Calling branch

Even the best maps can't always prepare you for where you are going.

It's always nice to have people in your life to help you walk through the rough patches. And it's even better when they can warn you about upcoming troubles. Thankfully, the people with whom I run each Sunday are those I would want with me on any sort of battlegrounds.

This past Sunday morning, it was rather foggy and still dark when we started the run, and we were in a new area to most of us. Josh had thoughtfully mapped out a course and even printed written (and laminated) directions, but there wasn't enough light out to see what any of it said. So, we were basically just trusting his words as we ran.

But, even though he had already run part of the course that morning before all of us, he didn't know every little surprise that was going to be out there waiting for us.

It won't always be clear.

It stormed on Saturday night, so there were a lot of branches and muddy puddles on various parts of the path. Because it was still so dark out, and much of the run was lined with trees, all of this was rather difficult to see. So, we didn't notice them until they were right at our feet. That's when we had to trust each other in calling out "Branch!," "Mud!," or "Puddle!" The only thing we really couldn't shout was the random animal that ran out at our feet (somehow I didn't even see it), and I think Kiran even kicked it. We still aren't certain if it was an armadillo or a possum. Disco kept referring to it as a rabbit. Regardless, it was living—at least at that point it was.

When it got a little easier to see, Josh even started picking up the random branches blocking the path as he was running so that the people behind him wouldn't even have to worry about tripping over them. Now that's a friend.

There were some points during the dark times where I was in front, and the person next to me and I really had to watch our steps. It sure was a lot easier when we had other people in front of us navigating our steps with admonitions and precedents.

Often it's good to lead in life, but there are also those moments when you need others there with you to help guide your footing. You never know when branches are going to get in your way, and you won't always have the perfect amount of light to reveal the dangers that lay in front of you. That's why it's nice to have those voices shouting out in protection mode.

Life isn't always going to have clear skies, and there are going to be storms we face. There will also be the ensuing effects of those times, where branches and puddles of mud will plague us as we run through winding and unfamiliar paths. But, what's so comforting is that God has given us those special angels with familiar voices who are there to encourage and help us along the way.

You aren't always going to know where you are or where you're going, and you certainly won't always have a clear path. But God is there to direct your steps, and sometimes He provides people to point us in the exact directions we need to go. In those moments, it's all about listening and obeying.

And even those foggy mornings won't keep you from smiling about the adventures ahead.