Lost in the Woods
by Beth Davis on November 6, 2023
As we arrived at the gate of CrossRoads Camp and Conference Center, a wave of relaxation washed over my entire body. Our family had been caught up in a whirlwind of busyness, making me eagerly anticipate the Northstar Women's Creatives Retreat. This event promised a chance to not only work on creative projects but also to spend time hiking with my camera and enjoying the glory of the fall leaves in the mountains.
At about 1:30 on Friday afternoon, I informed my friends of my hiking plans, displayed my intended route on the map, and said, "If I'm not back by 3:30, start to worry." I had initially planned to return by 2:30, aiming for a brief hike to capture the vistas from the Dismal Mountain Trail's rocky outcrops. Aware I'd have little to no cell service during the hike, I snapped a photo of the trail map, took note of the green trail blazes I should follow, and began my ascent. The green blazes resembled small metal rectangles, akin in size to a dollar bill, affixed to trees at regular intervals.
However, as I embarked on my hike, I decided to deviate from my original plan. I chose to follow the orange-blazed trail outwards and intended to return on the path marked with green blazes. The trail was steep but well-marked, and the views were stunning. I located the point where the two trails intersected and headed back toward the camp, all the while keeping a watchful eye on the blazes and cross-referencing my location with the trail map on my phone.
I reached a point where I couldn’t find the next green blaze. Scanning the surroundings, I discovered a tree marked with a red blaze. Impulsively I thought – they must have decided the green blazes were too small and decided to use red instead. I began to follow the red blazes. I soon found myself walking down the side of a steep hill and at the bottom of a small valley between two ridges. There were no more blazes to follow. I realized then I was off the trail. What I should have done was turn around, but again I made an impulsive decision to follow the tire tracks I could see, thinking they would lead me back to camp.
At 3:30, I was now wandering in the woods, with no cell service and well off the trail map. I knew I wasn’t far from camp and was far more concerned about worrying my friends than being lost. Eventually, I found a small cabin and a gravel road with a sign that read “End state maintenance”. I decided to follow that road assuming it would lead to an asphalt road. It did, and I found myself trudging up Little Piney Road and into the entrance gate of CrossRoads. About this time, I said to God “OK, I’ve trusted you to lead me, it’s about time for the rest of our church group to be arriving; could you please have one of them drive by and pick me up?” God had other plans, so I continued up the hill. About 4:30, I finally made it to the dining hall (the first place there was internet available), texted my friends, and then looked up to find Isaiah 30:21 from the Good News Translation on a corner of the building. It read “If you wander off the road to the right or the left, you will hear his voice behind you saying, ‘Here is the road. Follow it.’”
Once I was safely back and showered, I took a minute to read the daily entry from Jesus Calling. The final paragraph read, “I, the Creator of the universe, am the most creative being imaginable. I will not leave you circling in deeply rutted paths. Instead, I will lead you along fresh trails of adventure, revealing to you things you did not know. Stay in communication with Me. Follow my guiding Presence.”
Here are a few lessons God taught me that day:
1. Don’t go it alone. Stay in close communication with God. He is with us wherever we go. And if you are hiking (or many other things in life), it’s often better to take a buddy.
2. Pay attention to where you are going. Don’t make assumptions and don’t get distracted. The Bible is our trail map, and the Holy Spirit provides blazes along the trail. It’s important to stay in regular communication with God to make sure we are on the right path and to return quickly when we have strayed. The good news is God guides us back. The challenge is that His guidance, His still small voice, can be drowned out by the loud, distracting voices of the world around us.
3. Look carefully for God’s answers to your prayers. I was sure God would provide a ride back up the road into camp. He didn’t, and if He had, I would have missed the message He had for me on the dining hall building. God’s answers to our prayers may not be exactly what we think we should be looking for. Remember that Jesus fulfilled all the prophecies about the Messiah and yet, He looked different from what the Jewish people were expecting.
4. Ask. Since there is no cell service in the woods, I told my friends where I was going and when I planned to return. By the time I did return, they had told the facility manager I was missing, and he was ready to go up the mountain to find me. When I talked with him later, he said “If I’d known you were going hiking alone, I would have given you a radio.” I hadn’t even considered asking. I was reminded that there are often resources available when I don’t try to do it all by myself. How often does God have resources available and I don’t even think to ask?
5. Be ready for that new adventure. This certainly wasn’t the hike I planned. But I’m pretty certain it was exactly how God wanted me to spend time with Him that day. Be willing to adapt when things don’t go as planned. Watch for the ways God is leading you.
Beth Davis is a Professional Certified Coach (PCC) through the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and walks alongside many women in our Network. Beth serves on our NorthStar Women’s Network Advisory Board, and is the Director of Discipleship at South Run Baptist Church in Springfield, VA. For more information about Life Coaching with Beth, click here.