The Invitation of the Red Gate

“Be still, and know that I am God.” — Psalm 46:10

I’ve always been drawn to gates, doors, and little paths that lead somewhere just out of view. Maybe it’s the curiosity in me, or maybe it’s the way God has so often led me into new seasons — not by showing me everything at once, but by simply inviting me to take the next step.

I remember one of those seasons vividly.

We had just transitioned into a whole new role in ministry. Chuck became the senior pastor, and suddenly everything that felt familiar shifted. For years, I knew my place — youth ministry, raising our boys, doing all the “busy” of church life. But now? I honestly felt lost. My identity seemed tangled in all the things I used to do.

And then, God gently placed a "gate" in front of me.

One simple act — I picked up my camera.

I started taking photos of the kids on the church patio. I hung the pictures in the hallway leading into the sanctuary — and something stirred in me. A new part of me. Creativity I never fully knew was there. And as I walked through that little red gate, God opened doors I never imagined — leading me into art, writing, creating, and connecting with people in new ways.

That’s what these red gate paintings remind me of. God often invites us to step through gates that feel small at first, but they open into wide places of growth, healing, and joy.

John 10:9:"I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture."

He invites us into new pastures — we just have to trust Him enough to walk through.

“He makes everything beautiful in its time.” — Ecclesiastes 3:11

“The Lord will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs… you will be like a well-watered garden.” — Isaiah 58:11

Have you ever faced a gate that felt scary to walk through? What small step might God be inviting you to take today?