“You’ll get over being mad at me.”“Not likely.”Step, step, step—“I promise not to gloat about it when you do.”“I won’t.”Step, step, step—“Because I want to be with you so badly I don’t care if you’re screaming at me the whole time as long as I’m with you.”I stop dead in my tracks.”

“I’m going to walk over to you,” I say, taking one step at a time in her direction like I’m talking down a jumper. “I’m going to put my arms around you and I’m going to hold you,” I pause before taking the last step, “and you’re going to let me.”

“I have been entertaining the idea, Sky. Believe me. It’s just a huge step that can’t be undone once it’s taken.”“What if it’s a step you don’twant undone, though? What if it’s a step that just makes you want to take another step, and another step, until you’re full-on sprinting?”She laughs. “That’s exactly what I’m afraid of.”

“I change too quickly: my today refutes my yesterday. When I ascend I often jump over steps, and no step forgives me that.”

“Whenever, wherever, however You want me, I'll go. And I'll begin this very minute. Lord, as I stand up from this place, and as I take my first step forward, will You consider this is a step toward complete obedience to You? I'll call it the step of yes.”

“Let me rephrase.” He took a seething step toward me. “When it comes to you… I don’t like to share.”