Vital Signs: Monday, May 18, 2026

Joy on the Path

“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy…” — Psalm 16:11

When I read, “path of life,” I remember the soft, orange path between pastures of thick, dark green grass on our right, and a cliff with a drop-off of about 500 feet into the Atlantic Ocean on our left as my daughter and I hiked three miles, single file, on this path wide enough for one foot in front of the other. We were walking the Cliffs of Moher on Ireland’s westernmost coast.

When we walk the path that God leads us to, we are close to Him, because we are following Him. He doesn’t just throw us out there and hope we make it. He leads us to the path He chose for us, and then He leads us on that path. As we walk close to Him, we are in His presence.

When we are in His presence, no matter where we are on our path and no matter what path it is, we find fullness of joy. We see the beauty of life that comes from following Jesus. We celebrate a new day to be alive and bring glory to God by our walk of faith. We walk in joy. We stand in a place where the joy-filled surprises from God do not go unnoticed. We feel the love of God fueling us to accomplish our daily work, and we’re thankful for our daily work, for our purpose.

What is our purpose? Our purpose is to bring God glory. How do we do that? By walking our path, faithfully, humbly, willing to help the guy ahead of us or behind us who might need a hand. No matter what our path in life is, our obedience to stay on that path and keep moving forward brings God glory, and we probably don’t even see it, but I guarantee you that other people see the light in your life that can only come from God who gives you the strength to obey Him.

By staying on this sometimes not-so-easy path, we stay close to Him—our guide, the renewer of our strength, the source of our faith, and the giver of the fullness of joy. Because we are following Him, like sheep follow their Shepherd, the inevitable treacherous places, storms, and confusing fog aren’t reasons to quit walking forward. No. Jesus is right there, getting hit by the storms first, giving us the gift of joy no matter what, until one day the path leads to our final destination: our heavenly home. Keep walking. Allow yourself to be given the joy. - (Deborah Smith)

Lord, thank You for making known to me the path of life. Even when the way is narrow or the storms roll in, remind me that You are walking right ahead of me, shielding me and guiding my steps. Help me to stay close to Your presence today, to find the fullness of joy You promise, and to be a light to those around me on the journey. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Team Wade loves you and is praying for you! ❤️👊