It was early…  too early, but that didn’t bother me. I was a ten-year-old girl, about to embark on a road trip to the great potato state of Idaho. My mom and I were leaving our home in Southern Oregon to visit family and attend my cousin’s wedding.We were both very excited about our trip and had mapped out exactly how we were to get there. So off we went, before the crack of dawn even chanced a peak at our horizon.

Road trips were always fun with my mom. We sang, listened to books on tape, just talked… we had barely reached morning by the time we passed Bend.

“There’s Bend!” we had both exclaimed, but we kept on driving. It wasn’t long, though, before we hit some road construction. The flagger strolled up to our window and asked,

“Are you goin’ right or straight?”

“I don’t think we turn yet,” my mom looked at me, ” we’ll just go straight.”

So straight we went. I don’t know how long we drove, but as a ten-year-old stuck in a car, it seemed like FOREVER. It was reaching afternoon, when we saw something we did not expect to see. The road we were on was supposed to go straight,taking us straight to Idaho, but this road just dead-ended into another road. As we approached, the little white letters on the sign seemed to jump into our stomachs and turn to lead. A sinking feeling spread through us, as we read the words, “BEND  RIGHT 20 miles.” We had spent all day driving to Idaho, but instead did a complete and huge circle.

It is very frustrating thinking that you are going in the right direction, cruizing towards progress, only to find out you are just spinning circles. Like when you wake up, resolved to keep a positive attitude, but the car won’t start, and the toddlers took off all of his clothes, and breakfast burns, and your husband is rushing you. Like when you’ve decided to lose weight, but that certain girlfriend comes over, and you both end up eating far too much. Like when you’ve purposed to read your Bible every day, but it’s a good day if you even look at your Bible. That same sinking feeling spreads through you, as you realize that the road that was supposed to bring you to success, really just led you in a complete circle.

Though it took two days rather than one, my mom and I did reach Idaho. It turned out that we were supposed to turn at the road construction instead of going straight. This is often the prolem we face on our road towards success. Success may seem impossible if we are on the wrong road, but all we must do, is, simply, get on the right road. The Bible says to, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not onto your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” God holds the map to the road of your success. He desires to lead you, but you must trust Him. Before you set out on your trip alone, remember, roadtrips are allways more enjoyable with a companion… especially if your companion has the map.