GPBC Blog

My wife and I own some property in the rugged wilderness of the Fremont-Winema National Forest. When I say rugged, I mean Lewis and Clark would have struggled trying to get there. On this last trip, I explored the best options for reaching our land from the north. GPS took me down some perilous roads that could shake the suspension off a good truck and make you contemplate hiking instead. I shifted into four-wheel drive, and, rock crawling through a sketchy creek bed, came to a large tree in the road. I fired up the chainsaw as the sun began to set and started “bucking” it up. With a little bar oil and grit, the journey was back on! Only to drive another two hundred feet and find another tree blocking the road. Rinse and repeat!

As the drive continued, the road got narrower and a little more wild. All this time, I had this feeling that something was off. I just couldn’t shake it, but I was determined. That’s when another massive tree appeared in the middle of the road ahead. “This is the last tree I’m bucking up, then I’m turning around and going the old way,” I exclaimed. That’s when a loud thud echoed through the night air, and the truck jolted forward. Alas, a large rock hidden beneath the grass hit the transmission pan and rendered my father-in-law’s truck (did I mention yet that I was borrowing his truck?) dead in the water.

Just as quickly as it began, nighttime set in, with wolves, mountain lions, bears, and other known dangers in the area. “This really isn’t good,” I thought.

It’s like the old story of the man stuck in a flood. He prayed, “Please, God, save me.” As the waters rose, the Lord sent help—a warning on the news, a man in a boat, and even a rescue helicopter—but the man refused each one, believing God would save him another way. After he drowned, he stood at the gates of St. Peter, realizing the mistake he had made. The Lord had sent all the help and signs a person could have asked for, but he had ignored them. 

As for me, the Lord put three trees in front of me as a warning not to go down that road that night. Finally, He put a rock in the road to make perfectly sure I really couldn’t go any farther. When I failed to listen, the Lord still kept me safe. Is it possible that what was farther down that road that night was far worse than a two-thousand-dollar tow fee and a busted transmission pan? Maybe.

One thing is certain, though—I do know the Lord was protecting me. Psalm 46:1–2 tells us, “God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea.” God loves us as His children and will protect us if we heed the warning. We often know what doesn’t feel right and the Lord will lead the way. 

In closing, my favorite Bible verse, Psalm 73:26, tells us, “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” May God bless you all in His infinite glory. May we listen to what He is telling us, and may we heed the warnings of “trees in the road.” The spirit of this church community is strong, and as a congregation, we have always placed a high value on knowing the Lord through studying His Word. If we listen, we will be pointed in the right direction. That being said, it has been an immense honor to share this story with you all.