One Step Is Enough
What God taught me the night nobody came
One of my favorite movies is The Founder. It tells the story of Ray Kroc, a struggling salesman who spent most of his life chasing success before finally building McDonald’s into a global brand.
During the groundbreaking ceremony of his first McDonald’s franchise, he quietly said to himself,
“Do it right this time.”
That line has stayed with me for years.
There have been many moments in my own life when I have whispered the same words:
“Do it right this time.”
But life is rarely that simple.
Ray Kroc did not become successful overnight. He was in his mid-fifties when things finally began to change. He was around sixty-two before he truly began to enjoy the rewards of what he had built.
Life comes with struggles. Unexpected turns. Disappointments. Losses. Questions about the future.
The same is true in ministry.
After I accepted God’s call and entered full-time ministry, several friends quietly disappeared. A few business contracts never materialized. My family had already been broken. The future often seemed unclear.
Sometimes, I honestly feel like leaving ministry and returning to my career as a computer architect.
All I need is to complete two AI certifications from Claude and Google, and I could probably earn a comfortable income for many years to come.
The thought crosses my mind from time to time.
Today was one of those days.
Tonight, I organized another Bible Conversation in Mexico City.
The pastor...
and the only attendee...
were the same person.
Just me.
Out of fifteen people who confirmed they would come, I was the only one sitting at the table.
Fifteen yeses.
Zero arrivals.
I was disappointed.
But I still prayed for everyone. Including you, the reader of this blog.
The coffee shop barista, Jorge, has become a friend. He smiles whenever he sees people gathering around the Bible. Tonight, when no one arrived, I could see the sadness on his face.
Not because the coffee shop lost business. It is always busy.
He simply saw someone who keeps showing up every Thursday, hoping people will come and hear God’s Word.
Here is the part that undid me.
Tonight’s topic was “Following Jesus One Step at a Time.”
I had prepared that message for fifteen people.
God had prepared it for one.
Me.
“Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will send you out to fish for people” (Matthew 4:19).
Many people think following Jesus means changing everything overnight. They think they must become perfect immediately, with every habit fixed and every question answered before they take the first step.
But when Jesus called His disciples, He simply said,
“Follow Me.”
He did not give them a five-year plan. He did not answer every question. He simply asked them to take the next step.
That’s how God leads. One step at a time. Not ten steps at once.
And look at who He called. Peter and Andrew were fishermen—not scholars, not religious leaders, not perfect people. Jesus begins with ordinary people who are willing to follow Him.
I am an ordinary man too.
A man who once loved to dwell in sin like a pig in the mud.
Then His work of sanctification began.
Slowly...
patiently...
He started pulling me out.
One sin at a time.
Even today, the temptation is real.
Sometimes my tail gets stuck in the mud.
He pulls it out.
Sometimes my left foot slips back into the mud.
He pulls that out too.
He is relentless in keeping me from returning to my old life.
That’s who He is.
Patient with imperfect people.
Think about Moses.
When God called him, Moses repeatedly gave reasons why he could not go. He pointed to his inability to speak and his own weaknesses. As I have reflected on those passages over the years, I have often wondered whether those excuses revealed something deeper. Perhaps he felt unworthy because of his past. Perhaps guilt had become stronger than faith.
But God did not abandon him. He encouraged him. He provided Aaron to help him. And He continued shaping Moses into the leader Israel needed.
Moses took one step at a time. He was not transformed overnight, and his anger did not disappear immediately—he was the same man who broke the stone tablets after coming down from Mount Sinai.
Still, God remained patient with him.
Because Moses kept taking the next step.
Perhaps that is what following Jesus really looks like. Not becoming perfect in a single day. Not having every answer. Not seeing the entire map.
Just taking the next faithful step.
Following Jesus requires trust.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Proverbs 3:5–6).
The disciples left their nets before knowing where they were going. That is how faith works—it often begins before understanding. Sometimes God gives enough light for today’s step...
not tomorrow’s map.
And growth? Growth happens step by step.
“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion...” (Philippians 1:6).
Peter wasn’t transformed in one day, and neither are we. God is patient, and growth takes time. Following Jesus is not a sprint.
It is a lifelong journey.
And sometimes, we stumble. Peter denied Jesus three times—and Jesus restored him anyway. Failure is not the end.
Grace gives us another step.
When I came back to my apartment tonight, I stumbled.
I prayed. And then I started questioning Him.
“God, is Your call on my life real? Or did I imagine something? I know you healed me physically, several times. You opened doors that were so hard to open. You saved me from a great fall in Colca Canyon. Miracles after miracles. But now you have become silent. What do you want me to do? Do you want me to continue the ministry in Mexico, or can I go back to my old corporate life?”
He was very quiet.
No answers.
No voice.
At least, that’s what I thought.
Then a message arrived from a believer and friend, Jorge F:
“Sounds to me like you’re in good company! Haha. There’s strength in numbers Lawrence, but remember that, even if you’re only with yourself, The Lord’s still faithful wherever you are in his namesake. Thank you for showing up today.”
Then another, from Judith:
“Thank you so much for attending the meeting 😊 you just don’t know what you did and may the Lord bless you more 🙏🏼”
Remember, friend: God speaks through people.
I asked Him a question in an empty apartment.
He answered through two WhatsApp messages.
“...fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:1–2).
Our focus is not on other Christians. Not on attendance, not on churches, not on our failures.
Our focus is Jesus.
When we watch people too closely, we become discouraged.
When we watch Jesus, we find strength.
Tonight, the chairs around my table were empty.
But my heart is not.
Next Thursday, I will prepare again. I will print the Bible study notes again. I will arrive on time again. And if I have to, I will preach to an audience of one again.
But here is what I have learned: my job is to take the step.
Filling the chairs is His job.
I plant, I water—He gives the growth.
He does not ask me to be successful.
He asks me to be faithful.
Maybe next Thursday, fifteen people will come. Maybe no one will. Either way, His will is being done—in that coffee shop, in Jorge’s heart, and in mine. The results belong to Him, the timing belongs to Him, and the harvest belongs to Him.
So I will take the next step. And leave the rest to Him.
Because when God is the one leading...
one step is enough.
About the Author
Lawrence Manickam is an Evangelical Pastor of Calvary International Church, Mexico City. Called to serve across nations, he was born in India, shaped in Canada, and now carries a heart for Mexico.
He shares the love of Jesus Christ across cultures through writing, teaching, and personal ministry. In July 2024, he completed his Master of Arts in Pastoral Counseling from Liberty University, Virginia.
He is the author of three Christian books:
📘 Trump & Jesus
A bold and provocative exploration of leadership, faith, culture, and the spiritual forces shaping American history.
📘 Hearing the Holy Spirit in Everyday Moments
A collection of true encounters, testimonies, and reflections on learning the voice of the Holy Spirit in daily life.
📘 Free From Lo-Debar
A journey into restoration, identity, and the God who brings His children out of forgotten places.
If you need biblical counseling, prayer support, or simply a listening ear, feel free to contact him.
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