On a recent cross-country skiing vacation, I learned a meaningful lesson about, of all things, ‘faith.’ If you don’t mind, I’d like to share it with you.

We got to our rustic cabin late in the day. After unpacking, several of us decided we wanted to go out for a skiing run, even if it was late. According to the map, there was a trail not too far from our cabin that was a 2½-mile loop. We strapped on our skis, and off we went. Well, it got dark a lot faster than we had anticipated. By the time we were a mile or so into that trail, it was so dark, we couldn’t see the snow in front of us, we couldn’t see the trail directly under our feet. It became very difficult to ski. The more I tried to pick out the trail, the more difficulty I had. And by now, we were deep into the pine forests of Island Park. Every tree looked the same. That trail had twisted and turned, and gone up and down and around in every way imaginable. None of us were [was] totally sure of which way was home. The temperature was dropping close to zero. In short, this was not a good place, nor a good night to get lost.

Then all of a sudden, it dawned on me. We were on a groomed trail. All we had to do was relax, keep our skis in the tracks of those who had gone before us, and simply follow them home. Well, with that newfound knowledge, it became much easier to ski. I stopped worrying about where to steer my skis, and I just let the trail guide me. Well, more calm now, I began to look around. The snow was beautiful. The stars overhead were bright and beautiful; it was a gorgeous clear crisp mountain night.

We skied on in the dark, more or less blind. Then suddenly, we broke out of the trees on to the banks of the Buffalo River. I knew exactly where we were. The lights of our little cabin were just a short distance down stream. We skied on, and in due time arrived back to the warmth and security of our cabin and the rest of the family. What could have been a disaster became instead an exhilarating and a joyful experience.

My friends, life is a lot like a ski trip. It begins as the grandest of adventures, sure enough. But there inevitably comes those times, I think for all of us, when we feel like we’re lost in the woods after dark skiing blind. There are some even now, especially among the young, that don’t know where they are, or even who they are. They are lost skiing in spiritual darkness, if you will. I remember that feeling; I remember it well! And so what I have to say now is for them.

My dear friends, life is a short loop. We came from the warmth of God’s presence into a cold darkened world. And a trail has been laid out clearly before us that will lead us back to Him, and to His love. The real test of this life is ‘Will we trust the trail at all times?’ Are we willing to humbly place our faith in the ones who have gone before us?

Listen to me: Just because you can’t see the trail clearly, or the end from the beginning, does not mean that the trail’s not there. Don’t abandon the Lord’s trail! There is none of us that have [has] learned enough to make it home on our own. Stay in the tracks, even when all hell is trying to pull you off and get you as lost as they are.

And I promise you, if you do, the day will come when the light will appear before you, and you will the know the unspeakable joy reserved for those who endure to the end.