The four ladies in my current work-in-progress end up lost, stop for directions, and manage to find themselves heading down this rutted, bumpy logging road. Definitely on the wrong track, the women end up in a desperate situation—one that I think many of us may have been in at one time or another.

This chapter in my novel is loosely based on an event that happened last summer when I drove our oldest son down to Boy Scout camp, ninety minutes from our house, where he worked as a lifeguard. Hubby usually drove, but he had to work, so my sister accompanied us. Two directionally-challenged adults are better than one, I say.

Common sense would’ve dictated that I should’ve paid closer attention when Hubby drove, but the trip was long and boring with windy roads and miles upon miles of trees. Rural? Oh, my, yes! Instead of noting directions, I kept my nose buried in a good book.

Before we left, Hubby rattled off directions faster than an auctioneer, but being the visual person that I am, I needed something to look at, so I printed out the route from Mapquest. Note to self: never ask for the shortest distance…always go for shortest time.

According to the commandos at Mapquest, I needed to turn right onto Fire Tower Road. Okay, no problem. We’re three miles from camp with time to spare. I had this trip in the bag. Nothing to worry about…

Except Fire Tower Road is an impassible logging road with ruts that rivaled the Grand Canyon. The road was a definitely a tongue in cheek term for this donkey path.

Determined to get my son to camp, I pressed on even though there was no way this could be the right road. Continuing to follow the mapped route, I took the first left, as directed. No road. Instead, there was a gate across an even narrower impassible foot path.

Frustrated and angry, I called my husband at work. He told me how to get to camp from where we were located. Less than three miles, but it took me over an hour to go that short distance. Not to mention the paint damage my car received from that nasty little jaunt.

My boys like to poke fun at their directionally-challenged mother, but you know what? They’re right.

Yes, I’m sometimes directionally-challenged trying to get from Point A to Point B, but I can be directionally-challenged by sitting in my living room, but this time in my spiritual live.

In order to hear God’s direction for our lives, we need to stop and listen. Instead of poking our noses in the proverbial books in life, we need to look up from our current chapters and pay attention to the routes we’re taking. Taking short-cuts will lead us down rutted, bumpy roads that can cause damage, if we’re not careful.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6