Which Way?

It is no secret that my new husband, Mike, is completely different from my first husband, Jeff.   Jeff was a city boy, raised in Charlotte, NC.   He loved old rock and roll music and golf.   Mike, on the other hand was raised in Wakulla County, loves country music and hunting/fishing.   But there are some areas where they agreed.   They both shared a very conservative politcal view.   They shared a love for Jesus  and their family and they both have loved me better and more than I deserve.  I have learned so much from both men.  

Recently, Mike has been teaching me how to hunt.   I never thought about how much work it is, or about how much skill it takes.   I guess I just thought hunters were lucky...boy, was I wrong.   It is hard work, let me tell you!    So, as I am learning about all the things you have to do in order to have a successful hunt, I am amazed at the lessons God is teaching me about Him and about my walk with Him.    This is just one of those lessons...I'm sure there will be many.

Mike and his brother-in-law, Butch, are in a hunt club in a neighboring county.   The drive is about an hour, so they have to get up really early to get there before the deer start moving.   The area where they hunt is newly acquired land for the club so trails had to be cut in order for them to have access to the land.    This required weeks of preparation and hard work.   Once the trails were established, Mike took me over to see the place and help check the feeders, cameras and such.  

About 20 minutes in the forest and I couldn't have told you which way was West if my life had depended on it.   I mentioned this to Mike and of course he explained that you watch the position of the sun and other cues.    He walked through the land like it was our backyard...I on the other hand was as lost as lost can be.  

Along the way, I noticed that he would stop ever so often and stick a thumbtack into a tree.   He carefully put one on each side.   Strange...but he's the hunter, I'm just the observer.    When I could take it no more, I finally asked, "Why do you keep doing that?".    "I'm marking the trail", he replied.    With thumbtacks?   It was then that I commented that he probably didn't need trail markers...he was navigating the woods with ease as far as I could tell.

To my surprise, he said that was because it was daytime.    He then went on to tell me that these woods would look totally different at night...and without the help of these little thumbtacks, he would be as lost as I was.   Really?   How is a thumbtack going to help you at night?    Patiently, he showed me the back of the tacks...they were covered in a reflective material.   When a light was shined on the tack, it would glow white...lighting up the trail and keeping the hunter from getting lost.  In the darkness, we can easily become disoriented and lose our way...trail markers keep us on the right path and lead us out.

Wow!  Right then God spoke to my heart.    He pointed out to me that to others it may look like I can navigate this life with ease.    I've studied the Word and though I am no expert, I can find my way with a little effort.    I've recently come through some very hard days and others have commented on how easy I made it look.   But when the darkness fell on my life, I would have been completely lost were it not for the markers that had been set up earlier.    When my family seemed like it would be destroyed by a prodigal son, scriptures that I had hidden in my heart became my trail markers.    When our ministry came under attack, remembering the sufferings of Christ marked my way.   When Jeff was diagnosed with terminal cancer, my faith in God and His faithfulness to me lit up like stars in the sky.  

You see, the thumbtacks were of no good without the reflective backing.   And reflective backing is useless without something to reflect.   Every trial I have experienced, every disappointment, every failure, has become a trail marker.   Why?   Because God has been faithful in every one of them.   His faithfulness in my life reflects His character.    Ephesians 5:13 says, "But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light."     When God's light shines on the difficult places in my life, His light is reflected by His faithfulness there.

People have said to me, "I don't know how you did it" or "How did you survive?". It is only by the grace of God that I have been able to navigate the past few years.   It was His faithfullness marking my way and when the darkest of the darkness fell on my life, His light shone on each marker, showing me the path.   He is still placing markers in my life...not just for me, but for others who may come this way.   And one thing I am certain of, when His light shines upon them, the way will be clear for anyone looking.  

Thank you, Lord, for trail markers you have placed in my life.   Though I didn't understand at the time, I am now so thankful for every single one of them.   When the darkness seems suffocating and I feel lost and alone, I need only to let Your light illuminate my way.