie I wrote back in 2009! Still on point! Just a little update with a cute pic!

I’ll never forget the day we taught our oldest son, Jake, how to ride his bike without training wheels. It was one for the books.

Teddy—his daddy—started out right next to him, gripping the handlebars and the back of the seat, making sure Jake could balance and brake without toppling over. At first, Teddy held on tight, guiding him every step of the way. Then, as Jake started to steady himself, Teddy let go of the handlebars and only held onto the seat. Wobbly, but determined, Jake kept going.

And then, the moment of truth—Teddy let go completely. For a brief second, Jake was doing it! He was riding all on his own! And then… crash. Down he went. It wasn’t terrible, just a little scrape, but the tears came fast. I scooped him up and asked, “What happened, Jaker?” With big, teary eyes, he looked at me and said, “Daddy let me go, and I got scared.”

Teddy felt awful, but of course, he was just trying to teach Jake how to ride on his own. After a few comforting words (and maybe a few more sniffles), Jake bravely got back on the bike, and we started the whole process again.

As the afternoon went on, frustration set in. Eventually, Jake—his little ego flaring—decided he didn’t need Daddy’s help anymore. He insisted Teddy let go. Teddy wasn’t so sure, but Jake was determined. And then, in one bold move, he decided to take on our very steep driveway.

For a split second, he felt the thrill of freedom. And then… CRASH. This time, it was bad. Blood everywhere. And in true Jake fashion, instead of showing how hurt he was, he got mad. He turned to Teddy and shouted, “Why didn’t you catch me, Daddy?!”

A Lesson in Faith

Our walk with God is a lot like Jake’s bicycle lesson. There are times in life when we want God holding onto us tightly, guiding us, protecting us, keeping us from falling. We don’t want to move forward without the security of His presence. We’re afraid we’ll lose our balance or forget how to brake.

Then, there are the times we don’t feel God as strongly. We get into a funk, maybe even drift away, thinking He’s not guiding us—when in reality, we’re the ones not seeking Him. God gives us room to grow, to make choices, to strengthen our faith.

And then, of course, there are times when we get a little too confident. We start making decisions without seeking God’s guidance. We think we’ve got it all figured out. “I’ve got this, God! Your rules don’t apply here, dude.” And then… CRASH.

We fall. Hard. And what do we do? We turn to God, bruised and broken, and cry, “Where were You? Why didn’t You catch me, Father?”

I imagine sometimes God shakes His head and lovingly says, “Really? You’re blaming Me for this?”

Free Will & Faith

The truth is, just like Jake had to learn to ride his bike, we have to learn how to walk in faith. God gives us free will—He lets us make our own choices. And sometimes, we choose to ignore everything He’s taught us. When we tell Him we don’t need His help, He steps back and lets us try it on our own.

But here’s the beautiful part—He never leaves.

Jake eventually learned to ride that bike with confidence. Over time, he mastered balance and braking. Teddy didn’t have to hold on anymore.

And that’s how faith works. As we grow, our relationship with God deepens, and we learn to navigate life with wisdom and trust. It becomes less scary when we remember the lessons our Father has taught us. We know He’s always there, His guidance steady, His presence constant. It’s up to us to remember and apply what He’s taught us—to keep our balance and know when to brake.

The Father’s Love

That first day, Jake crashed. And even though he yelled at his daddy, you know what happened? Teddy scooped him up and comforted him. He couldn’t take the pain away completely—cuts and bruises take time to heal—but just being held made Jake feel better.

God is our Father—our Daddy.

When we crash—when life knocks us down—He is there to scoop us up. The damage may be done. The healing may take time. Bruised egos, broken hearts, wounds to the soul—they don’t mend overnight. But they do heal.

And just like physical scars remind us of lessons learned, so do the scars of our past mistakes. They remind us of where we’ve been and, more importantly, what not to repeat.

So if you’ve fallen—if you’ve crashed—know this: You’re not alone. We all have.

Let your Father comfort you. Give yourself the grace to heal. And remember, keep your balance. Know when to move forward and when to apply the brakes.

He’s got you. Always.

XOXO, Jani