A Better Way
By: Phyllis Hobe

Some years ago I used to take my German shepherd for long walks in Philadelphia’s Fairmount Park. I’d park my car and take one of the trails that went far up into the hills where I could walk Kate off-leash. After a while I got to know the trails by heart.

One day a friend of mine came along with us and the two of us were so busy talking that we didn’t notice where we were. Finally, Pat looked at her watch and said, "Gosh, I have to get back and make dinner! Which way do we go?" That’s when I realized we were lost.

We were surrounded by woods and couldn’t see far ahead of us. After trying several times to retrace our steps, we lost all sense of direction. "Wait a minute," I said. "If anyone knows the way back, it’s Kate."

I looked at Kate and in a commanding voice I said, "Kate, take us home!" Kate brushed past us to lead the way. But after a little while both Pat and I knew it wasn’t the way we had come.

Kate had taken us off the trail and was leading us up and down some pretty steep hills. She was full of confidence and kept looking back at us as if to reassure us. But the farther we went, the more nervous we got.

Then, suddenly, we came out of the woods and into a huge meadow. At the end of the meadow we looked down a slope and saw the parking lot far below us. "We’re home!" I shouted and threw my arms around Kate. So did Pat.

"She knew where she was going all the time," Pat said. "It just wasn’t the same way we came." "No," I agreed, "it was a better way." Since then I’ve always tried to remember that when I ask God for guidance; and I do it often; I have to trust Him to know which way is best for me. Even if I haven’t gone that way before.

Lead me dear Jesus, because Your way is always better than mine. Amen.