The "GPS" of our Soul

Girlfriends, journey back with me to five years ago when I was a newly married twenty-four year old woman. Chris and I were traveling around the country with Kidz Blitz Live, an interactive shared family experience for children and their families. This particular week we had arrived in Houston, Texas at a church called Champion Forest Baptist Church. Back in Kansas City, I was participating in my first Beth Moore Bible study, which was the Patriarchs study, and I was learning so much and enjoying her style of teaching. I remembered hearing Beth Moore say, in one of the videos in that series, that she had a Sunday night Bible study at her church in Houston. I looked it up online and realized I would be there when the Bible study went on. I was so excited. I wanted to try to go. Unfortunately, it was during the event that we had at Champion Forest. Chris encouraged me to go even though he could not drive me there.

What?...me drive by myself on the freeways of Houston and not get lost? I am someone that can get easily flustered on roads that I am not used to driving on. I like to drive on familiar roads where I know exactly where I am going. If you know Houston at all, they are not only known for crazy traffic, but also for their crazy highways. They are everywhere! They crisscross, intersect and go this way and that. They are built on top of each other and soar so high in the sky that you often feel like you are on a roller coaster.Here is a picture for all of you who have not had the pleasure of driving on these amazingly engineered freeways; and yes, you do drive on the very top road that is way up high in the sky (see what I mean about roller coasters:)

Chris said he thought I could maneuver the roads just fine. He said we would set the GPS (global positioning system) and away I would go! Well, the nice lady's voice sweetly guided me on my way. I had my hands gripping the steering wheel so tight. I was soon switching from one freeway to another like I was a seasoned pro and began to feel more at ease. Then the nice GPS lady's voice came on and told me to get on a certain freeway and I look up and make sure I am in the right lane and I see a big orange sign slapped across the sign of the lane I am to be in that said CLOSED. I immediately panic. What do I do. My palms were sweaty and I had 7 different lanes to pick from. I immediately had this gripping fear that I would become lost on the Houston freeways never to be seen again!

I quickly decided to stay in the lane I was in and the nice GPS lady started trying to recalculate my route. Luckily, within a few seconds she found me a new route to take and I was able to safely make it to my destination. As I pulled into the parking lot of the church a huge wave of relief swept over me! I had made it! I ran into the church with seconds to spare and found an open seat in the class room eagerly waiting to see Beth Moore emerge to teach us from the Word of God. I waited, and kept looking at my watch..five minutes went by...then ten. Finally, a nice woman came out and took the microphone. She said, "Hi, my name is Karen. In a few minutes we will be starting class. Beth Moore is not able to be here tonight so I will be leading our study this evening." What? Oh, no...I came all this way and braved the Houston freeways and do not get to sit under the teaching of Beth Moore. Then, I suddenly remembered....I had to get back in the car and do this all over again!

Girlfriends, just like I had a GPS guiding me through the freeways of Houston, we also have a "GPS" or Shepherd, His name is Jesus! ("For you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls." 1 Peter 2:25). If you have given Your life to Him and asked Him to be your Savior, He knows you, and hears your voice ("I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me—just as the Father knows me and I know the Father and I lay down my life for the sheep." John 10:14, 15). He is willing and waiting to guide us through the highways and byways of life. He is just waiting for us to ask Him for help or guidance. With the good Shepherd guiding you, you may not know where you are going or where He is leading you, but that is okay. He is our path. He does not leave us or forsake us. And He has promised to stay until the very end. Matthew 28:20 says, "I am with you always, to the very end of the age."