Baby Steps by Jane Clamp

This blog is inspired by my four-month-old grand-daughter, whose development is reminding me of the need for "progress to develop from process." We are all familiar with the phrase "baby steps" and can easily picture the slightly wobbly efforts of a youngster as they begin to walk. It would be unnatural for a baby to suddenly find their feet one day and be running around the house the next - although it can feel like that sometimes!

Young Florence is obviously a baby with places to get to. From only weeks old, we could feel her fidgeting in our arms, trying to sit herself up. She began to roll over onto her tummy way sooner than her father had done. At only three months old, she was making crawling actions with her arms and legs, even managing to inch forwards, commando-style. We laugh indulgently at her. Silly girl! What do you think you're doing? Well, quite naturally, she's following an instinct to move towards something she's spotted ahead. But, however natural the instinct, her progress is limited because there is a process of physical growth and development that simply must be followed.

Lately, I've been reading a motivational book about calling, in which the author is clear about the need to take one step at a time. Baby steps, in fact. So many of us want to get in a lift and be hurtled effortlessly towards our goals, but the fact is it's a process. It can be slow. It can be frustrating and test our patience to the limit, but there is no side-stepping (excuse the pun) the issue. Our walk with God is often not a sprint.

In our eagerness to "make it" as writers, we have to accept we can't rush the process. We might feel able to metaphorically roll over and wave our limbs around in the right way, but we may not be quite ready to move forwards yet. Sometimes we have wait for God to grow something in us first.

Jane Clamp is the Groups’ Coordinator for ACW and runs the Brecks, Fens and Pens group based in West Norfolk. She writes for radio and is editing her second novel.