I found an old photo as we cleaned out closets recently—me as a little girl, standing just behind the water’s edge, staring out at a lake. I wasn’t playing. I wasn’t splashing. I was just… standing there. Watching.
I remember this moment, and I even remember what I was thinking.
That water was big.
And I was afraid.
I didn’t like not being able to see the bottom. It just seemed so much bigger than me. So I stood there, feet dry, heart pounding, completely unsure if I’d ever be brave enough to step in.
But my dad was right behind me. He didn’t push. He didn’t make me feel silly.
Instead, he took my hand and said, “Let’s just dip a toe in.”
One toe. That’s it.
That was all it took.
Toe by toe, inch by inch, step by step—he helped me walk past fear and into something new. Not just water, but trust.
Not just the lake, but the idea that even when things felt uncertain, I wouldn’t be alone.
If I could go back and speak to that little girl in the photo, I think I’d whisper a few things:
“You’re going to face many lakes in your life. Not all of them will be water. Some will be grief. Some will be loss. Some will be unknown paths and uncharted seasons. But don’t let fear be the loudest voice.”
“There will always be someone holding your hand—sometimes your dad, sometimes a friend, sometimes your heavenly Father whispering, 
‘One step at a time.’”
“You don’t have to jump in all at once. Just start with one toe. That’s enough.”
I think we all have those lakes—those places where we pause just short of the edge, staring at something that feels too big. Healing. Forgiveness. Change. Purpose. Vulnerability. Joy after loss.
But I’ve learned that the first toe in the water is usually the scariest. And I’ve also learned, with every step, that God meets us there—not with a shove, but with a hand.
And like my dad did all those years ago, He stays right beside us.
Smiling.
Encouraging.
Patiently waiting while we take the next step.
Because He knows the water isn’t just where fear lives.
It’s where freedom begins.
So to the little girl behind the lake…
It’s okay to be scared.
Just don’t stay frozen on the shore.
There’s beauty in the stepping in.
#OneToeAtATime #FaithOverFear #HealingJourney #LisaBainMinistries #TheLittleGirlStillInside
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