The path suddenly became so covered with snow that there would be no way to take the group I’m guiding any higher on the mountain.

It went from this:

The path quickly turned to now this!

Good thing that I’m doing a scouting run on the trail. In a few days, I’ll be guiding a group of high school Seniors from Mississippi into the wilderness of Colorado. But,…… on this trail,……. it ain’t happening!

It would have been two more miles on this trail to reach our goal for this hike. Pretty obvious now, that we are going to have to change our plans. But now what?

I’ve promised these students a great time in the outdoors. We are going to hike, camp, explore, fish, and just enjoy nature at its best. But with the snow pack deep on the trail (two to four feet deep still) , our plans must be changed. I promised a great fun filled time. Not a time of torture. Not too many students from Mississippi would consider a two mile hike IN SNOWSHOES to be fun! Whew! We must change our plans.

I couldn’t help but think of a saying I have been hearing a lot of lately. If you want to know if God has a sense of humor, just make a plan. 😉

Doesn’t it seem like too many times, we make a plan for our life, but it doesn’t go as planned.

Oh sure, it might even be with “good intentions”, and dog gone it, it doesn’t happen as you and I have planned. Maybe a big life decision, a plan for a new chapter in your life, just a day trip, or in my case……… a hike up Music Pass Trail ,….. all planned out, but not happening.

Now what? Well, as a guide to others, I now have to rely on my Guide.

The Lord is good to those who wait for him,
    to the soul who seeks him.
It is good that one should wait quietly
   for the salvation of the Lord. Lamentations 3:25-26

Most of the times our plans don’t go as planned is because things are not happening as quickly as I planned. 😉 I’m beginning to see more and more that by me focusing on my plans instead of focusing on God’s Plan for my life,…..well, I have to slow down and wait for God and his good plans for me.

He gave me a good life’s lesson by having this snow pack block my trip further up the mountain. I now have to wait on God and His direction.

In this particular journey, God showed me a beautiful waterfall. I took a different path, scouted it, and this is what I found:

Wow! Pretty! I would not have seen this if I had been able to follow my plan! Now, I’ll get to share this view with the high school Seniors! My plans took a detour because of heavy snow. God’s plans for me led me to another journey to another place to another interaction with Him and His glory. I’m learning to wait. Learning to wait on God. It’s made all the difference!!!!

My plan…… is to follow God’s plan!

See Ya! Dan Ainsworth wilderness preacher