I'm Directionally Challenged by Marilyn Nutter

“Aunt Marilyn, I prayed for you the whole time you were gone. I hope that you didn’t rent a car and drive by yourself.”

I laughed when I read my niece’s e-mail to me. She knows me well. I am directionally challenged and I get lost easily.

While accompanying my husband on a business trip to Switzerland, I was free to explore on my own while he was in meetings. My niece prayed that I wouldn’t get lost.

I didn’t rent a car, but asked the hotel desk clerk for suggestions and walked my marked path on a map. I enjoyed the sites and stopped at a quaint restaurant for quiche and coffee.


At one point, I realized that I had gone in a circle. My feet ached. I prayed. I asked people for help and worked through a language barrier.

When all was said and done, I had to trust God to get me where I needed to go.

In Psalm 25: 4-5, King David asks for direction when he prays, “Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.”

He sought direction on how to travel. He knew his weaknesses. Pleading for guidance and direction, David wanted God to teach him so that his paths would be the right ones, not costly mistakes. He placed his hope and trust in God.

You and I may not be in a foreign country, but every day we can intentionally ask for direction as we make our plans, and look for help as we move along. We can trust God every step of the way, even in the unfamiliar and when we feel lost. When His truth guides our paths, we can walk safely and head in the right direction.

Read Marilyn's bio on the Lead Writers' Page.