First Steps, False Starts, and Finding our Feet
26th January 2026
Believe it or not, this year marks 25 years since the release of Peter Jackson's fantasy masterpiece: The Fellowship of The Ring! It was the first of the epic trilogy that brought Tolkien's "unfilmable" Lord of The Rings series to life, and instantly winning over doubters and creating a huge fanbase of dedicated fans.
When I say "dedicated fans" - I, if you didn't know by now, count myself happily among them. To mark this anniversary, the extended versions of the movies have been rereleased into cinemas - with fans choosing to watch them separately or, in one twelve hour marathon!
I couldn't do the twelve hour marathon - although, trust me, I was very tempted! But I did pile into the cinema with a bunch of mates to watch Fellowship last week, and it was positively glorious to be transported back firmly to Middle Earth for a couple of hours!
There's a moment in the film where two friends are stepping out of the cosy little village in the Shire into the great unknown. One character, called Sam, takes pause: "This is it... If I take one more step, it’ll be the farthest away from home I’ve ever been." His friend, Frodo, encourages him with his uncle Bilbo's immortal wisdom:
“It’s a dangerous business, Frodo, going out of your door.
You step into the Road, and if you don’t keep your feet,
there is no knowing where you might be swept off to.”
TOLKIEN, THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING
Keeping Your Feet
Most days begin exactly like that — one foot out the door and suddenly the current of demands, distractions, and expectations is already tugging at us. Emails, needs, noise, the next thing and the next thing. It’s astonishing how quickly we can be swept off down a road we never meant to travel.
There’s something about the first step of a journey. A hiker knows that even a tiny shift at the start — a few degrees to the left or right — can change the whole path ahead. The first step doesn't cover much ground, but it does determine the direction.
It's the same with prayer: that first small moment of turning towards God can shape the whole day in the right direction.
The first foot we place matters.
If anyone understood the pressure of demands and expectations, it was Jesus. Crowds, needs, questions, interruptions — all waiting for Him the moment He stepped into the day. And yet His pattern was simple: start with the Father.
Even Jesus knew the pull of a day that could sweep Him off in a dozen directions. That’s why He began with stillness — slipping away early, before anything else could claim Him.
“Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed.”
MARK 1:35
“At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place.”
LUKE 4:42
Every morning, creation offers us that same invitation. Light returns, dew gathers, the world resets. It’s as if the day itself whispers, “You can begin again.” (Lamentations 3:23)
Before the day gathers speed, there’s a small, deliberate act that can steady us: prayer. A moment of turning toward God. A quiet breath that opens the door to grace before anything else has a chance to claim us.
Morning prayer becomes that grounding step — the one that sets the direction rather than letting the day decide it for us.
Morning Prayers
Which is why I wanted to create a series of simple, one sentence prayers, to help to both ground us in His presence and direct our days towards Him.
They hopefully serve as "first steps", rather than the final word - "conversation starters" rather than scripts... small catalysts that draw our attention to the Father, sets our intentions steadily towards Him, and directs the flow of our prayers and days in the flow of His purpose, promise and power.
You may want to read them, watch them or share them - each image links to the short youtube version:
And you can find the full playlist
here too:
Whether you're the furthest away from home you've ever been, have already been swept off your feet, or are about to tuck into your second breakfast... may these small moments of prayer help you begin again, steady your steps with intention, your pace with purpose, your day with His presence.
“In the morning, Lord, You hear my voice;
in the morning I lay my requests before You
and wait expectantly.”
PSALM 5:3