Centered & Steady

Moses and I were out training in a different place recently. My husband had a meeting, so Moses and I found ourselves with about 45 minutes to fill—so naturally, we trained.

He’s still a pup, easily distracted, so I’ve been learning to set my expectations accordingly. That’s been a shift for both of us. He has so much natural talent, but talent still needs shaping… and patience.

We worked through our usual rhythm—focused heel work, sit, down/stay, a retrieve or two, and moments of simple connection. Then I noticed a couple of poles nearby, perfectly placed for a figure-eight pattern. Since I have plans to show him in competitive obedience (which beautifully overlaps with therapy dog work), precision matters.

So we practiced.

Round and round those poles we went.

Afterward, we wandered a bit, then circled back to that same spot. That’s when I saw the name on the building:

“The Center.”

And instantly, I thought of that old song—
Jesus, You’re the center of my joy
All that’s good and perfect comes from You
You’re the heart of my contentment
Hope for all I do
Jesus, You’re the center of my joy

For those few minutes as Moses heeled beside me, I was the center of his world.

His eyes stayed locked on mine.
He adjusted his steps to match mine.
He trusted me not to lead him into those poles.

And it hit me—

That’s what it looks like.

Trust. Obedience. Focus.

Not forced.
Not robotic.
Not out of fear.

But chosen.

Moses chooses to stay with me.
He chooses to watch me.
He chooses to trust my direction.

And isn’t that the invitation God gives us?

Not perfection.
Not performance.

But presence.

To keep Him at the center.

When God Is the Center…

We stop looking at all the distractions around us.
We stop anticipating every obstacle ahead.
We stop trying to control every step.

Instead—

We watch Him.
We move with Him.
We trust that He won’t lead us into something we can’t walk through with Him.

And when we don’t?

When I take my eyes off of the Master, I become out of step with Him. I may even run into a pole.

How true that is in my own life.

The moment my focus shifts—
to fear, to control, to what’s around me instead of Who is leading me—
I lose rhythm.

I get ahead… or I lag behind.
I overcorrect.
I stumble.

But just like in training, the invitation is always there to come back into step.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.” — Proverbs 3:5–6

What’s at the center of your focus right now?

Stress?
Uncertainty?
Control?
Distraction?

Or Jesus?

Because whatever sits at the center…
will guide your steps.

Just some Thursday thoughts,

Sandy