Lane.

Stay in your lane.

These words. This phrase. I heard it as loud as if someone was in the empty room with me. Cutting long lines of thick paper. Slicing out boxes to make new teams for my classroom centers. And I stopped. Looking up. I heard it. Again. Loud. Clear.

Stay in your lane.

I taking a deep breath. Closing my eyes. Lowering my head. Scrunching up my nose. Letting out that breath.

Ok, God. Ok.

Stay in my lane.

I knew exactly what He meant. What He was calling me. Commanding me to do.

I read a whole book about it! Once. Christine Caine’s book, Unstoppable, focuses on the race ahead of us. Staying in our own lanes.

I have a friend. Who says. Almost in every conversation. Her words to herself. I need to stay in my lane.

So His words. His phrase. Though eyes were closed and head was lowered and nose was scrunched and breath was deep. A slight smile came to my lips. Because I knew. Oh, did I know! Exactly what He was asking. Commanding. Of me.

I am a runner. Words I never dreamed I would utter. And as a runner. At the start line of a race. Though there are no lanes etched or marked on the ground. The dirt. The black asphalt. It is SO important! To stay in your lane! That invisible lane. With runners all around you! Some take off fast. Some slow. Some zig-zagging all over the place!

But. In order to survive that first quarter mile. Without falling. Without crashing. Without being plowed into. You must stay in your invisible lane.

You are aware of what is going on around. Of someone squeezing in between your and your running buddy. Of the one who just dropped a packet of Gu on the ground in front of you. So you don’t completely lose yourself in your own space. Your own thoughts. Your own music. Because you still have to have an intense focus on your lane.

So to hear that familiar voice say. Stay in your lane. Not only did I know how to do those words. But I also knew exactly what He meant. To stay in my lane.

I am prone to obsessive thoughts. Those ones that ruminant and ruminant and ruminant. The ones where I play out 100 different scenarios and conversations. And that’s before breakfast! So the number one thing that causes me to leave my lane. Ding! Ding! Ding! Obsessive. Thoughts.

I spend. Waste! So much time! So much of my life! On this line of thinking. And when I do. I don’t just lose time. I lose focus. I lose my space. I lose my hearing. I lose my heart.

I lose my lane.

I know my lane. I know what He is telling. Where He is telling me to stay. So I say. Repeat. Focus. On my lane.

My lane. My lane is made of heart purposes and kindergarteners. Teenagers and writing. Vulnerability and obedience. Dreams and quality time. Of a husband and children. Friends and coffee. Giving of time and doing of life.

And the joy that comes. Will come. With staying in my lane. Aware of those around me. In their own lanes. Encouraging them. Yet with intense focus on what I am asked and commanded to do. As to not lose sight or fall into the traps of pride and envy.

So help me, Jesus. To stay in my lane.