It was a perfect day for an afternoon drive. Matt and I set out to find a wedding location in the picturesque valley amidst vineyards and rolling hills. The locations were mapped out, the gas tank full. Music played in the background while I spoke of wedding details I created in my head.

We’re going to take the scenic route, he said confidently with his deep voice. I nodded my head like a beatnik and shrugged my shoulders like a care-free hippy, Whatever you think, Love. I’m just going with the flow.

Forty minutes later I find myself gritting my teeth and biting my tongue like an etiquette teacher at a rave. The only thing I see is a two-lane road and nothing but the occasional weathered road sign. I tried my best to be the doting girlfriend who fully trusted her Knight in Shining Armor, but really, my inner control freak was twitching with anxiety.

Matt, I said as gently as possible, maybe we could stop and ask for directions. Or maybe we should turn around.

He kept on driving and winked like, I’ve got this! It’s all good! I know where I’m going. I bit my tongue until I saw a sign indicating a town approaching in a few miles. With a sigh of relief I told him we should stop and ask for directions. It looked like he heard me—but as we sped through the small town I realized he wasn’t going to stop.

When we drove past the general store, I thrust my foot on the floor of the car in exasperation and yelled out, WHY didn’t you stop?!?! He explained that he looked up directions and we were going to be fine. I begged him to pull over at the fire station on route 74 and ask for directions.

To appease me he pulled the car over and walked over to a large wooden map near the fire station. He perched his hands on his hips and peered intently for three minutes. Then walked to the car with a smile. So, you know where we are, I asked eagerly.

No, he said confidently. But we’ll get there if we just continue driving.

I’m no expert on dating or relationships, so I’m not going to pretend to be Dr. Laura or Dr. Phil. But I will say this: I understand why the biblical analogy for Christ’s relationship with the Church is marriage. There is a letting go and dying to self in both relationships (1 Cor. 15:31, Romans 12:1).

Trust is like dying to your self-reliance. Trusting someone else removes the power of self from the equation of life. God will take us on adventures and we may not know the direction, but you know what? You’ll get to your destination. It may not be the route you expected to take, but maybe there’s a lesson to learn as you come over the proverbial hill in your life.

The car perched at the crest of the hill and we saw the valley below us, golden yellow and emerald green. He looked over at me and said, See, I knew we’d get here. We just had to keep driving.

Keep driving. Even when there are no road signs or maps. Your driver know where He’s going.

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