Lessons In Trail Riding

Well we took to the trails with the ATV's this past weekend. What an experience! It was the perfect day... warm and breezy with clear blue skies! We set out early in the morning and rode for four and a half hours. It was a great day with the fam... a definite MUST DO trip again.

But...

before this trip I have to admit that I considered myself a pretty decent ATV driver. I mean... I'd conquered those hills at our home. I'd driven through the trails that the hubs had strategically designed for us on our property and put in hours on the four wheeler prior to this excursion. But nothing.... and I do mean nothing, fully prepared me for REAL trail riding with steep hills, berms and twists. And although it was an amazing experience, this body is still reeling from the bouncing and thrashing it endured while navigating through - dare I say it? God's country! :)

While it WAS a beautiful trip and I DID conquer a full day of rough riding, there was a lesson to be learned here... Ah - there's always a lesson!

Trevor decided that he and Chloe would "lead the way" through the trails. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. It was good in that he's a much better map reader than I, but bad because... well... I suppose this picture speaks for itself...




















It was a pretty dirty ride. I didn't even realize I was getting that dirty UNTIL I removed my helmet. (The laughs from my family members gave it away that something was terribly wrong.)

Now I could have SWORN that I heard Trevor say before we left that these trails were one way only. To me, this would mean that there was only one way in and one way out and that all of the other ATV's were following the same path. To my understanding the reason we weren't passing very many other drivers was because they were either in front of us or behind us. In other words - it never DAWNED on me that there was a real threat of ONCOMING riders. It never occurred to me that there was actually danger up ahead that I couldn't see, because I was safely behind the lead driver in our little pack... my hubby.

You see - he could see far enough ahead to know what kind of danger we might be in. He was navigating. He was leading and he was guiding and he was protecting. If he saw a possible collision ahead, he would need to GUIDE his family to safety by pulling off into a different direction. And even though I couldn't see Him... even though I couldn't see what he saw - I trusted him and had faith in him... that he was taking care of us.

There were times that he got a little too far ahead of me. There were times that the dirt and dust became so thick that I couldn't see him. But I heard him. And I knew he was there. There were moments when he sped up too far ahead of me and I'd get a little nervous. "What was he doing?" I'd think to myself. And then I'd quickly discover that he was only making sure the path was clear enough. He was only making sure that his bride and his child were safe. He was directing my path... clearing a way for me... so that I could have a great riding experience.

Proverbs 3:6 says, "Seek His will in all you do, and He will direct your paths."

My lesson in trail riding is this...

God is leading me. HE is directing my path. He has gone before me and He is orchestrating my journey. I may not be able to see Him. And sometimes I may not know where He's taking me... but I can trust that He is there.

Psalm 23:3 says that "He guides me along the right path."

Praise God for this!

I've discovered that I don't need to fear when God is directing my path. He's got this! He sees what I can't see and He is faithfully protecting me from a a definite head-on collision.

When we worry - we're forgetting that God is leading and directing our paths.
When we doubt - we're forgetting that it's God who's working out all things together for those who love Him.
When we try to control things - we're missing out on the opportunity for God to come through for us.

It's true - I could have decided that I didn't like the way Trevor was leading us on those trails in Leota, Michigan on that bright, sunny Saturday afternoon. I could have easily have decided that I wanted to go off into a direction on my own. Maybe I wanted to do some more sight-seeing. Perhaps I was tired of following all the time and I could have made my mind up to turn left or turn right and trust that I was going to end up in a safe location. But I didn't. Because I understood that I had someone who was willing to lead if I just let him. I trusted in someone who had my best interests in mind... someone who was going to lead me safely to the other side.

I believe it is God's desire for us to fulling yield to His leadership in our lives because He knows what is best for us. Oh - it might be painful for a season. It might be bumpy. It might be scary and the uncertainty might cause us to be, at times, uncomfortable, but His ways are always better than our own. You see, friends - He still has the WHOLE world in His hands. He sees the bigger picture. He is all-knowing and all-powerful. He's already at the end and He already sees the dangers that lie ahead. And as much as we want to do it on our own - His ways are always wiser.

Isaiah 52:12 says that "The Lord will go ahead of you."

He will go ahead of you and will prepare a path that is safe for you if you'll simply let Him.

I love the promise in Deuteronomy 31:8... "Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the Lord will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; he will neither fail you nor abandon you.”

Did you catch that? It says that the Lord will PERSONALLY go ahead of you! What an amazing promise. I don't know about you, but it gives me comfort to know that He is personally leading! That means He's protecting me and that He wants the best for my life.

It's a choice we have to make. Are we going to let Him lead the way... knowing He has our best interest in mind? Are we going to fully trust in a God we can't see so that we can experience the beauty He intends for us to enjoy?

After all... I believe He wants us to have a great riding experience!

Finding JOY in the JOurneY,



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