This picture was taken on a hot summer day at the end of a 9.5 mile hike.  I had set out for what I thought would be about a ten minute hike to a waterfall.  But after about ten minutes we realized that we still needed to go about two miles to get to where we wanted to go.  The maps at the nature preserve didn’t seem clear and by the time we got to our waterfall we were more than half way around a 9.5 mile loop from our car.  It turned out that making the entire loop would actually be less of a hike than doubling back.

What I didn’t count on during the second half of the hike was the valley of mosquitoes that lasted for 1.5 miles.  The mosquitos were so thick we had to run and wave our arms around like maniacs.  It was terrible.  They were blood thirsty and we got bit.  As we started to ascend out of mosquito valley we got excited to see the sun shining on the path at the top of the hill.  Our excitement was short lived.  It was really hot that day and with no shade at all we were now quickly losing steam.

My kids were miserable because this was not the outing I had promised.  My intentions were to hike for about a mile and end up at a waterfall where we would spend the afternoon relaxing.  Instead we were now hot, sweaty, tired and covered in mosquito bites.

This would be about how I’m feeling about my marriage today.  One vision of marriage was given to me and just like my children, I feel duped.  The marriage I am living is not even close to the marriage I set out to walk through.  It’s been longer, harder, & sweatier than I’d ever have guessed.  Like my children complaining about their long hike, I also feel like complaining.

Here’s what I’ve learned so far on this road to restoration.  Sometimes when you assess where you are at you realize it would be far better to complete the circle than to try to go back.  What I mean is that I need to finish the course marked out for me.  All of the wishing in the world will not change things that have already happened up to this point.  The past is in the past.  I don’t know what the future holds but I know the one who holds my future.

When my kids and I were running through the valley of mosquitoes, I was literally praying to God for mercy.  I was getting about 20 bites a minute and I could think of nothing else than being delivered from what seemed like certain torture.   When I was delivered from one trial, I walked right into another.  By the time we got to this sign I was feeling the Lord speak to me and say this will be like your road to restoration.

I will be with you on the road to restoration Alison.  I knew then that I would get through my trials in my marriage because God was going to help me.  What is impossible with man is possible with God.