A few days ago, I had an unexpected encounter in my driveway. A man I didn’t immediately recognize approached me and asked, “Do you remember me?” He then reminded me that many years ago, he had brought his daughter to my office. I had worked with her and their family during a time of great need. He shared that because of that support, she is now thriving, excelling in a successful military career and having recently completed law school. He told me their entire family still attributes much of her journey to the help I offered back then. I was humbled beyond words.

After he left, I stood there for a while, reflecting. That moment stirred something deep within me. I realized just how much I miss working with young people, helping them believe in themselves, overcome obstacles, and step confidently into their future. It reminded me of the calling I once lived out daily, and how sacred that work truly was. In those seasons, I don’t think I appreciated fully the weight or beauty of the opportunity I’d been given.

God gave me gifts, and for a time, He opened doors for me to use them in powerful ways. But if I’m honest, there were times when I was so focused on what was next, the next title, the next achievement, the next milestone, that I missed the miracle of the present. I didn’t always “be where my feet were.”

That phrase, “Be where your feet are”, was spoken to Coach Nick Saban as he frequently reminded his players, but it has deep biblical resonance. God has already given us so much: family, health, calling, love, and grace. But if we’re always chasing the next thing, we risk missing what’s already in our hands. One day, we look up, and it’s gone.

Paul understood this tension. He wrote in Philippians 4:12:

“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation…”

Paul didn’t write those words from a place of comfort. He wrote them from prison. Yet he had found the secret to contentment: not in circumstances, but in Christ. His peace didn’t come from what he had or didn’t have. It came from who he belonged to.

That’s the peace I’m seeking now. Looking back, I can see how God walked with me even in the hardest times. I see now that He was teaching me, preparing me, and holding me close even when I didn’t realize it. And though I carry sorrow over what’s lost, I’m learning to also carry deep gratitude for what was, and what still is.

So now, my prayer has changed. I ask God to help me stay rooted in the moment, to treasure the gifts I’ve been given, and to trust Him with both what has passed and what’s still to come. I pray for the strength to be fully where my feet are, and to recognize that even now, God is not done using my story.

If you’re reading this and wrestling with discontentment, I invite you to pause. Ask God to show you what He’s already doing right in front of you. Not in the future. Not in the “what if.” But right now. He’s here. He sees you. And He’s still writing your story.

Prayer:
Lord, help me to see the blessings in front of me. Teach me to live fully present, with a heart rooted in contentment and gratitude. Help me to let go of regret and to trust You with my future. Keep my feet grounded in Your purpose, and let me walk forward in peace. Amen.