February 1, 2026
But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these” Luke 18:16
On Tuesday afternoon, I put on my boots, grabbed some gloves, and headed to meet some friends at the park. I walked over with my snowboard in hand, through the neighborhood in Dallas, Texas. No mountains, no ski lifts, no ski lodge insight. A girl in snowboard boots, with a snowboard in hand, and a smile of optimism on her way. I passed by neighbors and friendly faces that wished me luck. I told them to come join! I walked through the neighborhood, lined with melted ice and a thin layer of snow.
Along this walk, I saw a daughter and father who rested on my heart this week. On my way to the park, I passed by a young, beautiful girl looking at me passing by with a snowboard in my hand. It’s the glimmer in her eye as I look right back at her and ask her how she’s liking the snow - She smiles and says that she loves it with full excitement. She looks at the board in my hand, and her dad softly tells her it’s a snowboard.
She looks at my boots and tells me that she has a pair of her own. With excitement, she looks up at her dad and jumps over a puddle of melted snow in the street. She tells her dad that she needs to go put her snow boots on. As I continued on the way, they both turned left, she smiled from ear to ear and waved to say goodbye. We both wished each other a great rest of the day + wished one another a fun day playing in the snow.
As she looked with excitement and confidence towards her dad to go put on her snow boots.
I was caught with my heart tethered. This is how I am called to look to my Heavenly Father.
With awe, wonder, a subtle confidence, and with a joyful heart. A look that dances at the sense of adventure, of His creation. A joy that jumps over obstacles, that rejoices to be outside. A child-like faith that constantly Looks Up. An attitude that wants to put on the snow boots, to go play.
Our Creator has made a beautiful playground for us.
That afternoon I continued on my way to meet my friends in the park. We met two brothers around the ages of 8 and 10 who shared a traffic sign they found with us. The detour sign made an incredible sled.
And we took turns pushing one another down the lightly snowy hill. There was enough ice to cover the way to keep us moving as grass was beginning to show. We used my snowboard as a sled that led us clear across the park (with speed)! This hill became our playground.
When I stood on the hill, looking over the park, I saw a glimpse of awe and wonder for our Heavenly Father. A Creator who takes the time to make a place for us to meet Him. A Creator who intentionally places adventure along the course. Our Creator who turns the ordinary into the extraordinary. A Creator who cares about the perspective of our eyes and the spiritual posture of our hearts. Jesus saw a lot from the mountaintops. He saw because He kept Looking Up.
It’s the spiritual posture of our hearts that allows us to embark in seeing more of Him in everything. The adventure is following Him.
He called His disciples to embark on the biggest adventure of their lives.
He called Peter out from the boat and on to the water
He called Noah to take a chance
He is inviting each and every one of us to come join the journey, to follow Him, to see and experience what only He can do.
It may not look like we thought it would.
There was no ski lift, there was no lodge. I still brought the snowboard.
There were friends in the park, cardboard boxes + just enough snow to cover some grass.
It was an attitude of putting on our snow boots on, grabbing the gloves and joyfully meeting in the park for an hour. We left work conversations at a minimum. We took time to enjoy. And we took time to watch the skyline together as the sun went down.
In the awe and wonder, hills can become mountaintops and parks can become playgrounds. This simple afternoon in the park became the highlight of my week.
As I looked at the hill, it had been filled with like-minded people. The hill that had 2 others on it when we arrived now had about 14 others. People who were on walks to the park climbed the hill and grabbed a cardboard box for a ride. Others who were taking their dogs for a walk decided to join as well. It seemed as though the whole park was joyfully watching for the next ride. A park filled with families, individuals, adults of all ages, couples, and children, smiling and cheering each other on. A park of people enjoying the great outdoors in a city often described as a ‘concrete jungle’.
A child like faith is a way of being. It’s about the posture of our hearts.
Let the little children come to me, and don’t stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these
| Luke 18:16 |
The places and spaces that bring us to our core may and often will look different for us all - It’s time to find our playground | Most of all, it’s time to seek the Creator
This can look like going on a hiking trip
This can look like going for a new walk
This can look like driving to a new city
This can look like trying out pickleball for the first time
This can look like cooking a new recipe from scratch
Invite Him into all these things as He is with you, He is beside you.
Keep Looking Up
Spend time in the hobbies that inspire you to create
Spend time in the places that remind you to dream again
Spend time with people who remind you of where your soul feels alive
Spend time with people who remind you where your soul feels at home
We all need to play. We all need a mindful place to reset. We all need a place to imagine, to dream, and to create. Somewhere along the way, we may have lost our sense of awe and wonder. In the midst of doing and in the busyness, we may have lost touch.
Here is a reminder that every day can look like a play date.
Here is a reminder to get out of the rut of moving so fast in structure that we lack adventure.
The idea is that we do not need to settle in this life
This life can be full of whimsy adventure
He has called us to a life abundantly in Him
I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance
| John 10:10 |
His word is alive and active.
He is here in the midst.
He is in every detail. And He cares about you in the details.
He wants time with us in the stillness and in the adventure. He invites us to come close + stay near. He invites us on the very best adventure and the best opportunity of a lifetime- To Come Follow Him.
I hope the young girl and her dad went to put on her snow boots. I hope they found more puddles to jump over on the way. I hope the brothers on the hill had as much fun as I did. I hope the people in the park felt more inspired on their way back home. And I hope my friends see how much this meant to me.
I hope you all find your way to a playground near you soon.
I hope as you read this on your phone or your computer, that you carve out time to put it aside. I hope this encourages you to find yourself outside, on a park bench, on a walk, or on a run. I hope it inspires you to pick up the paintbrush again and to go touch the grass. I hope it reminds you to find what excites you again.
Above all else, I hope it guides you closer to Him. To spend intentional time with the Creator who guides every adventure.
The adventure of following Jesus is different for each one of us… See where He’s leading you to
I am cheering you on
With love,
Makenna
