EVERYDAY ADVENTURES

The Biggest Road Trip

When I was four years old, I took the biggest road trip of my childhood. Of course we wouldn’t have had to go far to earn that title. But this was legit: 700 miles.

Most of the places I’d ever been were within five to ten miles of my house. If we drove the sixteen miles to Corydon, that was a big deal. The 35-mile trip to Clarksville was considered going “up town,” which was basically like traveling to New York City. 

Most of the places I’d ever been were within five to ten miles of my house. If we drove the sixteen miles to Corydon, that was a big deal. The 35-mile trip to Clarksville was considered going “up town,” which was basically like traveling to New York City.  And crossing the river to Louisville? Forget about it. You needed a passport for a trip like that.

So when my aunt joined the army and ended up stationed in Savannah, Georgia, I couldn’t even get my head around how far away that must be, until my family decided to drive there.

Unfortunately for me, the people in charge of this trip, my grandma and my young mom, hadn’t done a whole lot of traveling either. But that didn’t stop them from throwing me and my teenage uncles into the family station wagon and heading south.

At least that was the plan. Somewhere around Tennessee, which is normally a short state to cross on the way to Georgia, we got turned around and ended up heading west. When you drive across Tennessee in that direction, it’s actually a long state, like a really long state.

At least that was the plan. Somewhere around Tennessee, which is normally a short state to cross on the way to Georgia, we got turned around and ended up heading west. When you drive across Tennessee in that direction, it’s actually a long state, like a really long state.

Eventually, though, we ended up back on track. By this time, however, my confidence in my family’s navigational skills was rapidly diminishing. Somewhere in the Smoky Mountains, when the sun began to set, I was pretty much done. It was obvious I was nowhere near home, and this trip didn’t seem to be ending anytime soon.

That’s about the time I started crying, “I want my dad.” I wasn’t really sure how I’d ended up in this mess, but I knew if my dad were there, he would protect me and somehow get us home.

In 47 years, not a lot has changed in my life. I’ve done a little more traveling since I was four, but, like all of us, sometimes still find myself feeling lost, lonely, and homesick. Not in the geographic sense, but in my soul.

There are times when we may all end up on some spiritually dark roads feeling far away from home. It may be because we took a wrong turn or maybe because someone else was at the wheel or perhaps it’s just one of those places life takes us.

There are times when we may all end up on some spiritually dark roads feeling far away from home. It may be because we took a wrong turn or maybe because someone else was at the wheel or perhaps it’s just one of those places life takes us.

Regardless of how we end up there, the best way forward is the one I chose as a preschooler:  crying out for our Dad.

My dad on earth is a great guy, but when we ran into trouble in Tennessee, he didn’t happen to be there at the time. But my Dad in heaven? He’s always just a prayer away, and when we cry out to Him, He has the power to reach into the darkness and help us find our way home.

My dad on earth is a great guy, but when we ran into trouble in Tennessee, he didn’t happen to be there at the time. But my Dad in heaven? He’s always just a prayer away, and when we cry out to Him, He has the power to reach into the darkness and help us find our way home.

Many years ago, a friend of God named David talked about this very thing. He once imagined traveling to the ends of the earth: up in the sky, down in the deepest caves and across the ocean and beyond. In each of these far off places David declared, “even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast” (Psalm 139:10 NIV). It doesn’t matter how dark of a place we may end up in life, David said. God is already there.

So the next time you find yourself feeling lost or alone, cry out to One who wants to protect you and guide you like a good father should. Even if you’ve never talked to Him before, He’s there just waiting for you to ask Him to lead you home. •

Photo credit:  Kenneth Sponslor / shutterstock.com