3 Things To Remember

On my way into town today, I was listening to K-LOVE Christian Radio, and the Hosts were sharing an excerpt from Matthew West's book, Don't Stop Praying. (Published February 2026) It was so profound, that I decided to research this account and share it with my Readers; this is what I found:

"The 'exercise' Matthew West speaks about is a powerful trust walk from a father-daughter camp (attended at JH Ranch) that served as a spiritual metaphor.  He recounts this exact story at the beginning of his book, Don't Stop Praying.

The Camp Exercise Setup-

Fathers and daughters went deep into the woods for a guided hike.  The daughters completely blindfolded, and the fathers were tasked with leading them safely through the terrain.

Before starting, the fathers had to have their daughters memorize and repeat three strict rules:

1-"I will never leave you."

2-"You can ask me anything."

3- "Only listen for the sound of my voice."

How the exercise unfolded-

 •The Easy Phase- At first, Matthew kept his hand on his daughter's shoulder. They walked and talked easily, and she felt entirely secure.

•The Silent Command-A camp counselor gave a silent hand signal to Matthew, forcing him to remove his hand from her shoulder.

•The Silence-Another silent signal from the counselor meant Matthew was no longer allowed to speak to her. However, the rules permitted him to speak only if she remembered rule number 2 and asked him a question.

•The Detour-Because she stayed completely quiet, she began drifting off course. A camp counselor quickly took her hand and led her directly into a ditch without her realizing it.

•The Breakthrough-Confused and standing blindfolded in a ditch, she finally realized her father's promise and called out, "Dad, are you there?" Matthew immediately and emotionally answered, "Yeah, I'm here!"

The Spiritual takeaway-

Matthew West uses this viral story in his ministry and book to illustrate prayer and faith. He explains that people often act like his daughter in the woods-wandering into 'ditches' of life, feeling blindfolded and confused, while entirely forgetting that God is standing right beside them, waiting for them to simply call out and ask for help."

I couldn't stop thinking about this illustration all day long.  When things seem to be going great in my life, it's easy to feel safe and secure in the promises of God, but when things begin to change and I no longer 'feel' the presence of God in my life, fear, doubts and confusion enter my thoughts.  I being to make decisions without seeking the Lord and I find myself in a ditch of my own making.  But then I remember God's promises-

"I will never leave you" Hebrews 13:5

"You can ask me anything" 1 John 5:14-15, John 14:13-14, Mark 11:24, Philippians 4:6

"Only listen for the sound of my voice" John 10:27

Thank you, Lord, for reminding me that you will never leave me...

    I can call on You and ask You anything...

        and I know Your Voice...

            But that's just me!