KNOW HOW TO FOLLOW A TONGUE?

On the Trail With. . .

Stephen Bly

Copyright©1993,2008

An old timer up our way left a high school basketball game in a snowstorm, took a wrong turn, and wound up three hours south of home.  I didn’t say too much. I’ve had my share of wrong turns, shortcuts, and getting lost down some scrubby back road. 

When I think about old timers, I’m amazed how the pioneers set out west without roads or decent maps and ended up where they wanted. They just followed the tongue. That is, every night under bright prairie stars, they took a bearing on the North Star. If they were driving cattle up from Texas to Kansas, they’d pull the covered wagon tongue around to head straight to the star. By daylight, they’d follow where the tongue pointed. If they were headed west in a covered wagon, they’d line the tongue perpendicular to the star. The North Star provided the constant to plot their direction.

You’ve got a true north constant too. Like pioneers who struggle across a wilderness, you wrestle with your own trials and troubles and hope to survive. Even though each day’s events and challenges might toss you to and fro. . .even though you might get bad advice. . .even though the landscape of your situation might seem strange or foreign. . .nevertheless, it’s possible to keep on track.

The Bible says to fix your eyes on Jesus, “the author and perfecter of our faith” (Hebrews 12:2). He’s your best, most experienced guide. He provides crucial signposts along your daily journey.

In the evening and early morning, realign your mind and heart with Jesus. Straighten your will with His. Ask for His wisdom and way. He will keep you from wandering, from getting lost in the storms. You’ll wind up where you need to be.

When’s a time when you avoided disaster by keeping your focus on a biblical North Star?

COMING MAY 1st, 2011:  
Throw The Devil Off The Train,  
a historical western romance. . . .


Desperate for a change, Catherine Goodwin heads west to a fiance she hasn't seen in 17 years. 
Full of revenge and craving justice, Race Hillyard heads west while in desperate need of sleep...on the long, noisy train ride. 
Holdups, hijacks, kidnappings and gold mine swindles throw the two together. 
Fiery, opinionated and quick to react, can they stop hating each other long enough to throw the devil off the train?