Remember those carefree days as a kid? You know. The ones where you’re coasting along on the saddle of your friendly bike.

I remember the feeling of freedom. I could go wherever I wanted — or so it seemed. Now I know my parents had placed some boundaries on where exactly I could travel, but still it felt great to hop on my bike and take off.

This week Abigail has gained that freedom. It took awhile — but the key was finally getting her a bike that was the right size. She’s not eating her knees anymore, so she’s sailing around the neighborhood. Pushing the boundaries. And begging Daddy to take her on more and more rides around the neighborhood.

Jonathan doesn’t have quite that same freedom. He’s got a great new bike, too. He informed Eric it would be fundamentally unfair for Abigail to get another new bike without him getting one. And I had to agree with him. So he’d got an awesome bike — with training wheels. At the rate he’s going it won’t take long and he could probably ride without him, but even then, he doesn’t have the same level of freedom — even without Abigail stretching hers a bit.

It makes me think of the way God parents us. Sometimes He gives me more area to travel. Sometimes He pulls me back. Sometimes He lets someone else have seemingly more than me. But each of us are treated as individuals. He knows us intimately and what is best for us.

He’ll hold us back if we’re not quite ready.

He’ll push us when we’re hanging back, and He has something more for us. Just like I kept telling Abigail I knew she could ride the bike. She just had to believe she could do it.

So what is God telling you you can do? What area is He asking you to step out in faith and trust Him? Let’s embrace His challenges!