I wish there was big life directory. You know, like the ones at the mall marked with a red dot that says, “You are here.” Feeling lost and looking for direction, I was about to quit. Usually task-oriented and goal driven, I’ve gotten lazy. Maybe it’s work, maybe it’s stress, maybe it’s just summer. I feel like I’ve lost my direction.

Where am I and where am I going?

I‘m so prone to getting lost that I often turn around and go the other direction. Then I turn around again and again so the wrong way starts to look familiar. Marking off landmarks in my mind, I get confused. I rely so heavily on my GPS, without cell service I’m lost. 

And right now I feel lost. Though I’m not good at keeping margin in my life, I take a Sabbatical from writing about this time every year. That’s what this post was going to be about; spending some time with the Lord, figuring out what direction I’m supposed to turn. Worn out from traveling for work, pleasure and speaking and now I’m preparing for my marriage’s funeral.

Frankly, I’m dry. You probably noticed. There’s always a good story to tell with a life lesson, but deep truths from the Word are missing. So I intended to say it’s time for me to take some time off and dig into the Word.

But God said no

He bosses me around like that all the time. Maybe you don’t believe it but He did. So I have to keep writing, not for you, but for me. Of course, I have to lean in to the the Lord, marinate in scripture and get back to my discipline instead of rushing out the door sloshing coffee and cramming in my lessons the morning before Bible study.

Maybe you feel lost and looking for directions too

Here’s what I know

Take hold of His hand. Trust the Lord to guide you. He knows the way.

Psalm 139:10 “Even there your hand will lead me. Your right hand will hold on to me.” HCSB

He has a plan for your life and He knows how to get you where you’re going.

Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I shaped you in the womb, I knew all about you. Before you saw the light of day, I had holy plans for you.” MSG

Walk the long road of obedience. Waiting is hard; we want to take the bullet train to the promised land. But in the wait, He prepares us for what lies ahead. 

Hebrews 10:36 “Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will.” NLT

Don’t quit and neither will I.

1 Timothy 4:15 “Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress.” NIV

Though I know He prepares me, I’m going places I don’t want to go. But I always come back to the same truth – trust.

I‘m dry; I’m dreading; I’m drained; I’m discouraged. But the same God who carried me through my illness will carry me through this, so I choose to trust and follow Him, to hold His hand.

When I can’t, then I’ll let Him grab mine.

“Immediately Jesus reached out His hand, caught hold of him and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?'” Matthew 14:31 HCSB