A WALK IN THE WOODS

A story by Jennifer Rainey Walters
November 14, 1994
[Jennifer shared with me this beautiful story she wrote some years ago. I thought it would be great to share it with the class as well.]

One day a man was walking down a long quiet road. He wasn’t sure where he was going or how to get back home, until he saw woods ahead. He thought to himself whether he should keep walking along the road or take a chance and go through the woods. Even though he thought he should stay on the road, it would be getting dark soon, he decided he would go through the woods hoping it would be a short-cut.

A little ways into the woods, everything suddenly seemed to be much darker. Even the sky now was a charcoal black; where, a short while ago, it had been a beautiful blue. As he walked deeper and deeper into the woods, he realized he was lost. The loud screams of birds and other animals frightened him very much. He regretted turning from the quiet road to a place that seemed very dark. If only he hadn’t chosen to go the “short-cut”. He feared he would not find his way home. He began to feel cold, he didn’t know what to do. He prayed to the Lord for His help, explaining to Him that he had made the wrong decision and needed His guidance.

After a while he was beginning to give up hope. He had prayed and prayed and it seemed as if God wasn’t listening. After resting for a while, he knelt down on his knees and prayed even harder than all the times before. He said, “Lord, I know I have prayed to you several times before, but all I know to do is to keep putting my total faith and trust in You. I know You will guide my way.”

Then, after a few more minutes of walking, between a couple of trees, he noticed a light. As he came closer to the light, he realized he had been walking in the woods all night searching for a way out.

He thanked God for guiding him to the light beyond the darkness. Once he reached the end of the woods, he saw a beautiful meadow where he could smell the scent of wild flowers. Finally, beyond this meadow was a small town. His town. With God’s help, he found his way home.

Although he regretted his decision to go through the woods, he learned a valuable lesson. Never take the “short-cuts” in life. No matter how long it may take, always stay on the right path. But if you do make the wrong decision, God will show you the way.

It is you who make the decisions in your life. Some will be right and some will be wrong; but all decisions are yours to make. Believe in and listen to what’s in your heart. Walk with God and constantly seek the “light beyond the darkness” until you find it. Because no matter how dark things seem, there is always a light at the end where everything is brighter and much much nicer.

If you turn from Gods path, you’ll find yourself lost, but with His help, He’ll bring you home.