In 2012, I moved to Maryland to help my daughter with my grandsons while her husband participated in varied military operations. That June, my mother ended up on life support for meningitis and pneumonia. I flew home to stay with Mom and to be her advocate, as well as helping dad with his business and with the care of my special needs sister. When Mom was transferred to a rehab facility I flew back to Maryland to resume my life.
Two months later, when I was taking a walk in Maryland, the Lord told me to get off the path and head in a different direction. He then spoke to my heart that He was going to take me off the “beaten path”—so far off, I wouldn’t understand. As I walked on, I came up to a sign saying “bumps in road ahead.” The Lord told me that I was going to be hitting some bumps. Before I finished my walk I was also led to pray in front of both yield and stop signs. As I lingered at each sign, the Lord deposited promises and warnings into my Spirit, and when I returned to the house I knew I would be in Corpus Christi for the Holidays helping my parents. I just had no idea what the season would look like—I couldn’t have had an idea!
It ended up being a longer and more challenging season than I ever could have imagined. Two months turned into four years. I quickly transitioned from changing my grandson’s diapers in Maryland to my mother’s depends in Texas—from cleaning up toys to cleaning out closets— from waking up in the night with crying babies—to waking up throughout the night to administer care and meds to aging parents.
It was a season of daily dying, serving others, and major growth. As I faced the reality of nothing being as I had expected, I had to keep in mind that everything was as God knew it would be. As I held Momma in my arms, I continued to hold onto the promise of going to the nations in my heart. As I helped Momma walk, I learned to walk in a foreign land—the land of caring for aging parents. As I reorganized the house, God reorganized my priorities. In the process, I had to learn to listen to His guidance as to when to walk, when to yield, and when to stop. I also had to rely on His amazing grace that cushioned me when I hit road bumps.
The day God told me to leave the path He was setting my feet in a new direction. Neither the timing nor the season was as I had expected them to be, but they were everything that He wanted for me. Some of the road bumps seemed gigantic, and I didn’t always want to obey the signs. But God kept me and grew me and brought me back into alignment. He also abundantly blessed me in ways I never would have imagined!
Even though I often didn’t know where the next bend was going to be, I was thankful that God had forewarned me. That has not always been the case. In November, God took me on another off-road adventure. This time I had no warning. I returned to my father’s house to care for my sister for a week while he went to a wedding in California. The day before the wedding, Dad fell and broke his hip. He had to have surgery and go to rehab. He then stayed with my older sister for awhile, but ended up back in the hospital and then rehab again because of other health issues. He is now back at my sister’s house. He might make it back home this month. Only the Lord knows.
Through both experiences, I have learned that life can change quickly. However, what looks like a detour is really a divine set up. As I have daily walked with God through yet another unexpected journey, once again, I am thankful for the changes He has made in me and through me. I am also thankful for the blessings He has given me—blessings I would never have had had He not taken me off the beaten path.
How about you? Have you found yourself taking a divine detour? Is what you are currently experiencing looking far different from what you had expected. If so, remember Proverbs 3:5-8. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; 6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct[a] your paths” (NKJV).
Our part is to trust. God’s part is to lead. As you and I acknowledge the Lord in all things and lean on God instead of on our own understanding, He will guide us down the paths He has chosen for us. These paths might be less traveled, but they are strewn with blessings!
May you be abundantly blessed!
Jeannie